Get to Know Oxford, Mississippi

The beating heart of Mississippi’s food scene can be found in around this town’s historic
central square

As you’re driving through Mississippi’s countryside, the hunger pangs kick in as Oxford’s brick buildings rise in the distance. That could be because you’ve been on the road for a while (the closest big city is Memphis, about 80 miles northwest), but it’s more likely because you just know that a plethora of good eats await. You don’t need to be a football fan to appreciate Oxford. What you do need, however, is a hearty appetite
The college town sits in the north-central part of the state, surrounded by farmland, and
boasts some of the most destination-worthy restaurants in the South. You don’t just stumble
upon an off-the-beaten-path place like Oxford; you have to really want to be here, and the
restaurants are a reflection of that.

Chefs here put the area’s produce on full display and show the
depths of Southern cuisine. You’ll find anything from no-frills grub, like the famous chicken on a stick at the 4 Corners Chevron, to refined fare at well-known institutions and plenty of up-and-comers in between.

Best Places to Eat and Drink

Best Breakfast: Big Bad Breakfast
John Currence’s breakfast spot expanded its footprint in recent years, but you can’t beat the
original’s kitschy vibe. It’s hard to choose from the deep menu, but a fluffy biscuit topped with
egg and cheese served alongside red-eye gravy is sure to start the day right.

Best Meat-and-Three: Ajax Diner
You can’t beat this 27-year-old greasy spoon for meat-and-three in a no-frills setting. The key
word here is “fried” with standouts like the fried catfish and fried okra, but don’t forget the butter
beans. Save room for banana pudding, too.

Most Iconic Resturant: City Grocery
Situated on Oxford’s square, Currence’s first restaurant quickly became an institution with its
modern approach to Southern cuisine in a sophisticated setting of exposed brick and intimate
lighting. The shrimp and grits, served cheesy and creamy, are a must-try.

Best BYOB: Tarasque Cucina/Panino Veloce
At night, Tarasque serves beautifully prepared housemade pasta and small plates highlighting
seasonal produce in an intimate, casual dining room. Visit for lunch, and you’ll find Panino
Veloce on the ground floor, with a limited menu of sandwiches and salads. Bring your own
alcohol for a $2 fee per person.

Best Place for a Strong Sip: Wonderbird Spirits

Gin lovers will find it worth their while to venture just a few minutes out of Oxford for a tipple at
Wonderbird. The distillery uses Mississippi-grown rice in its gins, and their tasting room, with
salvaged architectural details, is a lovely spot to sip them.

Most Cosmopolitan Vibe: Saint Leo
Emily Blount’s chic Italian restaurant feels like something you’d find in New York (thanks to
her time spent there) but lacks pretension. Whether you come for lunch or dinner, a meal should
include the marinated green olives and a wood-fired pizza.

Best Feel-Good Coffee Experience: Exploradora Roasting
Founded in 2020, this mother-daughter owned coffee roaster connects caffeine fiends to women-
grown coffee. Find them at their roastery on the edge of town or at various retailers around
Oxford.

Sweetest Treat: The Oxford Creamery

In a spacious storefront on the square, this ice cream shop revives you from the Southern heat
with a mix of classic and inventive flavors. Each one is made from scratch in the kitchen (take a peek through the window to catch the action).

Most Interesting Cocktails: Bar Muse

It’s not all beer in this college town. Located within the historic Lyric theater, Bar Muse’s
bartenders create clever drinks like the Writer’s Block, with benedictine, rosato vermouth,
orange, and bitters.

Claim to Fame

Rowan Oak
Literature and Oxford go hand in hand thanks to Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner calling Oxford his home for most of his life. Literature lovers journey to Rowan Oak—his Greek Revival estate situated on 33 acres south of the city square—to see where the author brought his words to life. A literary community was built around this, too, with other esteemed authors calling the city home over the years like Beth Ann Fennelly and John Grisham. Bookworms will also love local bookshop Square Books, the weekly Thacker Mountain Radio Hour with author
readings and live music, and, in spring, the Oxford Literary Festival.

Meet a Local: Erika Lipe, Owner and executive chef, SoLa Oxford

You moved away from Oxford before coming back 12 years ago. What brought you back?
As a young chef, the restaurants here were esteemed and I had a lot of respect for what they were producing. The music scene was really vibrant, there’s so much art, and I was close to my
family. I was digging it here.

Tell us about your restaurant, SoLa.
We’re in our 10th year now, and we take food that we know people love and put a little spin on it
to try to make it new and interesting. It’s usually influenced by other cuisines with strong flavor
profiles. For example, for veal piccata we might throw in some yuzu instead of lemon. We also
try to be an ambassador for domestic seafood with Gulf oysters and fish delivered five days a
week.

Where do you like to dine in Oxford?
Besides the best-known spots, I’m a sandwich girl. If you want beef, you want the roast beef
po’boy from Ajax. You also want a Philly from Proud Larry’s, and, if you ask nicely, they’ll put
it in a quesadilla.

What’s your favorite place to shop in town?
The Oxford Community Market is absolutely amazing. I feel like I’m at the Seattle fish market or something. The farmers show up and show out and it’s everything from fresh eggs and homemade cookies to kimchi and every produce you can imagine.

What’s something you wish people knew about Oxford as a food town?
There are a lot of mom-and-pop places that need the support, and we need to continue to support that family restaurant vibe, which waned a bit after the pandemic. Explore, walk around, and maybe take a path less traveled, or ask somebody, ask your waitress where to go eat—and stop
looking at Yelp.

Where to Shop

Chicory Market
The independently owned outfit on North Lamar has changed ownership a few times since it opened in the ’90s, but this iteration may be its best yet. Food from local producers like Johnston Hill Creamery and Heartbreak Coffee line the shelves, a bakery offers up fresh-made goods, and they stock harder-to-find specialty brands to replenish Oxonian pantries. The market also offers cooking classes and tastings throughout the year.

Off Square Books
The sister bookstore of Square Books offers plenty of cookbooks and entertaining books to choose from.

Jones at Home
For a practical, yet pretty, souvenir, head to Jones at Home for items like serving platters and barware.

Where to Stay

The Oliver Hotel
Perfectly situated on University Avenue and Lamar Boulevard in a redbrick building, The Oliver Hotel puts you right in the heart of the action. Here, one could easily park for the weekend and walk almost everywhere, especially the square, which is just a couple of blocks away. A homey lobby with colorful textiles and plush sofas welcomes guests to the 40-room hotel. The rooms are
tastefully appointed, and the clawfoot tub in the bathrooms are especially inviting. The hotel’s restaurant, Kingswood, offers weekend brunch, lunch on Fridays, and nightly dinner. Tucked away is Nightbird, the hotel’s maximalist speakeasy with bold wallpaper and even bolder drinks
complemented by light bites.