Jackson

Walker’s Drive In, Jackson, MS., 3/27/26

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building – 3016 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216-4203

Walker’s Drive In was taken over by Chef Joe Cravens in July 2025 after two decades under Chef Derek Emerson.  Originally from Memphis, Cravens worked under numerous award winning chefs and also for US Foods as a Territory Manager.  They offer lunch and dinner Tues to Fri (only dinner on Sat.).  It does look like a drive-in but now it’s only ‘walk-in’ with reservations.  They had a good-sized patio and an equal size interior dining room with booths along the wallks and nice sized tables in the middle.  The white cloths are under a hard plexiglass sheet and the lighting is dimmed.  Five stools are at the counter facing the window to the kitchen and service area in between.   There were a lot of daily specials in addition to the printed menu.and a large selection of half bottles of wine on their list.  Service was good and friendly and the place really had an energy but much of the food was too salty and blah.  Perhaps it was due to Cravens not there that night or we ordered badly.  It certainly had a steady stream of customers, so they’re doing something right. Continue reading →

Pulito Osteria, Jackson, MS., 3/26/26

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building – 800 Manship St, Suite #104, Jackson, MS 39202-2029

Pulito Osteria is the work of Chef Chaz Lindsay who grew up nearby.  After studying at the Culinary Institute of America he worked at numerous kitchens including NYC’s Eleven Madison Park and then headed to Rome, Italy to study Italian cuisine.   Now all the pastas at Pulito are made in house and Chef Lindsay combines these Italian dishes with a southern twist to make the food wonderful.  He learned in Italy that dishes don’t have to be complex and instead concentrate on the quality of the ingredients.  It’s a large place with both outdoor and several rooms of indoor dining.  You can see the kitchen from the entry room and the large pizza oven.  Tables and booths come in a variety of sizes with no tablecloths, music in the background and fairly bright lighting.  Service was friendly and efficient with several daily specials offered.  It was hands down my favorite dining experience in Jackson and hope you’ll get to go when in the area. Continue reading →

Brent’s Drugs, Jackson, MS., 3/26/26

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exterior – 809 Manship St, Jackson, MS 39202-2028

Brent’s Drugs opened in 1946 in the first shopping center in Mississippi.  Pharmacist Alvin Brent opened it as a pharmacy and soda fountain.   It was successful as both and in 1977 he sold it to a pair of pharmacists that had worked there since 1951.   Pharmacist Randy Calvert bought them out in 1995 and then sold the pharmacy business in 2009 and the soda fountain became the property of Brad Reeves.  The large kitchen was moved into the old pharmacy space but the fountain and bar stools remained where they had been since 1946.  The kitchen was separated by a low wood wall that you could look over when you walked back the bathrooms.  The large space now has booth seating on 3 rows opposite those stools.  In the back is the Apothecary, a classic cocktail bar which I didn’t explore but heard about from those we mentioned Brent’s to.  Service was friendly but slow.  They did offfer a number of custom shake flavors which could be fun to try.  It’s a piece of Jackson history with ice cream treats – don’t miss it. Continue reading →

Elvie’s, Jackson, MS., 3/25/26

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building – 809 Manship St, Jackson, MS 39202-2028

Elvie’s has Chef Hunter Evans in charge of the kitchen.  He was a finalist for the 2024 James Beard Best Chef South award (a semi-finalist in 2025).  With his partner Cody McCain, they opened Elvie’s in 2020 and the Mayflower Cafe in 2025.  Elvie’s served seasonal cuisine highlighting local farmers and fishermen.  The building was a restored home in Belhaven and the food was highly influenced by by the Evans’s grandmother, Elvieretta Good, from New Orleans.  The good-sized place was longer than wide with counter seating at the bar and bench seating opposite small 2-tops along the wall.  Parking was on the street or there was a free lot down the hill behind the building.  The room was not highly decorated with dark wood windows breaking up the off-white walls.  Lots of light fixtures but the overall room was still fairly dim with a good amount of crowd noise.  They’d tried to dampen this with sound panels on the ceiling and cloths on some tables but it still can be noisy when full.  Part of the kitchen was exposed but most hidden by the counter and walls.   With a full bar it was surprising how limited the wine list was, offering mosly low or high price point bottles.  Of course the first wine we picked our server couldn’t find and so we ended up just buying by the glass, which all added to the time the meal took.  It was easily over 45 minutes to get our first glass let alone food.  I liked the concept and the menu read well but the food was mixed.  We were there for dinner but they are open Tues through Sat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Continue reading →

Mayflower Cafe, Jackson, MS., 3/25/26

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building – 123 W Capitol St, Jackson, MS 39201-3095

The Mayflower Cafe began over 80 years ago, started by 2 Greek immigrants.  Their third generation owner took control in 1990 and some twenty years later, when he announced closure of the restaurant, Hunter Evans and Cody McCain instead purchased the restaurant in 2024 to keep it going.  This pair owns Elvie’s (review in a couple days) and was a finalist for the Best Chef South James Beard award.  They revamped the neon sign outside that was used in the film The Help and added a first floor bathroom.    It’s a long space with counter stools in the part of the space facing the street and booths along the long walls with tables in the middle.  Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sat. the front stools face the fresh oyster bar at dinner.  Otherwise the room had lots of mirrors and nautical decorations.  They offer a daily special, and all looked to be generous plates of food.  There is a dedicated parking lot in back of the building and street parking.  There were additional rooms that people were walking too but I didn’t go exploring as the dining room got pretty tight with patrons at lunch.  Service was friendly and fairly efficient, the food was fine and the Comeback sauce is on the table with crackers.  It’s a piece of Jackson’s history so go if you can. Continue reading →

Snake River Grill, Jackson, WY., 9/11/20

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exterior

Snake River Grill was founded in 1993 and is a large place that offers spaced indoor seating (recently opened) and a couple of options for outdoor dining (as long as weather permits).  All the seating is on the second level with one patio directly adjacent to the indoor area and the other on a large rooftop across some stairs, but it’s covered by a tent and has heaters.  Inside you get the full ambiance of the place’s Western decor with the log walls, the candles hanging from antlers, skin wrapped light fixtures and a ceiling defined by logs and held up with log columns.  The lighting is lowered and carpet is on the floor.  The tables are well distanced and covered with white clothes and diners are given a matching cloth napkin once they’re seated.   Some of the tables have bench seating to match the un-cushioned wood chairs.   A bar is immediately in front of the entry, no music is in the background but there is lots of conversational hum and there are many windows on the walls of the various rooms. Service was slow to start but then was nicely paced and very friendly with helpful opinions.  Reservations are needed and to get a good time you need to do that at least a month ahead. Continue reading →

Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, Jackson, WY., 9/11/20

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building

The Million Dollar Cowboy Bar opened in 1937 and is a landmark in Jackson, WY.  Everything I read about the place suggested you just have a drink and see the interior.  It is famous for the seats at the bar which are real horse saddles, complete with under blanket.  Our server said they were cute but she couldn’t sit and drink on them.  There are no reservations and often a line, but we went off hour and there was still a wait to get a saddle stool but you could have a table right away.  We opted for a table.  The place has lots of live music which thankfully wasn’t playing when we were there but recorded music filled the room.  There are Western decorations everywhere including stuffed animals, a huge round moving scene light, horns, and pictures.  The tables are divided by large wood pieces and tables are distanced now as well as some saddles are covered.  The pool tables were covered.  It is a place to see if you’re in town but not a peaceful place to drink and talk. Continue reading →

Persephone Bakery, Jackson, WY., 9/11/20

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building

Persephone was a really popular place, that served excellent baked goods, coffee and sandwiches.  You line up to make your order and then can take it with you or eat at one of the tables on the outside patio.  There were tables inside but no one sat there.  We wanted to get stuff to take with us during our drive through the national park and so placed our order online and they gave us a time when we could pick it up at a separate window around the side.    They serve only breakfast foods until 10:30 after which they do offer lunch salads and sandwiches.  They also offer pre-packaged cookies, teas and other foods.  We scoped out the order counter one day and ordered from them the next day.  Later we got some cinnamon brioche to eat in the hotel the next morning but they did not work out as well as our other orders.  I don’t know if they came dry or just turned that way being held overnight.  Either way they found their way to the trash rather than our stomachs. Continue reading →

Silver Dollar Showroom, Jackson, WY., 9/10/20

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entance awning

We went to the Silver Dollar Showroom following our dinner for an after dinner drink.  It is part of the historic Wort Hotel.  As you enter you go to the left for the bar and to the right if you want to eat.  The bar is a large place with a curved bar covered with laminated silver dollars and well spaced tables.  They have live music on weekends but not while we were there.  We sat at the bar and after our first round the server told us it was Whiskey Wednesday so we tried some of those.  It’s a stretch to include in this blog but this way you’ll have the menu and an idea of what it looks like if you get the chance to go. Continue reading →

Trio An American Bistro, Jackson, WY., 9/10/20

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entrance

Trio opened in 2005 by the two chefs that also operate Local.  They serve a seasonal menu with nightly specials in a relaxed atmosphere.  They have a number of specialty cocktails and cook primarily in a wood-fired oven.  It is a good sized place with the blond wood bare tables well spaced by taking the 2-top tables, setting them with candles and using them as spacers.  Therefore everyone gets a nice size table which are set with lovely large linen napkins.  One end of the very modern room is an open kitchen, with plexiglas in front of it.  There are seats at the bar in front and some tables outside.  Bench seats run along the walls with very comfy seating.  No-arm blond wood chairs are on the other side.  Art is on the wall and it’s for sale.  Music is in the background.  Eating outside is preferable regarding the virus but the inside here is very lovely and very well done, so I would chose sitting inside.  Service was really friendly, opinionated and timing was very nice. Continue reading →

Local, Jackson, WY., 9/10/20

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entrance

Local is a steakhouse and bar in the historic town square of Jackson.  It has many rooms, some of which are for dinner and some for lunch and others for both.  We sat in the room with the bar counter and it had plexiglass between the seats and bar as did the booths have plexiglas between them.  The black wood tables were set off by the brown wood floor and light wood walls with mirror insets.  The booths had a padded seat whereas the bar was set with dark wood chairs with backs that were unpadded.  Music was in the background and a TV was playing in the bar area but it was muted.  We made a reservation for lunch which the website recommended but when we showed up the person at the entrance seated the 2 walk-up parties ahead of us in line to get in.  Their lunch menu was mostly sandwiches, particularly burgers and they had one special of the day (a hot ham and cheese sandwich) as well as a soup that changes daily.  Service was helpful, opinionated and efficient. Continue reading →

Glorietta, Jackson, WY., 9/9/20

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old entrance (now go through the side door)

Glorietta is an Italian Trattoria with a focus on housemade pasta and wood-fired cooking.  Located in the Anvil Hotel they offer both indoor and patio seating.  Inside the medium room the tables have a lot of space between them, which is good for slowing the spread of virus but leaves the room feeling empty.  The focal point of the room is the large bar with the kitchen and wood burning fire behind it and another seating bar in front of it.  They finally seated someone at the front bar but without much overhang it looked pretty uncomfortable.  The floor is tiled, the ceiling is painted wood and bench seating is on many walls to match up with chairs on the other side of the good sized tables.  The bare wood tables are set with a large cloth napkin and lighting is lowered, but there are a number of windows in the room so that is only an issue after the sun sets.  Service was friendly but rushed.  We wanted to try a number of things and I specifically asked that it not be served on top of the last one but it was.  In fact the main plates came out before all the appetizer plates were cleared.  I realized with limited seating they want to turn the tables quickly but in these times we must find a way to make the experience pleasurable for the diner and profitable for the restaurant. Continue reading →

The Bird, Jackson, WY., 9/9/20

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entrance

The Bird is a large place, located a bit out of town that opened in 2010.  Inside are 2 large rooms, one containing the oval shaped bar and outside is a good sized deck with a spectacular view of the mountains.  There are no umbrellas or heaters outside.  The bar offers all mixed drinks as well as a ton of tap beers.  The room with the bar is decorated with tap handles from those beers they no longer carry.  They are mounted on metal bars all over.  It’s mainly a burger bar but also is known for its wings.  Country music plays prominently and service is friendly.  They wore masks for the most part and limit the number of people that can be in at any time.  You must wait at the door to be let in by the server.  They don’t take reservations and are popular with locals. Continue reading →