Mary Mac's Tea Room

I have to admit that during the 12 years I’ve lived in Atlanta, I have only been to this 62-year-old classic once. Why? I don’t know. There’s something about feeling like a tourist in your own town that’s a turnoff, and for whatever reason, Mary Mac’s has always seemed just a teensy bit like an Epcot Center restaurant. (Full review)

Open since 1945, Mary Mac's Tea Room on Ponce is a bona fide Atlanta institution. The neatly framed, autographed photos that run up and down nearly every wall attest to that. Johnny Mercer, James Brown, Jimmy Carter and Jesse Ventura, have all eaten here. And each praises the goodness of Mary Mac's classic Southern food, which includes the likes of meatloaf, fried chicken, catfish and pork barbecue served with two sides, such as mac-n-cheese and fried green tomatoes. (Full review)