I have listed just a few of the culinary delights available in the Capital Area; feel free to supplement with favorites from your Mississippi Road Trip!
Anjou Restaurant, a French bistro-inspired restaurant, serves your favorite French cuisine (including escargot and French onion soup) and American standards (burgers, etc.). The Beef Bourguignon, a flavorful delight, is the Daily Special for Lunch on Wednesdays—it sells-out early! Take-out, private dining, and catering are available.
361 Township Avenue, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39167 | 601.707.0587
Another Broken Egg Cafe was one of my Uncle Estus’ favorite places to eat (he had so many places and so little time). The food is delicious, and the servings are generous.
1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 1009, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39167 | 601.790.9170.
1720 Old Fannin Road, Flowood, Mississippi 39232 | 769.216.2120
Bravo Italian Restaurant and Bar is another favorite of my Uncle Estus.
4500 I-55N Frontage Road, Highland Village Suite 244, Jackson, Mississippi 39211 | 601.982.8111
Broad Street Bakery has baked a variety of artisanal breads since 1998. The restaurant is fabulous! It offers sandwiches, bakery items, and beverages. The ambience is great!
The only down-side is that parking is hit-or-miss: there are precious few parking spaces if you are hungry and want to dine-in right now.
Take-out is also available at the Broad Street Express counter.
4465 I-55 N Frontage Road (near North Side Drive) in Banner Hall Shopping Center, Jackson, Mississippi 39206 | 601.362.2900
Campbell’s Bakery, a mainstay of Jackson’s Fondren Historic District, was established in 1962. The cakes, petit fours, cookies and other baked goods are as delicious as I remember them from my youth. Who says you can’t go back! Campbell’s continues to innovate with its menu offerings, and 2023 saw the introduction of cinnamon rolls and ice cream. Campbell’s famous Tea Cakes and chocolate chip cookies are now available by mail order. Ample free parking is available behind the shop.
3013 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39216 | 601.362.4628
Char Restaurant I strongly recommend that you have reservations if you plan to eat before Char closes for the evening. Otherwise, you risk going home hungry, without even so much as a doggy-bag! Some of our family favorites include Char’s salmon, filet mignon, and pork chops.
4500 I-55N Frontage Road, Highland Village Suite 142, Jackson, Mississippi 39211 | 601.956.9562
Chicken Salad Chick Imagine an entire menu built around the chicken salad! One may enjoy variations on chicken salad as a salad or sandwich.
I tried the “Traditional Classic Carol” as a sandwich, which included a choice of side. Free parking is available.
1917 Main Street, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.476.5130
Chick-fil-A (closed Sundays, of course) has multiple Capital Area locations. This restaurant offers one of the consistently best chicken sandwiches. And the rest of the menu is pretty good too, especially the lemonade, the biscuits, the waffle-fries, and the “home-made” ice cream dream cone. Your food is served by a staff that is hospitable to all guests.
Crumbl Cookies With a rotating menu of favorites each week, you are sure to find a delicious, freshly baked giant cookie that suits you! Or more likely, more than one favorite.
111 Colony Crossing Way, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.401.0316.
380 Ridge Way, Flowood, Mississippi 39232 | 601.790.0906
Dunkin’ Bakery items include donuts, muffins, bagels, coffees and teas.
403 Riverwind Drive, Pearl, Mississippi 39208 | 601.939.6234
El Ranchito offers Mexican and Latin American cuisines. It is one of the first restaurants I visited in Madison. The fajitas are a personal favorite, and the house-made chips and salsa are the perfect appetizer for the main meal!
The shopping center has free parking, and Take-Out is available.
1029 Highway 51 [on the Left if your travel direction is Northbound], Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.605.1488
Epic Donuts This local bakery features a variety of freshly baked raised donuts (glazed, cake, jelly filled, etc.), and a rotating menu of special craft donuts, such as Oreo.
Gluckstadt Park, 102 Dees Drive, Suite B, Gluckstadt, Mississippi 39110 | 601.790.7280
FeedZone Café offers tacos (Tuesdays-only), sandwiches, paninis, and vegetarian sandwiches from 11:30 am – 2:00 pm (over 20 beer choices are served throughout the day). I had the Cruiser Chick, featuring chicken salad (fatta in casa), with fresh dill, roasted pine nuts, grapes, lettuce, and tomato on sourdough bread. And, the portions are ample! Absolutely. Delicious. According to Management, this “is Mississippi’s first and only bike shop café.”
Bicycle Revolution, 113 Dees Drive Suite C, Gluckstadt, Mississippi 39110 | 769.300.4721
Fernando’s Original Fajita Factory says it is the oldest restaurant in Mississippi serving Mexican cuisine. Fernando’s operates several restaurants in the Capital Area. I visited the Madison restaurant for lunch. Service was prompt and courteous.
The menu has many favorites such as tacos, fajitas, burritos, and nachos, with a choice to add chicken, beef, or fish to some dishes.
121 Colony Crossing Way, Suite A, Madison, Mississippi 39110
Georgia Blue’s motto is Eat, Drink, Enjoy! Open daily, Georgia Blue offers the convenience of a Take-Out with the variety of daily Blue Plate Specialties. Several “signature items” are featured, including Turnip Green Bites, Jenn’s Fried Green Tomatoes, House Salad, Georgia Blue Shrimp & Grits, and Red Beans & Rice. Open for lunch and dinner, the portions are ample, and free parking is available.
Flora: 601.919.1900 and Madison: 601.898.3330
Ichiban Hibachi & Sushi features Asian cuisines . . . and the popular table hibachi experience. During my recent visit for a late lunch, I could choose the extensive buffet or the hibachi. I opted for steak hibachi with grilled veggies and fried rice (sans fried egg). The chef’s use of his tools on the grill was masterful!
The portions were ample, and the food was delicious. The restaurant has a full bar and serves a variety of beverages.
Three locations are available in the Capital Area:
153 Ridge Way Drive, Flowood, Mississippi 39232 | 601.919.0097
146 Grandview Drive, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.707.2860
3 Mac and Bones Boulevard, Pearl, Mississippi 39209 | 769.208.2688
Krispy Kreme Shop This popular national chain features a variety of freshly baked donut treats.
1100 East County Line Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157
McAlister’s Delis are available throughout the Tri-County area in Brandon, Clinton, Flowood, Jackson, Madison, Pearl, and Ridgeland. In addition to Simmons Mississippi Farm-Raised Catfish, Mississippi on the Mall features generous servings of McAlister’s famous Sweet Tea!
Mc B’s Bar & Grill is in an unassuming structure on the side of a busy Ridgeland street. Our small party had the burger, rice & beans, catfish dinner, and chicken strip dinner. The food was delicious, and the portions were ample. We were there on a night when the Grill featured entertainment, which made it almost impossible for us to hear the conversation at our table.
The Grill’s appearance reminded me of some of my haunts from the North Texas region—I like to refer to them as “long-on-atmosphere” because they look like a-hole-in-the-wall, but you have to bring your own wall!
The Grill offers Take-Out, which certainly is a viable alternative for those who want to enjoy a delicious meal without the loud audio accompaniment.
815 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.956.8362
Primos Café & Bake Shop Primos is truly a hometown marvel! Founder Angelo “Pops” Primos, an immigrant from Greece, opened the original bake shop at 236 East Capitol Street in Jackson. Since its establishment in 1929, Primos now operates restaurants in three suburban Jackson communities: Flowood, Madison, and Ridgeland. If your destination is not near Primos, you probably didn’t need to go there anyway!
Primos’ extensive Blue Plate specials and á la carte menu are exceeded in my view only by the baked goodies that greet you daily! The restaurants are open Monday-Saturday.
The Flowood café is conveniently located on the way to the nearby Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, so you don’t have to suffer with the in-flight meal service.
2323 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, Mississippi | 601.936.3398
Madison’s Primos is located at 201 Baptist Drive, Madison, Mississippi 391109 (near Exit 108 on Interstate 55 North) | 601.853.3350
The Café in Ridgeland is near the Ross Barnett Reservoir. Did someone say, “Picnic Basket”?
515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, Mississippi | 601.898.3600
Sal & Mookie’s | New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint, founded in 2007, is a local establishment featuring New York-style pizza, pasta, sandwiches, ice cream, and desserts. On my visit, I had the spaghetti with marinara sauce (sans meatballs) and salad—both were delicious! Take-out and Catering are available.
111 Colony Crossing Way, Suite 130, Madison, Mississippi | 601.499.1300
200 District Boulevard, Jackson, Mississippi 39211 | 601.368.1919
Schlotzsky’s features a full menu, including soups, salads, sandwiches, pizzas, flatbreads, and desserts!
205 Colony Way, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.707.5169
2451 Lakeland Drive, Jackson, Mississippi 39232 | 601.939.1449
Shipley Do-Nuts Glazed donuts are baked hot and fresh daily, according to Lawrence Shipley’s original 1936 recipe! Today, Shipley has 60 varieties of donuts, in addition to its popular glazed donut. The Capital Area has Shipley locations in Clinton, Flowood, and Ridgeland.
103 Highway 80 East #C, Clinton, Mississippi 39056 | 601.925.0020
213 Promenade Blvd., Flowood, Mississippi 39232 | 769.572.5043
775 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.790.7611
Sombra Mexican Kitchen presents Mexican cuisine favorites and libations in an attractive and spacious dining area (which features patio seating).
140 Township Avenue, Suite 100, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.707.7950
Stamps Super Burgers is a West Jackson favorite near the Jackson State University campus. Founded by JSU alumni Algeron and Barbara Stamps, Stamps Super Burgers has served generations of JSU alumni for over 50 years.
1801 Dalton Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39204 | 601.352.4555
Sugar Daze Dessert Shop features cakes, cookies, cheesecake, pies, and other delectable desserts.
This Gluckstadt-based bakery also specializes in wedding and other custom cake designs.
102 Dees Drive Suite D, Madison, Mississippi | 601.605.5008
The Beagle Bagel Café bakes bagel’s that are, in my opinion, absolutely the best bagels not-from-Brooklyn.™ I discovered this little gem in the wee hours one morning. The Café is located in Jackson’s Highland Village, the same shopping center as Char, Bravo and the Whole Foods Market.
I sampled the freshly baked poppy seed and plain bagels. They LOOKED like bagels, they SMELLED like bagels, they TASTED like bagels—and the pastrami was delicious. I would have preferred my pastrami sandwich on pumpernickel and rye bread, but the Café’s main thing is the bagel. Still, it was a good sandwich!
4500 I-55N Frontage Road, Highland Village, Jackson, Mississippi 39211 | 877.585.1085
100 Mannsdale Park Drive, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.856.4377
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The Bean Parlor Delicate and delicious pastries are baked fresh “in the house” at this Gluckstadt bakery. The bakery has a warm and welcoming feel, and a variety of coffees and other beverages are available.
It is a pleasant space for conversation or to read or otherwise enjoy your day!
111 Dees Drive, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 601.966.3968
The Cock-of-the-Walk is a prized Mississippi institution. Everyone should go at least once! And, if you don’t know how to fry farm-raised, grain-fed, Mississippi catfish (preferably harvested from Simmons Catfish Farms—that’s the catfish they serve in the Nation’s Capital each Summer for Mississippi on the Mall), you have no choice but to keep going back to the COTW on the Reservoir.
The COTW features family-style service and Southern cuisine (greens, cornbread, etc.), plus a little showmanship at the rustic tables. You can watch your waiter flip the cornbread and catch it in the little cast iron skillet—or, maybe, fumble the toss . . . everyone knows if that cornbread hits the floor, I don’t have a dog in that hunt! In any event, there’s always the potential for some drama!
Mississippi novelist and Jackson native Eudora Alice Welty wrote The Robber Bridegroom, which featured the Mississippi River culture of which the actual Cock-of-the-Walk was the COTW. Miss Welty’s achievements included the Pulitzer Prize (1973) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
COTW, 141 Madison Landing Circle, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.856.5500
The Flora Supper Club is Chef David Raines’ latest culinary adventure. The Chef presents a series of dinners featuring a unique menu and wine parings created especially for each dinner. Limited seating is available at the Flora, Mississippi venue.
Contact Anne Marie Smith for reservations at annemarie@makeitraines.com | 601.879.7803.
The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen The Manship offers an eclectic menu that epitomizes farm-to-table cuisine, with locally sourced meats, vegetables, craft beers, etc.
The Manship also has one of the most extensive bars in the area, with a variety of custom designed cocktails. A sidewalk patio is available for outdoor dining.
1200 North State Street (Corner of North State Street at Manship), Suite 100, Jackson, Mississippi 39202 | 601.398.4562
An historical marker notes the significance of the area where The Manship calls home: the former Cotton Bale Battery during the Civil War.
This is one of many Civil War sites in Central Mississippi.
The Pig & Pint For smoked and barbequed meats, The Pig & Pint is hard to resist. In addition to plates of smoked meats, the menu features soft flour tacos with a choice of smoked meats (brisket, pork, or chicken) and a variety of side dishes! Take-out and catering are available, which can be especially helpful for holiday entertaining—or for just feeding your family.
The Pint offers a variety of alcoholic beverages, such as cocktails, seltzers, ciders, and beers (craft and domestic).
On-site parking is rather limited, but the Fondren Historic District has other parking alternatives within an easy stroll. And a bevy of desserts at Campbell’s Bakery also are within a block!
3139 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi | 601.326.6070
Twisted Turnip One of Gluckstadt’s newest restaurants, Twisted Turnip offers a unique twist on Southern cuisine and “handcrafted cocktails”.
166 Calhoun Station Parkway, Madison, Mississippi 39110 | 769.567.2832
Waffle House Yes, for those of you who crave the experience, the Capital Area has several Waffle House restaurants service your favorites 24/7/365!
6931 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.956.0044
Whataburger Another fan favorite in the Capital Area, Whataburger is open 24-hours and serves a full menu—from Breakfast to Late Night goodies!
800 East County Line Road, Ridgeland, Mississippi 39157 | 601.956.6466
—FS
. . . And that’s all she wrote!
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