One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Wow, Just Wow: Nickel Diner's Smac & Cheese
Smac & Cheese from the Nickel Diner | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist
Heaven comes in the form of oooey, gooey, and slightly crunchy with a spicy kick. Meet Nickel Diner's appropriately named Smac and Cheese ($7.50). Large macaronis are smothered with four cheeses--cheddar, fontina, pepper jack and mozzarella--mixed with a few roasted tomatoes and topped with baked breadcrumbs and herbs. Wowee.
Downtown has reached a trifecta of the most pleasurable mac and cheese recipes in the city. The other two include the Redwood Bar & Grill on 2nd St. and Pete's Cafe & Bar a few blocks down from Nickel Diner on Main Street.
Previously on LAist
- Eating Breakfast at Nickel Diner includes a Maple Glazed Bacon Donut
- Edendale Grill's Secret 3-Cheese Delight
- Fred 62 Vs. Boneyard Bistro: Who Has the Best Breaded Mac & Cheese?
- Kitchen 24 vs. The Kitchen: Who has the Best Mac & Cheese?
- Thumbs Up: Chipotle Cheddar Mac & Cheese
- Simply Wrong Food: Jack in the Box's Cheesy Macaroni Bites
- Late-Night Snack: Adapting Boxed Mac & Cheese
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
