Cars pull into the small parking lot as people rush inside of the new restaurant Hattie Mae Alexander recently opened in Tyler. It's called Sum 2 Eat.
Alexander, the former cook at Freddie Mae’s, opened her own restaurant on Jan. 8.
“Sum 2 Eat is not a soul food restaurant, nor is it a cafeteria,” Alexander said. “We have buffet-style food.”
The name comes from the idea that at the end of a long work day, people want something to eat. Though some might think the name is missing a few letters, Alexander spelled it that way for a reason, to be unique.
Each day the menu is completely different.
“We want it to be comfortable, laid-back, country and have a feel for everyone,” Alexander said. “We don’t have a set menu because I want it so you can come in and get something different.”
The menu will feature three meats a day not including pork chops and fish fillets, which are available every day. We try to keep our meals under $10 so someone can afford to come back more than one time a week. “
Hattie Mae started cooking in the 1990s at a soul food restaurant in downtown Tyler. She also has worked as a cook in the schools and hospitals around Tyler, but didn't like that environment. She also had her own restaurant once before named Hattie Mae’s Café.
Sum 2 Eat, 1815 W. Erwin St., is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. They can be reached at 903-747-8225.
