12 Places in SA that serve the most drool-worthy and downright decadent mac ‘n cheese

Cape Town

Clarkes, CBD
This diner would not be complete without its mac ‘n cheese, which got upped from a side portion to a main portion fairly recently. Thank goodness. It is widely recommended to have it with either bacon or roasted baby Rosa tomatoes or both – you won’t be sorry.

Culture Club Cheese, CBD
If cheese had a headquarters, this would be it. Naturally they serve mac ‘n cheese here, honoring the dish with rich and creamy Camembert with the option of adding bacon, or substituting the pasta for cauliflower.

The Raptor Room, East City
The charming and newish eatery embraces all things mint and pink coloured, but thankfully refrains in this regard when it comes to mac ‘n cheese. Choose between vegetarian, bacon or lobster and enjoy a Monday special with two mac ‘n cheeses for R90.

Johannesburg
The Natural Eatery and Speakeasy, Parktown
The Natural Eatery and Speakeasy, also from the owner of Coobs, is an organic farm to table restaurant with a smoky twist. Their offering comes in the form of a smoky mac ‘n cheese served with either barbecue chicken, vegetables or wild boar bacon. 

The Countess, Melville
The Countess, located at Melville’s 27 Boxes, brings an authentic American smokehouse to Jozi with its steampunk-inspired feel. Think dimly-lit, exposed copper pipes and lights hanging from chains in the ceiling. They serve a note-worthy truffle mac ‘n cheese that comes with confit garlic toast. All ingredients used are also naturally sourced and made from scratch. 

Bistro Michel, Blubird Shopping Centre 
Bistro Michel is a small and intimate, French-style restaurant with comfy leather booth type seats. The restaurant is under the ownership of Michel Morand, of previous Auberge Michel Restaurant. Their mac ‘n cheese offering comes in the form of a gratin de Macoroni with cheese and truffle.

Durban

Flavour Café, Pietermaritzburg
Flavour Café comes to life in the Dunrobin Nursery which offers a gorgeous setting when eating outside. They serve breakfast, lunch and tea-time treats and are specifically known for their giant burgers and drool-worthy freakshakes. They don’t serve the traditional mac ‘n cheese but rather an innovative Cajun crumbed-chicken sandwich, topped with bacon, a 3 cheese mac ‘n cheese and barbecue sauce!

Dropkick Murphey’s, Windermere 
Situated on the bustling Florida Road, Dropkick Murphy’s brings you a modern take on the classic Irish bar in the heart of Durban. Their menu boasts creatively crafted traditional Irish pub grub which obviously comes with a healthy dose of exciting beers. Their mac ‘n cheese, for only R45, consists of rich Cheddar, feta, mac ‘n cheese crusted in crumbs and Parmesan which is fried until crispy and served with a sweet and spicy tomato chutney.

Pretoria

Something’s cooking by J, Menlyn
Micasa’s J Something opened his own restaurant, Something’s Cooking by J, recently. The food is said to be unpretentious, flavourful and “made with love”, a home away from home. The dishes on the menu show a strong Portuguese-South African influence with a bit of Japanese and healthy alternatives. For R70 get your hands on their  deep fried mac ‘n cheese.

Beerhouse Centurion, Fourways and Cape Town
The pumping yellow institution, known for their fine selection of over 90 bottled beers and 25 varieties on tap, also offers a killer mac ‘n cheese. The dish is served with garlic bread and made with cheesy goodness, Pepperdews and smoked bacon. Enjoy it with one of their cold beers on offer and you won’t be disappointed.

Do you have a restaurant in your city that serves a great mac ‘n cheese? Let us know about it in the comments section below!

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