Gourmet mac and cheese restaurant opens in Fort Collins

Gourmet macaroni and cheese has arrived in Fort Collins.

A new restaurant called Mac'd Up has replaced an old TCBY store at 2638 S. Timberline Road in the Rigden Farm development. The establishment celebrated its grand opening Friday.

"Whether your are (age) 4 or 84, it seems everybody loves mac and cheese," said owner Steve Lauer. "We are going for a jacked up mac and cheese experience."

The restaurant has a dozen specialty macaroni and cheese bowls offered including buffalo chicken, crab cakes, Philly cheesesteak, green chili, barbecue pork, pesto and Coney Island hot dogs.

Customers can get plain macaroni and cheese or build their own bowls. All of the specialty toppings can also be ordered over french fries.

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Mac'd Up offers cheddar, asiago fontina and smoked gouda gruyere cheeses. All items are made fresh to order.

"We want to add a heartiness to the cheese and noodles," Lauer said. "Our goal is to have at least 30-40 percent of the bowls be something other than mac and cheese."

Mac'd Up also offers soups, salads and a variety of appetizers.

The restaurant serves fresh-squeezed lemonades and frozen slushies — both can be served virgin or with alcohol. Beer, wine and Pepsi products are also available.

Mac'd Up seats 44 inside and an additional 22 on its patio. The restaurant is decorated with portraits of pop culture icons, and the bathrooms are filled with old Rolling Stone magazine covers.

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The eatery is the second of three establishments Lauer plans to open in Fort Collins this year. The veteran restaurateur, who has owned more than 60 restaurants in his career, opened a Cuban-themed restaurant called Cabana at 2310 E. Harmony Road in May and plans to open the Caribbean-inspired tapas restaurant Lei Lo at 2519 S. Shields St. by the end of the year.

Follow Jacob Laxen on Twitter and Instagram @jacoblaxen.