For a foodie, a getaway destination is nothing without a highly acclaimed selection of local cuisine, and Jackson, Mississippi hits the mark, whether dine-in or curbside.
Explore the culinary charm and Civil Rights history of the City With Soul.
Start your day off with a breakfast at locally-owned bakery, Urban Foxes. The shop offers daily flavors of pies, cookies, scones, and more. Each pastry, made in house, pairs beautifully with their wide selection of coffee, kombucha and beer.
If you’re looking for a heartier start to the day, pay a visit to Elvie’s. New Orleans inspired, the “all-day café” offers a unique brunch with menu items like duck fat hash browns to a sweet, warm bread pudding. The Eggs Cochon is consistently noted as a diner favorite.
Between meals, a visit to the Two Mississippi Museums is a must. Tracing the state’s history back 15,000 years, the experience culminates with a powerful and thought-provoking journey through the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, the only such state-sponsored museum of its kind in the country.
At lunch, Hal & Mal’s - known for their po boys, gumbo, and catfish - provides a laid-back atmosphere. On Farish Street, Big Apple Inn is a 4th generation family-owned eatery that specializes in smoked sausage, pig ear sandwiches and tamales, a dish they’re widely known for.
If you’re in the mood for a classic lunch, Crazy Cat Eat Up offers a homey setting with sandwiches, quiches and tomato pie, and delicious desserts made from scratch every day. Across town, at Godfrey’s, authentic Caribbean flavors are slow-cooked into oxtails, jerk chicken and curry.
In the afternoon, walk the Mississippi Freedom Trail for more Civil Rights history. Markers identify places such as the Greyhound Bus Station, Mississippi State Capitol, and Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) Civil Rights Education Center.
For something to hold you over until dinner, head to La Brioche at Cultivation Food Hall and order a croissant, an Alfajores or macaron. Coffee Prose in Midtown or Highland Village offers specialty lattes, or, perhaps, a warm cup of Earl Grey tea, and a selection of used books.
After hours calls for an indulgent, award-winning meal, and The Pig & Pint will quench your barbecue cravings with Pepsi-Cola glazed ribs, smoked brisket or BBQ loaded fries and a wide variety of sides to choose from. E & L Barbeque also offers que – a “Southern backyard meets Chicago” style, with meaty smoked ribs with a sweet sauce and best-selling rib tips.
At Johnny T’s Bistro & Blues on Farish Street - at once the Crystal Palace, a venue that featured such acts as Sammy Davis Jr. and Duke Ellington - enjoy dishes like their Cajun pasta and fried lobster tails and a selection of curated whiskeys and cognacs.
Later, unwind with a drink at The Library Lounge at Fairview Inn or Gold Coast Bar at Cultivation Food Hall, capping off an indulgent and inspirational day.
