Mary Mac's Tea Room

"Expect to find this Southern classic on Ponce packed with weekend tourists. Mary Mac’s is an old school meat-and-two where you write down your own order on a menu card. And where else will servers announce, “Comin’ in, honey” before setting down a plate of delicious fried green tomatoes? Plus, it’s one of the few places where you can still get potlikker (think: chips-and-salsa starter but with collard broth and cornbread). The setting feels nostalgic—homey rooms lined with photos of famous guests (yes, that’s the Dalai Lama) and old floors that creak with a Southern accent." - nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard

"After hours of arguing with AI tech support, you might feel like a stroll down memory lane. Perhaps you've got a Northerner in town. Or maybe you simply want to be surrounded by the smells of fried chicken. That's exactly when you should head to this institution on Ponce. Mary Mac’s six dining rooms span 13,000 square feet and are full even when it’s not peak dining hours. That’s largely thanks to tourists (looking to check a box on their “First visit to Atlanta” card). They're easy to spot because first-timers are always offered a complimentary cup of pot likker to dip their cornbread in. If locals are here, we assume it's more so out of habit because the just-fine, fried bird isn't the best chicken in town and most of the sides taste like they came from a Canyon Ranch cookbook. photo credit: Amy Sinclair photo credit: Amy Sinclair But Mary Mac's dishes out more than decent Southern favorites. No matter how many times we dine at this meat-and-two stop, the wave of pure nostalgia washes over us like sweet tea poured over crushed ice. Photos of famous guests (from Beyonce to Jimmy Carter) highlight the bonafide historical status of this 1945-born tea house-turned-restaurant. Waitstaff wear button-ups and red aprons and may shower you with endearments like, “hun" or "pumpkin." And the archaic system of writing down your order on menu cards involves weighty decisions like choosing between things like crispy chicken or gooey dumplings, along with more than 20 side options. But no matter what you order, the Southern experience always feels comforting—even if you have to sprinkle a bit more salt on your steamed cabbage. Food Rundown photo credit: Amy Sinclair Fried Chicken This is what you should order whether it’s your first time or your 500th time. It’s pretty decent fried chicken. Chicken and Dumplings On cold days, there’s nothing better than this creamy bowl of shredded chicken and soft dumplings. Pot Likker Dunking cornbread into this salty broth made from boiling collard greens is a rite of passage. Order it. Fried Green Tomatoes This is a good option. They’re crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Plus it’s a Southern staple, so just embrace it. Peach Cobbler This is a sweet, extremely mediocre peach cobbler, which we'd normally advise you to skip. But we admit, if your meal doesn’t end with at least a forkful of Georgia's most famous dessert, then you’re doing Mary Mac's wrong." - Juli Horsford

"Depending on the day, this Southern landmark on Ponce is either packed with out-of-towners or colleagues at lunch. They come for the nostalgia of the original 1940s tearoom, which is valid. Name another meat-and-two stop where you write down your own order on a menu card. And where else will the waitress announce, “Comin’ in, honey” before plopping down a pretty decent pot roast and fluffy sweet potato soufflé? We’ll wait. And while we do, we’ll dip our cornbread into a cup of their brothy collard green potlikker (a fading Southern tradition that’s still very much the right move here)." - demarco williams, nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard

"Mary Mac’s Tea Room, the beloved Southern restaurant on Ponce known for its fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, and yeast rolls, underwent a change of ownership in 2020. But very little has changed on the menu or with the decor and service here. Mary MacKenzie first opened Mary Mac’s Tea Room in 1945. At the time, it was one of 16 tearooms in Atlanta." - Missy Frederick, Beth McKibben

"After a roof collapse, it has fully reopened with a fresh coat of paint, offering free Georgia peach cobbler from February 17 to February 23." - Henna Bakshi