Say Cheese
Customizable mac 'n' cheese restaurant bowls over San Antonio's Northwest Side
Get ready to think outside the ... bowl. A fast-casual concept is coming to San Antonio in 2021, offering customizable bowls of mac 'n' cheese.
The buzzworthy I Heart Mac & Cheese, which first launched in 2016 and is based in Boca Raton, Florida, specializes in made-to-order macaroni and cheese bowls and grilled cheese sandwiches. With a wide variety of chef-inspired proteins, ingredients, and sauces to choose from, bowls and sandwiches can be as healthy or indulgent as its builder chooses.
Guests can choose from pre-designed favorites, like the Lobster & White Truffle Mac (Maine lobster, Muenster cheese, and scallions finished with lobster cream and white truffle oil), or fully customize their selection.
The bowls start with the selection of a base — pasta, quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower, or tater tots — and then extends to a multitude of sauces, vegetables, proteins, and cheeses. The menu also includes vegan cheese and meat, which further expands its appeal and accessibility, notes a release.
Local franchisee Zachary Northcutt, an Air Force veteran who also has experience in the private sector, was initially drawn to I Heart Mac & Cheese because he’s “never met anyone who did not like mac and cheese,” but says he was fully won over once he dove into the versatile menu.
Though an exact location was not released, Northcutt intends to open up shop by winter 2021 on San Antonio's Northwest Side. This will be the third I Heart Mac & Cheese location in Texas including shops in Port Arthur and College Station.
In a release, the rapidly expanding brand says it is also looking to open several other Texas locations as it continues to grow its national footprint in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, and New York.
