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Tucked among Ossington's flock of famed restaurants, this simple spot charms with jumbo bowls heaped with tender, cheesy noodles. With a classic recipe based on a five-cheese blend, every bite is creamy and rich — with or without upgrades.

Crisp, garlic-butter breadcrumbs and the whiff of wood smoke enhance bechamel-bathed noodles at this barbecue joint, with locations in Baldwin Village and on West Queen West. Eaten as is, or topped with treats from the team's smoker, it's a dish worthy of a spot on every table.

At this brunch-focused spot on Dundas West, a trio of cheeses combines to create pulls worthy of gasps, pics, and diners' undivided attention. Do you need to add bacon, pulled pork, fried chicken or lobster? You wouldn't want those noodles to feel underdressed.

A main portioned for generous eaters, the mac and cheese at this Junction brewpub is everything it should be — luxe, smooth and savoury. Made with cavatappi pasta, to clutch every drip of sauce, it's also designed to pair perfectly with the team's clean and bitter Instigator IPA.

Where there's smoke, there's often stellar mac and cheese. At this local go-to (with locations in the Upper Beaches, at Yonge & Wellesley and in Bloor West Village), diners plunge into a dish of elbow noodles generously blanketed in silky, cheesy sauce. Do yourself a favour, and order the large.

Despite its Little Italy location, diners head to this pub for Scottish fare and a dizzying array of single malts. Baked until craggy and crisp, the team's mac and cheese is sharper than most, thanks to its aged cheddar, stilton and chevre blend.

Bolstered by Jarlsberg, the mac and cheese at this Corktown barbecue restaurant is nutty and sharp, creamy and rich with a crusty lid that's baked to a golden finish. Ordered alongside brisket and ribs, fried chicken and pulled pork, it makes for an unforgettable meal.

Savvy diners quell the heat of this West Queen West spot's Nashville hot chicken with buttery, Southern-style mac and cheese. Then again, topping a creamy bowl with hot chicken bites and bacon is an ace way to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Among the many ways one can approach a meal at this Haitian restaurant on Dundas West, starting with Rhum Punch and macaroni au gratin has to rank near the top. Topped with knobbly crumbs, deeply savoury and slightly naughty, it's a dish that's ideal as a snack or as a prequel to any of the team's satisfying mains.