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Mac and cheese, please

Compiled by Karen Tina Harrison

3:38 PM EDT, April 4, 2007

When it comes to macaroni & cheese, we're just kids at heart. This all-American dish is the ultimate comfort food: cheap, cheesy, and easy to love. Here's New York's finest mac & cheese, both takeout and dine-in.

S'MAC Mac & cheese is the menu at at this cheerful East Village caf. Owners Sarita and Caesar Ekya make it without shortcuts, and it tastes that way. Try the spicy Cajun, meaty cheeseburger, or classic four cheese varieties. (345 East 12th Street; 212-358-7912, 212-358-7917, www.smacnyc.com; $4.25-$16)

Cafeteria Chelsea's 24-hour hotspot draws them in day in, day out. Cafeteria's grub is good, and its three mac & cheese plates are great. The earthy truffle version is even yummier than spotting Lindsay Lohan and her posse flounce in. (119 Seventh Avenue; 212-414-1717, www.cafeteria247.com; $8-$11)

Good Like its West Village surroundings, Good is compact, stylish, and happening. Chef Steven Picker's deliciously different green chili mac & cheese, with a tortilla topping, brings New Mexico flair to New York. (89 Greenwich Avenue; 212-691-8080, www.goodrestaurantnyc.com; $16)

Artisanal Terrance Brennan, the chef-owner of this beloved bistro, kick-started America's cheese craze. His sublime mac & cheese, available as an appetizer or entre, is made with sheep's milk fromage from the Pyrenees. (2 Park Avenue; 212-725-8585, www.artisanalbistro.com; $9.50 and $18.50)

Ditch Plains This corner spot is named for a surfing cove near Montauk and is just as casual and fun. Its mac & cheese flaunts a thick topping, a la onion soup; "Ditch Dogs" is a pair of beef franks covered with mac & cheese that comes with fries. (29 Bedford Street; 212-633-0202, www.ditch-plains.com M&C, $14; "Ditch Dogs," $8)

Kitchenette Kitchenette brings a '50s farmhouse look and taste to the Columbia U. and City Hall neighborhoods. It's known for homey, hearty eats like four-cheese mac & cheese, with a campfire flavor courtesy of smoked mozzarella. (1272 Amsterdam Avenue; 212-531-7600. 156 Chambers Street; 212-267-6740; $4.50-$12.50)

Supermac This mac & cheese specialist near Penn Station and FIT has got the goods for takeout or delivery. Its marquee item is the old-fashioned, way-cheesy, high-calorie kind that launches lunchtime smiles every day. (348 Seventh Avenue; 212-760-1900; www.supermacnyc.com; $5.95-$10.25)

Donna da Vine Downtown Brooklynites are popping corks over the opening of this fine wine bar with a quiet garden. Its reds and whites can be accompanied by snacks like a Trio of Mac & Cheese -- three luscious versions of this delish dish. (378 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-643-2250, www.donnadavine.com; $8)

DuMont "Billyburgers" treasure DuMont for its cozy mood, its shady garden, and its righteous chow. "DuMac & Cheese," served in a casserole boat, tempts with a crunchy Pecorino Romano crust and optional bacon. (432 Union Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-486-7717, www.dumontrestaurant.com; $12)

Poor Freddie's Rib Shack Southern Queens' takeout-only institution slings gut-busting, ribs-sticking soul food. Its marvelous mac & cheese, gooey with cheddar, American, and Parmesan, is billed as a side dish, but regulars consider it a must. (157-06 Linden Blvd., Jamaica; 718-659-7000; $3.60)