• Did Someone Say Mac 'N Cheese?

      Time to warm up as Cleveland's top thirty restaurants throw down for the ultimate title in comfort food. Three local celebrity judges and YOU will decide who ultimately gets the title of Cleveland’s “Best Mac 'n' Cheese” at The Mac 'n' Cheese Throwdown going down on Saturday, February 29 at Cleveland Public Auditorium, the ultimate comfort food festival, presented by Working Animals Giving Service for Kids (W.A.G.S. 4 Kids) .

       

      The Mac 'n' Cheese Throwdown celebrates the rise of the Cleveland food scene, highlighting numerous Cleveland restaurants. The Mac 'n' Cheese Throwdown also is a fundraiser for W.A.G.S. 4 Kids, 501(c)(3) Non-Profit.

      Man vs. Mac Challenge

      Take it to the limit and test yours! When you register for the Man vs. Mac Challenge sponsored by Harry Buffalo. 20 competitors will join us on stage at 12:30pm. Each will have 30 minutes to finish 3lbs. of Mac 'n' Cheese - Can you do it? First to finish will take home a $50 Prize & ULTIMATE BRAGGING RIGHTS! 2nd & 3rd place will each walk away with a $25 Prize. All competitors will receive a special "thank you" gift for participating courtesy of our sponsors and access to the VIP area for the rest of the event.

    • Meet Your Competitors

      Featured Restaurants

      Menu

      In the "Classic Mac" (Vegetarian Friendly) Category:

      • Aramark/The Cleveland Clinic - Roast Cauliflower Mac
      • Gourmet Guy Cafe (Manna Truck) - Truffle Time Mac
      • Sara's Place - Gavi's Mac
      • The Break Room Cafe - 10 Cheese Mac
      • The Greatroom at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown - Smoked Cauliflower Mac
      • The Southside - McPaprikash
      • The Thyme Traveler - Gouda Mac
      • Whitmore's BBQ - Famous Mac 'n' Cheese

       

      In the "Modern Mac" (Anything Goes!) Category:

      • Astoria Cafe - "Cinghiale" Mac
      • Cocky's Bagel Sandwiches - Buffalo Chicken Mac
      • Grayton Road Tavern - King Of Hearts Mac 'n' Cheese
      • Great Lakes Brewpub - Choreezy Mac
      • Grindstone Tap House - Truffle Mac 'n' Cheese
      • Gunselman's Tavern - Buffalo Mac
      • Hatfield's Goode Grub - White Cheddar Jalapeno Corned Beef Mac
      • Hi + Dry - Little Cup of Everything
      • Landerhaven Executive Caterers - Cheesy Chicken Paprikash Mac
      • Luxe Kitchen + Lounge - Smoked Gouda w/ Blacked Pepper Bacon Parmesan Bread Crumbs
      • Matteo's - Italian Mac
      • Melt - Classic Cheesy Cheddar w/ Basil Pesto & Bacon
      • OL'Chefskis BBQ - Shelle Belly
      • Sol - Short Rib Mac
      • Two Bucks - Smoke'n a Bowl v.2
      • SWAT Food Truck & Catering - Smoked Pulled Pork 4-Cheese Mac
      • University Hospitals Ahuja Medical Center/Sodexo – Smoked Bacon & Gouda Mac with Pulled Pork & Bourbon BBQ Sauce
      See our list of participants from 2019 here.

      Featuring Tito's VIP Bar

      Tito's Handmade Vodka

      Woodford Reserve Bourbon

      Maker's Mark

       

      Drink Tickets (Cash/CC At The Door):

      $5 - Alcoholic Beverages

      $2 - Non-Alcoholic Beverages

      *WE ID EVERYONE*

       

      #MacDown Bar Menu

      Jack Daniels

      Jim Beam

      MANCAN Wine

      Rheingeist Brewing Co.

      Tito's Handmade Vodka

       

      PLUS Non-Alcoholic Options in both locations:

      Distillata Bottled Water

      Coke Products - Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite.

    • Judges

      Text to Vote!

      Judge #1

      Andrew Zelman

      Cleveland Scene Magazine

       

      Andrew Zelman is the Publisher of Cleveland Scene Magazine, now in it's 49th year covering arts, dining, music, culture and news in the Cleveland area. Zelman and his wife Shannon have a three-year-old son and an one-year-old son, both of whom love Mac and Cheese.

      Judge #2

      Monica Robins
      WKYC-TV Sr. Health Correspondent

      Monica Robins is an Emmy award winning reporter well known as one of Northeast Ohio’s most reliable sources for health news. As Senior Health Correspondent, Monica has the ability to take even the most complicated medical procedure and make it understandable and relatable to viewers. Her stories are often broadcast nationally at other NBC and Tegna/Gannett stations.
       
      Whenever she can find spare time, Monica and her Great Pyrenees, Fergus, are certified by Therapy Dogs International and volunteer bringing emotional support to patients in local nursing homes.

      Judge #3

      Amira Fahmy

      Owner/Executive Chef,

      baked AF

      Amira Fahmy (aka. AF) is the brain behind “baked AF,” a small-batch Cleveland bakery specializing in thoughtfully crafted throwback snacks. Having been described as being equal parts sugar, science, nostalgia, and whimsy, Amira takes beloved childhood snacks and playfully recreates them from scratch using local and high-quality ingredients.

       

      Follow her @bakedafcle on Instagram to make sure you don’t miss the next pop-up or special ordering event!

      People's Choice Judge

      YOU!

       
       
      Text to Vote! It's as easy as 1-2-3!
       
      1. Text MAC to 66866
      2. Click the survey link to vote for your choice for Best Mac!       
      3.  Click Submit!
      Voting opens when doors open and closes promptly at 3:00pm

    • Vote for People's Choice!

      Text to Vote! It's as easy as 1-2-3!

      1

      Text

      Text MAC to a five digit number to be provided closer to the event.

      2

      Click

      Click the survey link to vote for your choice for Best Mac!

      3

      Vote

      Choose your favorite and click "Submit"!

    • Contact Us

      Don't be afraid to reach out. You + us = awesome.

      Submit

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