Summer is the perfect time to relax on the beach and try new restaurants all over the city. Yesterday I was on the search to find the best mac and cheese in New York City and I think I found it at Tavern 29.
Where is Tavern 29?
Tavern 29 is located in the East Village on E29 street right off of Park Avenue. If you are looking for a place to grab a quick bite or drink before your show at Gramercy Theater, then I highly suggest going to Tavern 29.
Tavern 29's rooftop seating is extremely popular among many patrons for its communal and trendy atmosphere. When I walked into the bar, I was instantly greeted by a hostess who escorted us to our table. We decided to sit on the lower level near the bar and it was excellent. The bar had a very rustic theme with its wooden tables and chairs alongside taxidermy figures hanging on the walls.
Tavern 29 Mac & Cheese
I have the habit of scrolling through Instagram looking for the hottest food finds in NYC and to no surprise Tavern 29 popped up for its mac and cheese. The mac and cheese is listed as an appetizer on the menu, but it could definitely work as an entree if that's all you want.
According to the menu, the mac and cheese is a three-cheese blend with rigatoni pasta, truffle oil and breadcrumbs. If this doesn't sound good already, you have to try it for yourself. There is the option to add bacon for an additional 2 dollars.
The mac and cheese came in a small hot skillet and looked just how it did in the Instagram pictures. The cheese was oozing on top of the rigatoni and the breadcrumbs were dark and crispy. This dish was honestly love at first bite. The cheese melted in my mouth and the breadcrumbs added the perfect texture and crunch.
For $16, you will get the best mac and cheese experience of your life. I don't think I will look at mac and cheese the same ever again.
Drinks And Other Menu Items
Tavern 29 is known for their craft beer selection that they gather from unique local breweries. In addition to appetizers, the menu also consists of burgers, sandwiches and salads. For my main course, I decided to go with the turkey burger on a whole oat roll with caramelized onions and smoked maple cheddar honey bbq sauce.
The burger was really delicious, but I was not a fan of the consistency. The patty was mushy similar to cat food which made me queasy the more I looked at it. It was still good though, so it didn't affect the taste, but I just did not like how it felt in my mouth. The sauce was incredible and really made the burger come to life. I decided to get truffle fries on the side and they were probably the best fries I've ever had. The were cooked and seasoned just right and had just enough potato.
Overall Thoughts
Tavern 29 is definitely a place you are going to want to check out on your next trip to NYC. Whether you want to have a few drinks on the rooftop or indulge in the creamiest mac and cheese ever, there is something everyone will enjoy.