Mammy's Cupboard
Natchez, MS Photo courtesy Tony Craig
Heading into Natchez on U.S. 61, it's hard not to do a double take when you spot Mammy's Cupboard standing beside the highway. Since 1940, travelers have been stopping to eat inside one of America's most unusual roadside buildings, where the restaurant occupies the skirt of a towering 28-foot-tall woman. 11-10
Originally built as a Shell service station and lunch counter, the landmark quickly became one of Mississippi's best-known examples of roadside novelty architecture. Over the years, generations of travelers have stopped for lunch, homemade desserts, and a slice of the restaurant's famous mile-high meringue pie before continuing down the Natchez Trace or Highway 61.
Like many vintage roadside attractions, Mammy's Cupboard reflects another era of roadside America. Its appearance has changed over the years, including several repaintings, but the unusual building has remained one of the most photographed landmarks in Natchez and a favorite stop for anyone who appreciates quirky Americana.
UPDATE: In 2026, the restaurant announced it would relocate to a new building and begin operating as The Cupboard. The future of the historic roadside structure remains uncertain. 08-26
