A build-your-own mac n cheese bar is opening in San Francisco. What a time to be alive!
We first got a taste of this thrilling concept with Mix & Mac, a pop-up run by two Bay Area natives and first time restauranteurs, Chen-Chen Huo and Jason Brown. Mix & Mac made the temporary food rounds for about six months before Huo and Brown decided to commit to a more permanent location.
Start saving room for MAC'D, the brick-and-mortar version of Mix & Mac located at 3374 Fillmore Street.
"Our location is in a sweet spot of established bars and restaurants and the building itself is a beautiful space that we're quickly making our own," said Huo and Brown on their Indiegogo fundraising page. "We're excited to bring our energy into the neighborhood, with good beers, music and even a full-screen projector for big games and special events."
The team also dropped the enticing news that MAC'D will be open until 2am on Friday and Saturday nights—a rarity is this early-to-bed city.
Here's how it works: Start by selecting a cheese sauce from the list of unique, bechamel-based sauces made in-house. Choose your favorite pasta, then go crazy on the mix-ins. The sky’s the limit. Finally, top it off with toasted breadcrumbs or your favorite sauce drizzle.
Pastas include the classic elbow and whole wheat rotini, as well as cauliflower for those keeping gluten-free. Cheese sauces run the gamut from cheddar to vegan, and diners can choose from 17 different mix-ins including hot dogs, peas, lobster and kimchi. But wait mac n cheese fans, you're not done. Guests can also top their creations off with the likes of crushed Cheetos and truffle oil! You can even pile fried chicken atop your dish—there are no judgements at MAC'D.
Here is an adorable video about how the whole concept works.
If you're like us and itching to try this cheesy bite of heaven, we'll all have to wait until next month. Huo and Brown expect to launch sometime in mid-July. For the time being, let's just drool over the menu and start planning our DIY mac n cheese creations.