About the MAC & CHEESE Festival
Who can throw down the best Mac and Cheese 🧀 in the city’s most central Boro? Help us settle this age old question once and for all. For the month of April downtown restaurants will be fixing up their own Mac + Cheese and we need your help to determine whose Mac will reign supreme. Are you up for the challenge?
Join us at the Quaker Square on April 26th for our grand finale! A Culinary showdown featuring vendors, live music, a beer garden, and more!
Voting goes live, April 1st!Â
Who's Involved
Participating Businesses
-
Dreams of Beans
Delight your senses with Dreams of Beans' rich and creamy special all April long. A blend of aged cheddar and havarti on rotini noodles, this comfort food is sure to feed your soul too! Served with their house baked bread with garlic butter.
Learn About Business -
La Mesita Mexican Restaurant
Brace yourself for a flavour explosion. La Mesita's Inferno Chicken Fajita Mac & Cheese takes creamy, molten mac to the next level with flame-grilled chicken, sautéed bell peppers and onions, all seasoned fajita-style for that smoky Southwestern kick. It’s smothered in a spicy, three-cheese blend and baked until bubbly, with crispy edges and irresistible cheese pulls in every bite. Finished with a drizzle of zesty sauce, this skillet is hot, hearty, and totally unforgettable.
Learn About Business -
The Vine
The Vine is cooking up the ultimate comfort food mash-up with their Jalapeño Popper Mac & Cheese. This creamy, cheesy mac and cheese meets the bold, savoury flavour of jalapeño poppers — all the taste you love, without the fiery kick.
Learn About Business -
The Dirty Burger Company
Have you ever wished you could eat a cheeseburger, a bowl of mac and cheese, and a samosa all at once? Well brace yourselves, Peterborough foodies, because The Dirty Burger Company has totally flipped the script with their Mac and Cheeseburger Samosa! This crispy, golden samosa is loaded with homemade mac & cheese, juicy burger meat, melty cheese, crunchy pickles, crisp lettuce, and their top-secret sauce—all wrapped up in a handheld, deep-fried pocket of pure heaven. Don’t miss out on this cheesy, beefy, crunchy creation at the Mac & Cheese Festival! Get your hands on one before they disappear faster than your New Year's resolutions.
Learn About Business -
The Boardwalk Board Game Lounge
Game night just got WAY more delicious. This Mac and Cheese made by chef Connor from The Boardwalk Game Lounge is comfort food… levelled up! This ooey-gooey mac & cheese gets the French onion soup treatment with a swirl of sweet caramelized onions, a drizzle of rich brisket gravy, and a melty crown of Swiss cheese. Oh, and did we mention the crunchy crouton topping?
Learn About Business -
Turnbull Cafe
Hot Honey Mac Attack! A Sticky & Spicy Mac Smackdown that brings the heat and the sweet! This indulgent mac and cheese features a creamy, garlicky blend, topped with crispy panko crumbs for the perfect crunch ! The drizzle of spiced honey along with an option of hot sauce add a bold kick & fiery-sweet balance, while chives finish it off with a pop of flavour. Get ready for a bite that’s rich, golden, and unforgettable!
Learn About Business -
-
Sam's Place
An Ode to the Smoked Meat Sandwich! This Mac is a comfort food mashup worth writing home about. This decadent creation starts with creamy five-cheese macaroni, piled high with house-smoked meat, grilled together with putter pickles between slices of marble rye. It’s finished with melted Swiss and a tangy touch of yellow mustard — a bold, cheesy tribute to the classic deli sandwich we all know and love.
Learn About Business -
Capra Toro
An elegant Italian spin on a beloved classic. Tender, ruffled Cappavati pasta from Taste of Italy cradles a velvety smoked aged cheddar cream sauce, laced with crispy pancetta for a rich, savory bite. It's finished with a golden crown of toasted focaccia, nutty parmesan, and a sprinkle of crunchy breadcrumbs for irresistible texture. Served with a warm side of our freshly baked, house-made focaccia—perfect for scooping, dipping, and savouring every decadent bite.
Learn About Business -
Gerti's
Blackened Mac & Cheese A bold twist on comfort food—elbow macaroni smothered in a rich and spicy Creole queso cream sauce, studded with fire-roasted red peppers and jalapeños for just the right kick. Crowned with a perfectly blackened chicken breast and a bubbling blend of three cheeses, then drizzled with a smoky ancho chili sour cream for a tangy finish. Served with a side of golden, cheddar jalapeño garlic toast that’s perfect for soaking up every last bite.
Learn About Business -
The Vanilla Room
Dill Pickle Mac & Cheese – A Tangy, Cheesy Delight! This isn't your average mac and cheese—it's a bold, tangy, and utterly indulgent twist on a classic! Our Dill Pickle Mac & Cheese is packed with flavor, featuring a rich and creamy blend of Gouda, Gruyère, and sharp cheddar, perfectly melted into a velvety sauce. The magic happens with a splash of pickle juice, infusing every bite with a zesty, briny kick, while fresh dill and garlic bring a punch of herbaceous goodness. The final touch? Crisp, diced pickles, scattered throughout for that satisfying crunch. Topped with fresh microgreens for balance, this dish is the ultimate fusion of comfort food and bold flavors—savory, cheesy, tangy, and absolutely unforgettable! Mac & Cheese lovers, are you ready to pucker up?
Learn About Business -
Love You, Mean It
This Mac brings a refined, rich and cheesy twist to a comforting classic - a French Onion Mac & Cheese! This dish is made with plenty of love - featuring pasta enveloped in a silky burnt onion cream sauce, topped with crispy Hard Winter Bakery focaccia bread crumbs adds rustic texture, while aged Parmesan brings a nutty, salty finish. Crowned with delicate Little Leaf microgreens, this mac & cheese balances indulgence with elegance.
Learn About Business -
Riverside Grill + Lounge
BBQ Chicken Mac and Cheese - creamy, smoky, and irresistibly comforting. 🍗✨ With tender BBQ-seasoned chicken, al dente cavatappi, a rich Alfredo base with BBQ spice, and a golden Italian breadcrumb crust (topped with fresh pea shoots for that final chef's kiss 🌱), this dish is where comfort food meets creativity.
Learn About Business -
Wing House
Wing house has cooked up two options for this fest! Veggie Mac & Cheese Creamy, cheesy penne pasta tossed with a medley of sautéed vegetables, topped with vibrant slices of red, green, and yellow bell peppers. Garnished with fresh tomato and cucumber for a refreshing bite, and served with crisp garlic-toasted baguette slices on the side—this dish is a colourful, comforting vegetarian delight. Bacon Mac & Cheese Rich and indulgent elbow macaroni smothered in a velvety cheese sauce, loaded with crispy bacon strips and sprinkled with a touch of Parmesan. Finished with sweet roasted red and yellow bell peppers for a burst of flavour and colour—this one’s a bold and satisfying twist on a comfort food classic.
Learn About Business -
Faculty
Faculty is cooking up a Poutine Mac and Cheese for the fest this month! A crave-worthy collision of two Canadian comfort food classics! This indulgent dish features tender pasta smothered in a rich, creamy cheddar cheese sauce, layered with savoury beef gravy and gooey, squeaky cheese curds. Finished with a crunch of crushed kettle chips and a sprinkle of fresh scallions for the perfect bite, every bite is pure Canadian comfort.
Learn About Business