food MAY/JUNE 20
Mama Ruby's Restaurant Family-owned restaurant has food for the soul Story By Aaron Paden Photos By Gracie Bryne and Donna Campbell
To co-owner Jeff Newton, Mama Ruby’s is a place to bring the people of Brookhaven food for the soul. The idea of his family building their own restaurant specializing in soul food has been stewing in the back of his mind for years. But, with more than 33 years of experience working in the food industry — he was the general manager of Piggly Wiggly on Hwy. 51 for 15 years before its closing and managed a Delchamps store before that — the time was never right. The Pig’s closing has given the Newton family an opportunity to realize that dream. “I came from a cooking family,” Newton said. “I married into a cooking family. I’ve worked around food all these years, so I know good cooks and I know good eating.” Newton runs the restaurant with his wife Valetta Newton and his son Jeffrey. Mama Ruby’s is named after Valetta’s 38 BROOKHAVEN MAGAZINE
Mama’s Ruby is a culmination of everything Jeff Newton has learned about cooking from his family.
