NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — In Newport News, there's a building on Warwick Boulevard with a lot of history. From hosting different restaurants to an ice cream shop, it's been graced by business of all kinds.
Nowadays, however, it's home to a fan favorite meal: macaroni and cheese.
"The amount of people we get that come in here and are like, Oh, I remember what it was when my parents were in high school," owner Matthew Moskal said, looking around the A-framed building.
"And now it's mac and cheese," he smirked.
Matt's Smackin Macs is about a year into opening, and Moskal said the business is doing well. It's hard not to when you are serving the ultimate comfort food.
Moskal claims you won't find a spot like this around Hampton Roads.
"Our bowls are stuffed because I don't want to rip someone off for ten bucks for a bowl of mac and cheese," he said.
We can confirm his statement: the bowls were hard to close because of how stuffed they are.
The restaurant serves a wide variety of mac and cheese bowls. Moskal said the most popular options are the Buffalo Chicken, Jalapeno Bacon, and Chicken Bacon Parm bowls.
The Buffalo Chicken is Moskal's favorite, and has the perfect amount of spice.
"[It's] Yellow blend cheese with your elbow noodles and then our house buffalo sauce. Our grilled chicken is going to get grilled in the buffalo sauce and then put on top as well as parmesan cheese and fresh green onions," he explained.
Don't worry if you can't find a bowl you want; you can also build your own. The food is delicious, and it's made fresh daily.
Moskal said although the business is important, there's a bigger why behind his love for the kitchen.
"My parents split when I was a teenager. So, already having a kid, I know there are a lot of things I can give him that I didn't get or that weren't available. So that's a big why," he said.
Moskal added that Hampton Roads gave him a great support system, and has made his business what it is today. He said the close-knit feeling of this community makes this spot special.
While Matt's Smackin Macs is a one-of-a-kind spot, Moskal hopes he's not the only unique business for long.
"I would hope you see more stuff like this pop up with our generation getting a little older," he said.
If you would like to visit Matt's Smackin Macs, it's located at 13650 Warwick Blvd, Newport News, VA 23602.