A Spoonful of Germany in Tupelo
Many years ago when my husband and I began dating we frequently met up Friday night at the end of a long hard week for dinner and drinks. It is a tradition we keep up to this day. One of our favorite places at that time employed a friendly and feisty German lady named Margarete. She was a server about whom we knew very little personally, but she always amused us with very wry sense of humor.
As time went by we learned more and more about Margarete’s background, her migrating to Mississippi from Germany many moons ago, as well as her aspirations for opening her own bakery right here in Tupelo, Mississippi. Apparently, all that time Margarete was a talented baker and cook, and we had no idea. Before we knew it, Simply Sweet By Margarete opened up right here in downtown Tupelo, and was gangbusters from the day she opened the doors. I married a meat and potatoes kind of man, but even his fussy self loves this café and bakery.
Margarete’s unassuming little haunt offers lunch options that always satisfy. I’m partial to her salad specials such as the trio of homemade potato salad, chicken salad, and fresh greens. If you are looking for something heartier there are a range of sandwich options and soups made daily. Of course, it would not be a German café without some sauerkraut and bratwurst on the menu, which it does. My favorite lunch days at Simply Sweet are when there is a lunch special, which is distinctly German and delicious. Recently, one such special of which I could not get enough was the Schnitzel with mushrooms and gravy spread over rotini pasta, and a side boiled purple cabbage. Scrumptious.
What really differentiates Margarete’s little piece of heaven from other soup and sandwich places is THE BREAD. All of the sandwiches are made with Margarete’s homemade breads, and all soups and salads come with slices of her to- die-for sourdough. If that is not enough for you, there are cakes, pies, and cookies made in house, which are almost impossible to resist (I speak from plenty of experience).
Besides excellent German cuisine and desserts, you will almost always see Margarete herself walking around her bakery and eatery greeting every patron and thanking everyone for patronizing her business. She is truly grateful Tupelo has rallied around her and her business and we all, in turn, cannot get enough. When the holidays approach, I always place an order for several of her desserts. My only agonizing decision is WHICH desserts.
I have often spoken of my pet peeve of people hollering at me to “eat local!” I appreciate the sentiment but, to be honest, sometimes “local” places just are not automatically good. However, you will not be disappointed if you patronize our “local” German lady’s das restaurant.
