Southern California is home to thousands of restaurants. No matter what time of day or night, you can have delicious food from a vast variety of cuisines delivered straight to your door—or couch, no judgement here! With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to nail down exactly what kind of food will satisfy your craving.
Luckily, there is one type of food that’s beloved by all, especially by us here at Nextbite. We’re, of course, talking about everyone’s nostalgic childhood favorite—mac and cheese. Macaroni and cheese is one of those things that just hits right every single time. The ooey, gooey cheese sauce, combined with perfectly al dente noodles, warm your heart like magic in a bowl.
This cheesy delicacy has been around for almost 300 years, with the first written recipe having been conceived in 1769, somewhere in Northern Europe. Now, many years later, mac and cheese is about as American as it gets. In Southern California alone, there are too many mac and cheese restaurants to count. That’s why we have pulled together all the best places for you to get cheesy with some piping hot mac and cheese delivery.
Classic Mac and Cheese
Ah… mac and cheese, the classic American dish. Macaroni noodles bathing in a rich cheddar and mozzarella sauce. Sometimes served with a layer of bubbling cheese on top, other times tucked into bed with a crispy bread crumb topping. Either way, classic mac is where it’s at.
Joan’s On Third
There’s a reason that Joan’s On Third is serving up bomb classic mac and cheese. Joan McNamara, the owner and founder, loves mac and cheese. In fact, it’s her favorite item on the menu. This classically good mac and cheese is simple but done right. It is a standard casserole mac and cheese, with a bubbling layer of cheese, broiled to perfection on top. This mac and cheese is stringy with cheese, rich with flavor, and all-around delicious.
Monster Mac
In terms of the SoCal food scene, Monster Mac is the new kid on the block, but they are ready to take down any mac and cheese out there. They are putting a creative spin on classic mac by serving up a menu made entirely of different creative mac and cheese options.
If you are a true mac and cheese fan, you will want to order a smorgasbord of all six different macs to try—spoiler alert, it’s going to be hard to pick a favorite. Whether you’re a fancy pants who can’t live without their truffle mac, a sports fanatic that is looking for some game day buffalo mac, or a plain old classic mac and cheese fan, Monster Mac will deliver some ooey-gooey deliciousness that cannot be beat. No matter how you like your mac, Monster Mac has got you covered.
Grilled Cheese Society
What goes better with cheesy noodles than cheesy bread? The Grilled Cheese Society is an online-based delivery restaurant, serving up a wide range of grilled cheese sandwiches that would satisfy any cheese addict.
But the real star of their menu is their mac and cheese. It is a side dish that should be cast in a leading role. It’s got everything you would want from classic mac and cheese, it’s super gooey and has a sharp cheddar flavor that will leave you craving more. If you really want to go wild, order a tasty grilled cheese, gooey mac and cheese, and their crispy mac and cheese bites. Get ready for a cheesy overload, if such a thing even exists.
Fred 62
Fred 62 is a 24-hour diner in Los Feliz. Their classic mac and cheese makes any noteworthy list of the best mac and cheese. It’s simple, good ol’ noodles in a thick cheese sauce, topped off with a blanket of broiled cheese—no frills, just perfectly seasoned cheesy, cheesy mac. Frequented by late-night party-goers after a night on the town, Fred 62’s mac and cheese will hit the spot and leave you with a full and happy belly.
Firebelly Wings
Want to spice things up? Are you a fan of spicy chicken wings? There’s really no better way to curb the spice attack of tasty hot wings than with a humongous bite of creamy mac and cheese. Fried chicken and mac and cheese go together like peanut butter and jelly.
Firebelly Wings is serving up eight different types of mouth-watering wings and mac and cheese that can go toe-to-toe with any challenger. With this winning combination, they make our list as one of the best places to get your comfort food from.
Seafood Mac
Perhaps traditional style mac and cheese isn’t enough for you. After all, people do tend to indulge in more and more luxurious experiences the longer they live in Los Angeles. Luckily, SoCal’s coastal locale makes it a great place to indulge in the freshest seafood. So, whether you’re just feeling fancy today, or it’s a lifestyle, these are the top options when it comes to macaroni that’s also a seafood specialty.
Lobster & Beer
Lobster & Beer, their name says it all. This spot has two locations: one in Culver City and the other in Koreatown. If you are a lobster enthusiast and would prefer your mac to be mostly lobster, then you have found your place.
This macaroni comes with a heaping portion of the freshest, butteriest lobster. The freshness of the lobster combined with the large noodle gooey mac and cheese is divine. They even top it all off with crispy garlic bread crumbs that truly pull it all together. Their lobster mac and cheese is reasonably priced and comes in a nice, large portion. All and all, a delicious cheesy lobster treat!
FISHBAR
FISHBAR is located in Manhattan Beach and is open for both in-person and take out/delivery. This upscale seafood bar and grill is a great place to go for a refined seafood dinner. Their grilled fish served with tasty, roasted vegetables is great if you are into fresh seafood cuisine, but we’re mac and cheese, people.
Luckily, they have mac and cheese that’s well worth its expensive price point. Their lobster mac and cheese is more like a lobster pasta dish, but you won’t see us complaining. This buttery rich mac and cheese is delicately balanced with fresh Maine lobster. They use penne noodles, which isn’t technically mac, but the cheese sauce begs to differ. Check out FISHBAR for a fancy serving of lobster penne and cheese.
Monster Mac
Yep, it’s Monster Mac again; we couldn’t resist. As part of their wide selection of mac and cheeses, they serve up a mean Cajun Mac. Their Cajun Mac has a mouth-watering gouda mac base, drizzled with truffle oil and crowned with delicious, buttery crab; shellfish seasoned with Cajun spices that will have your tummy cheering for fat Tuesday. This spicy mac is so scrumptious; it’s seriously life-changing. Forget lobster mac! Cajun mac is where it’s at.
In Conclusion
Mac and cheese is so American that we should replace the bald eagle and make it the emblem of our Nation. Ok, maybe our forefathers would disagree with that, but they surely would be impressed with how widely popular mac and cheese has become and the tasty, never-ending options of flavor combinations you can find.
After all, mac and cheese is good any time, anywhere. Whether you are cozying up on a rainy day or packing in the carbs after a night on the town, mac and cheese will always hit the spot.
Hopefully, with these stellar recommendations, you will be up to your eyeballs in gooey delicious mac and cheese in no time. Any one of these fine mac and cheeseries is guaranteed to please even the most particular of mac and cheese critics. If all these spots sound great, and you can’t decide, go for Monster Mac. They have the variety that is sure to please any mac and cheese palate. No matter how you like to cheese it, SoCal is a great place to score some of the best mac and cheese available.
Sources:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/marvelous-macaroni-and-cheese-30954740/
https://www.laweekly.com/9-best-macaroni-cheese-dishes-in-los-angeles/
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript