Seattle's Top 5 Places for Mac and Cheese
Picking the city's top bowls of mac and cheese is no easy task, mostly because just about every restaurant has a variation on the dish on its menu these days. This is where Facebook and Twitter prove their worth. An informal poll of Seattle's best mac and cheese spots yielded answers ranging from "Beecher's, hands down" to "That restaurant in Hotel 1000" [aka BOKA]. There were also recommendations for Geraldine's Counter, Norm's, Six Seven, and Purple. After visiting 12 of the nominees, here are our top 5 places for mac and cheese in Seattle:
5. Lunchbox Laboratory (left), 7302 15th Ave. N.W., 706-3092.
Rumor has it Scott Simpson and co. switch up the cheeses they use in their mac and cheese, but a recent visit showcased a simple smoked mozzarella and penne combo that was pleasantly rich and flavorful. Lunchbox gets extra points for a normal-sized, one-and-a-half cup serving instead of four tons of carbs. And at $5.50, this mac and cheese is a basement bargain compared to the rest.
4. Buckley's, 232 First Ave. W., 691-0232.
It's kind of cheating, but Buckley's uses bacon. Other restaurants (like the Deluxe in Capitol Hill) will add bacon, pancetta, or ham to their mac and cheese for an extra charge, but Buckley's plays dirty by making the meat mandatory. Perhaps that's how it gets away with charging $12.95? Regardless, the bacon in this dish is a supporting player to the creamy mascarpone cheese sauce and seasoned breadcrumbs on top.
3. Icon Grill, 1933 Fifth Ave., 441-6330.
There seem to be two main camps when it comes to this iconic Icon dish -- haters (for the pure ridiculousness of the presentation, which involves drizzling Velveeta cheese on top at the table) and lovers (for the dish's classic, homey taste). In addition to the Velveeta, there's a tangy mix of white and yellow cheddar and gruyère. It's topped with something called tomato "snow," which is basically a mixture of diced tomatoes, basil, and shallots, a nice contrast to the crunchy breadcrumb topping. The flavors are balanced and the execution is thoughtful. At $12, "The Ultimate Mac & Cheese" is a little gimmicky, but who cares when it works?
2. West 5, 4539 California Ave. S.W., 935-1966.
The "astral" mac and cheese at this neighborhood joint stands out for several reasons: it's addictive, it's affordable, and it's reminiscent of the Kraft out-of-the-box most of us grew up on. But the biggest advantage this dish has is that, buried under the bubbly five-cheese potpourri, awaits radiatore. Genius! A perfect pasta choice, as the whimsical shape easily traps the cheeses, creating a creamy, tangy bite each time. And those cheeses? Pecorino, cheddar, Swiss, American, and cream cheese come together to create a wonderfully balanced flavor. Totally worth the $8.95 price tag.
And the number one mac and cheese...
5 comment(s)
Pete says:
West 5's mac and cheese is vastly overrated. And you missed the boat by omitting the Cafe Venus.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 4 2009 @ 4:33PM
SeattleSchmitt says:
Wow - you (and Surly Gourmand) are spot on with Poco in the #1 spot. I just came from there and the mac 'n' cheese is fa-bu-lous.
Posted On: Wednesday, Nov. 4 2009 @ 10:35PM
Lauren says:
Icon Grill's mac and cheese used to be a guilty pleasure. But they have gone so far downhill the past few years. I was there (probably for the last time) a couple of weeks ago and the mac and cheese was horrible. The cheese 'sauce' wouldn't pour out of the pitcher, the server had to shovel it out.
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 5 2009 @ 10:40AM
Kelly says:
Beecher's didn't even make this list?? SAD. And I agree that Icon's mac is overrated.
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 5 2009 @ 11:03AM
Julien says:
I would like to reiterate that not every mac and cheese dish in the city was sampled -only 12 of them. Beecher's was not included, even though I hear they have great mac & cheese, along with about a dozen other spots.
Posted On: Thursday, Nov. 5 2009 @ 11:10AM