I had a chance to take a quick tour of the Pine Bough Cafe in Diboll, a few days before their May 22nd grand opening. I made it a point to brush up on the history of its predecessor, the Pine Bough Restaurant.

The restaurant opened its doors on June 17, 1956. The eatery was developed and operated at the time by Temple Industries. It was open to the public but the bulk of its customers were employees and guests of Temple.

Flash forward 75+ years and the re-development and re-opening of the Pine Bough Cafe. It's located on the mezzanine floor of what used to be the corporate headquarters for Temple-Inland. That facility is now called Southern Pine Plaza

KICKS 105
KICKS 105
loading...

You can still go back decades in time by looking at wall-sized photos adorning the dining area. Catch a glimpse of boxing great Jack Dempsey or Hollywood starlet Bette Davis enjoying a meal at the old Pine Bough Restaurant.

KICKS 105
KICKS 105
loading...

The Pine Bough Cafe is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. They feature indoor dining as well as a super-scenic outdoor patio setting.

KICKS 105
KICKS 105
loading...

The menu consists of salads, sandwiches, burgers, and home-cooked favorites like meatloaf, chicken fried steak, and beef tips, and you've got to try their chicken-n-dumplings.

You can take one flight of stairs to the restaurant or enjoy the one-story elevator ride from the Southern Pine Plaza lobby. I highly encourage making lunch plans in the near future to Pine Bough and making it a point to enjoy your meal on the patio.

The scenery and the seclusion that comes along with the majestic pines make it hard to believe that you're just a few hundred feet away from the traffic of Highway 59

Take a tour of the cafe through the photo gallery below.

Pine Bough Cafe

More From Fun 94-7