In Tucker, Georgia,In Tucker, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta, a quiet revival is taking place. Inside Magnolia Room, the clatter of trays and the sizzle of skillet trout and fried catfish summon memories of a South that once gathered around the cafeteria line. Owner Louis Squires calls his restaurant “traditional Southern food, decades old, treasured family recipes prepared in the old way.” It’s a humble promise, but one that anchors Magnolia Room to a disappearing piece of the region’s culinary heritage: the Southern cafeteria.
For much of the mid-20th century, cafeterias were essential to Southern life. From the 1950s through the 1980s, families flocked to the likes of S&S, Morrison’s, and Piccadilly—bright, bustling dining halls where you could count on fried chicken, butter beans, and banana pudding, all ladled out with quiet efficiency and a smile. These were places of fellowship, where the food tasted like your grandmother’s and the people behind the counter likely knew your name.
But those glory days have faded. “They’re dying,” Squires says. “They’re retreating; they’re closing.” When the beloved S&S cafeteria in Tucker announced it would shutter, Squires couldn’t stand to see it vanish. He stepped in, determined to preserve not just the building, but the spirit of a community institution. He’s most proud of the many jobs he was able to save carrying over a staff that feels like family.
Today, Magnolia Room feels like stepping into another era, one where food is personal and pride is poured into every pan. Behind the counter, chefs hand-batter Mississippi catfish and season local greens the way their mothers did. Sundays draw the biggest crowds with over a thousand guests some weeks. What Squires has recreated isn’t nostalgia—it’s a continuation of tradition.
In Tucker, the cafeteria line still winds with the rhythm of a familiar ritual. Plates clatter, hands pass cornbread, and across generations, the taste of old Southern recipes endures.
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