EAST VILLAGE — Brooklyn's mac 'n cheese craze is crossing the East River.
With dishes named after neighborhoods like Bensonhurst and Red Hook, the popular macaroni and cheese purveyor Brooklyn Mac has brought its signature dishes to the East Village Tavern on Avenue C — with plans to start delivery in the neighborhood next week.
With two locations in East Williamsburg and Greenpoint, the mac spot is now serving up gooey dishes like "Carroll Gardens" (with caramelized apples and brie) or "Coney Island" (with hot dog, sauerkraut, mustard and American cheese).
"Right now we are just doing the dine-in, which is served in a cast-iron skillet," said Brooklyn Mac owner Owen Grant, 38, who also operates the pub at Avenue C and East 10th Street. "In the next week we are going to start doing deliveries and takeouts."
Brooklyn Mac has been serving takeout and deliveries from its Greenpoint shop for more than two years and opened a second location with table service in East Williamsburg a year ago.
The East Village Tavern started serving it last week and hopes to have online ordering up and running within the next two weeks.
"Comfort food is always great — it is just all the options we have," said Grant, of what sets his mac 'n cheese apart from the rest. "If you wanted to build your own, there is probably about 200 options."
Gluten-free pasta and vegan cheese are also available, as is skirt steak, sautéed mushrooms and candied walnuts for those who prefer to deviate from the menu of neighborhood-themed dishes.
Serving his signature mac from the bar will also give Grant a chance to pair craft beer and wine with the American classic.
In addition to 16 rotating brews on tap, the bar also offers unpasteurized cask beer served at 55 degrees, as well as eats like sliders and wings that will stay on the menu along with the mac 'n cheese.
As for competition in the East Village, Grant said his recipes can stand up against places like go-to mac 'n cheese joint S'MAC, with three locations in Manhattan, including its original on East 12th Street near First Avenue.
"It has been working," he said, "so that is why we wanted to expand it over here."
