Fixer Upper Tour of Waco, Texas and Beyond Part Two

You need to be an early riser (like 6:00 AM ) to beat the breakfast crowd at Magnolia Table. The restaurant is open 6 AM-3 PM and located across town right off the freeway. LOL on this one...

From a distance my first thought it was a used car lot with so many cars. When I spotted their sign I guess others had also heard the words get there early so your wait is not long.

The queue was not too long this early in the day. Once you leave your name at the desk they direct you to a courtyard where you can enjoy your coffee while waiting which for us was only 25 minutes.  

Magnolia Table

The Elite Cafe has been a part of Waco’s history for nearly 100 years. Its original location on Austin Avenue, which opened in 1919, was the place to be back when it opened. The original menu featured a diner-style menu, and the restaurant was the first place in Waco to install “refrigerated air” (which we now, of course, call air conditioning), which people waited for hours just to experience. The original location became so popular that the owners opened this second location on the Waco Traffic Circle in 1941. It’s even rumored that Elvis Presley shared a meal with friends here on his way to Fort Hood.

As part of the restaurant’s transformation, Chip and Joanna wanted to pay homage to the original diner’s history by using some of their antique logos and menus as decoration, and by keeping the exterior structure intact (with a few cosmetic updates.) Instead of getting rid of the Elite Cafe’s goods, they auctioned off most of the memorabilia and donated the money to a local charity.

Magnolia Table is a breakfast and lunch restaurant specializing in fresh, homegrown ingredients and good old fashioned cooking. They have something on the menu for everyone, including the kiddos, vegetarians, vegans, and folks with a gluten intolerance. 

Much of the produce used in their dishes are grown locally at Joanna’s farm garden, and many of the eggs come from her chickens, too! They use local vendors for menu staples like grass-fed hamburger patties and freshly-squeezed lemonade.

It was an easy menu choice for Jenny-anything with an avocado for the vegetarian 

and we made sure we both had their signature biscuits with strawberry butter. Recipe found in Joanna's new cookbook. 

I must say Magnolia Table gets my vote for the best spot we have visited so far. It was impressive how smoothly the operation is knowing they just opened in March. The wait staff is friendly and does what they can do to ensure your visit is a positive experience. 

There also is a lot of attention to detail right from all the servers wearing the same shirt to food, wall decorations and service with personalized cards given to each customer.

We spent the afternoon (despite the soaring temps) going through my daughter's list of places to visit and shop where  the Fixer Upper team also shops.   

Along the way we discovered in the Praetorian Building, a unique coffee shop (BRU Artisan Coffee Works) located in an old antique non functioning elevator. 

A charming place to visit.

Wrapping It Up

Dr. Pepper Museum, Waco, Texas, Magnolia Bed and Breakfast,  McGregor, Texas and JDH Iron Works, Crawford, Texas