The Red and Black

Issue date: 2/6/02 Section: Variety

Ethel Vaughn has waitressed at the Mayflower Restaurant on Broad St. for thirty-seven years. "I must like it here," jokes Vaughn. (Megan Lovett • The Red & Black) [Click to enlarge]

Visiting scholar Masahiro Nakamura eats a late lunch at the Mayflower Restaurant Tuesday. (Megan Lovett • The Red & Black) [Click to enlarge]

Ever been in the mood for a nutritious Waffle House breakfast, but don't want to drive all the way down to Five Points? Do you enjoy good downhome cooking?

Why not try The Mayflower Restaurant right in the heart of Athens at 171 E. Broad Street?

For a town whose livelihood depends largely on its thriving restaurants, finding a good place to eat downtown for breakfast can pose quite a dilemma.

Bleary-eyed and hungry at 10 a.m., I found myself stuck with the dilemma of where to eat for breakfast.

Craving a strong cup-o-joe and some greasy hashbrowns, I assumed my options were fairly limited until I stumbled past The Mayflower Restaurant, finding a small crowd of people inside.

Feeling adventurous and somewhat unsure of what I was doing, I decided to take a chance.

After sitting down at one of the cushy booths, the friendly waitress took my order and came back shortly with a steaming cup of coffee.

Score one for The Mayflower Restaurant.

MAYFLOWER RESTAURANT Where: 171 E. Broad St. Information: 548-1692

After perusing the menu, I ordered a cup of coffee, an egg and cheese sandwich and some "homefries" (hashbrowns to us Waff Ho regulars).

While waiting for my food, I looked around and noticed a fairly large crowd of people eating there that looked like regulars.The Mayflower is apparently a morning eating ground for a fairly eclectic mix of people. From University faculty to students to Athens locals, The Mayflower seemed to appeal to anyone who just wanted a good meal for a decent price.

After a brief wait and free refills on coffee, my feast was placed in front of me in all of its steaming, greasy goodness.

Score two for The Mayflower Restaurant.

The whole affair only ended up costing about $4 for an egg and cheese sandwich, hashbrowns and a cup of coffee. Not bad at all for a last minute early morning discovery.Besides the great prices, I found another reason for the downhome atmosphere.

According to Ricky Vaughn, an employee of The Mayflower Restaurant, they have been around since 1948 and have been family owned since the '60s. Featuring meats and veggies that change daily, The Mayflower has something for everyone.

While this bastion of tasty victuals might sound too good to be true, there are a couple of bad aspects. For one, the portions are fairly small, so the price matches up with the amount of food you get. Also, The Mayflower only accepts cash or check, so you can't be a college student and charge $3 to your credit card.

With a choice between a seat at the counter, a comfortable booth or a table, The Mayflower is definitely a restaurant to relax, read a paper and eat food the old fashioned way: sitting down.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools