The stinkier and meltier the cheese, the better. When it comes to comfort food, what hits the spot more than a hearty helping of warm and ooey-gooey cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, or Gruyère? At these five Seattle joints, you can get your fill via a plate of pasta, a sandwich, and more, and get back to your cheesy roots.
Americana | 219 Broadway Ave E | 206-328-4604
Among the elevated comfort food creations served up hot and decadent at Capitol Hill’s Americana, a cheese-loving fan favorite has got to be the mac ‘n cheese, which can be dressed up five different ways: mushroom with truffle oil, fontina and pancetta, French onion, cheesesteak, or traditional. Gluten-free cheeseheads will be relieved to learn about the duck confit nachos -- a gourmet rendition which features an ultra-creamy Saint-André cheese sauce.
Cure | 1641 Nagle Place | 206-568-5475
If you are a cheese fan who has not yet experienced raclette, prepare for the ultimate in melty, dripping decadence. The Capitol Hill meat and cheese experts scoop a hearty scraping of the ooey-gooey cow’s milk cheese wheel onto its Warm Queso Plate (alongside melted blue cheese, crostini, and pickled shallots) or onto a Le Panier baguette before toasting and serving with a cup of housemade tomato soup. Perhaps the best-ever grilled cheese and tomato soup upgrade.
IL Bistro | 93A Pike Street | 206-682-3049
Italian cuisine has a way with cheese. This rings true at the romantic ground-floor level Pike Place Market dining room at IL Bistro, where guests enjoy saucy and cheesy pastas and pizzas for happy hour, late night, or dinner dates. Try the goat cheese ravioli or share a pizza such as the Quattro Formaggi (a fusion of mozzarella, fontina, provolone, and parmesan cheeses). Alternatively, though it swaps cheese sauce for hazelnut cream and wild mushrooms, the Ravioli di Funghi is worth an order.
Local 360 | 2234 1st Ave | 206-441-9360
Does locally sourced mac and cheese taste better? We can’t speak to that, but we can speak to the quality of Local 360’s double cheddar mac. Its creamy cheddar sauce will make your tastebuds happy, and you’ll feel even better about finding sustainable dining in the heart of Belltown. Pump up the flavor even more by adding local Carlton Farms bacon to your dish.
Von’s 1000SPIRITS | 1225 1st Ave | 206-621-8667
Von’s Housecrafted Sourdough Mac and 4 Cheeses is a mac to write home about. What makes it special is the naturally fermented dough, which is crafted through the kitchen’s sourdough pasta engine… plus not a double, not a triple, but a quadruple cheese factor. It tastes even better during happy hour or when paired with one of Von’s spun sugar cocktails.
