Boondocks BBQ is a bbq restaurant in Jackson.
Editorially verified June 26, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Why locals love it: A family BBQ tradition from coastal Mississippi transplanted to Belhaven, with none of the tourist following of The Pig and Pint but the same quality of smoked meats and a fracti
Tip: Arrives earlier on Fridays as the lunch-to-dinner crossover period is when the brisket is freshest.
Address: 904 B E Fortification St, Jackson, MS 39202
The Apothecary is a speakeasy cocktail bar hidden inside Brent's Drugs soda fountain, serving prohibition-era cocktails with Mississippi-made spirits.
Why locals love it: Hidden in the back of a 1946 soda fountain with no exterior signage - locals know it, visitors rarely find it unless pointed here. Open Mon-Sat from 17:00.
Tip: Enter through the front door of Brent's Drugs and walk to the back; there is no sign for the bar.
Crazy Cat Eat Up is Jackson's most beloved neighbourhood secret: a BYOB suburban kitchen with housemade bread pudding and a celebrated meatloaf sandwich.
Why locals love it: Tucked in a suburban strip mall with no liquor licence (BYOB), this neighbourhood cult favourite draws loyal locals but gets no tourist press despite serving some of the most per
Tip: Bring a bottle from Briarwood Wine around the corner and tell the staff it is your first visit - they will guide you well.
Good Bar is an open-air cocktail terrace by the Elvie's team with cocktails on tap, natural wine, and snacks that make it the most casually brilliant bar.
Why locals love it: Open-air and weather-dependent, almost fully outdoors and easy to miss on the Belhaven terrace, but the cocktails on tap from Elvie's team are as good as anything at the adjacent
Tip: Check Instagram before visiting as weather can close the outdoor terrace; the cocktail quality matches the kitchen next door.
Fertile Ground Beer Co. is Jackson's best-kept craft beer secret: a community-first taproom with German beer garden patio, contemporary lagers and ales.
Why locals love it: Tucked into Belhaven Town Center and overshadowed by the Michelin restaurants next door, this is the state capital's flagship craft brewery and one of the South's better communit
Tip: Wednesday through Saturday evenings are the taproom at its best; the patio with bench seating from Germany is worth the visit alone.
Campbell's Bakery has made the same iced tea cakes and petit fours since 1962 from recipes unchanged since opening, in a Fondren shop that Jackson residents.
Why locals love it: A 1962 Fondren institution beloved by locals for petit fours and iced tea cakes, almost entirely unknown outside Jackson despite being one of the state's oldest continuously oper
Tip: Order a dozen petit fours to take away as a Jackson food souvenir; they ship nationwide.
