Imagine the tantalizing, inviting aroma of down-home country cooking…

… the sweet, buttery taste of warm cinnamon rolls…

… and the cool, creamy refreshment of homemade strawberry shortcake!

Then put the delicious food together with a clean, inviting atmosphere, friendly staff, and impeccable service. There! You have it in a nutshell:

Mary Mac’s Tea Room.

Located in downtown Atlanta, GA, Mary Mac’s Tea Room was started in 1945 by Mary McKenzie in the rough days of the post-WWII era. She operated the restaurant until the early 1960’s, when a lady by the name of Margaret Lupo bought it and began to expand the business. By the time Margaret’s hand-picked successor, John Ferrell, took over in 1994, Mary Mac’s was the only one of at least sixteen other tea rooms remaining in downtown Atlanta.

We had the privilege of visiting Mary Mac’s last week, and enjoyed it immensely. The food was delicious; the pictures we took can’t possibly do it justice! One of their specialties is the sweet rolls – soft, buttery, filled with cinnamon and sugar, and hot out of the oven!  We also loved the chicken’n’dumplings, pot likker and cracklin’ cornbread,* fried okra, and sweet potato souffle! Everything we were served was delicious – just like a big homemade dinner!!

The service was also wonderful. We had a great waiter who made sure we were well cared for, and several other members of the staff came around to greet us. But one of the best – and most unique! – things about Mary Mac’s is their Goodwill Ambassador – a sweet, grandmotherly lady who walks around the restaurant, chatting with customers, and giving each guest a back-rub!! What a way to enhance a meal! Of course, Dad loved it… and I think he got two or three back-rubs throughout the course of our visit. 😉

We would highly recommend if you’re ever traveling through the Atlanta area that you stop in and pay them a visit. Or if you live in the area, you have even better reason to check it out – we’re sure you won’t be sorry! 🙂 You can get on their website and take a look at the menu before-hand… which might be a smart  idea. Since it’s full of mouthwatering options to choose from, you’ll be thankful if you walk in with some idea of what you want! Then you can just relax and enjoy……… 🙂

We had a fantastic evening at Mary Mac’s Tea Room! They treated us like family and gave us a true taste of genuine Southern hospitality! Thank you, Mary Mac’s!!

*Just for those of you who don’t know what pot likker is: it’s the broth off of boiled peas or greens. This was from turnip greens and was fantastic! Most of us didn’t even know what it was when we went into the restaurant, but we came out better educated and definitely looking forward to the next time we could enjoy this southern delicacy. If you’ve never had it, it is a must-try!!