There are few things better in life than cheese, so going to place known for its handmade cheese was an easy decision.

A cheese lover since childhood, Kurt Beecher Dammeier remembers encouraging his mother to buy premium cheese at a time when processed cheese was overtaking the market; and he recalls his great-grandfather, whose first name was Beecher, purchasing Stilton by the wheel. 

In 2003, Kurt put his passion for artisan cheese into action and opened the first Beecher’s shop in the heart of Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Eight years later, he took his award-winning cheeses on the road with a new cheese kitchen, café and restaurant open in New York City's Flatiron District (OUR STORY). 

Beecher's Handmade Cheese is located in the Pike Place area and is known for amazing mac & cheese. They're a staple in the area, and usually have a long line, but we were lucky enough to walk right up and order.

The menu has a few soups, sandwiches and, of course, mac & cheese. I ordered the Tomato Flagship soup, as well as the "World's Best" Mac & Cheese.


After I got my meal, I found a seat at the counter space where you can watch them make cheese right in front of you as you enjoy your meal.

So, yes, this is some pretty good mac & cheese. It's definitely very thick and very rich, so I was glad to have the soup to bring in some acidity.

It's made with penne pasta and Beecher's pure, artisan and award-winning Flagship cheese. More on Flagship cheese: The first wheel of Flagship, Beecher’s signature cheese, was handcrafted just as Beecher’s Handmade Cheese opened its doors in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market in November of 2003. Flagship is a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese with a uniquely robust, nutty flavor. It is carefully aged for 15 months to fully develop its complex flavor and ever-so-slight crumble. Outstanding on a Beecher’s Cracker!

The soup, topped with croutons and cheese was great! And, a perfect match for that mac & cheese.

Grade: A