Mary Mac's Tea Room

Last updated
Mary Mac's Tea Room
Mary Mac's Tea Room Logo.png
Mary Mac's Tea Room Inside.jpg
Interior of Mary Mac's Tea Room
Mary Mac's Tea Room
Atlanta Central.png
Red pog.svg
Location in Atlanta
Restaurant information
Established1945 (1945)
Owner(s)Harold Martin Jr.
Street address224 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE
Midtown
City Atlanta
County Fulton
State Georgia
Country United States
Coordinates 33°46′22″N84°22′48″W / 33.772907°N 84.379996°W / 33.772907; -84.379996
Website www.marymacs.com

Mary Mac's Tea Room is a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, serving Southern cuisine. [1] The restaurant is located in the Midtown district at 224 Ponce de Leon Avenue NE. The current owner is Harold Martin Jr. [2]

Contents

History

Mary MacKenzie opened the restaurant in 1945. Just after World War II, enterprising women in search of a living, many of them widowed by the war, were establishing restaurants throughout Atlanta. Calling their establishments "tea rooms" was a polite way of elevating their endeavor. In 1945, Mary Mac's was one of 16 tea rooms in the city, and as of today it is the only one that remains. [3] In 1962, Mary Mac's became one of Atlanta's first integrated restaurants in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. [4]

The restaurant is known for continuing the cooking traditions of MacKenzie and her successor, Margaret Lupo, who owned the Tea Room from 1962 until 1994. It has hosted many famous visitors, including Dalai Lama, John Lewis, James Brown, Beyonce, Hillary Clinton, Alan Jackson, and Jimmy Carter, who ate at Mary Mac's so frequently he had a dessert named after him: Carter Custard.

On March 6, 2024, the roof of Mary Mac's suddenly collapsed following storms and heavy rains. No one was injured in the collapse. The restaurant re-opened in May following extensive and ongoing repairs.

Cuisine

Mary Mac's serves classic Southern cuisine. [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lester Maddox</span> American politician from Georgia (1915–2003)

Lester Garfield Maddox Sr. was an American politician who served as the 75th governor of Georgia from 1967 to 1971. A populist Southern Democrat, Maddox came to prominence as a staunch segregationist when he refused to serve black customers in his Atlanta restaurant, the Pickrick, in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As he was ineligible to run for a second consecutive gubernatorial term, he sought and won election as lieutenant governor, serving alongside his successor as governor, Jimmy Carter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Ritz Hotel, London</span> Luxury hotel in London, England

The Ritz London is a 5-star luxury hotel at 150 Piccadilly in London, England. A symbol of high society and luxury, the hotel is one of the world's most prestigious and best known. The Ritz has become so associated with luxury and elegance that the word "ritzy" has entered the English language to denote something that is ostentatiously stylish, fancy, or fashionable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benedictine (spread)</span> Spread/dip made with cucumbers and cream cheese

Benedictine or benedictine spread is a spread made with cucumbers and cream cheese. Invented near the beginning of the 20th century, it was originally and still is used for making cucumber sandwiches, but in recent years it has been used as a dip or combined with meat in a sandwich. This spread can be obtained pre-made from some Louisville, Kentucky-area grocery stores.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Chinese cuisine</span> Chinese cuisine developed by Chinese Canadians

Canadian Chinese cuisine is a cuisine derived from Chinese cuisine that was developed by Chinese Canadians. It was the first form of commercially available Chinese food in Canada. This cooking style was invented by early Cantonese immigrants who adapted traditional Chinese recipes to Western tastes and the available ingredients, and developed in a similar process to American Chinese cuisine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meat and three</span> Meal in the South

A meat and three meal is one where the customer picks one meat and three side dishes as a fixed-price offering. Meats commonly include fried chicken, country ham, beef, country-fried steak, meatloaf, or pork chop; and sides span from vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and green beans, to macaroni and cheese, hush puppies, and spaghetti. A dessert, such as gelatin, is often offered. Typical accompaniments include cornbread and sweet tea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teahouse</span> Cafe-type business serving tea

A teahouse or tearoom is an establishment which primarily serves tea and other light refreshments. A tea room may be a room set aside in a hotel, especially for serving afternoon tea, or may be an establishment that only serves cream teas. Although the function of a tearoom may vary according to the circumstance or country, teahouses often serve as centers of social interaction, like coffeehouses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Cranston</span> Leading figure in the development of tea rooms

Catherine Cranston, widely known as Kate Cranston or Miss Cranston, was a leading figure in the development of tea rooms. She is nowadays chiefly remembered as a major patron of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald, in Glasgow, Scotland. The name of Miss Cranston's Tea Rooms lives on in reminiscences of Glasgow in its heyday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nu-Way Weiners</span> Restaurant in Georgia, United States

Nu-Way Weiners, Inc., is a company that operates a chain of fast food restaurants in the Middle Georgia area. The first Nu-Way restaurant opened in Macon, Georgia, United States, on February 27, 1916, at 218 Cotton Avenue in downtown Macon. Nu-Way is known for its iconic hot dogs – unique for their red color. Nu-Way also serves an extensive breakfast menu which includes egg platters, bacon & egg sandwiches, spicy dog biscuits, pancakes, etc. In addition Nu-Way is famous for their hamburgers which include their chili-burgers, cheeseburgers and Mega-Burgers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One Aldwych</span> Hotel in London

One Aldwych is a five-star luxury hotel in London, England, founded by Gordon Campbell Gray. One Aldwych lies in the Aldwych in Covent Garden in City of Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kabul Serena Hotel</span> Luxury hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan

Kabul Serena Hotel is a luxury hotel in downtown Kabul, Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myrtle Allen</span> Irish chef (1924 - 2018)

Myrtle Allen was an Irish Michelin star-winning head chef and co-owner of the restaurant The Yeats Room at Ballymaloe House in Shanagarry, County Cork. Besides her career in cooking, she had also been a writer, hotelier and teacher.

Taj Coromandel is a five-star luxury hotel located in Chennai, India. Named after the Coromandel Coast, the HACCP- and ISO 14001-certified hotel was opened in 1974. Owned by Oriental Hotels Limited, an associate of the Taj Group of Hotels, it is classified under the group's luxury hotels section.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park</span> Luxury hotel in Chennai, India

The Crowne Plaza Chennai Adyar Park was a five-star hotel located on TTK Road in Chennai, India. It opened in 1981 and closed in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cuisine of Atlanta</span>

The cuisine of Atlanta reflects both Southern and much broader influences. The city is home to a mix of high-end chef-driven restaurants receiving praise at the national level, an ethnic restaurant scene along Buford Highway, and traditional Southern eateries.

Hugh Acheson is a Canadian-born chef and restaurateur. He has owned four restaurants in Georgia, and serves as a judge on the reality cooking competition show Top Chef, and as an Iron Chef on Iron Chef Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Carriage House</span> Restaurant in New York, United States

King's Carriage House is a New American cuisine restaurant, tea room, and wine bar located at 251 East 82nd Street, on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, in New York City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bing sutt</span>

Bing sutt is a type of traditional cold drinking house started in Guangzhou (Canton) that spread to Hong Kong. These bing sutts arose in the 1950s and 1960s. They are characterized by old furniture and settings such as the small tiled floors, hanging fans, folding chairs and so on. A bing sutt provides light meals and drinks and is neighbourhood-oriented. It is believed to be the predecessor of the cha chaan teng.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conrad Bangkok</span> Hotel in Bangkok

Conrad Bangkok is a hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, that is part of the Conrad Hotels brand owned by Hilton Worldwide. It opened in 2003. The hotel has 392 rooms and suites. There are six restaurants and lounges at the hotel including KiSara restaurant which serves Japanese cuisine and Liu restaurant which offers traditional Chinese food. The hotel also has a gym, a spa, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a rooftop jogging track.

The Kickin' Crab is an American restaurant serving food from Cajun cuisine. It was founded in 2010 and has 23 restaurants mainly in the Southwestern United States.

References

  1. Weiss, Joey (2021-09-27). "The History Behind Atlanta's Iconic Mary Mac's Tea Room". Best places to eat in Atlanta, GA | Atlanta Eats. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  2. "Welcome to Atlanta's Dining Room - Mary Mac's". Mary Mac's. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  3. "Mary Mac's Tea Room roof collapse: Iconic Atlanta restaurant closed 'temporarily'" . Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  4. "Mary Mac's is Back! 11 Things You Didn't Know About Atlanta's Legendary Tea Room" . Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  5. "Mary Mac's Tea Room - Reviews and Ratings of Restaurants in Atlanta - New York Times Travel". Archived from the original on 2011-12-02. Retrieved 2011-09-22.