When I lived in New York City last summer, my friend got a hankering for mac n’ cheese, something she often wanted.  Rather than choosing a diner that made mac ‘n cheese, maybe fried chicken or a plate of steak n’ eggs, she recommended a restaurant that really knew about mac n’ cheese.  Because they didn’t make anything else.  S’MAC (Sarita’s Macaroni an Cheese) in the East Village serves up Cheeseburger mac n’ cheese with ground beef, a Mediterranean variety with spinach, olives and garlic and a mac n’ cheese with the Parisian twist of shiitake mushrooms, figs, brie and rosemary.

Needless to say, S’MAC’s mac n’ cheese isn’t just for kids.  It also isn’t the only example of the new single-food restaurant trend in New York City or the rest of the country.  Turns out people are interested in eating just one thing done really well.  In fact, Andrew Freeman & Company, a consulting firm for restaurants and hotels, says that single-food restaurants are the next big thing in food. According to the firm, foodies should expect hot dog, peanut butter and even eggs Benedict restaurants cropping up all over the country.  Let’s take a look at some of the niche food shops that preceded the trend:

Cereality.  Located in Texas, Ohio and West Virginia, this shop serves up cereal, milk and a variety of toppings.  The staffers at the shop, called Cereologists, wear pajama and fill customers’ orders. A menu, which includes the “PB & B Crunch” with Reese’s Puffs, Cap’n Crunch, bananas and chocolate syrup and “Life’s a Bowl of Cherries” with Life cereal, dried cherries and chocolate chips, makes life easier for customers who aren’t morning people. 

Peanut Butter & Co. Sandwich Shop. Looks like Andrew Freeman & Co. were a little late in predicting a peanut butter only shop—there already is one.  This shop, in New York City’s Greenwich village, only prepares treats that include peanut butter. Obvious menu items include the PB & J, but they also serve chocolate peanut butter pie and a Death by Peanut Butter Sunday. They have a revolving peanut butter sandwich, as well, this week’s being a crunchy peanut butter spread with peach preserves.  

Rice to Riches.  This restaurant serves up only rice pudding, which I had no idea was so popular and completely don’t understand.  The New York City restaurant has a location in SoHo, but also ships throughout the city and domestically.  Rice pudding aficionados can choose from the Cinnamon Sling, The Edge of Rum Raisin, Coast to Coast Cheesecake and Chocolate Chip Flirt, among other flavors. 

Totally Baked.  It seems that New York City really proves to be the trendsetter in the single-food restaurant market. Another single-serve restaurant that I don’t understand, this restaurant is a potato bar serving only the baked spuds that I wish I could have left behind in junior high. Toppings are better than the ones we got at my cafeteria, though, and include Manchego cheese, smoked salmon and pulled pork.  The shop offers sweet potatoes for dessert.