There’s Something in the Water

A foodie’s guide to the Mississippi Gulf Coast

by

Recently, on a trip to Biloxi, my brother joked that the town has more Waffle Houses per capita than anywhere else he’d been—that after a night spent losing money somewhere on the infamous Strip, you couldn’t help but end up at a Waffle House the next morning. 

His theory was ultimately proven wrong, when after walking to the franchise location across the street from the Beau Rivage in our haggard and hungover states, we were all but turned away at the door; the place packed to bursting. It was a busy weekend on the Coast, with two festivals and gorgeous weather, and we spent the next three hours or so searching for a parking spot in downtown Ocean Springs, angling toward the bottomless mimosas and crab cake Benedict at Blue Dog Bistro. Instead, we landed upstairs at a place called “Rooftop Taco & Tequila Bar”—which had the look of a nightclub rubbing its eyes in the morning, and no air conditioning. Instead of mimosas we settled for margaritas, served in a tower that came leaking so badly the waitress wordlessly brought us another pitcher to compensate. And I swear, I had the best birria taco I have ever tasted. My husband said the bang bang shrimp was even better. 

The fact is, it's hard to go wrong when eating in "America's Riviera". This storied strip of coast is soaked in a legacy of indulgence, which is built largely upon the riches of its waters and its soils—a bounty that has inspired artists, entrepreneurs, and chefs for hundreds of years, and received interpretations by its Native, French, Spanish, and Southern American residents. As indicated by the last three years of Country Roads' Small Town Chefs' Awards—which have each featured a different Gulf Coast chef—and an onslaught of new concepts opening up from Bay St. Louis to Pascagoula, we've long had an inkling that there's something delicious in the water. I recommend leaving Waffle House as the ultimate last resort. If you do things right, you'll never land there. 

Start on the Water : Restaurants on the Mississippi Gulf Coast with a View

Whatever your reasons for being on the Coast, you should always start with a view of the water. There are no shortage of options, but if you’re in Biloxi—I say head straight to Beach Boulevard, where a lively set of quintessentially-funky waterside joints jut out gaudily on their stilts. 

There’s Fat Bottom BBQ, Lucy’s Retired Surfers’ Bar & Grill, and The Reef—but I opted for Shaggy’s, a local chain owned by fishing buddies Ron Ladner and Rimmer Covington, Jr., who transformed a Hurricane Katrina-ravaged local bait shop in Pass Christian into the first iteration of their beloved Key West-style beer and burger joint. 

I was set up waterside on the open-air porch, which sprawls and twists with multiple seating areas and bars. At lunchtime on a Monday, it wasn’t particularly crowded, but you could imagine the place gets rowdy at night. The beach was dotted with colored chairs and umbrellas, and a breeze carried the sounds of seagulls right to my table. I smiled to realize the menu included a section for “Good Dogs”—featuring a “Hot Diggity Dog” (a beef hot dog, diced) a “Puppy Patty” (a burger patty), a “Bird Dog” (grilled chicken and steamed rice, for those watching their figure), and ice cream flavors of the day. 

Per my waitress's recommendation, I ordered the Mahi Mahi tacos—teriyaki-glazed with pineapple pico and honey-lime slaw, paired with a Mango Cart Wheat. “You’re gonna love this,” my food runner assured me when he set down my plate. He wasn’t wrong. 

Afterwards, I walked down the stairs in the back straight onto the beach, where a downstairs patio and brightly-colored Adirondacks offered a scenic spot for sipping one of the menu’s many colorful “Beach Drinks” (the “porch rocker” would be especially appropriate), as well as cornhole and Jenga sets. The impressive West Beach Boardwalk—part of a bigger initiative by the City of Biloxi and Harrison County to make the beach more accessible—passes right here, and offers a pleasant walk along the beach and a chance to orient oneself with the rhythms of the Gulf.

For an altogether different waterside view, cross the bridge into Ocean Springs, where the Nicaud Restaurant Group (known for restaurants like steakhouse and oyster bars Field’s and Charred, as well as dozens of other eateries in the area) just opened up the newest iteration of its local Bacchus chain, Bacchus on the Bayou, in March. Extensive renovations to the old Marina Cantina on Old Fort Bayou unveil a playful, water-themed interior—with hand-painted rivulets on the entryway’s floors, and an immersive mural of an underwater reef complete with a mermaid holding a traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras Bacchus parade throw—in the party room.

The outside deck is made for sunsets, sleek with green turf and white furniture—grand water oak branches gesturing above it all. The Bayou shimmers, and a long dock puts you right in the middle of it (you can also park your boat here, if you’re coming straight from the water). The menu is meant to be a play on Cajun cuisine, of which I am typically skeptical when away from home. But a quick history lesson on Biloxi quickly quells this hesitation: the Cajuns have been living here since 1914, drawn straight from Louisiana by the promise of the oyster industry, bringing their joie de vivre and culinary traditions with them.

The oyster combo—with char-baked, Rockefeller, and “jackpot” (spicy butter, cheddar, jalapeño, and bacon) varieties—disappeared before my eyes one savory, buttery bite at a time. Intrigued, I ordered the blue crab melt next—which consisted of a chunky brioche-wrapped package of crab cake smothered in gouda and chipotle mayo. I’m not typically a “fishy” sandwich person, but when blue crab is fresh and prepared just right—well, I don’t have to tell you that there is simply nothing like it. 

Over in Gulfport, the Blow Fly Inn has held court on Bayou Bernard since 1955. Now rebranded as the Blow Fly Bar & Grill, the renovated space still has the feel of an off-the-backroads secret, standing camplike on its stilts at the end of a remote parking lot down Washington Avenue. Climb the ramp, winding up around an old oak, at lunchtime, and you’ll be greeted by an airy dining room brightened by the natural light pouring in from the massive bayou-side windows. High industrial ceilings and shining wooden tables gave off a clean, comfortable elegance—energized by the rich scents swirling in from the kitchen. In an homage to the Inn’s old traditions, my blackened Ahi Tuna came stabbed by a toothpick tent adorned with an illustrated blow fly—whose larvae are historically used as fishing bait. The side of brussell sprouts glazed with soy sauce were a treat all their own, but the fish came well-seasoned and perfectly seared—flaking on my fork and melting in my mouth. 

From my seat at the window, across the bayou and over the treetops, I could just make out the top of Flamingo Landing, the poppy, sparkling new bayouside property by New Orleans’ Creole Cuisine Restaurant Group—the newest of a collective of fresh faces joining the old beloved haunts of Saint Bernard (Captain Al’s, for instance, has been serving “the original surf & turf” on the coast since 1993). Flamingo is one of the many spots I couldn’t squeeze into this trip, but it’s at the top of my list for next time—I’ve got my eye on the bronzed Mahi with cotija and grilled pineapple. 

Eat Where the Money's At: Casino Dining on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

It’s no secret that much of the Coast’s identity and economy are wrapped up in Biloxi’s claim as the “Las Vegas of the South”. Behind the glitz and the neon, though, are some of the best dining experiences in the region—worth the venture into the wild world of the Strip’s casinos, if only for a taste. 

At Harrah’s, there’s Magnolia House, heralded by Louisiana born-and-bred Chef Kelly English—whose accolades include semi-finalist for the 2010 James Beard “Best Chef in America: Southeast” Award for his Memphis eatery Restaurant Iris, as well as the title of “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine magazine in 2009. The seasonal menu includes Southern staples with a Mediterranean zing: sautéed Gulf snapper and parmesan-seared seabass; Tomahawk Pork Chops from the sustainability-focused Niman Ranch, served with a peach compote, Spätzle, and summer peas. 

Or, take the elevator up to the thirty-second floor at IP Casino Resort Spa, where Chef Matthew Kallinikos’s Thirty-Two is widely considered the “most romantic spot on the Coast”. Plan ahead to secure a coveted sunset seat, draping the already-breathtaking view of Biloxi’s beach, downtown area, and Back Bay in shades of orange and pink. The “Modern European” menu is full of creatively-prepared, occasionally-daring indulgences, ranging from a generously-endowed Chef’s selection charcuterie board and lobster bisque, to char-grilled octopus and pan-roasted halibut. If you’ve been particularly lucky on the slots, take the opportunity to try the luxury steaks, including a dry-aged wagyu tomahawk ringing in at $155, and a Japanese A5 Strip Loin—considered one of the finest cuts of meat in the world. 

The Beau Rivage, MGM’s Biloxi jewel, has long held court over casino dining on the coast. Its reigning favorites, the chic steakhouse BR Prime, the deliciously-entertaining Teppanyaki grill Jia, and the old-world Italian classic Stalla have frequently been named by Forbes and other publications as some of Mississippi’s best restaurants. But the casino’s newest addition, Salt & Ivy, is vying to be included in that number—and has already been voted a “Best New Restaurant” in 2023 by Casino Magazine. Opened in April, the upscale casual restaurant benefits first from its position in the Beau’s grand atrium, sitting airy and fresh beneath the casino’s 65-foot ceilings—offering not only a fine view of the changing art installations (when I was there, it was a tableau of hot air balloons made of flowers, shipped straight from the Bellagio) but also an ideal vantage for people watching. Inspired by its sister restaurant of the same name in Vegas’s ARIA casino, this Salt & Ivy leans heavily into all things Southern comfort. The crab cakes are a must, lightly pan-fried panko with just the right amount of fresh veggies and a delicious aioli (I may or may not have squirreled one back to my hotel room for a late-night snack). My entrée, a classic New Orleans-style BBQ shrimp and grits, was a thing of true beauty. It brought back memories of my first trip to Mr. B’s as a small child, which ushered in years of homemade attempts by my parents to imitate the buttery-rich sauce. This was pretty damn close, and dripping over homestyle grits already infused with cheddar cheese and bacon. To wash it all down, I selected a sidecar from the list of NOLA-style cocktails. And in an impressive but obligatory feat (I couldn’t not), I squeezed in a few decadent bites of crème brulée, relishing the enormous pleasure of cracking the sugared surface. 

Easier to miss, but worth the second look, is the recently-renovated Under the Oak Café at the Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort in D’Iberville, just a short drive from the Strip. Whimsically decorated with variations of black-and-white patterns across the floors, walls, and upholstery—all beneath the Casino’s centerpiece, a massive oak tree glittering with twinkly lights; the café has a magical, Disney-fied feel to it. The menu is hearty and familiar, and I reckon the steak and eggs might just be one of the best breakfasts on the Coast. Generously seasoned and perfectly cooked, the steak almost didn’t need the pat of garlic butter, but boy did that take things up a notch. The home-style scrambled eggs and hashbrowns were of the roadside diner sort, but perhaps that’s why I liked them, and ate almost every bite. 

Beyond the casinos, the Coast also offers a wealth of fabulous hotels with their own claims to culinary fame. I’ll have to come back to investigate further, but for now I’ll just say this: A stay at the charming Roost in Ocean Springs would be worth it for the cocktail menu at the onsite bar, the Wilbur, alone—though the artsy accommodations are purportedly an experience all their own. The cozy craft cocktail bar’s got all the ambiance anyone wants on a weekend away, and there’s a secret speakeasy inside—ask the bartender about it. And if you make it to Long Beach, The Inn offers gorgeous luxury accommodations and one of the sweetest welcome baskets I’ve ever seen—not to mention a fabulous hotel breakfast with lemon curd pancakes and fresh-squeezed orange juice to boot. 

Early Bird Gets the Worm

Speaking of breakfast, in between the beach hangouts and the casino swank (and the Waffle Houses and tequila bars), are each coastal community’s go-to coffee joints. 

In Ocean Springs, that’s Buzzy’s—with all the things you love about a classic Southern diner, mix-matched chairs and vintage tablecloths shouting things like “farm fresh eggs” and “bless this home” all over them, or in my case, black and white decals of Elvis on the keys. Local seaside-inspired art lines the walls and every table has its own bottle of Crystal. For under $15 you can get a hot cup of joe and a classic, hearty breakfast plate of eggs, grits, and hashbrown casserole. I, for one, raised the bar a little higher: a good BLT tells you everything you need to know about a person, or a restaurant. And this one had lots to say about Buzzy’s. No frills, just the good stuff—quality bread just barely toasted, holding thick slabs of bacon and a tomato I’m certain was picked off a vine within a ten-mile radius. 

If you’re looking for something sweeter, a short walk from Buzzy’s takes you to French Kiss Pastries, which has a full menu of craft coffees and a dazzling display of artisanal cakes, tarts, mousses, and cookies. 

In Bay St. Louis, the go-to early bird hub is Mockingbird Café—housed in a charming cottage originally built in 1868, known by the locals as the “Living Room of the Bay”. The menu is expansive as it is creative: you can get everything here from the hangover-helper of “Brunch Fries” or pulled pork & grits to the lighter selections on the “Eat Like a Bird” section—quinoa bowls and yogurt parfaits with homemade jam and granola. After four days of stuffing myself with the riches of the Gulf, this side of things is where I landed at Mockingbird, opting for the chai oatmeal—which came beautifully plated with fresh bananas, a sprinkle of pepitas, and a healthy dollop of peanut butter. As for drinks, along with your espresso and coffee basics, there is a boisterous list of breakfast-friendly cocktails (including the beautifully-named “Tequila Mockingbird” with blood orange juice, rosemary honey simple syrup, and rosemary-infused tequila), alongside a “Healthy & Beauty” selection including golden turmeric, purple potato, and collagen lattes. Everything—from the flavored syrups to the whipped cream—is made from scratch, in-house. 

Something Special : Chef-Driven Restaurants on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

Foodies looking for plated art have a happy home on the Gulf Coast, as well. The draw of the region’s lively, creatively-inclined communities is enhanced by the unsurpassed access to fresh local seafood: a combination that has inspired some of the South’s most intriguing chef-driven restaurant concepts. There’s James Beard nominee and 2021 “King of American Seafood” Austin Sumrall’s iconic Biloxi establishment White Pillars—whose emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients goes so far as to have Chef Sumrall purchasing half a hog from Como, Mississippi farm Home Place once a week, and processing the whole thing in-house. 

[Read more about Home Place Pastures here.]

In 2021, Bay St. Louis caught the eye of native son Chef Jeffrey Hansell, who cut his teeth in the kitchen of Commander’s Palace and went on to open the beloved Covington restaurant in the Southern Hotel, Oxlot 9—acquiring titles of “Best Chef in America” and “Best Chef in the American South” along the way, and in 2017 Country Roads'  "Small Town Chef" Award. His newest venture is the Thorny Oyster, with perhaps Hansell’s most daring menu yet—a collection of dishes influenced by international cuisines (clams & chorizo, mussels & fries, bouillabaisse), all tied together by fresh, local seafood. 

[Read our 2017  Small Town Chefs feature on Chef Jeffrey Hansell, written while he was still helming the now-closed Oxlot 9 in Covington's Southern Hotel, here.]

For foodies craving a more avant-garde experience, Ocean Springs native Alex Perry’s Vestige pushes the boundaries in a manner that has delighted diners since the nature-inspired Asian-infused Southern restaurant debuted on Washington Avenue in 2013. Since the pandemic, the 2019 James Beard Semi-finalist for Best Chef: South has shifted to a Multi-Course Chef’s Tasting Menu format, which is always changing but promises dishes you’ve probably never heard of and will certainly never forget, such as sashimi of hiramasa with foie gras emulsion, kumquat kosho, prickly ash, freshly-grated wasabi, and mustard flowers.

[Read our 2020 Small Town Chefs feature on Chef Alex Perry, here.]

Perry was one of our 2020 Small Town Chefs, followed in 2022 by husband-wife duo Michael and Stephanie Paoletti, also from Ocean Springs. The Paolettis’ pop-up restaurant, Food Booze, and Hiccups, brings the inspiration of the Gulf into the streets—offering experimental, thoughtful, and fun takes on locally-sourced ingredients in a casual, outdoor setting. True to seasonally-focused form, the menu is almost never repeated, but includes bites to the tune of an aquaculture-raised oyster served with jezebel sauce and lettuce oil, marinated soft shell crab served half raw, and a Wagyu hanger steak with Romanesco purée. 

[Read our 2022 Small Town Chefs feature on Michael and Stephanie Paoletti's pop up restaurant concept Food, Booze, and Hiccups, here.]

Also in Ocean Springs, a community rich in taste of all sorts, is Luann Ellis’s Maison de Lu—where a woman I met at the Wilbur told me she would be returning to for a second time on her three-day trip because she so enjoyed her lunch. Enjoying the brisk May weather on the bistro’s front porch, I skimmed the menu out of curiosity but already knew what I’d be ordering, per overwhelming recommendations: the famed goat cheese torte, a crown of cheese sitting on pesto and topped with sun-dried tomatoes—served with triangles of fried pita bread; and the French panini, a pressed sandwich of ham, brie, and pepper jelly on ciabatta. 

If I had to pick a favorite restaurant from my Gulf Coast adventure, though, it would be Radish—helmed by Chefs William Rester and Lauren Joffrion who—while working under Chef Hansell at the Thorny Oyster in 2021—won our Small Town Chefs Award that year, nominated by Alex Perry, no less. Her new “ingredient-driven” collaboration with restaurateur and chef Rester opened last August, and draws its inspiration from the humble root vegetable that was once Long Beach’s claim to fame as the “radish capital of the world”. 

[Read our 2021 Small Town Chefs feature on Lauren Joffrion, written back when she was transitioning from Field's to Hansell's Thorny Oyster.]

The space in the middle of downtown Long Beach is small and intimate, charming with its sweetly-tasteful plays on its name: artistic renderings of radishes everywhere, including on the wallpaper in the bathroom. When we featured Joffrion in 2021, it was with respect to her eclectic approach in the kitchen, embracing the bold. An engrossed scan of the menu reveals she’s brought that here, too, but now with an eye towards local agriculture: fried green tomatoes with shrimp and tasso cream, pork belly with fried grits and nuoc cham chimichurri, duck served with molé, dukkah, and fried collards; a pork chop with collard greens, “Grit Girl Grits,” and pickled mustard. 

I started with the cocktail menu, as one does—going all in with the “24K Magic”: a Maker’s Mark concoction with honey, “pollen cordial,” and a garnish of gold leaf. Before I had selected my appetizer, a waitress came by with a complimentary plate of molasses cornbread soaked in all things good (honey butter). I told myself I was struggling to decide from the list of tantalizing appetizers (the crab beignets, with beurre blanc and pepper jelly, were tempting), but I knew from the beginning I would have to go with the radishes. And for anyone skeptical about the virtues of this vegetable, I say follow the name to Long Beach. Roasted and served with goat cheese and chimichurri, with big, beautiful flakes of salt—this is the dish that sticks in my mind most poignantly from this trip to the Gulf Coast. The radishes. 

That is not to say the entrée was forgettable: upon the waitress’s recommendation, I ordered the gnocchi, which came elegantly simple—drenched in a spicy vodka sauce and piled high with lump crabmeat. A healthy sprinkle of Grana Padano and a green garnish finished the plate. This was comfort food at its finest, prepared with just enough intention and finesse as to remind you of a home-cooked meal, then surpass those expectations. 

Radish wasn’t especially busy when I visited, due in no small part to the frenzy taking place next door, where Rester and Joffrion were overseeing the opening night of their new restaurant Kaiteki Noodle Bar, which had a line dangling out the front door until they ran out of food. (Between managing both kitchens that night, each chef graciously took some time to introduce themselves and share a little about the two restaurants.) The ramen bar couldn’t have had more organic origins: people loved Joffrion’s ramen special on the Radish menu so much that they decided to dedicate a whole new restaurant to it, bringing the Japanese comfort dish to the west side of the Coast for the first time. 

See How the Sausage Gets Made

To round out a foodie’s journey to the coast, I highly recommend carving out some time to learn more about the food history of this region. The Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi provides extensive histories of, and artifacts from, the seafood industry’s impact and evolution—from its early beginnings in the 19th century to the present day. 

Then, step into the world of coastal shrimpers for an afternoon with the Biloxi Shrimping Trip, which has been a pinnacle of local tourism since 1954. The guides are entertaining and incredibly knowledgeable about the history of the industry and its current state today—and provide an interactive, up-close look at how a shrimp finds its way from the sand at the bottom of the Gulf into the grits at Salt & Vine, onto the fried basket at Shaggy’s, or mixed with goat milk in the chawanmushi at Vestige.

 gulfcoast.org 

Disclaimer: The writer's research and travel for this editorial story were funded in part by Coastal Mississippi Tourism.