the capital’s best restaurants for the comfort food stapleFrom street food stalls to restaurants led by Michelin-star chefs
Five Cheese Macaroni, The Cheese Bar
There’s nowhere we’d rather go for a cheesy, indulgent dinner than The Cheese Bar in Camden. These cheese maestros have mastered the art of cheese in every form, from oozy fondue to grilled cheeses packed with a kick, and their mac and cheese number is certainly up there as a menu highlight.
Their version comes packed with a five cheese blend, featuring the likes of Montgomery’s Ogleshield, Quicke’s Cheddar, Lincolnshire Poacher, Brue Valley Mozzarella and Cornish Kern. Plus on Mondays it’s only £6!
WHERE : Camden Stables Market, Camden, NW1 8AH
Lobster Macaroni Cheese, Bob Bob Ricard
Renowned as the restaurant behind the ‘Press for Champagne’ button, Bob Bob Ricard has become a favourite amongst the foodie set and keen Champagne drinkers.
As if you couldn’t get more indulgent than mac and cheese, Bob Bob Ricard decided to throw lobster into the mix too. Expect a four cheese blend of cheddar, mozzarella, gruyère and parmesan mixed with fresh lobster.
WHERE : Soho & City
The Mac Daddy, Dirty Bones
Food doesn’t come as dirty or indulgent as Dirty Bones. Inspired by the comfort food sold in New York, Dirty Bones set up shop in London, bringing with them hearty dishes and cocktails that pack a punch.
Level up your burger experience and try The Mac Daddy. The bun is stacked with a double brisket and dry-aged steak burger that’s topped with pulled beef short rib, mac & cheese and espresso-spiked BBQ sauce.
If that doesn’t have your mouth watering, their mac and cheese side made with aged and smoked cheddar and topped with parmesan breadcrumbs will.
WHERE: Various Locations
Vegan Mac n Cheese, The Vurger Co.
Vegans needn’t miss out on all of the macaroni fun. The Vurger Co. has two delicious mac ‘n’ cheese options to devour alongside one of their legendary burgers. First up is the original made with house-made ‘cheese’ sauce infused with truffle oil before being topped with vegan parm.
Or, try their bacon Mac n cheese – topped with delicious crispy ‘bacon’ lardons – yum.
WHERE: Shoreditch, Canary Wharf
Truffle Macaroni Cheese, Balthazar
Truffle and macaroni cheese go hand in hand. It’s like two indulgences in one – what’s not to love? For those wanting to go all out, head to Covent Garden’s Balthazar for a mac to remember.
Essentially a poshed-up version of the comforting classic, make sure you add truffle to your order -you won’t regret it. And if that gives you a taste for more, these are the best truffle menus in London this season.
WHERE: 4-6 Russell Street, Covent Garden, WC2B 5HZ
The Mac Factory
Mac and cheese enters a whole new level: The Mac Factory in Camden has changed the way we think about this cheesy comfort food. They’ve created the most delicious base and then you can load it up with their house favourites, from the ‘posh spice’, a pot topped with spicy chorizo, harissa and caramelised onion to the ‘hey mac-arena’ topped with smokey chipotle beef chilli con carne, tortilla chips, sour cream and jalapenos.
WHERE: KERB Camden Market West Yard, Camden Lock Place, NW1 8AF
Moncks of Dover Street, Mayfair
When Moncks of Dover Street first opened its doors, Instagram was flooded with images of its jaw-dropping truffle mac ‘n’ cheese. While most restaurants simply sprinkle a few truffle shavings on top of the dish, Moncks goes the extra mile by filling each tube of pasta with thick truffle-flecked cheese sauce and then adding a few more truffle shavings on top for good measure. It is without doubt the best of its kind in the capital.
WHERE : 33 Dover Street, Mayfair, W1S 4NF
Hawksmoor, Borough
While Hawksmoor is the natural choice for any Londoner on the hunt for a top-quality steak, we’d argue that the restaurant group’s mac ‘n’ cheese is just as alluring. At the Borough branch, the comfort food classic combines three rich cheeses – Cheddar, Stilton and Ogleshield – which add an intensely smoky flavour profile. If that’s not luxurious enough for you, there’s the option to add lobster to your dish.
WHERE: 16 Winchester Walk, SE1 9AQ
Berners Tavern, Fitzrovia
Mac ‘n’ cheese is already a decadent and rich treat in its most simple form, but Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton takes this to new heights at his perennially popular Berners Tavern. Here, the mac ‘n’ cheese is stirred in alongside red wine braised beef blade and bone marrow crumble: it’s the ultimate in over-the-top fun. Worried it will be too rich to finish? Berners mac ‘n’ cheese is also available as a smaller side dish.
WHERE: 10 Berners Street, W1T 3NP
34, Mayfair
While long-standing 34 may hark back to the Mayfair of old (think top-hatted doormen and art-deco interiors), it’s not afraid to keep its menu up to date with contemporary tastes. Witness the restaurant’s mac ‘n’ cheese, which is served as a main course and pimped up with chunks of lobster and a liberal sprinkling of black truffle shavings. The £36 price tag might be hard to swallow, but this mac ‘n’ cheese is certainly one to remember.
WHERE: 34 Grosvenor Square, W1K 2HD