Friends, Bulldogs, Yalies, lend me your ears; I come to bring you news of the best Chicken Caesar Wrap in all of New Haven.

No, I was not influenced by Sweetgreen's “Wraps Hit Different” sidewalk sign, but yes, I did have to memorize Marc Antony’s speech sophomore year of high school. Please tell me this was a shared experience? Anyways, I was down bad for a Chicken Caesar wrap one day, and after much time spent consulting Yelp, Beli, and members of the Chicken Caesar community, I found five New Haven establishments that I deemed worth the visit. After trying them all, I found a clear winner-winner-chicken Caesar wrap-dinner.

In terms of my criteria, I would say I’m a pretty reasonable girl. While I believe all chicken Caesar wraps should have a spinach wrap, and NEVER include tomatoes, I am not going to hold any grudges if these requirements are not met, and I do not care if the wrap is served hot or cold.

However, I do have one non-negotiable: the dressing.

I didn’t come for chicken and mayonnaise, I came for Caesar.

Caesar dressing should consist of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, anchovies, Dijon, egg, salt and pepper. At the bare minimum, should regular mayonnaise be used, there must be some sort of balance with the other ingredients.

Nonetheless, I searched for tanginess. I searched for the right blend between creamy and oily. Ultimately, I searched for a Caesar that would not let me down.

What did I find?

After glorious walks on Orange Street, Toast Tab Orders and Snackpass points, I can now rank crunch, dressing, chicken, parm and price—all wrapped into one—from least to most favorite:

#5 Meat & Co.

Price: $14

Overall, I had high hopes but was unfortunately let down. Let me set the record straight: the wrap was not terrible, and the ingredients were fresh. It was not, however, a Chicken Caesar. Lacking croutons and parmesan was the first strike, the second was the odd arrangement of chicken and lettuce, but the dressing is what really did it for me. Too heavy on the mayonnaise, I could not taste any other ingredients. In fact, I am beginning to question whether my order got messed up. The shop’s setup in East Rock Market is charming, and the other menu items look phenomenal. I will definitely be going back to try the East Rock BEC, but as for today, the Caesar needs some improvement.

#4 Est Est Est Pizza & Restaurant

Price: $13

If you saw me chowing this down on the steps of the Yale Art School, no you didn’t. Served hot, straight off of the panini press, and with a side of chips, this is not a bad deal for $13. However, compared to other wraps, it is definitely the smallest. The size led to an odd ratio of chicken to lettuce, in which I would have personally preferred less chicken and more crunch. However, most people are paying for the protein these days, so I have to respect it. Yet again, I was not a fan of the dressing, and the salty, metallic aftertaste that followed. Overall, this is a Caesar I would skip…maybe grab a slice of pizza instead.

#3 Nica’s Market

Price: $11

Nica’s Chicken Caesar Salad wrap is well-rounded. Crunchy, containing all of the basic components, and steering clear of a dressing that will let you down—aka it’s doing the bare minimum. The dressing is not very flavorful, but this allows for the well-seasoned chicken and croutons to shine. There’s a respectable amount of parmesan, and it's served fresh off of the panini press. If a light Caesar dressing is your thing, Nica’s is the place to be. At its price point and size, this wrap is not an item I would avoid, but also not something I would go out of my way for.

#2 Good Nature Market

Price: $11.95

I cannot believe I am writing this, but Good Nature’s Chicken Caesar is a top contender. With a solid iceberg crunch and smoky chicken, texture and flavor is not lacking. I opted for the spinach wrap, removed tomatoes, and was thrilled to encounter an acceptable dressing. By no means is it exceptional, for there is still work to be done (a little less mayo and a little more lemon with the dressing), but I commend you GHeav for getting the basics right.

#1 P&M Fine Foods

Price: ~$13

Now this is what I call a Chicken Caesar. Dressed in a tangy vinaigrette, holding the crunchiest croutons (which may have been homemade), crispy iceberg lettuce, juicy chicken, and weighing probably over a pound, I was beaming after the first bite. I even texted my mom. That’s right, P&M, I told my mom about you. Future trips will be made, more texts will be sent, and nonetheless I will contact everyone I know.

The wonderful thing about Chicken Caesar wraps is that every person has their own opinion about what goes into the best dressing, whether tomatoes should be included, and whether the spinach wrap really does make a difference. If this article tells you one thing, I hope it’s that New Haven has a variety of Chicken Caesar offerings, and that you can’t go wrong with a trip to East Rock, or staying on campus.