When a beloved cafe changes hands, the town holds its breath. Sugar Magnolia Cafe's new chapter has turned out to be an expansion of the charm, not a departure from it.
The handover
The downtown breakfast-and-lunch spot is now run by owners who actually live in Wake Forest — raising their daughter Raelyn here — and who describe themselves as thrilled to be part of downtown's wonderful charm. The food and atmosphere that built the cafe's reputation carried straight through the transition, which is the hardest trick in small-town hospitality.
The twist next door
The same owners operate the adjoining Magnolia Roots Music Lounge, which turns a lunch spot into a day-to-evening destination — breakfast and lunch service through the afternoon, live music culture next door when the day winds down.
Hours run Tuesday through Sunday — closed Mondays — which is exactly the rhythm of a downtown that's busiest when White Street is. Current hours and menus are on their directory listing.
