The plates that define Jackson: what they are, where they came from, and where to eat the canonical version.
Signature dishes
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Comeback Sauce ★ 4.5
Jackson's most famous condiment and the culinary calling card of Mississippi Greek-American diner culture. Invented at Mayflower Cafe in 1935, it defines the state.
Where to try it: Mayflower Cafe, Walker's Drive-In, Saltine
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Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales ★ 4.5
One of the American South's most singular regional foods, the Mississippi hot tamale is made differently from Mexican tamales: rolled in a cornmeal-masa mixture, packed loosely, and cooked in a simmering pot of seasone
Where to try it: Big Apple Inn, Bully's Restaurant
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Mississippi Fried Catfish ★ 4.5
Farm-raised Mississippi catfish is the state's most consumed fish and a defining soul food staple. Cornmeal-coated and fried in cast iron, it is served everywhere.
Where to try it: Bully's Restaurant, Mayflower Cafe, Hal and Mal's
Book food experiences in Jackson
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Pig Ear Sandwich ★ 4.5
A Farish Street original that has been served unchanged at Big Apple Inn since 1939. Slow-braised pig ear is cooled, sliced thin, and served on a small slider-style bun with yellow mustard and dill pickle.
Where to try it: Big Apple Inn
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Gulf Shrimp and Grits ★ 4.5
The Gulf Coast meets Mississippi's corn culture in shrimp and grits: stone-ground corn grits cooked slowly with butter and cheese, topped with Gulf shrimp sauteed in a spiced butter-garlic sauce.
Where to try it: Hen and Egg, Walker's Drive-In, Saltine
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Oxtails ★ 4.5
The flagship dish of Jackson's soul food tradition, slow-braised oxtails are the centrepiece of Bully's Restaurant's steam table and one of the most sought-after plates in the city.
Where to try it: Bully's Restaurant
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Sweet Potato Pie ★ 4.5
Mississippi sweet potato pie is silkier and more deeply flavoured than pumpkin pie, using local sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, and warm spices in a flaky crust.
Where to try it: Bully's Restaurant, Campbell's Bakery
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Southern Fried Chicken ★ 4.5
Mississippi fried chicken is brined, buttermilk-soaked, and seasoned with cornmeal for a crackling crust. A soul food steam table staple at every Jackson lunch counter.
Where to try it: Bully's Restaurant, The Pig and Pint, Hal and Mal's
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Cast-Iron Cornbread ★ 4.5
Mississippi cornbread is baked in a cast-iron skillet preheated with fat, creating a crackling golden crust on the bottom and sides while the inside stays tender and slightly crumbly.
Where to try it: Bully's Restaurant, Campbell's Bakery, Hen and Egg
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Red Beans and Rice ★ 4.5
Monday's traditional dish across the Gulf South, red beans and rice arrived in Jackson via New Orleans influence and the Cajun-Creole food corridor that runs along Interstate 20.
Where to try it: Hal and Mal's, Hen and Egg, Bully's Restaurant
Signature Dishes in Jackson, FAQ
What food is Jackson known for?
Jackson's signature dishes include Comeback Sauce, Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales, Mississippi Fried Catfish, Pig Ear Sandwich, Gulf Shrimp and Grits. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.