Assembling a Team of Experts
I brought in two absolute macaroni experts to help me in my search. I’m talking about two people who eat mac n’ cheese multiple times a week and sometimes multiple times a day: My 13- and 10-year-old daughters, Lyla and Quincy.
When you live with two macaroni sommeliers, you utilize their expertise. So, the three of us put our heads together and set up a stringent evaluation process to ensure we did this objectively.
The Rules
We only order a side of each eatery’s regular mac and cheese, not specialty dishes that mix in proteins or other variations (although we’ll let you know below what special macs some of these locations have to offer)
We graded each dish on a five-point scale across four variables.
- How cheesy is the dish?
- How creamy is the dish?
- How is the texture of the pasta?
- How much did you enjoy the overall experience?
With our process in place, our cheese connoisseurs set out to crown Hendricks County’s Mac & Cheese Champion!
Brew Link Brewing, Plainfield
Brew Link has an entire section of their menu dedicated to our beloved dish, with the option to add BBQ pulled pork, brisket chili, chicken bacon ranch or fried buffalo. They also offer a Mac of the Month as this place takes its mac & cheese seriously.
Brew Link’s Beer Mac N Cheese is a white mac with beer cheese and jalapeños, providing a little kick. As our pasta pundits are 13 and 10, their responses to the addition of spice varied.
- Lyla: 15 out of 20. She gave a three for cheesiness as the peppers made it less cheese-forward. She gave it a perfect five for its creaminess, a four for texture and a three for the overall experience at Brew Link.
- Quincy: 14 out of 20. She was a little more averse to the peppers and scored it one point lower on the cheesiness scale.
Note from Dad: This one was actually my favorite of the macs we tried based on flavor. The peppers almost gave it a mac n queso vibe, which I really liked.
Overall Average: 14.5 out of 20
Barley Thyme, Danville
When we told the staff we were scouting for top macaroni dishes, Barley Thyme made sure to inform us that they didn’t currently have their fancy macs on the menu. The brewery and eatery in Danville has a history of mac and cheese flights, with proteins mixed in.
Their menu changes regularly, so be on the lookout for the possible return of that popular offering. The mac & cheese, a white cheddar cavatappi, was delicious nonetheless.
- Mac masters: 16 out of 20. They each gave it a perfect five for creaminess, with four for both cheesiness and overall experience. They gave it a three for texture, as they felt the noodles were a little too al dente.
Note from Dad: I loved the texture of these noodles.
Overall Average: 16 out of 20
The Locale, Brownsburg
The Locale in Brownsburg was our very first stop on our macaroni tour of the county. Another white mac n 'cheese; this version uses cavatappi, giving the dish a beautiful spiral shape.
They top it off with shredded cheese, making for a multi-textured cheese experience.
- Quincy: 17 out of 20. She gave it a perfect score for creaminess and fours for cheesiness, texture and overall experience.
- Lyla: 17 out of 20. She differed slightly on how she got there, giving it a top mark for its cheesiness and fours for the other three categories.
Overall Average: 17 out of 20
Rusted Silo Southern BBQ, Lizton
If you’ve never been to Rusted Silo Southern BBQ, you really need to plan a trip. It is a true roadside BBQ shack made of old barn wood, with the smoker built into the building. After you visit, you’ll smell like delicious BBQ until your next shower (in the best way possible).
This was the first visit for my elbow experts, and they loved the restaurant’s setup. The mac & cheese is yellow in color and comes topped with goldfish crackers, making it among the most unique we tried.
- Lyla: 19 out of 20. She gave it perfect scores for cheesiness, creaminess and overall experience.
- Quincy: 16 out of 20 with a perfect score for texture.
Note from Dad: It has a sharper cheese taste than the others we tried on our tour, which led to the difference in scores.
Overall Average: 17.5 out of 20
Double D’s Southern BBQ, Clayton
I saved the best for last, at least according to my judges, who immediately fell in love with this BBQ spot when they walked in. There were pictures of musicians on the walls, and they have a wall you can sign, which we did.
The mac and cheese didn’t disappoint either. This was another yellow cheese dish, but it didn’t hit sharp for Quincy. Both of our noodle experts had one major complaint about this macaroni dish: that I didn’t buy enough.
- Lyla and Quincy: Perfect 20 out of 20. They loved the balance of cheesy and creamy. From flavor to texture, this dish had it all. Our two teen/preteen macaroni enthusiasts also loved the restaurant’s cafeteria-style setup and the counter seating. They've asked multiple times in the days since we visited about when we can go back.
Overall Average: 20 out of 20
