Some of Mississippi's greatest culinary treasures are found in unexpected spots such as roadside shacks, old gas stations and groceryand drug stores. The state's tourism division, along with the Southern Foodways Alliance, based in Mississippi, each have trails dedicated to the unique culinary culture of the Magnolia State. A hearty blend of international and homegrown influences can be found and savored at nearly 100 stops along the trails, from the coast to the delta and the northern hills. Here is a sampling of places to whet the appetite for a food-centric journey..
Family-style dining in McComb
Housed in a historic home, The Dinner Bell is a long-standing institution of southern cooking in the town of McComb, 80 miles south of Jackson on Interstate 55. Along with their signature dish of fried eggplant, the restaurant is known for its large Lazy Susan tables where patrons are seated with strangers as if they are family and twirl platters of food around to each other. The menu changes daily, but you will always find the classics -- fried chicken, eggplant, green beans and dumplings on hand. The Dinner Bell is a lunch-only restaurant, open between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tues. through Sun. 229 5th Ave., McComb. 601-684-4883, www.thedinnerbell.net.
Burgers and fried pies in Holly Springs
Holly Springs, an hour's drive southeast of Memphis, is where you'll find Phillips Grocery, which is not really a grocery store anymore, but a restaurant and living museum exhibit of early-to-mid-20th-century Americana. The two-story circa-1882 building was originally a saloon. It became a grocery store in 1919 and has been known as Phillips Grocery since 1948. The thick juicy hamburgers and fried fruit pies are what people come for these days. 541 E. Van Dorn Ave., Holly Springs, 662-252-4671.
Southern Cooking in Tunica
Originally part of a Pure gas station when it first opened in 1937, the gas pumps are long gone but The Blue and White Restaurant remains, serving breakfast anytime, lunch and dinner. The menu features an array of Mississippi classics like fried bell pepper rings, fried dill pickles and fried catfish. Try their award-winning fluffy biscuits with red-eye gravy. 1355 Hwy. 61 N., Tunica. 662-363-1371, www.blueandwhiterestaurant.com.
Malts and slugburgers in Corinth
Corinth sits in the Hills Region of northern Mississippi, where slugburgers -- a mixture of beef, pork and filler, usually soybeans, named after a slang term for a nickel during the Great Depression -- are a common menu item. Borroum's Drug Store, founded in 1865, has an authentic soda fountain serving a highly-touted version of this regional treat, along with malts, ice cream sodas and other old-time fountain favorites. 604 Waldron St., Corinth. 662-286-6631, www.borroumsdrugstore.com.
New Southern cuisine in Indianola
Part art gallery and gift shop, as well as an eatery, The Crown Restaurant specializes in putting new twists on traditional Southern cuisine. Their smoked catfish pâté and fresh baked beer bread are two don't-miss menu items. A plus for blues lovers, The B.B. King Museum is within walking distance to The Crown. 112 Front St., Indianola. 662-887-4522, www.thecrownrestaurant.com.
Catfish near Oxford
Taylor Grocery in the tiny crossroads town of Taylor a few miles southwest of Oxford has long been a go-to place for catfish. You can get it blackened, grilled or -- of course -- breaded and deep fried. Plenty of other food of the meat-and-three variety, including steak, is also available. Live music nightly. 4 County Road 338, Taylor. 662-236-1716, www.taylorgrocery.com.
Hot tamales in the Delta
The Mississippi Delta has been a hotbed of hot tamales and has been since the early 20th century. Hot tamale shops are abundant, making good use of the corn from the Delta's many corn fields. It's believed hot tamales were introduced when Mexican migrant workers came to help harvest the cotton and corn fields, working alongside the black field hands, who took to the tamale and, over the years, modified its recipe through the years. A Delta hot tamale differs from its Mexican counterpart in that it is smaller, spicier and simmered in broth instead of steamed. Hot tamale shops and roadside stands can be found from Natchez to Tunica and everywhere in between. The Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) has created the Hot Tamale Trail to help visitors find the best places to nosh on this spicy Delta delicacy. The majority of them are in the Greenville/Greenwood area of the central Delta, home to blues legend Robert Johnson, who sang about the hot tamale in his classic song, "They're Red Hot." An interactive map of the tamale trail can be found at the SFA's website, www.southernfoodways.org.
Stay
Shack Up Inn. Accommodations in authentic sharecropper cabins near the famed crossroads of blues lore in Clarksdale. Rates $65-$90. 1 Commissary Circle, Clarksdale. 662-624-8329, www.shackupinn.com.
The Generals' Quarters. Bed and breakfast inn with rooms in two restored Victorian-era houses in a Corinth neighborhood of historic homes. Rates $109-$165. 924 Fillmore St., Corinth. 662-286-3325, www.thegeneralsquarters.com.
Visitor info
Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division. 1-866-733-6477, www.visitmississippi.org. Complete listings for the culinary trail are available at the website.
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