When you think of comfort food, what is the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it’s Mac & Cheese. Baked noodles with a rich and creamy sauce, cheese, cheese, and more cheese! How could you not fall in love? I asked some locals around town what their favorite spot in Breck was to satisfy that ooey gooey craving. Check it out.

The Canteen Tap House and Tavern

The Mac & Cheese at The Canteen was mentioned by locals most frequently. After going there to do some “research” of our own, we can see why! Big shells topped with four different kinds of cheese and baked to cheesy perfection: mild cheddar, jack, extra sharp cheddar, and gruyere. The best part? They crumble Cheez-Its on top! You can also add a bunch of different toppings on there for a few bucks extra if you’re feeling adventurous. I took the bartender’s advice and got BBQ pulled pork on top. I was not disappointed.

Briar Rose Chop House & Saloon

The Briar came in a close second as the local’s favorite. The Chop House has an upscale ambiance and a buzzy and social happy hour scene. Getting the Mac n’ Cheese during happy hour is definitely a good way to go if you are looking to save some cash since dinner can add up. According to locals and Mac & Cheese enthusiasts, Lauren Garver and Jessica Schumacher, “The Briar Rose Chop House has our favorite by far!  It has layers of flavor (maybe because there’s 5-7 different types of cheese in it) and it’s that superb balance of a thick creamy cheese sauce with a perfectly toasted crust on top!” *Drooool*

Ollie’s Pub & Grub

Build Your Own Mac N’ Cheese. Breck local, Michael Doyal (also known as Patch) says, “You can customize it just like you customize a pizza and it’s delicious!” Start with their house pasta in a 3-cheese sauce, then choose any two toppings for no additional charge! Taking cheesy matters into your own hands.

Motherloaded Tavern

First of all, they have Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls. Yeah. Let that sink in for a second. Second of all, their Homemade Mac & Cheese is creamy and velvety with elbow pasta, Ritz Crackers on top and shaved parmesan. The sauce is a little thinner on this dish as it is not baked and is oh, so good.

Mac & Cheese Egg Rolls from Motherloaded Tavern

Red’s/Above the Blue

Red’s is that cute little place at the south end of town with a walk-up window and outdoor seating. They serve lunch and dinner until 2 am so you can satisfy that late-night craving. The Mac and Cheese there is so good and totally customizable. They have everything from Sriracha to meatballs to pile on top. It’s thick and savory made with a sharper cheese which makes it rich and delicious. Something you will definitely want to go back for.

Robbie’s Tavern

Robbie’s has a prime location, right at the base of Peak 8. Talk about good people watching. Walk in after shredding some powder and order the Mac N Cheese, complete with Cavatappi noodles, house made cheese sauce and topped with a cheesy goldfish crunch! You can also add pulled pork, chicken or bacon. Yum!

Twist

They have a Green Chile Mac-n-Cheese that you can get at happy hour or as a side dish. The cheese they use is rich and creamy, and “so dang good!” according to Breck local, Rob Wilson.

Breckenridge Brewery

The Breck Brewery offers Mac & Cheese with a “grown-up” twist: Mac & Four Cheese, complete with spinach, broccoli, pancetta, bowtie pasta, and breadcrumbs. SO GOOD.

Dillon Dam Brewery (Dillon)

If you find yourself over in Dillon, still with a hankering for mac & cheese, stop by the Dillon Dam Brewery for some Mountain Man Mac & Cheese. Cavatappi spiral pasta with a creamy cheese sauce, flavored with a touch of Dam Straight Lager, chopped bacon and green chilies. Local Dave Reinwand says about the mac, “Get Blackened Chicken or Buffalo Sausage on it and then you can wash it down with a Dam Beer!”

Greco’s Pastaria (Frisco)

Frisco local, Sierra Altman says that “Greco’s in Frisco has the BEST mac and cheese, [called Gavin’s Mac n Cheese] they use their homemade cheese sauce but there is also goat cheese in it which I love, it makes it so creamy! You have the option to add a few things to the mac and cheese, and I usually go with bacon, which I highly recommend. They also have fried Mac n Cheese Bites which are equally amazing!” You had me at mac and cheese.

Well, there you have it.

There’s obviously more places in Summit County that have Mac & Cheese, but these were the restaurants that were mentioned by everyone I interviewed. So next time you’re up here, take a stroll down Main St, check out one (or all) of these spots, satisfy that cheesy craving, and then… well let’s be honest; you’ll probably want to nap. Food coma commence.