These dishes are rich, creamy, and perfectly made with for each taste palette with a soul-comforting blend of cheeses.
There’s no shame in ordering mac and cheese from a restaurant, especially if it’s from one of the places on this list! From creamy rich classics, to over-the-top fusions, here are all the places in NYC with must-try mac and cheese dishes (and a map at the bottom to help find a spot nearest you):
Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
Where: 900 Broadway (Flatiron)
What: As the menu item name suggests with a title of “World’s Best,” this mac & cheese is truly delicious and incredibly cheesy. If you’re looking for quality Beecher’s should be at the top of your list.
Sek’end Sun
Where: 32-11 Broadway (Astoria)
What: Add pulled pork to their aged cheddar and parmesan mac for the perfect start to your meal (or as the whole meal, honestly).
Murray’s Cheese Bar
Where: 264 Bleecker St (West Village)
What: Murray’s was on our list of the best grilled cheese in the city, and their mac and cheese delivers just as well. It’s make with cheddar, Gruyere, Gouda, and Scharfe Maxx—a dark, funky, and super melty Swiss cow’s milk cheese. They also have another version with blue cheese and bacon.
The Smith
Where: 956 2nd Ave (UES; Various Locations)
What: This fabulously cheesy mac goes straight from the oven to table! Seriously, it’s brought to you in the hot skillet it’s made in, which means even when you have to take that halfway break it’ll still be warm when you get back to finishing the dish.
Root & Bone
Where: 200 E 3rd St (East Village)
What: Don’t let this “side dish” deceive you. It’s meant to be shared family style so it’s actually a very large portion. Check out their new lobster mac n cheese option!
Delmonico’s
Where: 56 Beaver Street (FiDi)
What: The king crab mac and cheese at Delmonico’s is indulgence at its finest. Its made with a blend of parmesan and crucolo cheese mixed in torchio pasta with quite a bit of Alaskan king crab.
Tuome
Where: 536 E 5th St (East Village)
What: This cheesy Mac dish has a tasty kick! Made with curry, parmesan, and chives it’s certainly a unique twist on the classic mac & cheese.
Jacob’s Pickles
Where: 509 Amsterdam Ave (UWS)
What: Although they have a couple of options, their must-try item is the buffalo chicken mac & cheese.
Macbar
Where: 54 Prince St (SoHo)
What: This yellow restaurant in SoHo Is dedicated to all things mac & cheese, even serving their cheesy noodles in a big, yellow plastic noodle container! They have just about any mac and cheese option you can think of. All of which are delicious.
Thursday Kitchen
Where: 424 E 9th St (East Village)
What: This fusion restaurant has a unique (and amazing) truffle mac & cheese, which is made with manila clam, fontina, gruyere, and mozzarella.
Westville
Where: 210 W 10th St (West Village, Various Locations)
What: This local mini-chain tosses spiral pastas with their signature smoked Gouda bechamel, and then bakes it until the top is brown and crispy. Bacon is optional, but we highly recommend it.
Almond
Where: 12 E 22nd St (Flatiron)
What: A popular brunch spot, Almond is also home to Le Grand Macaroni & Cheese. The grand dish is made with prosciutto and summer truffles!
Catfish
Where: 1433 Bedford Ave (Bushwick)
What: This Cajun kitchen makes a wonderful baked mac & cheese that’s made with béchamel sauce, gruyere and white cheddar, scallions, and crumbled zapp’s “cajun crawtator” chips on top! You can even splurge for some bacon or crawfish additions, too.
Heidi’s House – By the Side of the Road
Where: 308 E 78th St #3 (UES)
What: You can basically make your own macaroni and cheese here. Their “better than Grandma Lola’s” mac can be made to order with: bacon, chorizo, lobster, spicy chopped jalapeños, roasted organic cauliflower or broccoli, mushrooms & white truffle oil, and white truffle oil. The possibilities are endless.
Earl’s Beer and Cheese
Where: 1259 Park Ave (UES)
What: There may not be a boatload of menu items to choose from here, but you only need one: mac & cheese. It’s made with giant rigatoni, rosemary, goat cheese, and a touch of cream.
Cafeteria
Where: 119 7th Ave (Greenwich)
What: They have several signature mac & cheese options on offer, and honestly, we love them all!
Queens Bully
Where: 113-30 Queens Blvd (Forest Hills)
What: Their creamy cheddar mac was voted best in Queens at the Mac & Cheese Smackdown 2018. There are plenty of add ons you can include, but the basic recipe calls for cheese sauce, elbow pasta, parmesan, and toasted breadcrumbs. (We’re dying to try it with shrimp or brisket though!)
The Astorian
Where: 28-50 31st St (Astoria)
What: This unassuming bar in Astoria has one of the best mac & cheese dishes in the area. It’s made with cavatappi and their signature five cheese sauce that is absolutely delicious and super cheesy.
featured image source: Instagram / Westville
