Things to Do , Dining , Places to Eat & Drink
Indulge in Gourmet Mac and Cheese
Posted: February 24, 2021
These Local Restaurants Serve Up a Hearty Helping of Nostalgia
Who said macaroni and cheese was just for kids? Gourmet twists on this classic comfort food are popping up on menus across NEPA, from our cool gastropubs to our upscale restaurants. We’re talking pasta drenched in artisan cheeses and finished with toppings like buttery lobster or slow-roasted short ribs. If that doesn’t make your mouth water, we don’t know what does.
Proven fact: everything is better with cheese. So join the mac and cheese craze and savor every gooey, creamy bite at these local restaurants.
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Ale Mary’s
Scranton, PA
Build your own bowl at Ale Mary’s. You can pick your cheese, meat, veggies and other toppings to create a mac made in heaven. And you never know when mac and cheese will be part of the daily specials, topping off burgers, tacos, flatbreads and fries.
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Anthracite Café
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Anthracite Café is a scratch kitchen and beer garden that knows how to do comfort food right. Their menu includes gourmet mac and cheese, a macaroni-stuffed cheeseburger and their famous deep-fried macaroni logs.
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Backyard Ale House
Scranton, PA
This pub serves bar foods with a creative twist, and their baked mac and cheese is no exception. Order a craft beer to pair with the bacon mac, or turn up the heat with a plate of their “kickin’” mac with hot sauce and peppers.
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Benny Brewing Company
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Come for the local craft beers and stay for the cast-iron baked mac and cheese. This brewpub always has specialty macaroni on the menu. Benny Brewing also does a mean pit barbecue, so be sure to try the smoked pastrami mac.
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Cherry Creek Hideaway
Stroudsburg, PA
Cherry Creek Hideaway serves specialty macaroni coated in a house-made blend of Gouda and cheddar. Try their amazing combos like buffalo chicken and Maryland crab.
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FonDippity
Shavertown, PA, & Surrounding Areas
This food truck spreads the gooey, cheesey love all around NEPA. FonDippity’s mac is covered in their signature fondue cheese and loaded with gourmet toppings. They kick things up a notch with flavors like buffalo chicken, Korean barbeque and pulled pork.
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OTOWN Bar & Grill
Olyphant, PA
OTOWN Bar & Grill in Olyphant whips up made-from-scratch macaroni like the creamy lobster mac and cheese and the slow-roasted short rib mac and cheese. Don’t miss the Mac ‘n’ Monday special, when all full-sized dinner portions are just $9.
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Purple Pepper Deli
Scranton, PA
This sandwich shop makes epic mac n cheese bowls smothered in creamy white queso. The house mac is an instant classic, but they also have creative flavors like chipotle corn and chicken chorizo, everything bagel, five veggie and more.
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River Grille
Plains, PA
Order a cast-iron skillet full of cheesy heaven at River Grille in Plains. Try the decadent lobster mac with sherry cheese sauce or the crispy chicken mac drizzled with tangy barbecue sauce.
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The Charcuterie
Stroudsburg, PA
Embrace your inner foodie at this elegant bistro and wine bar. The Charcuterie always has a fresh stock of artisan cheeses, all the better for a bowl of melt-in-your mouth macaroni.
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The Poppy Press Coffee Company
Hazleton, PA
The Poppy Press serves two of life’s essentials: coffee and comfort food. Their homemade mac and cheese is irresistible.
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The Tipsy Turtle
Avoca, Jenkins Township & Swoyersville, PA
The Tipsy Turtle serves mac and cheese at all three of their locations. Try the classic cavatappi pasta, or order a special flavor like the popular “sweet hot” chicken mac.
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The Wooden Keg Tavern
St. Clair, PA
This cool, historic Irish pub has a whole section of the menu devoted to mac. They have everything from classic, creamy macaroni to specialties like buttery crab and smoked brisket.
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WHEEL Restaurant
Pottsville & Tamaqua, PA
There’s no such thing as “too much cheese.” This gourmet grilled cheese restaurant is known for their off-the-wall sandwiches, but don’t miss their homemade mac and cheese either. Get it as a side, or order a whole bowl.
