Best meat-and-three (or -two)
Meatloaf, sweet potato souffle and Hoppin' John are just a few of the choices at Mary Mac's Tea Room, an Atlanta tradition and your pick for best meat-and-three (or -two). Photo: Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com
YOUR PICKS
1. Mary Mac’s Tea Room
You say, “Mary Mac’s Tea Room – best for taste, family atmosphere, and value” and “A Southern tradition.”
2. Carver’s Country Kitchen
3. Matthews Cafeteria
4. The Colonnade
5. Busy Bee Café
6. Doug’s Place
The tasty collard greens at Greenwood's on Green Street in Roswell. Staff photo.
OUR PICKS
1. Greenwood’s
The AJC dining team’s specialist in Southern and Neighborhood Fare Jenny Turknett says, “At Greenwood’s, you can’t go wrong — everything on the menu is fresh and delicious. My favorites are the scrumptious pork chops with sage butter served with collards and creamed corn just like my grandmother made.”
2. Home Grown GA
3. Matthews Cafeteria
4. Mary Mac’s Tea Room
5. Busy Bee Cafe
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
346 comments Add your comment
TLL
March 29th, 2011
1:29 pm
Carver’s Grocery, without a doubt!
hungry
March 29th, 2011
1:30 pm
AlphaSoda – Alpharetta
Patrick
March 29th, 2011
1:31 pm
Add me as one for Matthew’s. A co-worker brings in food from there every week and it’s delicious.
Monique
March 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
Glady’s Knight Chicken and Waffles downtown.
CEG
March 29th, 2011
1:33 pm
If you enjoy a good case of food poisoning, the Colonnade is the place to go. If you enjoy ATL’s best meat n’ three, Carver’s is the jam!
Ann
March 29th, 2011
1:37 pm
Of course “The Beautiful ” on Cascade Rd. SW Atlanta. Not only good dinner but great southern breakfast. Been in business for more than 30 years!
Groundhog
March 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
For me, it’s a jump ball between Matthew’s & Carver’s…..both have great food, but Matthew’s is a little easier to grab a table. Mary Mac’s is right up there, along with Silver Skillet. I really miss the old Silver Grill on Monroe.
And Sammy G is dead-on…..Eats has decent food, but meat and 3 it ain’t.
Allen
March 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
Busy Bee – mmm….mmmm….mmmm!
AnnieB
March 29th, 2011
1:38 pm
Benson’s Grill in Hiram — they don’t know how to do bad food….
GoodEats
March 29th, 2011
1:39 pm
Busy Bee on MLK hands down!
Atlanta Academic
March 29th, 2011
1:40 pm
William’s Seafood
Used to be on the way to Savannah, used to be on Clairmont Road. Great catfish; great loss.
It's about the greens
March 29th, 2011
1:41 pm
I have been eating at these places in the South for fifty years, Every place has something they really excel in. In my case, I judge the quality of the place by its chicken, turnip greens and sugary deserts. (MY wife would substitute iced tea for deserts.) So….
Carvers
Eats
Busy B
Outside of Atlanta, Bethea’s in Durham (long time ago) or a dive I can’t remember the name of in Americus
Kim
March 29th, 2011
1:42 pm
Anne and Bills….
Ms Golden
March 29th, 2011
1:42 pm
Mary Mac’s Tea Room
Ian P
March 29th, 2011
1:44 pm
Big Daddy’s Cafe on Cascade and Busy Bee on MLK in the West End.
sharon
March 29th, 2011
1:45 pm
Annie Laura’s in Riverdale. It’s like Thanksgiving and Christamas dinner everyday
Sylvia
March 29th, 2011
1:49 pm
The Beautiful Restaurant in Cascade
MattieMatt
March 29th, 2011
1:50 pm
I laugh at your choices. I raise you Carver’s County Kitchen
PM
March 29th, 2011
1:50 pm
Gosh, I thought I should look at this so when I have that hankering I can know where to go!! But, I surely discount this …. The Colonnade food is fatty and dreadful and processed and so is Mary Mac’s… thought we were talking REAL FOOD. UGGKK. The closest I get to this (w/ good stuff) is the DeKalb Farmers’ Market – but a touch different!!
Sandy
March 29th, 2011
1:52 pm
Y’all are making me hungry. I’ve never been to Carver’s but want to try it now. Matthews and the Colonnade are always good, but Blue Willow is the best of all, unless you can get to Mrs. Wilkes in Savannah.
Carolina
March 29th, 2011
1:52 pm
Lizzard’s Thicket & Macs on Main only if you head north on I-20 to Columbia, SC =)
Steve
March 29th, 2011
1:54 pm
Pinkeye BBQ Clayton
dee
March 29th, 2011
1:54 pm
my house – i cook
CSC
March 29th, 2011
1:55 pm
Matthews Cafeteria in Tucker! The best!
sara chiave
March 29th, 2011
1:58 pm
ann and bills
Chad
March 29th, 2011
1:59 pm
Busy Bee!!!
Pryncess
March 29th, 2011
2:02 pm
Mary Mac’s and K & K Soul Food off of Hollowell
Pryncess
March 29th, 2011
2:06 pm
I have a question… why aren’t there any GOOD soul food buffets in Atlanta?? Like Ole Time’s Buffet that has many locations around middle and south GA. Atlanta needs one badly!!!!!! The “soul food” aka canned food buffets here suck!
DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!
March 29th, 2011
2:06 pm
If you nominate a place south of I-20 then don’t waste your time. The AJC will rarely even give us dregs of society a second look down here…
But Anne and Bills in Forest Park is great.
Big Time Tech Fan
March 29th, 2011
2:14 pm
Like I said: Boston Market!
Fletch
March 29th, 2011
2:18 pm
Matthew’s in Tucker – best fried chicken i have ever had personally.
karen
March 29th, 2011
2:19 pm
Oga’s on Windy Hill
PM
March 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
DEKALB FARMERS MARKET! Delicious, not expensive, meat plus 3, 4, 5 or 6 – you choose!… And your body would actually get a nutrient or two!!! They do add too much butter/oil, but lots less than the other places…. lots less!!! DFM has the best fried chicken.
G-Mob
March 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
It was a line at the beautiful, JJ’s Rib Shack.. Was Packed Too. Looking to be one of them days Where mama ain’t Cooking.
SOUL FOOD
Nishka
March 29th, 2011
2:21 pm
Big Daddy’s on Old National
Doug Snyder
March 29th, 2011
2:22 pm
Gotta be Kellie’s in Loganville!!
Jenn
March 29th, 2011
2:23 pm
Well, ask me 10 years ago and it would have been my Grandma’s restaurant, Georgian Hills in Canton. Now I would have to say Family Traditions in Cherokee County is the best.
Ostrich Racer
March 29th, 2011
2:24 pm
JimmyJam047 got it right — John’s Fine Foods on Jonesboro Road. Best banana pudding on the planet.
I’m also a big fan of the BBQ Kitchen on Virginia Ave., and the place at the Farmer’s Market in Forest Park. Here’s one nobody has mentioned — Q’s in East Point has terrific fried chicken, and whatever they do to their collards in magic.
Denise
March 29th, 2011
2:27 pm
THE BUSY BEE!!! THE BUSY BEE!!! THE BUSY BEE!!! THE BUSY BEE!!!
Foodie
March 29th, 2011
2:36 pm
Pryncess – go to Mathews in Tucker, Doug’s in Emerson or the Oakwood Cafe at the Farmer’s market and you shall find what it is that you long for. As for some of these other posts, no self respecting Southerner would recommend the likes of Honey Baked Ham or Boston Market as a meat & three. Honey Baked Ham? Give me a break; a national chain with flavor injected hams?? Don’t insult the legit meat & threes that serve real country ham and red eye gravy with that comparison. That’s like nominating MacDonalds for best home made burger. Pitty Pat’s Porch? Yo, where’s Scarlett & Rhett…. a tourist trap. And OK Cafe could only be considered a meat & three by some Buckhead Betty that has never ventured beyond the Perimeter. Adams in Cartersville is a mediocre BBQ joint and last, but not least, if the can opener at Evans Fine Food ever malfunctions they will not have any veggies to serve at all.
Foodie
March 29th, 2011
2:38 pm
Karen – Does Oga’s still serve their honey dipped fried chicken? I have been looking for them since they left Chamblee. Thanks for the tip.
Rick
March 29th, 2011
2:39 pm
I vote for Carver’s even though I like Colonnade’s fried chicken just a little better. Carver’s is always good and consistent no matter what you get. At the Colonnade if you stray off the beaten path of southern staples it can be disappointing. I also like the vegetables at Carver’s better than the Colonnade. I have never been disappointed at Carver’s.
One Who Knows
March 29th, 2011
2:39 pm
Mattthews- Hands down
Mr Food
March 29th, 2011
2:41 pm
@Melinda Freels
That Midway place is TERRIBLE, the only regret that I have on moving from Buckhead to Cumming
is that there is not a decent home cooking restaurant for miles and miles.
You would think that out here in the country someone could cook a decent home styled meal.
Matthews is about the best I have had followed by Wilson’s in Athens. I sure wish that Wilson’s open a place in Midway/Cumming. They would put those pretenders out of business.
dan...k
March 29th, 2011
2:42 pm
Carver’s and Matthews get my vote.
dyslexicbunny
March 29th, 2011
2:42 pm
Juniors on Tech’s campus used to have an awesome hot line.
Love Carvers and Eats. Heard good things about Mary Macs.
MTB
March 29th, 2011
2:44 pm
Greenwood’s in Roswell
Katie
March 29th, 2011
2:50 pm
OK Cafe!
all you can eat
March 29th, 2011
2:53 pm
golden corral—all you can eat plus tons of desserts to pound down after you’ve eaten loads of chicken, mashed potatoes, pizza and steak.
Jim
March 29th, 2011
2:53 pm
I am not sure about this week, but next week it will be “Our Way Cafe” which is set to reopen!!!