Dining in the Delta

It's common knowledge that in the South, the food is just different. This especially rings true for the Mississippi Delta, a region rich in soul food and home cooking. Delicacies like catfish tempura and chicken gizzards are savored; barbeque and hot tamales are the lay of the land. It’s an adventurous palette, a place where you can savor the unusual and try something outlandish—you just might like it. 

If all the time spent at home this year has implored you to sharpen your skills in the kitchen, you have the opportunity to learn from some of the best culinary professionals right here in Greenwood, at the acclaimed Viking Cooking School. The school offers a wide variety of hands-on classes for all skill levels in its state-of-the-art commercial kitchen to hone your culinary prowess, from the novice cook to the seasoned home chef. Learn how to become a master bartender in a mixology class, or channel your inner Julia Child in a course on French cuisine. The school even offers a gingerbread house workshop as the holiday season approaches—so you can bring the whole family, or go out for a fun date night.

Taste exemplary culinary fare at the unmistakable Fan & Johnny’s, where James Beard-nominated Chef Taylor Bowen-Ricketts prepares classic southern dishes inspired by the cooking of her grandparents, who are also the restaurant’s namesake. The decorative flags adorning the storefront beckon patrons in to enjoy a special plat du jour from the ever-changing daily menu. Chef Bowen-Ricketts’ expertise lies in using simple, traditional ingredients to form complex, flavorful dishes, a talent that continually lands her the title of Greenwood’s Favorite Restaurant. Whatever the lineup, there’s always something for every eater to indulge in, such as the crawfish mac, duck ravioli, lemon pepper shrimp, alligator with comeback sauce; or vegetarian offerings like the pimento cheese po-boy, fried green tomatoes, and mushroom melt. 

Run today by the fourth and fifth generations of the Lusco family, Lusco’s is a Mississippi institution and one of the longest-surviving landmarks in the state. The Italian restaurant has kept its doors open in the original Carrollton Avenue location for nearly ninety years and fed hungry diners for five generations, along with supplying its line of homemade bottled sauces.

Drake’s BBQ, like so many hole-in-the-wall joints in the South, is a hidden gem with plate lunches that’ll have you pining for a post-feast snooze. 

If you’ve ever visited Crystal Grill, you know it to be a simple truth that some desserts are worth waiting for. The famous eatery’s homemade pies have kept customers coming back with a craving for over eighty years, and for good reason. The grill’s award-winning pies—including chocolate, coconut, and lemon ice box pie piled with their signature mile-high meringue, have been dubbed the best in the Magnolia State. In 2010, celebrity chef Cat Cora featured the restaurant’s Lemon Ice Box Pie on her Food Network series The Best Thing I Ever Ate. While you save the best for last, though, try other Delta foodway favorites like the hot tamale bites and broiled chicken liver (you’ll have to take our word for it on this last one). 

For a full listing of all the culinary options that await in Greenwood, head to visitgreenwood.com.