MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Menu: Eat Your Way
Through This Land of Deliciousness.
Elegant Southern cuisine is the specialty at Char, one of Jackson’s finest restaurants.
Clarksdale
Take the Blues Highway, U. S. Highway 61
South, and you’ll arrive in Clarksdale at the
legendary Crossroads and Abe’s Bar-B-Q. Be
sure to try the “Big Abe.” Fair warning: come
hungry. Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman
and local lawyer Bill Luckett operate Madidi
with elegant steaks, wild game, and fish, and
Ground Zero Blues Club, a juke joint with
food and live music.
Clarksdale to Merigold
Continue on Highway 61 to tiny Merigold,
home to some big-time food at Crawdad’s.
January through June is crawfish season,
so that’s when you’ll enjoy the mudbugs—
steamy and spicy in 3-lb. platters. Or try the
incredible seafood, Cajun and Creole specialties, and steaks.
Merigold to Cleveland
In Cleveland, KC’s Restaurant is a four-star restaurant known throughout the U.S.
for its eclectic, modern cuisine and award-winning wine cellar. If you’re looking
for a real Mississippi Catfish dinner, take
the short drive to Shaw and check out Fat
Baby’s—a true “catfish house” with light,
crusty filets, hushpuppies, and all the proper trimmings.
Cleveland to Greenville
Come in the front door of the old white
store building and go through the kitchen
where “Little” Doe Signa is working the
broiler. You’ve officially arrived at Doe’s Eat
Place. Most people start with the tamales
and salad; then there’s the steak—from a gargantuan 4-lb. sirloin to a 2- to 3-lb. ribeye—
perfectly broiled under a gas flame and covered with the pan juices. Pure Delta delight.
Greenville to Greenwood
Greenwood showcases the creations of
world-renowned Viking Range Corporation.
The centerpiece is the fabulous boutique
hotel, The Alluvian, and its restaurant Giar-dina’s, the height of local color and elegance
combined. Across the street the Mockingbird Bakery serves artisanal breads, cakes,
and pastries. The luxurious Alluvian Spa is in
the same building. You can even take a class
at the famous Viking Cooking School and
shop for the ingredients to take home at the
Delta Fresh Market & Deli.
Greenwood to Vicksburg
Vicksburg’s Walnut Hill Restaurant
serves bountiful family-style meals on lazy-Susan tables—the fried chicken is outstanding. An ethnic standout is Borello’s where the
owners bring their Sicilian heritage and New
Orleans upbringing to the table in delicacies
like Shrimp Creole and Veal Parmigiana.
