July 7 marks a momentous occasion indeed, as it is “National Macaroni Day,” while “National Mac & Cheese Day” falls on either July 13 or 14, according to cheese company websites like Tillamook and other food blogs. The official “National Mac & Cheese Day” seems debatable, as some food blogs post it as being July 13, while others claim it is July 14. 

What better way to celebrate “National Macaroni Day” by making mac & cheese, the beloved, home-cooked, classic, comfort food dish? There are countless ways to make this family favorite, ranging from “traditional” versions of the dish to unique, creative combinations that comprise a variety of ingredients. The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating your ideal mac & cheese dish, whether you prefer it as a creamy dinner entrée, gussied up as a breaded appetizer or snack, or even put into a sandwich … as The Grilled Cheese Truck proves with its signature “Cheesy Mac and Rib” melt.

How are you celebrating “National Macaroni Day?” You can either cook up your favorite version of this beloved dish, or check out some of these restaurants—in L.A. and beyond—that provide their own versions of this classic comfort food.

THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY

While the cheesecakes and other large entrees are all the rage at The Cheesecake Factory, this classy restaurant serves up a delicious mac & cheese appetizer, known as “Fried Macaroni and Cheese.” This dish comprises four crispy, crumb-coated macaroni and cheese balls served over a creamy marinara sauce. It will be love at first bite — the creamy, decadent macaroni mixture complements perfectly with the breaded, crunchy texture of the outer shell, and the marinara sauce is more cheesy than tomatoey, providing the combo with an extra burst of flavor. The Cheesecake Factory also takes mac & cheese to another level in its “Macaroni and Cheese Burger.” Found under the eatery’s “Glamburger” menu, this dish features a charbroiled patty topped with a slightly flattened, creamy Fried Macaroni and Cheese ball, lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese sauce, pickles, mayo and onions. After devouring this savory burger, you’ll definitely need a sweet cheesecake to balance it out.

BACON MANIA

A food truck with a menu that is centered on bacon just has to serve up a delicious mac & cheese … because, chances are, there will be bacon bits in that mac & cheese. BACON MANia, a food truck licensed in Orange County, San Diego and San Bernardino, started in 2010, with the intention of providing customers with tasty, genuine, “all-American” products. 

BACON MANia’s menu constantly changes, according to founder Jay Dieugenio, who enjoys creating new bacon-inspired dishes for the public to try.

“We rotate items in and out based on seasons,” he said. “It’s fun … making something new with bacon.” 

While the BACON MANia menu might feature new bacon-infused creations that are announced via its Facebook page, some of the truck’s entrées have become staples and customer favorites. Among these items is the “Mac ‘n Bac’n,” featuring the truck’s special baked macaroni and cheese, topped with sharp Cheddar cheese and hickory smoked bacon. BACON MANia provides other mac & cheese options as well through its “Chili Mac!”—a hot bowl of the truck’s signature “chili con bacon” topped with a generous scoop of “Mac ‘n Bac’n” for additional cheesiness—and “Loaded Fries.” These crispy shoestring fries come in three different options: “Piggy Fries,” featuring a mixture of bacon and pork atop the fries; “Mac Fries,” a savory combo of “Mac ‘n Bac’n” atop the fries; and “ChiChee Fries,” which includes chili and cheese. Salty but delicious, the “Mac Fries” are pretty addicting, with the thin fries smothered with the creamy “Mac ‘n Bac’n” mixture. If you’re ever in dire need to satisfy a cheesy craving, BACON MANia will leave you wanting for nothing.

AMC DINE-IN THEATERS

The AMC Dine-In Theater located in Marina Del Rey is currently the only one of its kind in Southern California. A more recent concept, the AMC Dine-In Theater combines cinema and cinema to provide moviegoers with a unique dine-and-view experience, from the lush, comfortable, reclining, lounge-like theater chairs to the variety of items on the menu. 

The AMC Dine-In Theater menu has a decent selection of appetizers, entrées and desserts. Some of the more unique entrées include “Flatbread Pizzettas”—pizzas formed into a longer, oval shape and served with marinara sauce for dipping—and “Pizzinis,” golden-toasted flatbread sandwiches with different fillings that are served with house-made potato chips (a twist on the classic panini). But among these delicious entrées is the “Bistro Chicken Mac and Cheese,” a savory combination of sliced chicken breast and corkscrew pasta blended with a flavorful white cheese sauce and topped with bacon bits and toasted breadcrumbs. As soon as you take your first bite of this dish, you’ll feel like a cheesy explosion just happened in your mouth, with the bacon and breadcrumbs giving the creamy pasta-and-chicken mixture extra crunch and texture.   

BUBBA GUMP SHRIMP CO. 

While shrimp, lobster and other seafood varieties might be best sellers at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the “Shrimp Shack Mac and Cheese”—an appetizer that can easily function as an entrée—should not be overlooked. Although it isn’t a “classic seafood” dish like calamari or popcorn shrimp, the “Shrimp Shack Mac & Cheese” infuses shrimp into the classic comfort food. Bubba Gump’s rendition of mac & cheese features macaroni noodles mixed with Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses and sautéed shrimp. The combo is then topped with buttery, golden brown bread crumbs. The three-cheese mixture makes this mac & cheese dish creamier and cheesier than most, while the succulent shrimp and buttery crust add additional flavors. 

SLATER’S 50/50 

Home to the renowned “50/50 Burger,” Slater’s 50/50 provides a variety of burgers—as well as other customer favorites like mac & cheese variations. There are four different types of mac & cheese dishes on the Slater’s menu, one of the most popular being the “Buffalo Chicken.” This spicy dish comprises a three-cheese alfredo sauce, chopped celery and buffalo chicken bites topped with a toasted Cheez-Its crust and blue cheese crumbles. Each bite is filled with cheesy goodness but this mac & cheese entrée is not for those who can’t handle spice. From the cheese sauce to the buffalo chicken bites, this entrée is rich with both flavor and hotness. The toasted Cheez-Its crust adds some extra crunch while the blue cheese chunks complement the dish’s overall spicy flavor. Slater’s other mac & cheese dishes include the “Sundried Tomato & Pesto,” a mixture of pesto, sundried tomatoes and a three-cheese alfredo sauce with a Parmesan-panko crust; the “Baked Potato,” a combination of sharp cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, green onions, mashed potatoes and sour cream that is topped with a Parmesan-panko crust; and the “Jalapeno Bacon,” comprising beer cheese sauce, chopped bacon and diced jalapeños covered with a toasted Cheez-Its crust. And the best part of these mac & cheese dishes, aside from their rich, savory flavors and copious amounts of cheese? Each entrée is served in an oval-sized boat dish, which is enough to count for an individual meal or is perfect for sharing among friends as an appetizer. 

ELBOW’S MAC N’ CHEESE 

Although this eatery is not located in Los Angeles, Elbow’s Mac N’ Cheese is worth mentioning here because the joint’s whole menu is centered on mac & cheese. The Cerritos-based restaurant serves up more than 15 varieties of mac & cheese entrées, as well as different takes on the classic grilled cheese sandwich. Customers can also opt to “build” their own mac & cheese entrées if they want something different that’s not on the menu. For those who can’t decide between ordering mac & cheese or a different entrée, combos—like the “Half macaroni with a choice of a half salad, soup or fries” and the “Half macaroni and half sandwich”—are available. Elbow’s Mac N’ Cheese even sports an over-the-top “Mac ‘n Cheese Pizza”! 

Mac & cheese entrées can be ordered in either small or large sizes, and some of the eatery’s more unique creations include “The Breakfast Mac, a.k.a. The Hangover Mac”—a mixture of Cheddar cheese, peppers, onions, scrambled eggs and country potatoes, topped with toast—and the “Fajita Mac,” featuring mouthwatering Southwestern flavors in a Pepper Jack and Cheddar macaroni covered with fire-roasted green and red peppers, tortilla chips and grilled onions. Besides its cheesy entrées, Elbow’s Mac N’ Cheese provides a cheese-filled dessert via its “Chocolate Grilled Cheese” — a mixture of White Cheddar, strawberries, sliced almonds and semi-sweet chocolate in between slices of sweet croissant bread. 

Elbow’s Mac N’ Cheese also welcomes customers’ recipes for their own mac & cheese entrées. All customers have to do is email their favorite mac & cheese recipes to info@elbwsmacncheese.com with the title “Customer Recipe of the Month” and those dishes have the chance to be featured as the eatery’s “Customer Recipe of the Month.”

YARD HOUSE

Yard House is famous for its extensive collection of beers and ales, as well as its menu featuring a wide range of American fusion cuisine. Among the eatery’s “House Favorites” selection of entrées is the unique “(Mac + Cheese)2,” a gourmet take on the classic comfort dish. Yard House’s version of mac & cheese includes a mixture of Applewood bacon, wild mushrooms, Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, chicken breast, truffle oil and campanelle pasta. This savory dish bursts with the variety of flavors, with the bacon’s crunch, cheese-and-truffle-oil mixture and texture of the mushrooms blending in perfect harmony.  

THE GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK

Easily one of the most recognized food trucks in Southern California, The Grilled Cheese Truck is famous for its variety of grilled cheese sandwich renditions. The company’s versions of the classic grilled cheese include items like the “Brie Melt on Black Peppercorn Bread”—a mixture of bacon, smoked onion & bourbon marmalade, candied pecans and double cream Brie cheese—and the delicious “Banana French Toast Melt,” featuring roasted banana puree, Amaretti cookies and creamy, vanilla Ricotta cheese atop slices of cinnamon swirl French toast. But among the most unique and most popular entrées (according to Yelpers and other customers) on The Grilled Cheese Truck’s menu is its “Cheesy Mac and Rib.” This savory melt combines mac & cheese with BBQ pork and caramelized onions. Crispy and toasted to a perfect golden hue on the outside and tasty and gooey on the inside, the “Cheesy Mac and Rib” includes the perfect mixture of flavors, with the savory blend of the BBQ pork and the strong Cheddar cheese from the mac & cheese. This is definitely one melt you won’t want to miss.

THE MELT

THE MELT, a San Francisco-based grilled cheese company that launched its first locations in Southern California last year, is known for its delicious soup-and-sandwich combos as well as its creative renditions of the classic grilled cheese sandwich. As of April, the chain updated its menu to include different combos as well as an all-day breakfast menu. Among these featured combos is the delicious and savory “Mac Daddy” melt, which is paired with a flavorful Sausage & Pepper soup. The melt itself is loaded with Cheddar cheese and elbow macaroni between toasted, garlic-coated slices of San Francisco Sourdough bread and is perfect for dipping in the spicy soup.  

JOAN’S ON THIRD

For fans of the “traditional” mac & cheese—no breadcrumbs, no bacon, no herbs, extra spices or fuss—look no further than the “Macaroni & Cheese” featured at Joan’s on Third. This casserole-style mac & cheese dish features a blend of three cheeses and is served in a rectangular block shape. Although this dish is considered the “traditional” take on mac & cheese, its presentation looks anything but traditional. With its porous-like appearance and layers upon layers of macaroni interspersed with cheese, each bite of this mac & cheese will remind you that this is one unique and powerful dish indeed. 

Interested in creating different renditions of the classic mac and cheese? Try out some of these recipes. 

Reach Kelli Shiroma here.