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Our recent comfort food post got me thinking about what some of my favorite comfort foods are. High up on the list is cheese fondue, and there are quite a few places to get it in Beijing, but another cheesy favorite is mac and cheese. Is anything quite as comforting as a delicious bowl of creamy, gooey, cheesy macaroni? Well, if you agree and want to know where you can get said bowl of deliciousness, here are a few spots around the capital where you can do just that!
The Local
First on the list has to be The Local, which has a staggering seven different types of mac and cheese on their menu. Alongside the Classic Mac & Cheese (RMB 50), other offerings include the Buffalo Chicken & Blue Mac & Cheese (RMB 70) that sees their spicy and tangy buffalo chicken sprinkled with blue cheese crumbles, and the Chorizo Mac & Cheese (RMB 68), which adds smoky, spicy, ground pork chorizo and cilantro. For vegetarians, an intriguing option is the Caprese Mac & Cheese (RMB 65), which takes the ingredients of a caprese salad (mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and balsamic vinegar) and combines them with pasta shells.
The Local Bar & Grill
1/F, 101, Southeast of Zone E, Bldg 80, Courtyard No. 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区工体北路4号院80号楼E区东南侧第一间101一层
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 6591 9525
Forno
Along with making top-quality Roman style pizzas, Forno has a range of excellent pasta dishes using their fresh pasta made in-house, including their take on mac and cheese called Maccheroni Al Forno (RMB 99). Beautifully golden brown, it features baked maccheroni curvi in a rich four-cheese sauce with crispy pancetta. If you want to mix and match with some of their other pasta dishes, they have other classics like Lasgna Al Forno (RMB 98) and Pappadelle Alla Bolognese (RMB 109). They even sell their homemade pasta – including maccheroni curvi – for you to cook at home if you fancy trying your hand at making your own mac and cheese.
Forno 意角 (Sanlitun branch)
S6-33, 3/F, Taikooli South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路19号太苦里南区3层 S6-33
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 6462 7448
Forno 意角 (Sanyuanqiao branch)
06A, Instreet Phoenix Galleria Mall, Chaoyang District
朝阳区凤凰环路凤凰汇•里巷In Street06A商铺
Hours: 11am-midnight
Phone: 010 6462 7447
Nola
Cajun restaurant Nola, located just south of Ritan Park, does a Bacon Mac & Cheese (RMB 75) that takes the classic dish then adds pieces of crispy bacon and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs for some extra crunch. If you're looking for more comfort food dishes, they've also got Southern and Cajun classics like Shrimp & Grits (RMB 88), Jambalaya (chicken/RMB 90; seafood/RMB 105) and Poboys (fried shrimp/RMB 82; pulled pork/RMB 75).
Nola
11A Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区秀水南街11号
Hours: 11am-11.30pm
Phone: 133 6618 8770
Great Leap
In our recent comfort food post we talked about Great Leap's Double Cheeseburger being a popular choice in the capital, and along with great burgers they also do Macaroni and Cheese (RMB 50). Serving the dish in a skillet, Great Leap keeps things classic with the macaroni baked in a cheesy sauce topped with spring onions.
Great Leap #12
1/F, Zi Ming Mansion, 12 Xinzhong Jie, Dongcheng District
东城区新中街12号
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
Phone: 010 6417 0018
Great Leap #45
45-1 Xinyuan Jie, Chaoyang District
大跃啤酒45号新源街店
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
Phone: 010 5947 6984
Great Leap Lido
Rm 103, Nuo Center, A2 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区将台路甲2号诺金中心一层103室
Hours: Sun-Thu 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am
Phone: 010 6434 7221
Beersmith
Beersmith keeps things simple with their Mac & Cheese (RMB 48), which sees macaroni in a creamy cheese sauce baked until golden brown and then sprinkled with herbs for a finishing touch. Although listed as a side dish on their menu, it's definitely substantial enough to eat as a meal for one.
Beersmith
1/F, Hotel Jen Beijing, 1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街1号新国贸饭店1层
Hours: 11am-2am
Phone: 010 8647 1098
The Cheesecake Factory
As you'd expect from American restaurant chain The Cheesecake Factory, they've got Macaroni and Cheese (RMB 79) on their menu. You won't find it in their pasta section, though; instead, it's in the side dish section of the menu. However, as anyone who's been to The Cheesecake Factory will know, their portions are pretty huge, so it's safe to say it's enough for a full meal. Along with the classic dish they also have a Fried Macaroni and Cheese (RMB 138) appetizer that sees balls of mac and cheese covered in crispy bread crumbs, which are deep fried and then served with a creamy tomato sauce – sort of like a mac and cheese version of arancini.
The Cheesecake Factory
412-419, 4/F, East Building, WF Central, 269 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
东城区王府井大街269号4层412-419室
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun, 10m-10pm
Phone: 010 6525 1703
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Images: Meituan Waimai, Canva, courtesy of the venues
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