Welcome to Larray’s Loaded Mac & Cheese
We believe that mac and cheese isn’t just a side dish—it’s a blank canvas for culinary chaos, and our team is here to prove that one bubbling, golden-topped skillet at a time.
The Larray’s Loaded Mac Philosophy
We don’t just melt cheese over pasta and call it a day. Our approach is built on flavour architecture. Every skillet starts with a six-hour slow-caramelised onion base, then we layer a three-tier cheese system that balances sharpness, creaminess and an almost unnatural stretch. It’s the reason our mac tastes deep, nostalgic and just a little bit dangerous.
The Holy Trinity of Cheese
The backbone of every dish is our trinity: mature West Country cheddar brings a bold, crystalline bite; creamy Lancashire melts into a silky, buttery current; and our secret Alpine cheese—sourced from a small-batch producer high in the Savoie—delivers the legendary pull that strings from skillet to mouth. No single cheese could do this alone.
Why We Never Use Pre-Grated Cheese
Pre-grated cheese is coated in anti-caking agents and wood pulp—two things that murder a smooth melt. Our team grates every block by hand, moments before it hits the béchamel. Freshly grated cheese emulsifies seamlessly, so you never get a gritty, separated sauce. It’s an extra step that makes every forkful worth it.
Our Signature Six-Hour Onion Base
Caramelising onions low and slow for six hours transforms them into a jammy, sweet-savoury foundation that elevates everything it touches. We deglaze with a splash of British ale, then fold the onions into our roux before any cheese is added. The result is a subtle, allium depth that keeps you coming back for one more bite long after you’re full.
Our Fully Loaded Menu Lineup
From permanent icons to monthly specials, every dish on our menu is a destination. We build each recipe like a mixtape—familiar enough to love immediately, bold enough to become an obsession.
The Greatest Hits: Permanent Collection
Our day-one favourites never leave the board. These are the skillets our regulars dream about.
- The Classic Loaded: Our Holy Trinity with the six-hour onion base, topped with a toasted panko crown.
- Smoky Chipotle & Roasted Pepper: A smoky, gently spicy number with fire-roasted red peppers and a chipotle kick.
- Three-Mushroom Medley: British chestnut, shiitake and oyster mushrooms sautéed in garlic butter, folded through the cheese.
- The Truffle Shuffle: Our luxury hero dish, available every day because indulgence shouldn’t be a special occasion.
- The Full English Breakfast Mac: A full-on morning-meets-mac collision that’s equal parts comfort and chaos.
The Truffle Shuffle: Our Luxury Hero Dish
This is the one that changed everything. We lace our classic cheese blend with British black truffle oil and finish it with a delicate truffle-infused panko crust. The aroma hits the table before the skillet does. It’s earthy, decadent and ridiculously moreish—proof that gourmet mac and cheese can be both elevated and utterly unpretentious.
The Full English Breakfast Mac
We took the nation’s favourite fry-up and married it with our silky béchamel. Proper Cumberland sausage, smoky back bacon and a fried quail egg sit atop a skillet of mature cheddar mac, finished with a drizzle of HP-inspired brown sauce glaze. It’s breakfast for dinner, reimagined as a trophy dish.
Sourcing Britain’s Finest Produce
Great mac and cheese begins in the fields and the creameries. We go direct to the people who care as much as we do, because single-origin dairy and free-range meat make a difference you can taste in every mouthful.
Neal’s Yard Dairy and Our West Country Cheddar
Our West Country cheddar comes from Neal’s Yard Dairy, the legendary London affineur who champions raw-milk farmhouse cheeses. Working with them means we get cheddar with real character—grassy, nutty notes that shift with the seasons. It’s a proper British cheddar, cloth-bound and full of crunch, not a bland supermarket block.
Single-Origin Milk vs. Mass-Produced Dairy
Mass-produced milk blends wipe out personality. We source milk from Somerset farm co-ops, where the cows graze on clover-rich pastures. That single-origin approach gives our béchamel a naturally sweeter, fresher flavour. The difference is subtle but unmistakable—like the jump from instant coffee to a hand-brewed pour-over.
Free-Range Pork for Our Crispy Bacon Toppers
Our bacon lardons and crispy toppers start with free-range pork from small British farms. The fat renders beautifully, creating golden, glassy shards that add crunch and a whisper of smoke. It’s a small detail that turns a good skillet into a great one.
How We Build the Perfect Bite
Texture is everything. We engineer every layer so your fork moves through a glassy cheese crown, a crunchy crumb, a silky sauce and finally a perfectly resilient pasta tube that holds its shape.
The Science of the Cheese Crown
That brittle, glass-like top you crack with the edge of your spoon? It’s achieved by blasting each skillet under a restaurant-grade salamander grill. The intense, direct heat caramelises the cheese surface without overcooking the interior, creating a jagged, golden crust that’s part candy, part cheese.
Toasted Panko vs. Traditional Breadcrumbs
We toast our panko in butter before it meets the skillet. Unlike fine breadcrumbs that can turn sandy, panko stays distinct and shatteringly crisp. It’s a Japanese technique that brings an airy, audible crunch—proof that not all breadcrumbs are created equal.
Achieving the Perfect Pasta Al Dente
We cook our pasta a full minute less than the packet says. After draining, it finishes cooking in the bubbling sauce, absorbing flavour while maintaining that essential bite. Every rigatoni tube emerges swollen with cheese, never mushy.
Bringing the Larray’s Experience Home
You don’t need a restaurant kitchen to eat like a culinary renegade. We’ve built multiple ways to get our skillets into your hands, wherever you are in the UK.
Nationwide Meal Kits Delivered Fresh
Our insulated meal kits arrive with pre-portioned ingredients, from the hand-grated cheese blend to the caramelised onion base. Just assemble, bake and grill. It’s all the craft without the chaos, landing on your doorstep overnight.
Find Us at Camden Market This Weekend
Our Camden Market residency is a living test kitchen. Swing by the North Yard for limited-edition skillets, hot from the salamander, and flavours that haven’t even hit the main menu yet. The hustle, the steam and the smell of bubbling cheese—it’s the full Larray’s sensory assault.
Beavertown Beer Pairing: A Collaboration Guide
We’ve teamed up with Beavertown craft beer to create an unofficial pairing guide for the ultimate night in. Think a crisp Neck Oil alongside The Truffle Shuffle, or a rich Gamma Ray with the Smoky Chipotle number. Pick up a mixed pack from their brewery, grab your skillet, and discover why hops and cheese are a match made in flavour heaven.
Larray’s Loaded Mac isn’t just food—it’s a community-driven comfort food rebellion. We’ve built a movement around melting more cheese, caramelising more onions and snubbing the bland packet mix for good. Every skillet we send out is an invitation to taste what our team has been obsessively perfecting in the kitchen. Ditch the powdered stuff and join the loaded side.
FAQ
What makes Larray’s Loaded Mac different from supermarket mac and cheese?
We build our mac from scratch with a three-cheese blend featuring Neal’s Yard Dairy cheddar, Lancashire creaminess and an Alpine stretch. Every skillet is finished with a panko crown and a glass-like cheese crust, delivering deep flavour and real texture—no powders, no shortcuts.
Can I order your mac and cheese for delivery anywhere in the UK?
Absolutely. Our nationwide meal kits are packed fresh and delivered in insulated packaging, ready to assemble and bake at home. You’ll get our signature six-hour onion base, hand-grated cheese and a simple guide to achieve that golden crown in your own oven.
Where can I try Larray’s Loaded Mac in person?
Visit our permanent pop-up at Camden Market’s North Yard. We’re there every weekend serving our full menu alongside experimental specials that never make it online. It’s the best way to taste the full theatre—steaming skillets, sizzling cheese and the buzz of the market.
Do you offer vegetarian or gluten-free options?
Yes. Many of our dishes, including The Truffle Shuffle and the Three-Mushroom Medley, are vegetarian. We also offer gluten-free pasta on request for our meal kits, and we’re constantly developing new options. Always check the individual dish notes or ask our team at Camden Market for the latest.
Which Beavertown beer pairs best with the Full English Breakfast Mac?
Our team loves the Full English with Beavertown’s smoky, rich Black Betty—the roasted notes play beautifully with the Cumberland sausage and brown sauce glaze. For something lighter, a crisp Neck Oil cuts through the richness and refreshes between bites.