The first recorded evidence of mac and cheese occurred somewhere between the late 13th and early 14th centuries, and, according to allegorical lore, Thomas Jefferson, himself, brought back the dish from one of his trips to Italy. Well, American’s have never looked back, and Vermont produces a lot of cheddar so, naturally, mac and cheese is a popular dish. So follow our guide to the top 5 mac and cheese spots in Vermont for the best that comfort food has to offer.
At Our House Bistro in Winooski, mac and cheese is treated like food royalty, with over 25 varieties to choose from. With an entire menu page dedicated to these variations, including peanut butter and jelly and poutine, they tout “belly-filling goodness” and food that is both “approachable” and “extraordinary.” Favorites include fried chicken mac and lobster mac or build your own with a list of over 30 ingredients.
Bar Antidote in Vergennes has only one mac and cheese dish on the menu. But, then again, it only needs one. The Antidote Ham 'n' Mac 'n' Cheese kind of stands on its own and the portions are hefty. Strips of Dakin Farm cob-smoked ham languish atop multiple servings of creamy, melty cheese and pasta noodles. garlic-tomato jam finishes the dish in a small mound atop the heap.
With roots in the community that including memberships with the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA) and the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR), this farm to table eatery offers savory mac and cheese made with local cheeses, caramelized onions, and herb buttered bread crumbs.
Mac and cheese loves barbecue. And no one knows barbecue in Vermont’s Queen City better than Bluebird. With their 1.5-ton Southern Pride Smoker, get brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, smoked wings, and smoked turkey breast, and get them all with a side of their super creamy mac and cheese.
You won’t find anything special or new or twisted or eclectic at Big Fatty’s, just award-winning Texas beef brisket and smoked caramelized onion mac and cheese. The mac and cheese here is proudly made with Vermont Cabot Cheddar, and you can get it without the onions, but why would you? Go for the Piggy Sampler, which includes two types of smoked meat, coleslaw, baked beans, and mac and cheese.