Is Taylor ham the same as pork roll?

Yes. Taylor ham and pork roll refer to the same food. Pork roll is the usual word in the south of New Jersey and at the shore, and Taylor ham is common in the north.

How is pork roll cooked?

Pork roll is sliced, scored around the edges so it lies flat, and fried on a griddle until browned. A New Jersey diner or deli will serve it with a fried egg and cheese on a Kaiser roll.

Which New Jersey diners are famous for pork roll?

Tops Diner in East Newark and the Summit Diner in Summit are named in guides. Both serve a pork roll, egg and cheese, and a diner offers a sit-down meal where a deli sells the same sandwich faster and cheaper.

What's the best way to keep track of the New Jersey pork roll sandwiches I try?

Mosey is a food app for keeping track of where you have eaten, rating it by the dish and sharing the good places with friends. Rate each New Jersey sandwich by the dish, add a tag such as Diner, and share a list. Follow friends to see what they rate.

What does a pork roll, egg and cheese include?

A pork roll, egg and cheese includes pork roll, a fried egg and cheese, usually American, on a Kaiser roll or a bagel. In New Jersey, the combination is breakfast at diners and delis alike.

Dish guide

Best Pork Roll in New Jersey: Egg and Cheese

Mosey · November 11, 2026 · 5 min read

The best pork roll in New Jersey arrives on a Kaiser roll, fried until the edges curl and topped with a fried egg and melted cheese. It is the state's breakfast sandwich, and it comes with an argument built in: pork roll in the south and at the shore, Taylor ham in the north.

What is the best pork roll in New Jersey?

Pork roll is a processed pork product that is sliced, scored around the edges so it does not curl up and fried on a griddle. The result is salty, a little smoky and slightly crisp. A good sandwich balances the meat with a soft egg, a melting slice of American cheese and a roll that does not fall apart.

Judge a sandwich by its parts. The pork roll should be browned, not gray. The egg should be cooked to your taste. The cheese should be melted into the other layers, and the roll should be toasted or grilled so it has some structure.

Taylor ham or pork roll?

The two names refer to the same food. Shore and south Jersey lean toward pork roll, and north Jersey leans toward Taylor ham. A diner in East Newark, Tops Diner, makes a point of mentioning both names on its menu, which is a polite way to avoid the argument.

If you are visiting, use the local word. Ask for pork roll at the shore and Taylor ham in the north, and you will blend in.

Which New Jersey diners are famous for it?

New Jersey is known as the diner capital of the world, and the sandwich is a staple of their breakfast menus. The Summit Diner, in Summit, has an egg, cheese and pork roll on a Kaiser bun that Food Network Magazine chose to represent the state, and the diner is housed in an old railroad car built in Elizabeth.

Tops Diner is another well-known name, and the lists above put it high. Because diner lists are often several years old, check that a place is open before you drive.

Where can you find a Jersey breakfast sandwich at a deli?

Delis and small shops serve the sandwich too, often faster and cheaper than a diner. Frank's Deli in Asbury Park, The Committed Pig in Manasquan, Beckman's in Belmar and Olde Towne Deli in Boonton all show up in guides, and Olde Towne Deli is reported to have won a best pork roll award from NJ.com, though the award may be out of date. Lists like these are several years old, so check that each place is open. A reviewer called the sandwich at The Bagel Cafe in New Providence one of the best they had ever eaten.

A deli sandwich is usually made to order on a bagel or roll and wrapped in paper. It is a perfect car breakfast, as long as you have napkins.

What do the shore towns add?

Shore towns bring beach crowds, and a pork roll sandwich is a popular beach-day breakfast. Several of the delis above sit in or near shore towns, so a morning sandwich fits neatly before a walk on the boardwalk. Weekends fill up fast in summer, so go before the beach opens.

One news site argued that the best sandwich in the state sits at the Jersey shore, though such claims are opinions rather than facts.

How to order a pork roll, egg and cheese

Say it as one phrase: "pork roll, egg and cheese on a roll." Then decide on the details. The egg can be fried, scrambled or over easy. The cheese is usually American. The roll is a Kaiser roll or a bagel. Salt, pepper and ketchup are common finishing touches, and some people add hot sauce.

Ask for the pork roll well done if you like it crisp. If you are not sure about the amount, ask for two slices, which is the standard.

Breakfast sandwiches are also a matter of habit. Many people have a standing order and will not change it, so listen to the line. If everyone in front of you says the same phrase, copy it. If the counter looks confused by your order, ask for the house version. A diner counter is the best place to do this, because the cook is a few feet away and the answer comes with coffee. Tipping the counter staff is customary, even for a quick sandwich, and a friendly word goes a long way.

What else should you read around New Jersey?

The New Jersey food worth a drive guide covers diners and the rest of the state, the Mid-Atlantic regional foods guide places pork roll among its regional relatives, and the Jersey City restaurants guide is a good option for a later meal. The US guides page lists more cities.

Eating your way across New Jersey? The Food in New Jersey page links every town we cover.

How do you settle the pork roll debate?

Whatever your county calls it, the sandwich comes down to taste. Rate each egg and cheese by the dish, add a Breakfast tag and note whether the roll was crisp at the edge.

A New Jersey list of diners and delis gives you evidence for the next argument.

A breakfast sandwich is eaten in five minutes and argued over for years. Get the Mosey app, rate each pork roll, egg and cheese you eat for crispness, melt and roll, and build a New Jersey list that settles the name once and for all, or at least gives you evidence.

Questions

Common questions

Is Taylor ham the same as pork roll?
Yes. Taylor ham and pork roll refer to the same food. Pork roll is the usual word in the south of New Jersey and at the shore, and Taylor ham is common in the north.
How is pork roll cooked?
Pork roll is sliced, scored around the edges so it lies flat, and fried on a griddle until browned. A New Jersey diner or deli will serve it with a fried egg and cheese on a Kaiser roll.
Which New Jersey diners are famous for pork roll?
Tops Diner in East Newark and the Summit Diner in Summit are named in guides. Both serve a pork roll, egg and cheese, and a diner offers a sit-down meal where a deli sells the same sandwich faster and cheaper.
What's the best way to keep track of the New Jersey pork roll sandwiches I try?
Mosey is a food app for keeping track of where you have eaten, rating it by the dish and sharing the good places with friends. Rate each New Jersey sandwich by the dish, add a tag such as Diner, and share a list. Follow friends to see what they rate.
What does a pork roll, egg and cheese include?
A pork roll, egg and cheese includes pork roll, a fried egg and cheese, usually American, on a Kaiser roll or a bagel. In New Jersey, the combination is breakfast at diners and delis alike.