A new restaurant called “I Heart Mac & Cheese and More” has opened at the Destin Commons, offering customizable macaroni and cheese dishes and a variety of other menu items.
Owner Tj Chahal said he wanted to bring something unique to the area that evokes childhood memories with an adult twist.
- “I always loved food,” Chahal said. “I wanted to bring something unique to the area. A place for childhood memories but also with an adult twist.”
The restaurant allows customers to customize their mac and cheese bowls with a selection of vegetables, cheeses, and protein options, including vegan, gluten-free, and Beyond Meat alternatives. In addition to mac and cheese, the menu features sandwiches, flatbreads, grilled cheese, and freshly baked cookies.
“My favorite is the short rib and the lobster mac and cheese with double the protein,” Chahal said. “But I have seen some crazy concoctions, you get to be a child and choose whatever you want”.
Chahal also shared plans to expand the restaurant into Santa Rosa County, with a location planned between Navarre and Pensacola. “We’re really happy with all the support we have been getting from the community and tourists that come here,” he said.
“I Heart Mac & Cheese and More” is located in the Destin Commons between Smashburger and Chipotle. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and offers dine-in, takeout, and delivery through their website and services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and GrubHub.
