How to take a QUICK trip to Magnolia Silos | Waco, TX
Every time I’ve been to Magnolia Restaurant, Market, and Bakery this year, it’s been an easy quick trip, minimal to no lines, and super fun. Most people I talk to, have had a very different and tiring experience at Magnolia, so I thought I’d share with you what has worked for me to have a quick and fun trip. I’ve even highlighted my favorite less visited section of the Silos (hint: it’s not the market, the bakery, or the food trucks).
Magnolia Table: I think you should start here, then move on over to the Silos. Your best bet for no wait at Magnolia Restaurant is to either show up really early or show up closer to closing time. I’d suggest putting your name in at 10:45AM-11AM to snag a good lunch time, or be willing to show up beyond lunch time, around 2:00-2:30 (they close at three, so you’ll be making it right on time). Showing up at 2:30 meant the lunch crowd had left, and the restaurant was more cleared out and enjoyable. It was so chill we were even able to get some good pictures without being annoying or in the way of the staff.
Magnolia Table Coffee Shop: If you are having to wait in line at the Restaurant, they have a coffee bar you can hit up before or after you eat. I grabbed an iced latte to go before we left to go to Magnolia Market. I knew it would pair well with a cupcake from their bakery.
Parking at the Silos. Honestly, all those parking lots near the Silos get full and you won’t want to have to pay for parking, so, if you’re a rebel like me, you like to park down the street that’s directly across from the silos. I park all the way down on sixth street closer to the highway, then have a pretty quick and easy walk straight to the silos. If you are able to walk a block or two, this parking seems to be the easiest. Here’s the Magnolia Trolley map, it shows you where sixth street and the highway are.
Take those cupcakes to go. If the bakery line looks long, it’s probably still pretty fast, so don’t be intimidated by the line. Once you enter the bakery, the process is quick and efficient. Choose what you want ahead of time, write it down on the order card provided, and they’ll have it ready in a jiffy. If you go in the winter time, there’s barely a line for this.
What to Expect of Magnolia Market: While Magnolia Market is cool (and smells amazing), it’s actually a pretty quick walk through. Especially if you’re like me and just want to see the pretty Anthropologie-like displays and smell all the candles. If you want to pamper yourself while you walk through, enter the market and immediately take a right and beeline it to the candles and lotions. I put on some of the lotion testers and smelled some of the seasonal and staple candles. If you are wanting to spend money, I’d recommend $25-$50 for a candle, tshirt, book, tea towel, or handful of fake flowers), $50-$100 for an assortment of fake flowers, vases, medium sized home goods, and $200-300 for custom leather bags, home goods that are a bit larger. If you’re hoping what they sell at Target will be at Magnolia Market, you won’t find it.
Are there food trucks? If, for some reason the line was long at Magnolia Restaurant, they have regular food trucks out near the Silos lawn you could hit up. This is a really great alternative!
The Garden Getaway: My favorite, not as crowded, and greener section of the Silos is the garden they’re working to grow. There’s a cute greenhouse that’s perfect for pictures. They’ve even got a seed shop so you can grow your own garden. Every time I’ve gone to the Silos there’s something growing in the garden (I’ve gone in the winter and the summer!). It’s beautiful, and, if I wasn’t taking the cupcakes with me to go, I’d go eat them in the garden away from the crowds.
If I had to recommend an ideal time to visit, it would be the winter. But if you show up in the summer, I highly recommend grabbing a late lunch (around that 2:30PM), and then perusing the market and bakery. Most of the crowds will be gone at that point.
And, if you have extra energy left in you, go walk around the Downtown Waco area and give those small businesses your time as well. On your way out of town grab a frozen cappuccino at Common Grounds (it’s right across the highway from magnolia, and this drink is seriously worth your time). Order your cappuccino ahead of time here.
I’m a Texas Native, so maybe the next time I’m visiting family, I’ll see you at Magnolia! You’ll find me in the garden!