(Today we conclude Julie’s description of the fun weekend she had with Allie in the Atlanta area. More great places are described with tempting details).
At breakfast the owners of our B & B Stanley House Inn asked what our plans were for the day. We mentioned that our only plans set in stone were for tea time at Dr. Bombay’s at 3 p.m., so they had lots of recommendations and helped us map out our day. Saturdays in the fall there is a market day/open house in downtown Marietta, so we started by heading back into the square for that. We ventured into Marietta Spice Mill and tasted some very unique spices, oils, and vinegars. I bought a Chocolate Infused Balsamic Vinegar at a very reasonable price. We didn’t spend a lot of time in Marietta, as Allie was excited to get to Atlanta and show me some of her favorite spots.
We took the owner’s recommendation of Mary Mac Tea Room in Atlanta for lunch. Oh my goodness. I wish I had been hungrier! I would most definitely recommend Mary Mac for any visit to Atlanta, but go when you are hungry for some amazing southern soul food. Mary Mac has been around for over 70 years, and the walls are covered with photos and signatures of famous politicians, musicians, actors, etc that have eaten there since. In 2011, Mary Mac was declared “Atlanta’s Dining Room” by the Georgia House of Representatives. It’s a pretty special place. We were able to be seated right away without reservations. Our server was kind, helpful, and prompt. Apparently there is always a basket of bread brought out in the beginning of your meal that features hot sourdough rolls, cornbread, and cinnamon rolls, but since it was our first time visiting Mary Mac, our server also brought out a Mary Mac specialty of greens and cornbread. It was melt-in-your-mouth, delectable comfort food. By that time I was already full, but I had to try the food, so I ordered Chicken and Dumplins, with a side of fried green tomatoes and squash casserole. Seriously the best I’ve had of all three of those dishes. They have perfected southern comfort food.
After lunch, we headed over to the Little Five Points area near Candler Park to explore some of the places Allie likes to go when she is in Atlanta. We shopped at Rag-O-Rama, a hip little thrift store she likes to visit. I think it is like “the place to go” for young people right now, but the prices weren’t all that thrifty. We walked for awhile and just enjoyed the beautiful weather and unique homes and yards in the area, before we arrived at Dr. Bombay’s for our high tea reservations. Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Room is very cool and eccentric and uniquely decorated. It’s another “hot spot” for young people in the area. It’s funky and fun. But our service left a lot to be desired. I had made reservations online over a week ago, and had received email confirmation so I know it was done, but the staff didn’t seem to have any record of it. The place is small but it was full of people, so there was hardly room to move. Allie and I stood against the wall and waited for over 20 minutes between the time we alerted the staff that we were there for our high tea reservations, and the time we were seated. Since our reservations had apparently been forgotten, we were seated at the end of a long table with another party, in a tight little corner by the bathrooms. Our server brought us our tea, then brought us our sandwiches and cookies, and we didn’t see her again until we were done an hour later. The tea was average. The food was delicious. The decor and dining were funky and fun. The service was pretty bad. I think if I went again, I would just go to grab a cup of tea and look around for a few minutes, with no expectation of good service. But, Allie and I had a good time and great conversation in spite of it.
By this time it was starting to be late afternoon, and I really wanted to get out of Atlanta before dark. Allie showed me a bridal shop just down from Dr. Bombay’s, then we headed over to Cafe Intermezzo before getting back to the Stanley House. Cafe Intermezzo was busy, so we had to just sit at the bar, but our server was good and the appetizer we shared of Naam and Lox was good, too. I think Cafe Intermezzo would be great if you could plan to go there for lunch and sit by the window, watching people buzz by in the heart of downtown Atlanta.
We spent another very comfortable night in the Stanley House and woke up to bacon, eggs, and biscuits for breakfast. I was very pleased with the accommodations and hospitality at the Stanley House. I dropped Allie off at her church and headed home. It was a relaxing weekend of quality time and enjoyment for both of us.
(To recap, Julie gave 2 thumbs up to Stanley House Inn, Taqueria Tsunami, Mary Mac Tea Room, and Espresso Theory. She had reviews “with suggestions/cautions” for Dr. Bombay’s Underwater Tea Room and Cafe Intermezzo. She mentioned Crave Pie but didn’t actually get to try it. She has definitely put some places on my must-try list. )
THANK YOU, JULIE!
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