A historic Atlanta eatery hosted an extra-sweet reopening last week, nearly a year after portions of the restaurant’s roof collapsed.  

Mary Mac’s Tea Room – a Midtown Atlanta landmark famous for its classic Southern cuisine – has reopened its popular Skyline Room and Ms. Ellen’s Room after a roof collapse in March 2024 forced them to close.

Since closing, the restaurant has undergone a complete renovation that includes upgraded decor, fresh paint, new carpets and “a renewed focus on the Southern hospitality that makes Mary Mac’s Tea Room special.”  

The re-opening is a long time coming for fans of Mary Mac’s signature dishes like fried chicken and meatloaf. 

“Just about every day, someone asks us when we will be open and shares memories of special occasions spent here, whether it’s wedding anniversaries, graduation dinners, or one of their favorite spots with out-of-town guests,” Chad Reynolds, Mary Mac’s director of operations said in a release. 

Mary Mac’s Tea Room is one of Atlanta’s oldest restaurants. It opened in 1945 as a single dining room on the city’s famous Ponce de Leon Avenue 1945 by Mary MacKenzie. Since then, the restaurant has expanded to 13,000 feet. Over the years the restaurant has served dignitaries like the Dalai Lama, Senator Hilary Clinton, the late Congressman John Lewis, and the late President Jimmy Carter. 

In 2011, Mary Mac’s earned a designation from the United States House of Representatives as “Atlanta’s Dining Room.” 

To commemorate the reopening of both dining rooms, Mary Mac’s will offer guests complimentary Georgia peach cobbler for a week beginning February 17.