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Macaroni and Cheese. Whether it’s being transported to your favorite childhood lunch or the bold flavors of a mac and cheese dish at your favorite restaurant, the pasta dish is sure to speak to your soul. This beloved classic comfort food is a staple for many, and these establishments offer their creative flair to traditional and more unique mac and cheese flavor profiles.
MCSHANE’S IRISH PUB AND WHISKEY BAR
1460 Michigan Avenue, Detroit
At McShane’s, the mac and cheese comes in several varieties. All versions come topped with its signature crispy Goldfish cracker crust, and you can substitute gluten-free penne noodles if you’d like. The options include baked macaroni and cheese if you prefer a traditional cheesy and creamy mac, buffalo chicken mac, country mac, shrimp and crab mac, pepper-jack chicken bacon mac, and veggie mac. The country mac is tossed with country sausage in a pimento cheese-infused cream sauce and topped with crumbled biscuit and parmesan crust, and the veggie mac is made with fresh broccoli, pocked red onions, and diced tomato before being topped with a crispy cracker and parmesan crust.
K-BLOCKS BBQ
66880 Van Dyke Avenue, Washington
Known for its smoky, Southern-style barbecue, K-Blocks BBQ adds a hearty twist to mac and cheese. Incorporating its signature smoked meats into the dish, it creates a rich, flavorful experience that perfectly complements the BBQ offerings. K-Blocks BBQ has won the Mac Madness ‘Best Mac and Cheese’ title in Macomb County for two years in a row, with the traditional mac winning in 2022 and the Frito Pie mac and cheese winning earlier this year. “While having a big family dinner, our late father, Ken Corbeille said, ‘Brian, this food is too darn good for only us to enjoy,” shares co-owners Michael Corbeille and Brian Knoblock. This spawned the idea to create a trailer/food truck in 2018, and after a few years of hard work, road trips to Texas, North Carolina, and more for research, the duo opened K-Blocks BBQ. They wanted to be more than a family-themed restaurant and became family-owned and operated with a full bar and catering options. BBQ is taken seriously here, but calories aren’t counted. Pick up some mac and cheese to accompany the excellent barbecue, or order the Piggy Mac, which has pulled pork and macaroni and cheese drizzled with BBQ sauce and topped with panko. With weekend specials keeping things interesting, the most popular items make it to the permanent menu. One special that returns on select weekends is the mac and cheese flights, with options to taste a variety of cheesy goodness.
VINSETTA GARAGE
27799 Woodward Avenue, Berkley
Vinsetta Garage is one of Metro Detroit’s most beloved restaurants. At this historic garage-turned-restaurant, mac and cheese is a fan favorite. Their gluten-free menu is fantastic, and they even have a gluten-free macaroni and cheese. Made with Vermont sharp cheddar, Pinconning cheese, ziti rice noodles, gluten-free béchamel, parmesan, and a crunchy flour-less crust, this is one of the most unique mac and cheeses around. The Union Mac is pretty similar, with penne rigate instead, and can be served with or without ham. For those that really enjoy the dish, Vinsetta Garage also sells it in a take & bake version so you can have it anytime you’d like.
GREEN DOT STABLES
2200 West Lafayette, Detroit
This popular spot, famous for its sliders, offers mac and cheese that’s as delicious as its main menu. Many have come to associate Green Dot Stables with bold slider flavors and the mac and cheese is a perfect accompaniment. Made with Mornay and parmesan, this side certainly lives up to the popularity of the restaurant. You’ll certainly be satisfied when pairing it with a mystery slider or one of your favorites.
RED SMOKE BARBEQUE
573 Monroe Street, Detroit
At Red Smoke Barbeque, macaroni and cheese has a distinct barbecue twist. Red Smoke Barbeque’s version can be ordered as a side, but you can also order brisket mac and cheese. This menu item features chopped beef brisket, Radiatoire pasta, and creamy sharp cheddar, and is topped with a crunchy parmesan panko crust. This meal is the perfect alignment of cheesy goodness and their mastery of all things grilled and smoked.
CRISPELLI’S
Multiple locations in Metro Detroit
Known for its bakery and pizzeria, Crispelli’s offers macaroni and cheese that’s as comforting as its pizzas and breads. This take involves a delicious blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesan cheeses before being baked to perfection. Served with a choice of side salad or vegetable, Crispelli’s lets the pasta be the main meal.
HOUSE OF MAC
A food truck specializing in mac and cheese, House of Mac is the epitome of mac and cheese innovation traveling around Metro Detroit. You can expect a range of creative options, all topped with green onions and smoked cheddar cheese. The O.G. mac is topped with crumbled bacon, the Tex Mex version with Mexican seasoning, chicken or shredded pork, and pico de gallo, the chili mac with house-made chili and crumbled bacon and chili cheese corn chips, and the sausage and peppers mac with Kielbasa sausage and sautéed peppers, onions, and mushrooms, to name a few of your choices. Check out House of Mac’s social media to see where the truck will be next!
This article has been updated to include new information. The original article was published on September 5, 2018.
