Oct. 16 Quick Bites: Mary Mac’s celebrates 80 years, Atlanta African Restaurant Week, Taste of Chamblee

Iconic Restaurant Celebrates 80 Years

Mary Mac’s Tea Room will celebrate 80 years in Midtown on Oct. 20. Opened in 1945 by Mary MacKenzie, the Southern restaurant began life on Ponce de Leon Avenue with one dining room. It now sports six dining rooms and a bar, and has played host to numerous public figures over the years, including the Dalai Lama, James Brown, Beyonce, and Jimmy Carter.

Ownership of Mary Mac’s changed hands in 2020, when Taco Mac’s Harold Martin, Jr., Michael and John Michael Bodnar, and Bryan Rand purchased the restaurant from John Ferrell. Ferrell owned Mary Mac’s for 25 years. On Oct. 20, people who purchase an entrée at Mary Mac’s will receive complimentary Georgia peach cobbler for dessert.

Farewell, Eats

Speaking of Ponce restaurant icons, Eats will close on Oct. 18 after 33 years. 

Since the closure announcement two weeks ago, lines to dine at the beloved meat-and-three have snaked out the door. At times, lines have seen people waiting for more than an hour to indulge in one final meal before Eats closes for good on Saturday. 

Owner Bob Hatcher indicated that Eats has lost money since the pandemic. The situation worsened in 2023, with multiple nearby construction projects mucking up traffic along Ponce, leading to a drop-off in customers. Located across from Ponce City Market, Eats is known for its affordable menu of comfort food dishes, including jerk chicken plates, Southern-style vegetables, and pasta.

Restaurant Opening

FNF Hot Burger will open at Halidom Eatery in East Atlanta on Oct. 18. Owned by Vic Tran, the menu consists of burgers and hot dogs topped with a sauce that comes in six levels of spice, from mild to fiery. 

Coming Attractions

It appears a third location of Miami-based Neapolitan pizzeria Mister 01 will take over the former Char Korean space on North Highland in Inman Park, according to Tomorrow’s News Today. Char closed earlier this year after nearly a decade at the Inman Quarter complex. Mister 01 will become the second pizzeria along this stretch of North Highland. Just a block away, longtime restaurant and pizzeria Fritti also serves Neapolitan-style pizzas. Mister 01 includes locations in Buckhead and Sandy Springs.

Close Company, the new Beltline cocktail bar from Death & Co., will open on Nov. 6 on the plaza Level of Tower 2 at the New City development along Angier Avenue. 

The Great(est) Pumpkin

A California man took pumpkin-growing to the extreme this year, winning the annual World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off contest with a gargantuan gourd tipping the scales at 2,346 pounds. That’s a little over one ton of pure pumpkin, folks. 

Add to Your Weekend Calendar

On Oct .18, Chef Jeremy Sewall of Row 34 and Erin Murray of “The Local Palate” will host a lunch and book signing event at Lucian Books & Wine in Buckhead. The lunch event celebrates the release of their new cookbook, “Everyday Chef”, and begins at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are $85 per person and include a three-course lunch and a signed copy of the cookbook.  

Taste of Chamblee returns on Oct. 18, from 3-8 p.m., with over 50 local restaurants and bars participating. The festival also features live music, an area for kids, beer garden for watching college football, and a Wine Down Tent for cocktails and wine. Free to attend.

Atlanta’s African Restaurant Week continues, with a free tasting event and festival on Oct. 18 at 381 Edgewood Ave., from noon to 7 p.m. The week spotlights small, independent restaurants and the food and culture of the African diaspora. Check out the Atlanta restaurants participating in this year’s restaurant week. 

Like oysters and want to help save the waters in which they live? Head over to Kimball House in Decatur on Oct. 19 at 3 p.m. for the annual Landlocked event, hosted by nonprofit organization Oyster South. The day party features dozens of chefs and farmers from around the South doling out a variety of oyster and barbecue dishes, along with other food and drinks. Tickets are $203 per person and include unlimited food and drinks, a raffle, and live auction. A portion of the ticket price also serves as a donation to Oyster South.

Diwali, the five-day Hindu festival of lights, kicks off on Oct. 20. Decatur’s Chai Pani will celebrate Diwali on Oct. 21, from 5-10 p.m., with food and drink specials, a DJ, photobooth, sparklers, and other festive activities. The night culminates in the restaurant’s annual fireworks show at 8 p.m. 

The post Oct. 16 Quick Bites: Mary Mac’s celebrates 80 years, Atlanta African Restaurant Week, Taste of Chamblee appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta.