In springtime, whether you come to Oxford for the iconic college town’s fine art, live music, or renowned literary heritage, make sure you save time to relish an unforgettable meal (or three). Whether that means reserving a table at one of the town’s critically acclaimed fine dining restaurants (we’re looking at you, recently announced MICHELIN recommended establishments), or chowing down streetside from a local food truck between live band sets at the Double Decker Arts Festival. You can’t really go wrong.
Let’s start with sit-down experiences. If you’re looking for fine-dining options, Oxford is home to no fewer than four MICHELIN-Guide recommended restaurants helmed by chefs with big personalities and sterling reputations. City Grocery, the brainchild of James Beard Award-winning chef John Currence, delivers one of Mississippi’s most renowned takes on elevated Southern cuisine. , which Currence co-founded with fellow James Beard Award-winner, Vishwesh Bhatt, radiates a neighborhood Southern brasserie vibe, and prioritizes local ingredients, shareable small plates, and beautifully presented salads, sandwiches, and daily specials. Anchoring the top of Courthouse Square, Ajax Diner has remained famous for serving hearty portions of Mississippi’s finest comfort food since 1997. At beloved Taylor Grocery & Restaurant, the whole catfish, cornmeal-breaded-and-crisp-fried, has been keeping folks hitting the road out to nearby Taylor, Mississippi, for more than forty years.
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Snackbar's goat cheese croutons
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Ajax Diner
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Fried catfish from Taylor Grocery & Restaurant
Back in Oxford proper, you might check out Saint Leo, a 2017 James Beard Foundation "Best New Restaurant" semifinalist that specializes in wood-fired Italian cuisine; or SoLa, helmed by Chef Erika Lipe, the 2024 Queen of Mississippi Seafood. Want something that feels familiar and yet elevated? Try Tarasque Cucina, which has made a name for itself serving Southern-comfort-forward small plates, salads, and pasta dishes created with classical French and Italian flair by chef/owner John Martin Stokes. The home-made tomato sauce is good enough to impress even the most exacting Italian Nonna.
While the sun is still high, join the crowd at Good Day Café—a James Beard nominated Joseph Stinchcomb creation—for brunch (try the Turkish breakfast, or a fried egg sandwich on brioche), or dive into lunch with a good, old-fashioned French Dip or Salmon Bowl. For casual bites between festivities or mid-afternoon, hit up Panino Veloce on Jackson Avenue for one of their beloved staple sandwiches (including roasted chicken, shrimp caper, and roast beef, among others), or Chicory Market, where the panini sandwich creations are as unorthodox as they are mouthwatering.
Then there’s the Double Decker Arts Festival itself, where upwards of twenty local food vendors set up around the Lafayette County Courthouse. Explore ample offerings from the likes of Taylor Grocery Catering (think: classic Southern comfort foods that make festival season shine), Fergndan’s Pizza (where the options for pizzas, calzones, and panuozzos might appear endless; don’t get overwhelmed), and Moe’s Original BBQ (barbeque, the Mississippi way). There’s no single right way to do Oxford’s food scene—just follow your taste buds … you will not be disappointed (or hungry).
