Are You a True Foodie?
Mississippi is considered a foodie’s paradise and we can tell you a million reasons why!
The Mississippi Culinary Trail showcases the state’s true flavor. Each of the five regions has its own delicacies like hot tamales, slug burgers and comeback sauce. Whether you are a first-time visitor, a local who is looking to discover something new or a road trip junkie who has been through a million times – pull up a chair, put a napkin in your lap and get ready for an unrivaled eating experience.
The Culinary Trail itineraries, work their way around the state highlighting each region’s restaurants, cooks and food traditions that exemplify Mississippi’s distinctive cuisine. Explore by region, county or city/town.
As diverse as the crops that grow here and the music that made it famous, the Mississippi Delta is a melting pot of cultures – from African to Italian to Asian, the people here make this part of the state different from any other. And no place makes the Delta’s diversity more apparent or celebrated than its restaurants. Each dish is a prime example of how delicious histories come together for the ultimate culinary experience.
Mississippi’s Capital-River Region is a delicious blend of old and new. From a mighty river and antebellum mansions to glittering downtowns with exciting nightlife, restaurants here boast menus featuring soul food, authentic ethnic dishes and modern culinary delights. Personalities like Cool Al and places called Fat Mama’s are why the eclectic heritage of Mississippi is one of its most celebrated treats. It’s the tastiest history lesson you’ve ever had.
The small towns of the Pines make for big flavors. With barbecue and bakeries, cheese and cheesecakes, the tastes of this region take their influences from their earthy Native American heritage as well as the vital railroad lines that brought lumber, cotton and other goods into the area. Family-owned restaurants are a staple of this region, and when you can stroll down a street known as “Catfish Alley,” you know you’ll find good cookin’!
Characters in Southern fiction gather around tables laden with platters of their favorite dishes - platters of fried green tomatoes, pots of collard greens with a skillet of cornbread, slabs of barbecue pork ribs and slugburgers. Literary references are direct inspiration from the first-hand eating experience of lovingly crafted home-cooked meals. Even today, a meal in the Mississippi Hills doesn't just feed the body it ministers to your soul.
Naturally, the Mississippi Gulf Coast has a different feel to it than the rest of the state, but it remains undeniably “Mississippi.” The Coast offers the tourist a little of everything: golf, gambling, art, architecture, and, of course, great food. Years ago, immigrants from all over the world came to the region in search of employment in the seafood industry: Croatian, Vietnamese and French. This delicious blend of cultures has seasoned the cuisine here with a flavor you won’t find anywhere else.
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
We recommend these books, blogs, articles and websites:
Craig Claiborne: A Feast Made For Laughter John T. Edge: Southern Belly
Southern Foodways Alliance
Martha Foose: Screen Doors and Sweet Tea
Mississippi Humanities Council's "Food for Thought" Project
Matzoh Ball Gumbo: Culinary Tails of the Jewish South Deep Fried Kudzu Eat Jackson
A Sweet So Sour: Kool-Aid Dills
Chef Robert St. John
Chef John Currance: Garden & Gun Blog Hot Tamale Trail
Mississippi Memories: Classic American Cooking from the Heartland to the Mississippi Bayou Southern Barbecue Trail
Grits 'N Greens and Mississippi Things People and Places and Fabulous Foods