A restaurant named for mac & cheese opens soon in the Charlotte area
.jpg "The first 10 guests to make a purchase at the new Indian Land location of I Heart Mac & Cheese will get free macaroni and cheese for one year. Shown here is the Buffalo Blue Bowl.")
While I Heart Mac & Cheese is named after one of the most well-known comfort foods, its arrival to the Charlotte area also introduces more healthy options.
As the South Florida-based concept expands across the country, its new location in Indian Land, SC — franchised by Rhonda Saadat — will host a grand opening on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 11 a.m., with a menu that promises variety and won’t totally thwart your New Year’s nutrition goals.
WHAT TO EXPECT: The fast-casual restaurant is known for its customizable, made-to-order grilled cheese sandwiches and macaroni and cheese bowls. The menu is inspired by the classic comfort food — mac and cheese — with an adult spin and approach.
WHAT TO ORDER: When you enter, you can order a signature item from the menu, or you’ll select a pasta, bread, tater tot, broccoli, quinoa or cauliflower base. Then, choose between 10 proteins, nine cheeses and 11 vegetables. Dressings and sauces include mango habanero, BBQ, sesame ginger, buffalo, pesto and more.
CLASSIC MAC AND CHEESE: Those who are feeling less adventurous can classic mac and cheese option. Once cheese sauce is added to the noodles, the dish is baked before being served.
HEALTHIER OPTIONS: The restaurant’s menu includes gluten-free choices including gluten-free pasta, along with plant-based, dairy-free alternatives and vegan options.
MEAT-BASED PROTEIN: The menu includes meat-based proteins including bacon, ground beef, ham, lobster, short rib, pulled pork, pepperoni, meatball and chicken.
VEGAN BOWLS:
The Vegan-Delight Signature Bowl includes Beyond Sausage, vegan cheese sauce, mushrooms, broccoli, scallions, tomatoes and roasted red peppers.
The Vegan Melt is served on wheat bread with a Beyond Burger Patty, vegan cheese, tomatoes, red onion and vegan cheese sauce.
Protein options for the build-your-own mac include Beyond Beef Beefy Crumbles, Beyond Sausage and a Beyond Burger Patty.
SIGNATURE, CHEF-DRIVEN COMBINATIONS: The Indian Land location will feature signature dishes, including:
Baked Meatball Parmesan
Baked Chicken Parmesan
Lobster & White Truffle Mac.
WEEKLY PROGRAMMING: There will be themed weekly programming, including a Wednesday special when kids eat free.
FREE MAC:For National Cheese Lovers’ Day on Jan 20., I Heart Mac & Cheese will give away free mac bites.
GRAND OPENING: The restaurant opens at 11 a.m. Jan. 12, with a ribbon cutting at noon. The first 10 guests to make a purchase at the Indian Land location will get free mac and cheese for one year. Raffle tickets and gift cards will be a part of the grand opening activities.
“We’re excited about having a brand open in different states, bringing comfort food to that community and bringing our mac and cheese to people who didn’t know about us,” public relations manager Cecilia Burgos said.
I Heart Mac & Cheese
Location: 10092 Charlotte Hwy, Suite #104, Indian Land, SC
Neighborhood: Indian Land, South Carolina
Cuisine: Mac and cheese
Instagram: @iheartmacandcheeseindianland
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 1:51 PM.
