Along with delivering a great beer selection, this relaxed North Portland bar serves a stovetop mac and cheese that balances creaminess and saltiness with a surprising smoke. The chef uses cavatappi pasta along with a blend of smoked gouda, white cheddar, and yellow cheddar. The finished dish is sent into the oven to add a crispness to the top.

Neighborhood pub Nepo 42’s mac and cheese has great crunch, sweetness, and smokiness, with spinach, bacon, and sun-dried peppers adding extra color and texture. The base sauce uses a sharp white cheddar, counterbalanced by a salty feta added on top, and the noodle — cavatappi — was a smart choice: Its curls trap cheese and veggies for ideal bites throughout. At $9 for happy hour, it can’t be beat.

Chef Maya Lovelace’s mac and cheese gets its piquant tang from the pimentos in its white cheddar cheese sauce, tossed with pasta and baked with a crunchy salt-and-vinegar potato chip topping. The finished product is gooey with hardcore down-home vibes.

The wicked-gooey four-cheese mac and cheese is the underrated gem at this Eastside food cart known for its pineapple teriyaki bowls and soul food. The mac — with a base of white and yellow sharp cheddar, smoked gouda, and mozzarella — can come with optional upgrades like lobster and shrimp, as well, for those feeling fancy. Note: This cart sometimes moves around or switches up its menu, so those interested should keep an eye on things via its Instagram.

Popular local chain Grassa’s mac and cheese combines smokiness, heat, and cheesiness expertly.  Grassa’s mac and cheese is cooked on a stovetop with a béchamel sauce and a mixture of Tillamook cheddar and parmesan cheese, finished with barbecue glazed pork belly — the belly provides a fatty juxtaposition to the crispy sautéed red onions, jalapenos, toasted bread crumbs, and scallions.

The large and airy Portland outpost of this popular Bend brewery is a draw for both locals and visitors alike. Deschutes serves a wonderfully cheesy mac and cheese with great texture: The dish starts with a base of cooked-down-and-pureed onions and spices in cream and Obsidian stout. Chefs then add a “ton” of smoked gouda, Obsidian-stout-smothered onions, spinach, aged white cheddar, fresh local radiatore pasta and breadcrumbs cooked under a broiler.

Neighbors greet each other warmly upon walking into this kid-friendly Tabor favorite, eventually sitting down to casual comfort food, including a knockout mac and cheese. By sautéing fusilli pasta, smoked gouda, roasted kale, roasted corn, and chorizo, Tabor Tavern’s mac and cheese creates an ideal blend of crunch, smokiness, and slight sweetness.

This cozy Laurelhurst neighborhood spot started off as a self-described “cheese stand on wheels.” The company has since expanded from a food cart to a full-blown restaurant. Cheese and Crack’s mac and cheese blends a Gruyere-and-Tillamook white cheddar mornay with a herb sauce consisting of garlic, chives, olive oil and lemon, balancing the salty and cheesy dish with more delicate flavors. 

Portland’s popular, crowded late-night hangout spot is well-known for its mac-and-cheese game. The elbow pasta mac-and-cheese comes in several styles: ‘Old’ with heavy cream reduction, garlic, and parmesan; spicy, with Creole gravy, jalapeno, and parmesan; a mix of both; garlic and pesto; and Buffalo. All are creamy and decadent with an envious cheese pull.

This Belmont food cart always has at least three core mac-and-cheese staples on the menu. Tommy Uchida starts with a béchamel sauce reliant on cheddar and parmesan, which he adds to a penne before it hits a toaster oven for crispiness. The final product is super dense and gooey with a fantastic cheese pull.

Mac’d is a zippy mac-and-cheese takeout window providing a fast and casual build-your-own-mac-and-cheese option. All the sauces use a different béchamel base that simmers down for over an hour, with cheeses like cheddar, jack, and parmesan and a secret blend of spices. Customers can then choose ingredients to mix-in to the base mac and cheese, from bacon to hot Cheetos; the final product cooks down on a stovetop and hits the broiler to get a crispy layer of cheese on top.