Top 5 mac and cheese in Toronto
Published December 3, 2024 at 3:21 pm
Mac and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, and there’s lots of it to dig into in Toronto. Ooey, gooey, cheesy, melty and stick-to-your-ribs, it’s great as a side or as a meal on its own. One thing’s for sure, these local macaroni and cheese dishes are miles better than any boxed brand.
It’s a dish that’s especially beloved during winter months and around the holidays. Year round, a good mac is also often a mandatory part of many cuisines like Southern and Caribbean food.
Here’s where to get a great bowl of mac n’ cheese in Toronto.
5 – O&B Canteen
The truffled mac and cheese at this casual Oliver & Bonacini outpost has lots of rich mushroom flavour. There are big, meaty pieces of mushroom throughout the dish, and the cupped shape of the pasta cradles lots of thick sauce.
It’s finished off with herb and parmesan bread crumbs, and there’s the option to add bacon or grilled chicken breast for extra oomph.
4 – The Caledonian
Head to College Street to find great mac n’ cheese in a slightly unexpected place: an Irish pub. While Scotch eggs, neeps and tatties, and other Irish classics dominate the menu, they also serve an ultra-creamy mac and cheese.
It’s made with aged cheddar, Stilton, chevre and roasted garlic for an exceptional depth of flavour, and a few cherry tomatoes throughout the dish add a pop of freshness. You can also add bacon or smoked salmon onto this mac and cheese.
3 – Indie Alehouse
Big, thick corkscrew pasta is used to make the mac and cheese that goes perfectly with a beer at this brewery in the Junction.
The mornay sauce here is more creamy and silky, but still very cheesy, and the pasta shape gives it ample surface area to cling to. This mac n’ cheese actually comes served with a side salad, which is great if you’re looking for a macaroni entree with a bit more balance. You can also order this mac and cheese French onion style.
2 – Old School
Dundas West is home to this restaurant that serves the cheesiest mac with an incredible cheese pull. It’s fittingly called “Return of the Mac & Cheese” in keeping with their retro theming.
Served in a mini skillet, their mac n’ cheese is made with a blend of three cheeses and the creamiest bechamel, and has a nice thick crust on top that’s so satisfying to plunge into. If desired, you can add bacon, pulled pork, fried chicken or even lobster.
1 – Bobbie Sue’s
Tucked away in a little shack on a side street just off the Ossington strip, this takeout-only affair specializes in one thing and one thing only: great macaroni and cheese.
All varieties are made with chunky corkscrew pasta, and are given a generous topping of crunchy bread crumbs and an aggressive brulee for those extra crispy bits.
The foundation for everything they make is their classic mac: cavatappi pasta in house bechamel sauce with a blend of mozzarella, provolone, gouda and parmesan plus aged cheddar on top. From there, the varieties of mac and cheese on their menu include pulled pork, BBQ chicken and blue buffalo chicken. Their “Camp Mac” has sliced hot dogs and yellow mustard, and their “Green Trees” mac adds veggies and spice to the equation with broccoli and chili flakes. They even make vegan and gluten-free macs.
