Mary MacKenzie opened the restaurant in 1945. Just after
World War II, enterprising women in search of a living, many of them widowed by the war, were establishing restaurants throughout Atlanta. Calling their establishments "tea rooms" was a polite way of elevating their endeavor. In 1945, Mary Mac's was one of 16 tea rooms in the city, and as of today it is the only one that remains. In 1962, Mary Mac's became one of Atlanta's first integrated restaurants in the midst of the Civil Rights Movement. The restaurant is known for continuing the cooking traditions of MacKenzie and her successor, Margaret Lupo, who owned the Tea Room from 1962 until 1994. It has hosted many famous visitors, including
Dalai Lama,
John Lewis,
James Brown,
Beyonce,
Hillary Clinton,
Alan Jackson, and
Jimmy Carter, who ate at Mary Mac's so frequently he had a dessert named after him: Carter Custard. On March 6, 2024, the roof of Mary Mac's suddenly collapsed following storms and heavy rains. No one was injured in the collapse. The restaurant re-opened in May following extensive and ongoing repairs. ==Cuisine==