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Explore hidden gems all over the South with our in-depth city guides and articles on some of our favorite culinary towns, which hold unmissable restaurants and experiences. From small town charm and nostalgic flavors to luxurious dining experiences– these culinary towns have it all.
Discover our 20 favorites from 2025, or nominate a town for 2026 here:
Please note, nominated towns must have a population size under 450,000. Any town that was previously featured in either 2024 or 2025 is not eligible to be featured in 2026. Towns will be selected by examining all aggregated data from our editorial research team.
Mississippi’s capital, Jackson, is the largest and arguably the most delicious city in the state. Known as The City With Soul, Jackson is steeped in Civil Rights history and home to music and art legends, and at the heart of the soulful city are the foodways that feed the community. A blend of African American, Indigenous, Latinx, and European cuisines forms an eclectic mix of new Southern food, and restaurants and bars dot the city alongside local shops, mon- uments, museums, and neighborhoods. Gas station gizzards, meat and threes, breweries, barbecue, crabcakes, Delta tamales, and handmade pastas are just a few of the community’s favorite bites. Home of the famous comeback sauce, Jackson has always had profound flavor whether it comes to food, music, history, art, or culture.
Brothers Hal and Malcolm White opened Hal and Mal’s in 1984, and it’s been a downtown Jackson favorite since. They serve classic Southern comfort food in a lively, historic warehouse set- ting. It’s a great place for food, drinks, and live music. Get the Comeback and Crackers—a Jackson original—and the tamale nachos.
Chef Chaz Lindsay’s relaxed neighbor- hood bar offers an eclectic menu ideal for brunch, dinner, or drinks. Get the bologna sandwich, and try their play on a pickle- back with a shot of Jameson chased by boiled peanut juice.
This cozy downtown cocktail bar serves creative drinks and shareable plates. A blend of Southern comfort and global flavors makes it perfect for a night out, board games included. They’re known for the caesar salad and the pupu platter.
This all-day French café led by cele- brated chef Hunter Evans was recently awarded MICHELIN Bib Gourmand sta- tus. During the day, Elvie’s serves simple but delicious biscuits, omelets, and duck fat hash browns; at night, it transforms into a lovely French bistro with chicken liver pâte, poulette Wellington, and red- fish almondine.
This recently revitalized restaurant has been a Jackson staple since 1935, known for its seafood and signature comeback sauce in a location steeped in history. Take advantage of the daily blue plate special for only $15.
Chaz Lindsay’s cozy Italian restaurant in Jackson’s Belhaven neighborhood achieved a MICHELIN recommendation for its handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and seasonal Italian dishes. A standout is their caesar salad—crisp romaine tossed in anchovy dressing, topped with breadcrumbs and parmesan.
Urban Foxes is a family-owned pie shop located in a restored 1940s craftsman- style house. They offer a rotating menu of small-batch baked goods, coffee, and beer. Diners can enjoy a slice of pie or a cup of coffee in a relaxed, homey atmosphere.
This retro soda fountain and diner in Jackson’s Fondren neighborhood, serving breakfast, lunch, and brunch, is a nostalgic spot where locals gather for good food and sweet treats. The biscuits are incredible— they taste like someone’s grandma is in the kitchen making them.
Located in a historic 1906 building, Iron Horse Grill blends great food with a sense of Mississippi’s rich heritage. The Soul Train hot wings and the fried chicken cobb salad are must-haves, and most dishes are perfect for sharing while enjoying the live music. Don’t miss the happy hour deals.
This classic Jackson eatery serves up burgers, fries, and shakes in a no-frills, old-school drive-in setting. It’s a local favorite for a quick, tasty bite. For lunch, they have a rotating blue plate special for $15, fantastic Delta tamales, and a tasty assortment of sandwiches. The dinner menu elevates a bit, with lobster skewers, everything-crusted tuna, and more.
The Big Apple Inn, Image courtesy of Visit Mississippi
The Big Apple Inn was originally opened in 1939 by Mexican immigrant Juan Mora. Selling tamales in the African American neighborhood on Farish Street led him to create a third space where organizers and activists of all backgrounds would come together over a meal. Now led by fourth-generation owner Geno Lee, The Big Apple Inn has remained the premiere place to go for real good food you can only find in Jackson. Two standout dishes are the pig ear sliders and “smokes,” ground Red Rose sausage patties served on a sweet bun and slathered with hot sauce, mustard, and slaw. Chef Enrika Williams suggests getting your sandwiches with a peach Ne-Hi or Faygo soda.
As the nation’s oldest Black-owned bookstore, Marshall’s has been a constant in the historic Farish Street neighborhood for more than 60 years. The store honors the legacy of distinguished Mississippians from all backgrounds, spotlighting the achievements of Black leaders in sports, the arts, literature, and social activism. It also stocks a wide selection of sheet music and church essentials.
Phillip Rollins, also known as DJ Young Venom, wanted to create a space in Jackson that was unique, fun, and soulful, showcasing that even in a small city like Jackson, you can find new experiences. Part comic/manga shop, part record store, part clothing and sneaker spot, OffBeat is one of a kind.
The Orchid Bed and Breakfast opened in 2023 with husband- and-wife duo Jason and Katrice Thompson leading the way. First built in 1888 as the Millsaps Buie House (for Webster Millsaps, the founder of Millsaps College and confederate army major), it is now Mississippi’s first Black-owned bed-and-breakfast. With 11 rooms, four on-property event spaces, private chef and spa services, and more, The Orchid is where history meets luxury. Its convenient downtown location is great for exploring Jackson.
Chef Enrika Williams was born in West Point, Mississippi, but was raised and has lived in Jackson, for most of her life. She is the creator and chef-owner of Fauna Foodworks, which has given her the opportunity to work with some of her biggest inspirations like chefs Carla Hall and Emeril Lagasse. She was featured on FOX’s Hotel Hell with Gordon Ramsay and most recently went head-to-head with Bobby Flay on Beat Bobby Flay. Williams has also cooked at the prestigious James Beard House and led culinary experiences that explore food, culture, and storytelling. At Fauna Foodworks, she’s reimagined her kitchen as a creative, ingredient- driven food lab, producing “bohemian- chic” cuisine that’s thoughtful, socially aware, and expressive. Through catering, pop-ups, dinners, and curated menus, Fauna Foodworks continues to push conversations and expand the culinary landscape.
Enrika Williams, Image courtesy of Imani Khayyam
What is unique about what you do?
I get to tell stories with my food. I get to express how I feel and I put my feelings into everything that I create. Also, just being able to expand on what it is to be a chef—it’s honoring traditions and it’s sharing food. It is creating warm, inviting spaces [that are] inclusive. It’s also unique because being from the South, I’m able to give a different perspective about food traditions through a different lens.
How are you involved in giving back to your community?
I love having the opportunity to talk to students about my experiences in fine-dining kitchens, my career path. I’m always very intentional about who I hire and who I offer internships, stages, or trials to. I love working with local people, especially younger wom- en, just to give them an idea that chefs who look like me exist, that chefs can look like them, and that the things they want to do, they can actually do. I especially love working with Black women and people in marginalized communities so they can see what’s possible and expand on it.
Walk us through the perfect day in your city.
A perfect day in Jackson is a Saturday. I’m going to get up and go to the High Street Farmers Market. I’m going to get Delta tamales from the food truck out front, and then buy something from High Heel Hippie and a couple of other vendors, and Miss T’s Sweets and Treats, which are very local. After that, I am going to Conkrete Kicks. They are a boutique sneaker salon, and Keith, the owner, is an amazing person. He does a lot in the community, he’s a great neighbor, and he has amazing shoes. I love to go in and spend too much money on sneakers.
Across the street, I’m going to go over to Aladdin’s and get some delicious hummus, lamb chops, and the “shata” hot sauce. And then I’m going to OffBeat, a record store in downtown Jackson. I’ll probably harass the owner, Venom, for a while. By then, it’s time for dinner, and I’ll go to Mayflower [Café] and get a crabcake.
What’s a hidden gem in your city that visitors shouldn’t miss?
The Mississippi Museum of Art—they have permanent collections, but they also have amazing rotating exhibits. It’s a beautiful space, with a nice garden out front where you can just sit and lounge.
Cathead Distillery is also right around the corner. They have a great bar, they do tours, and they’re really big supporters of live music and local culture and the arts. I’ve had dinner there and done events with them— they’ve been incredibly supportive. And their product is just excellent.
The podcast Everything Cookbooks started as a conversation between friends and colleagues—cookbook authors Molly Stevens, Kristin Donnelly, Andrea Nguyen, and Kate Leahy, who are divided between the East and West coasts, started having video chats regularly (pre-Covid) to talk about projects, contracts, and deal news—and to connect. In 2022, they decided to start recording the calls to turn it into a resource for others. What started as a 12-episode experiment is now on its eighth season and 150 episodes strong and the team has found an avid audience, made up of cookbook writers, editors, designers, and publishers, as well as home cooks and fans.
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Follow Chatham Rabbits on their tour through their favorite dining destinations across the south.
What started out as playing music for fun quickly became the livelihoods of Sarah and Austin McCombie, who later formed the band Chatham Rabbits. The name holds sentimental value for the musician duo, who originate from Chatham County, North Carolina, the former “rabbit capital of the USA,” which had people traveling from all over to hunt and harvest them. When the couple married in 2015, they lived in an old mill that they found out was also the former home of the original guitar player from the Chatham Rabbits String Band in the 20th century—a striking coincidence. “The name chose us,” Sarah says. While on tour, home is always in the duo’s hearts. —Abbey DiIuro
Good Southern food captures a feeling of homeyness, tradition, and the sensation of your cup overflowing. Our music emulates that same sentiment—familiarity, a genuine graciousness, a place at the table for all.” —Sarah McCombie, Chatham Rabbits
1.
The Chatham Rabbits play their hometown album release shows at the Haw River Ballroom, which just so happens to be right below The Eddy, a local spot with delicious farm-to-table plates alongside a great wine and beer list. Located in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, it is “one of the best restaurants in the Piedmont,” according to Sarah. “The veggie burger is perfect. We feel so at home here.”
2.
Another on the road favorite is Bull and Beggar in Asheville, which recently reopened after the devastation of Hurricane Helene. (Fun fact: Austin’s favorite tattoo artist, Danny Reed, turned the duo onto this spot.) Sarah shares that “the service is always amazing, the staff is super kind, and they even made me learn to like anchovies with their bagna cauda. We hope folks will step up and support the Western North Carolina restaurants and businesses that are returning from devastation.”
3.
Though new to the duo, Noko in East Nashville left an incredible first impression. “We shared the crab fried rice and burnt end lettuce wraps,” Sarah says. “The staff heard we were about to start our tour and sent out a complimentary appetizer and coconut cake, and let us try a slice of their famous tomahawk steak.”
4.
Abram’s Bar-B-Q holds a lot of nostalgia for Sarah, especially, as she first ate there with her freshman roommate from Tarboro, North Carolina. “They make incredible cheese biscuits, and when we are playing down east, we always try to bring back a dozen frozen biscuits to stick in our freezer and to serve our friends’ bands when they are crashing at our place while they are on tours,” she says. “Abrams also has insanely delicious Eastern-style barbecue, heavily vinegared, with collards, yams, slaw, and hushpuppies on the side.”
5.
While this famed Cuban spot has multiple locations, the Kuba Kuba in Richmond’s West End neighborhood is the duo’s preferred pick. “It has parking for our 35-foot-long bus and seating for our whole crew,” Sarah remarks. “It’s healthy enough and full of flavor. And truly nothing gives me a pep in my step like a post-meal café con leche.”
Recognized for its 27-hole facility including panoramic views, rolling hills, and exquisite clubhouse, this club offers a premier, semiprivate golf experience.
Hike through the astonishing biodiversity of this park, home to ancient floodplain forests with towering trees, hiking trails, canoe routes, and a magical synchronous firefly display each spring.
Spend an afternoon at this 170-acre zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden alongside the Saluda River — perfect for an engaging outdoor adventure with the family in the South Carolina Midlands.
There are numerous spots to settle and enjoy with flowers in bloom year-round at this award-winning garden. Enjoy azaleas, wisteria, hardwood trees, and more.
Amenities at this gorgeously green and spacious getaway also include campsites, kayak and canoe rentals, and a variety of nature trails—a great way to spend a day outside.
With a second season as host of Bravo’s Top Chef under her belt, Kristen Kish has settled into her role on the other side of the judge’s table. Her journey with the award-winning reality show began in 2012 as a contestant on Season 10. Her elimination and following redemption as she won her way back to the top on Last Chance Kitchen earned her the title of Top Chef. Since then, she’s opened a restaurant, Arlo Grey, in Austin, written a cookbook, and most recently, published a memoir, Accidentally on Purpose (Little, Brown and Company, 2025). Now, she’s putting all her experiences to good use, judging crops of chef contestants whose talent levels have risen each season. Given Kish’s relentless travel schedule, it’s sometimes hard to predict what might be in her fridge, but the chef says she makes sure to have comfort food waiting for her when she gets home. —Ellen Fort
When I come home from a trip, I always make a point to have something homemade already in the refrigerator. Usually some form of chicken soup: warm and comforting and delicious.”
Kristen Kish Shares Her 5 Fridge Mainstays
1. Kewpie Mayo
Though there are many fine mayos, Kish says Kewpie is her number one. “Always Kewpie,” she notes.
2. Sunflower Seed Butter
Move aside, peanut butter—toasty, mellow sunflower seed butter is the new spread in town. “I’m obsessed,” says Kish. “Recently I’m putting it on everything.”
3. Hot Sauce
As for which kind, “it depends on what I’m eating,” says Kish. “I think my natural go-to is Crystal. It can go on anything.”
4. Pickled Peppers
Kish keeps jars of spicy, tangy pickled condiments on hand at all times, whether it’s hot giardiniera, pickled jalapeño, banana peppers, or all three.
5.Something Expired
“Like a wilty piece of carrot that just kind of got forgotten about,” says Kish, proving that no one—not even a Top Chef—is exempt from the tyranny of expiration dates.
1856 – Culinary Residence is a MICHELIN-recommended teaching restaurant setting a new national standard.
In the heart of Auburn University’s Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center, 1856 – Culinary Residence represents a rare convergence of education, innovation, and hospitality. Recently recommended by The MICHELIN Guide 2025, 1856 has made history as the first restaurant in Auburn ever to earn this distinction and the first teaching restaurant in the United States to be recognized by the prestigious guide.
This honor highlights the restaurant’s visionary approach to experiential learning, where fine dining becomes a living classroom. Under the direction of Chef Joël Antunes, students from the Horst Schulze School of Hospitality Management collaborate with seasoned culinary and service professionals to execute a seamless guest experience. From the kitchen to the dining room, every plate and every pour reflect a shared pursuit of excellence.
The menu at 1856 evolves constantly, guided by seasonal ingredients and regional producers. At lunch, guests enjoy the “Kaizen” experience, a refined, efficient four-course meal. In the evenings, multi-course tasting menus showcase the creativity of the culinary team, enhanced by expert wine pairings curated by Master Sommelier Thomas Price.
More than a restaurant, 1856 – Culinary Residence stands as a symbol of Auburn’s forward-thinking spirit and commitment to academic innovation. Each service is both a celebration of craft and a training ground for the next generation of hospitality leaders. The elegant dining room, anchored by its two-story wine wall and open-kitchen design, offers guests a rare opportunity to witness the artistry and education that define every detail of the experience.
This milestone recognition from MICHELIN honors the skill and passion of the 1856 team and shines a spotlight on the Auburn-Opelika region as a rising culinary destination. For visitors and locals alike, 1856 delivers an unforgettable dining journey where education meets excellence, proving that in Auburn, innovation is always on the menu.
From game day haunts to Charles Barkley sightings in Auburn, Alabama, local chef David Bancroft (of Acre and Bow & Arrow) plots a tour of Tiger country.
The big-name cookbooks of the season to satisfy everyone on your list.
The blockbuster cookbook titles of the season are prime for gifting. From basics and how-tos to snacking, baking, and storytelling, these are the six cookbooks and three deep-dive food books we’re wrapping up for others this year.
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