The holidays are past, and spring is months away, so why not snuggle in with the most comforting food on earth? As kids, we may start with the blue box and bright orange powdered cheese, but the real thing — made with creamy cheese sauce, hearty pasta and all the add-ins you can imagine — is a dish for the kid in all of us.
Cozy Comfort
Underwood Bar and Bistro
Head to this Graton hideaway for bubbling elbow mac topped with toasted bread crumbs. Simple as that. Add pancetta to signal to everyone that you’re a gourmand to be reckoned with. 9113 Graton Rd., Graton. 707-823-7023, underwoodgraton.com
Fancy Pants
Stark’s Steak & Seafood
Who knew mac and cheese needed black truffles? But once you know, you know it works perfectly with this elevated version of the classic. It’s like wearing sweats with a bow tie—comfy and classy. 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa. 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com
Loaded
Sweet T’s
House-smoked BBQ brisket, jalapeños, bacon, breadcrumbs, and cheesy mac drizzled with sweet barbecue sauce is a yeehaw for your face. More patriotic than a bald eagle. 9098 Brooks Rd. S., Windsor. 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com
Something Completely Different
Kin
The Mac Daddy pizza is as ridiculous as it sounds: a pizza topped with an absurd amount of gooey mac and cheese. Unforgettable — but whether that’s in a good way or a bad way is up to you. 740 McClelland Dr., Windsor. 707-837-7546, kinwindsor.com
The Spicy One
Tasca Tasca
Hidden among the many tapas choices — fried piri-piri potatoes, steak tartare, empanadas — you’ll find Portuguese-style mac and cheese. Linguiça, a spicy pork sausage, is the secret ingredient that gives this small plate a smoky bump. 122 West Napa St., Sonoma. 707-996-8272, tascatasca.com
Nuggets of Lobster
Speakeasy
Cheese and crustaceans are usually a no-go in my book, this version blends sweet lobster with cheddar, fontina, herby breadcrumbs, and crumbled bacon clinging to every surface of the bowl-like orecchiette pasta. 139 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-776-4631, speakeasypetaluma.com
In the need for more cheese? Here are more favorite places for mac and cheese in Sonoma County.