I've been writing articles around the metropolitan region for 30 years. My work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the NY Post, and other regional newspapers.

(Cumming, GA) Summer will bring a new taste sensation to Forsyth County.

Owner Karolyn Hawley confirmed to NewsBreak that Mary Lucille’s Bakery, Restaurant, and Tearoom is headed to the Cumming City Center and expected to open in July.

“We are so excited and ramping up,” Hawley said.

She describes the restaurant as “elevated Southern” and is excited about the opening.

When the restaurant was first announced, founder Jill Harris explained its origin.

“The idea began when I was a young child growing up in Kansas and cooking and baking with my grandmother, Mary Lucille,” Harris said. “I wanted to create a place where people could not only get an amazing meal but also have a homey place to stop, relax, and even enjoy a lovely cup of tea with friends.”

The name is an homage to Harris’s grandmother.

“My grandma Mary was an incredibly special person in my life. I remember sitting at her kitchen table, and she would show me how to knead dough for yeast rolls or how to make a pie crust,” Harris said. “She was such a warm, caring, and special lady. There was not a day that friends and family wouldn’t stop by to sit at that kitchen table and enjoy her company, and no one passed up grandma Mary’s baked goods and sweets.”

The restaurant features all kinds of baked goods and offers patrons a “high tea” experience.

“Our tea room will be a true experience. Come to one of our two daily services, offered Wednesday through Sunday, to experience an afternoon tea service by the fireplace in a comfortable chair or sofa with your friends. Several service levels will be available to accommodate everyone,” Harris added.

The restaurant joins a growing number of tenants. City officials announced that Crooked Culture Brewery would occupy a 7,000 sq. ft space at City Center late last week.

The space features a rooftop bar overlooking the Lou Sobh Amphitheater and Sawnee Mountain.

“We couldn’t be more excited about joining the City Center family and bringing our unique brews to the city of Cumming community,” Crooked Culture Brewery co-founder Patrick Leonard said. “Being a brewery that is owned and operated by the brewer makes a huge difference in the quality of the product. People may ask why, and it’s simple – the beer comes first, always! For us, it’s not about simply making a buck; success for us is making beer that has people coming back on the regular. We make great beer and provide a great place to drink it, so we hope to always be saying ‘see you again tomorrow’!”

The announcements came as part of a big week for the Cumming City Center.

Cumming City Administrator Phil Higgins announced Wednesday the City Council and Downtown Development Authority approved $22 million in revenue bonds for the project.

The bonds provide the additional funds to complete the project.

If you have a news tip in Forsyth County, contact John Thompson at johntct@aol.com

I've been writing articles around the metropolitan region for 30 years. My work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the NY Post, and other regional newspapers.

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