This fast-casual grilled cheese concept founded by Five Guys franchisees is going national - here's what it's like to eat there

New York City is considered one of the nation's fast-casual incubators - if a chain can make it in NYC, it can make it anywhere.

And now that grilled cheese concept Melt Shop has comfortably ensconced itself in Manhattan, it's looking to expand.

The chain's parent company, Aurify Brands, is no stranger to scaling up.

With a massive Five Guys franchise group in New York, Melt Shop has some serious experience behind it.

There are plans to double the chain's location count after netting $22.5 million in Series B funding this past fall; there are already several in the greater NY area, as well as a new store in the Mall of America in Minnesota.

Melt Shop has four locations in Manhattan, so I decided to head over to one to see what the chain is like.