2026 Contestants
4th Spot Kitchen & Bar
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
Creamy smoked Gouda and cheddar coat cavatappi noodles, topped with house-seasoned pork belly, sweet-savory tomato jam, and a garlic-herb panko gremolata crunch.
This is our take on a BLT!
Bacon - Pork Belly
Lettuce - Herb Gremolata
Tomato - Tomato Jam
🧀 RED, GREEN, & SIZZLED - B.L.T. MAC
📍 Spot on Kitchen - 2 Richard Way SW & 4th Spot Kitchen - 2620 4 St NW
💰 $22
🍷 Pair with Leaping Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
Prepare to embark on a culinary adventure with our Mac & Cheese N Stack! Indulge in a classic favorite, reimagined with a luxurious three-cheese blend of aged cheddar, creamy Monterey Jack, and luscious mozzarella, creating a cheese pull that is truly legendary. We then Elevate your experience with tender Smoked Brisket Burnt Ends, savory Smoked Pulled Pork, and succulent smoked pulled chicken, all smothered in our signature house BBQ sauce. This decadent delight is finished with a drizzle of our gourmet cheese sauce, crispy fried onions, tangy pickled onions, and a sprinkle of fresh green onions for that perfect pop of flavor.
🧀 THE MAC N CHEESE STACK
📍 7000 48 Street SE (inside MaxWell Soccer Centre) & 5000 12A Street SE (inside Village Brewery)
💰 $19.95
🍺 Pair with Village Blacksmith
The Banquet Bar
All Beef Catering & Smokehouse
Bonterra Trattoria
Prepare for a mac and cheese experience that hits every single taste bud. We’ve elevated the classic comfort dish into a multi-layered masterpiece, starting with a velvety base of heavy cream and melted cream cheese that creates a “liquid gold” foundation.
This dish draws its depth from a sharp, 2-year aged white cheddar and artisan Smoked Gorgonzola, resulting in a rich and earthy profile that sets it apart.
For balance, we’ve folded in zesty jalapeños and finished the sauce with a Korean Buffalo glaze, adding a bold sweet-and-savory heat that plays with the smoky notes of the cheese.
Crowned with crispy, spicy fried chicken and fresh chives, this dish delivers a full symphony of textures — from ultra-creamy sauce to satisfying crunch.
🧀 SMOKEY SEOUL MAC & CHEESE
📍 3957 University Ave NW & 80 Mahogany Rd SE
💰 $21.99
🥃 Pair with Smoked Old Fashion
Bonterra Trattoria
Bonterra Trattoria
Bonterra Trattoria
(Defending Champion – Won 1st Place in 2025!)
The reigning champ is back - and she’s not here to play. House-made ricotta gnocchi folded with shrimp, bay scallop, and Alberta beef short rib, all drenched in a deeply savoury lobster bisque cream sauce. Finished with melty fontina, crispy focaccia pangrattato, and baked until impossibly rich and decadent.
It’s coastal, it’s indulgent, it’s wildly unfair to the competition - and yes, it’s here to defend the title.
🧀 GNOCCHI BY THE SHORE
💰 $44
🍷 Pair with Sage & Pine Gimlet or 2023 Domain Laroche Saint-Martin Chablis
Brekkie Cafe
Bonterra Trattoria
Brix & Barrel
A classic German comfort dish made with spaetzle, a soft, doughy egg noodle. Our version is tossed in a creamy Emmental cheese sauce with ham, onions, and peas, then finished with perfectly poached eggs. Cozy, rich, and deeply comforting.
🧀 KÄSE SPAETZLE
💰 $30
🥂 Pair with Mimosa
Brix & Barrel
Bonterra Trattoria
Brix & Barrel
Ultra-creamy mac & cheese with sharp cheddar blended with savory Japanese curry for a rich, aromatic twist. Topped with crispy golden chicken katsu, finished with toasted crumbs and fresh herbs for the perfect balance of comfort and crunch.
🧀 KATSU CURRY MAC & CHEESE
💰 $24
🍺 Pair with Sapporo
Brooklyn Dumpling Shop
The Carrot Cake Company
The Carrot Cake Company
Golden, crispy mac & cheese dumplings filled with creamy cheddar and semolina noodles, lightly seasoned and served on top of maple BBQ–glazed pulled beef. Finished with pickled slaw, microgreens, and crispy shallots, with ranch dill sauce on the side for a cool, herby finish.
🧀 LOADED MAC & CHEESE DUMPLINGS
💰 $12
🥤 Pair with a coke
The Carrot Cake Company
The Carrot Cake Company
The Carrot Cake Company
(3rd Place Winner in 2025!)
A market inspired dish with all ingredients acquired from Crossroad Market vendors. A custom spice rub from The Spice Merchant, imported Italian macaroni, and multiple cheeses, including XXX Cheddar, Gruyere, Emmental, and fresh cheese curds from Say Cheese, surgically trimmed brisket from Regina’s Fine Meats, expertly smoked at FIT City Grill, and all brought together by us at The Carrot Cake Company.
🧀 SMOKED BRISKET MAC & CHEESE IN A CHEESE BOWL
📍 1235 26 Ave SE (within Crossroads Market)
💰 $20
🥤 Pair with Dill Pickle Lemonade by Lemon Bites
El Furniture Warehouse
The Carrot Cake Company
El Furniture Warehouse
A bacon-wrapped hot dog smothered with a jalapeno mac and cheese. Then topped with more cheese and crunchy bread crumbs. Plus add a side of fries for $16.
🧀 JALAPENO MAC & CHEESE DOG
💰 $13
🍺 Pair with Microburst IPA
The Food Chemist
The Food Chemist
El Furniture Warehouse
Our Creamy Honey Mac n’ Cheese blends twisted cellentani noodles with our signature Chemist cheese sauce and a rich cheese blend. It’s topped with crispy honey-garlic popcorn chicken, drizzled in creamy parmesan sauce, and finished with a golden herb crunch. Sweet, savoury, and irresistibly creamy, this is comfort food with a Food Chemist twist.
🧀 CREAMY HONEY MAC & CHEESE
💰 $18.45
🥤 Pair with Hazelnut Heaven Milkshake
IBU
The Food Chemist
Jamesons Pubs
JappaMac is IBU Restaurant & Bar’s bold entry into the 2nd Annual Calgary Mac & Cheese Festival. Created by Chef Joel Matthews, lush and velvety mac is fused with Japanese curry warmth and Korean chili heat, built on a decadent three-cheese melt of cheddar, mozzarella, and blue. Finished with a shatter-crisp Parmesan cheese wheel infused with nori and Korean chili, crowned with a quenelle of popping red Tobiko caviar. Rich, savoury, and unapologetically indulgent—this is mac and cheese turned all the way up.
🧀 JAPPAMAC
💰 $26
🍸 Pair with C-IBU cocktail
Jamesons Pubs
The Food Chemist
Jamesons Pubs
Let your tastebuds escape to the sun-drenched shores of the Mediterranean. This isn't just mac and cheese; it’s a getaway. A rich trio of Fontina, Mozzarella, and Feta swirls together in a creamy Alfredo sauce, clinging to every curve of the pasta. We layer in the bold warmth of Italian sausage and the zest of chili oil, balanced perfectly by the fresh crunch of red onion and julienned green peppers. Dotted with jewel-like Kalamata olives and dusted with oregano, every forkful feels like a warm Mediterranean breeze.
🧀 MEDITERRANEAN MAC & CHEESE
📍 1230 17th Ave SW & 📍 3790 Brentwood Rd NW
💰 $22
🍺 Pair with Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Pickle Caesar or Microburst Hazy IPA
Krooked Provisions
Krooked Provisions
Krooked Provisions
(Krooked Provisions took 2nd Place in 2025 and they're back in 2026 with a bold new take!)
Our classic gourmet four cheese sauce with charred kimchi, cheese curds and gochujang mayo. Topped with a Dorito and crispy onion crumble and black sesame seeds. Delicious, tangy, umami goodness in every bite!
🧀 THE MAC KIM-CHEEEZE
📍 12445 Lake Fraser Dr SE (in Avenida Food Hall)
💰 $19
🍺 Pair with Ol' Beautiful Okami Kasu Rice Ale (find it at Sips!)
La Mano
Krooked Provisions
Krooked Provisions
An over-the-top take on a cheesy favourite using La Mano's fresh Creste di Gallo pasta! We’ve kicked up the heat with a whipped ‘nduja and ricotta, our signature Vodka Sauce, a spicy Calabrian Chili oil and fresh bocconcini cheese.
🧀 SPICY VODKA MAC & CHEESE
📍 1327 1 St SW (in First Street Market)
🚚Also available as a meal kit delivered to your home! Order from pastalamano.com for next day delivery
💰 $21 ($32.95 take home kit for 2)
🍷 Pair with 2023 Elvio Tintero Langhe Nebbiolo
Gluten-free option available
Lunch on 27
Krooked Provisions
Leopold's Tavern
Indulge in our five-cheese rigatoni mac & cheese, layered with a decadent truffle bacon jam crème and finished with a golden topping of cheddar and parmesan. A bright splash of calamansi adds balance, while fresh chives bring a final savoury touch.
🧀 ADULT MAC & CHEESE
📍 525 5 Ave SW (27th floor at The Dorian)
💰 $34
🍺 Pair with '88 Brewing Temptation Lager
Leopold's Tavern
Leopold's Tavern
Leopold's Tavern
Birria Beef Mac: Macaroni covered in a creamy aged cheddar, cheese curds, and birria seasoned sauce, birria beef, mozza cheese, birria mayo, onions and cilantro.
🧀 BIRRIA BEEF MAC
📍 All Calgary locations + Okotoks
💰 $22
🍺Pair with drink of your choice
Maisie Eatery
Leopold's Tavern
Maisie Eatery
Sharp white cheddar and gruyere Mac. Sauce. Dr. Pepper braised beef short rib. Baked with a Ritz and Gold Fish cracker crumble.
🧀 BEEFY DREAMY GOLDFISH CHEESY
💰 $13.50
🥤Pair with Sweet Peach Brewed Iced Tea
Vegetarian option available
Maven
Leopold's Tavern
Maisie Eatery
When Chef Mish asked her Singaporean mum to make mac and cheese, this is what came back. Not traditional, but deeply comforting in its own way. An Asian-leaning take on a classic with tagliatelle, garlic oil, bacon, soft scrambled egg, parmesan and cheddar, tomato, fried cabbage, red onion, sesame and soy, finished with chili panko and green onion. Different on the plate, same cozy feeling.
🧀 MY ASIAN MUM'S MAC AND CHEESE
💰 $26
🥂Pair with prosecco
Mohave Grill
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Posto Pizzeria & Bar
Elbow Macaroni smothered in a creamy jalapeno cheddar cheese sauce, then baked till golden. Topped with our house smoked pulled pork, Apple Bourbon BBQ Sauce, and crisp fried onions and pickles.
🧀 PULLED PORK MAC N' CHEESE
📍 11500 35 St SE #1000 (Inside Deerfoot Casino)
💰 $23
🍺 Pair with Plainsbreaker Wheat Ale
Posto Pizzeria & Bar
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Posto Pizzeria & Bar
This is comfort food turned all the way up. Baked rigatoni smothered in a luxuriously rich garlic cream, loaded with six cheeses - fontina, smoked provolone, ricotta, fior di latte, grana Padano, and a cheeky touch of gorgonzola dolce. Finished with crispy focaccia crumbs for that golden crunch and baked until bubbling, stretchy, and absolutely unhinged. Think: classic mac energy, Italian accent, zero restraint.
🧀 IT'S THE CHEESIEST...
💰 $34
🥃 Pair with In The Wild Smoked Old Fashioned
Gluten-free version available
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Mac & cheese stuffed inside our signature Red Rock crust, loaded with dill cream cheese, cheddar, garlic alfredo, crispy bacon, jalapeños, and fresh basil. Finished with a jalapeño cheese sauce for dipping. Creamy. Spicy. Dangerous.
🧀 JALAPEÑO POPPER MAC & CHEESE CALZONE
📍 200 Southridge Dr #421 Okotoks
💰 $18
🍺 Pair with Ginger Beer (alcohol or non-alcohol available)
Gluten-free version available (minus the calzone.)
Rooftop YYC
Red Rock Pizza Okotoks
Triple cheese sauce with a spicy and savory Korean gochujang chili paste, finished with crispy pork belly and fried garlic. Topped with sesame panko crumbs and fresh green onions.
🧀 GOCHUJANG MAC & CHEESE
💰 $24
🍹 Pair with The Geisha (cocktail)
Vegetarian version available.
Sammie Cafe
All your favourite breakfast items in one bowl! Rich aged cheddar cheese sauce with miso-maple bacon fat, caramelized onions, and crispy bacon folded through macaroni. Finished with a golden breakfast sausage scotch egg and a cinnamon toast panko crunch on top.
🧀 SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS MAC
💰 $24
🥂 Pair with a Mimosa
SHIP & ANCHOR PUB
Brie, mornay sauce, candied bacon, rosemary crumb, blueberry chutney
🧀 BAKED BRIE MAC & CHEESE
💰 $18
🍺 Pair with Establishment Chaise Lounge Petit Saison
Vegetarian option available
Strada
Wild Rose Taproom
TOPS PIzza South
Creamy maccheroni tossed in a rich lobster bisque cheese sauce, topped with crispy chili garlic breaded shrimp and calamari, finished with fried shallots and chive oil. Our focus was on creating a perfectly balanced dish - fresh aromatics provide contrast so the dish stays indulgent but not heavy. Enjoy!
🧀 LOBSTER SEAFOOD MAC
📍 227 11 Ave SW (in District Beltline)
💰 $18.95
🍸 Pair with Chardonnay Tom Gore Vineyards
TOPS PIzza South
Wild Rose Taproom
TOPS PIzza South
TOPS famous pizza just got even better! Inspired by YYC Mac'n'Cheese Festival, our Mac'n'Cheezza Meatzza Pizza is loaded with Cavatappi noodles smothered in a creamy Cheddar, Mozza & Pepper Jack cheese sauce and topped with banana peppers, ground beef, bacon and pepperoni! No Mac'n'Cheezza Meatzza Pizza would be complete without a generous drizzle of warm, melty Velveeta cheese!
🧀 MAC'N'CHEEZZA MEATZZA PIZZA
💰 $19.50-$31.50
🍸 Pair with Velveeta-TINI
Wild Rose Taproom
Wild Rose Taproom
Wild Rose Taproom
Rotini pasta with a queso cheese sauce, tossed with teriyaki pork belly burnt ends. Topped with our four cheese blend and baked till golden brown. Garnished with pork rinds and served with garlic cheese toast.
🧀 JOURNEY TO THE WEST
💰 $24
🍺 Pair with Big Hoodoo