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    Home » USA

    Brunch at Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna Gaines' Waco Restaurant

    Updated: Apr 19, 2025 · Published: Mar 17, 2022 by Dave Lee

    Over the last 20 years, Chip and Joanna Gaines have become synonymous with Waco, Texas. They've built a business empire, including the Magnolia Network, based on their hit HGTV show, "Fixer Upper." In 2018, they opened Magnolia Table, a breakfast restaurant.

    Chip and Joanna both attended Baylor University, as did my girlfriend, Kel, so I've slowly become familiar with this Central Texas city located north of Austin. Even though I don't watch HGTV, I was aware of the Gaines and their reputation for creating beautiful interior spaces and delicious food.

    Magnolia Table farm breakfast with eggs, sausage, and tater tots
    Farm breakfast with eggs, sausage, and tater tots

    On our first trip to Waco for a Baylor football game (sic 'em Bears!), we stopped by Magnolia Market at the Silos, a large retail complex the Gaines opened featuring a home goods store, and bakery, cafe, and food trucks.

    The weather was cold and rainy, but walking into the various shops and getting a warm drink at the cafe (Magnolia Press) gave me a sense of their design aesthetic.

    For our second trip to Waco, I booked a reservation at Magnolia Table weeks in advance to ensure we could get in for breakfast and avoid long wait times for walk-ins.

    Table of Contents

    • Our Arrival
      • Interior Design
    • Breakfast at Magnolia Table
      • Pastries and Butter
      • Entrees
    • Final Thoughts
    • Visit Magnolia Table

    Our Arrival

    "Breakfast" floor mosaic at Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna Gaines' restaurant in Waco, TX
    Floor mosaic

    Magnolia Table is just off Interstate 35, about an eight-minute drive south of the Silos in downtown Waco. The location, practically in the shadow of a busy highway, initially struck me as a bit odd; however, the building predates much of what we see around it today.

    A Texas Historic Landmark plaque at the entrance tells the story.

    The first Elite Cafe opened in downtown Waco in 1919 and was acquired by the Greek immigrant Colias family in 1920. The Colias brothers opened this Elite Cafe in 1941 on "The Circle," a traffic hub built on Waco's suburban edge in the early 1930s.

    A highly recognized local landmark, and one of the best remaining regional examples of mid-20th century roadside architecture, the building exhibits a distinctive Spanish Colonial style popular in the southwest.

    - Texas Historical Commission, 1995

    Interior Design

    Magnolia Table's stylish interior
    Inside Magnolia Table

    Stepping inside, I first noticed the black-and-white mosaic tile floor. As my eyes scanned the space, I immediately appreciated the decor and attention to detail that have become hallmarks of Joanna Gaines' design style. Comfortable leather chairs and bench seating line two walls, making it easy to adjust table sizes.

    Despite an overcast and drizzly morning, Magnolia Table was well-lit and inviting. The dining room's vaulted ceiling made it spacious while allowing for additional natural light. I was happy to be there and excited to read the menu in person.

    Breakfast at Magnolia Table

    Pastries and Butter

    Assorted pastries in the Silos Baking Co. bread basket
    Silos Baking Co. bread basket

    The menu at Magnolia Table is updated with the seasons, so there may be minor differences between what you read here and what is available when you visit.

    Let's begin with the drinks, which include a variety of fresh juices, including a juice flight with four options. Lemonade, Alabama sweet tea, hot teas, and espresso drinks (hot or cold) are also available.

    Since I didn't get to try the pastries at Silos Baking Co. on our previous Waco trip, I intended to order some at Magnolia Table. They're $3.50 each, but I recommend the bread basket for $10, which allows you to sample an assortment. A $4 butter flight also caught my eye; we ordered both.

    Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips
    Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips

    Before continuing with the rest of the menu, let's pause and enjoy this cake-like pumpkin bread with chocolate chips that Kel and I both loved.

    The outer crust was just a tad crunchy, while the interior was soft. Every bite brought smiles and satisfaction. The butter croissant, chocolate croissant, and blueberry muffin were good; the zucchini bread was average.

    Related: Best Bakeries in San Francisco

    Butter flight: cranberry, orange rosemary, chai, and pumpkin
    Butter flight: cranberry, orange rosemary, chai, and pumpkin

    I was enamored with the butter flight as soon as it arrived. One by one, I smeared the various flavored butter on bits and pieces of croissant. My favorite was the pumpkin, followed by the orange rosemary, cranberry, and chai, which successfully evoked the flavor of my favorite tea.

    Whether it's evident from the photo above or not, there was way more butter than we could eat, so we took the leftovers home. Our server said they'd last two weeks, but we were still using them a month later, and they tasted fine.

    Entrees

    Farm breakfast with eggs, sausage, and tater tots at Magnolia Table in Waco, TX
    Farm breakfast

    Magnolia Table offers about ten breakfast entree options, all of which sound amazing. Pancakes, French toast, eggs Benedict, oatmeal, and a granola bowl are on the menu. There's even a $2.50 egg and cheese breakfast taco.

    I opted for the farm breakfast for $14, which includes two eggs, however you like, housemade tater tots, a choice of biscuit or toast, and either thick peppered bacon or house sausage.

    When my plate arrived, I was taken aback by the mountain of round tater tots in the little black skillet. They already had points for the presentation, and they just scored a few more.

    Housemade tater tots at Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna Gaines' restaurant
    Housemade tater tots

    Their housemade tater tots, served with slices of hard cheese, are some of the best I've ever eaten. Once again, I knew I couldn't finish them all and everything else, so I saved a few tots for takeaway.

    Strawberry butter and biscuit
    Strawberry butter and biscuit
    Orange rosemary butter on a biscuit
    Orange rosemary butter on a biscuit

    In addition to the five pastries in the bread basket, I also got to try Joanna Gaines' buttermilk biscuits, served with strawberry butter (my fifth butter of the meal, if you're keeping track). Her biscuits, not surprisingly, are excellent, and they break apart easily to reveal a luxuriously soft interior.

    Related: Breakfast at Brennan's

    French toast with maple syrup and bacon
    French toast with maple syrup and bacon

    While buttering my biscuits, Kel enjoyed an order of French toast with maple syrup and thick-cut peppered bacon ($12). She also got a biscuit with strawberry butter, her favorite of the five, if I recall correctly.

    At this point, I was feeling super full. While you can generally count on me to order dessert at any new restaurant I visit, I had to tap out by this point at Magnolia Table.

    They offer cakes and pies by the slice, as well as a skillet chocolate chip cookie or brownie served with vanilla ice cream. Next time, Chip and Joanna, I promise!

    Before I wrap up, I also want to mention that Magnolia Table serves brunch and lunch food. Avocado toast, salads, burgers, and sandwiches range in price from $8 to $14 each.

    Related: Best Brunches in Austin

    Final Thoughts

    Magnolia Table, "where everyone has a seat at the table."
    Magnolia Table, "where everyone has a seat at the table."

    Was breakfast at Magnolia Table, Chip and Joanna Gaines' restaurant in Waco, worth the effort? Yes, totally! The food was all fresh and well-prepared, and the setting in a historic Waco building redesigned by the Gaines adds to the allure.

    Would I recommend driving from Austin or Dallas to eat at Magnolia Table? Yes, again. It's worth the trip, especially if you're a fan of the couple or their show. Unless you're just passing through town on the way to another city, I'd suggest checking out more of Waco while you're there.

    If you like breakfast at Magnolia Table, drive up to the Silos and go for a walk around the shops or check out Magnolia Press cafe. Are you all Gaines-ed out? Visit the Cameron Park Zoo to see white-handed gibbons, orangutans, lemurs, and lions.

    Visit Magnolia Table

    • Address: 2132 South Valley Mills Drive, Waco, Texas
    • Hours: 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday
    • Reservations: Highly recommended and accepted up to 30 days in advance. Walk-ins are also welcome. However, there can be long wait times at peak hours. Make a reservation.

    Can't make it to Magnolia Table in person? You can buy The Magnolia Table cookbook, a New York Times bestseller with 125 classic recipes inspired by the Gaines family, personal stories, and beautiful photos.

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    Dave Lee

    Dave Lee

    Food Writer

    I'm on a mission to find the best food in Texas and beyond.

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