Catch of the Day: Seafood & Fried Fish in Jackson, MS
Mississippi — and much of the South — is known for its fresh seafood, whether it's shrimp, oysters, crab, or a basket of fried catfish straight from the Delta.
A Fondren Oyster Bar with Range
Saltine Restaurant
622 Duling Avenue
Known for their full oyster bar, this Fondren hot spot — Saltine Restaurant — is much more than just oysters. Along with raw oysters, other choices include Bama BBQ, complete with white BBQ sauce, citrus butter, and oysters Lafitte, topped with crawfish tails, bacon, parmesan and hot sauce butter. Other seafood-centered meals include catfish and chips, shrimp and grits, Cajun seafood pasta, wood-fired Biloxi snapper, a low-country shrimp boil, lobster roll sandwich, fried calamari, shrimp and lobster spring rolls and smoked tuna dip. For fried fish specifically, choose catfish and chips — beer-battered or cornmeal-fried — with tartar sauce, hush puppies and fries, or the fried catfish po'boy dressed with creole mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.
Downtown Landmark Since the 1930s
Mayflower Café
123 W. Capitol Street
What began more than 80 years ago as a hamburger stand, the Mayflower Café in downtown Jackson has become a seafood landmark in the capital city and is one of the oldest restaurants in town. After switching from a hamburger stand to a full-service restaurant, The Mayflower's menu began to spotlight dishes like broiled redfish, stuffed flounder and the Mayflower Greek Salad with lump crab meat. Other seafood dishes include shrimp Mayflower with their famous homemade remoulade, broiled oysters, fried crab claws, shrimp cocktail, crab cakes, fried calamari, seafood pasta and seafood gumbo. Though The Mayflower's roots are Greek, their seafood and steak selection is outstanding, and they even have blue plate lunch specials.
A Michelin Bib Gourmand French Café with Gulf Roots
Elvie's
809 Manship Street
Inspired by French cafés and Chef Hunter Evans' memories of his New Orleans grandmother, Elvie's sources fresh fish and oysters straight from the Gulf. The dinner menu features redfish almondine — a trifecta of almonds, brown butter and capers that's become a signature order — alongside Snapper Thermidor and Gulf Coast bouillabaisse. Oysters Elvaretta, dressed with bacon, parmesan and artichoke, are a favorite starter at the marble bar. Elvie's has earned a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand distinction and a spot on The New York Times' Top 50 Restaurants in America list.
Italian Comfort with Southern Flair in Belhaven
Pulito Osteria
800 Manship Street, Suite 104
Curated by Jackson native Chef Chaz Lindsay, Pulito Osteria brings handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and seasonal Italian cooking to Belhaven Town Center. The menu changes with the seasons, but fish is a constant on the table alongside standouts like the pork and ricotta meatballs and bucatini alla gricia. Pulito is also a MICHELIN Guide Recommended restaurant.
Homemade Cornmeal, Two Locations Deep
Ellis Seafood
350 Meadowbrook Road and 1041 Bobby Rush Blvd
With the first location opening on Ellis Avenue in 1988, Ellis Seafood takes pride in its country-fried seafood menu that includes fried popcorn shrimp and stuffed crab. Try their signature menu item, a 40-50-piece popcorn shrimp platter, or country-fried catfish for a taste of Southern comfort. Other options include fried oysters, po'boy sandwiches (fish, shrimp, and oyster), pan-trout fillets, catfish nuggets, combination platters, shrimp fried rice, stuffed crabs, fish strips, jumbo popcorn shrimp, and the shrimp snacker.
A Local Legend Since 1981
Eddie & Ruby's Snack Bar
1268 Valley Street
Known for some of the best fish in town, Eddie & Ruby's Snack Bar is a local, legendary restaurant that's been around since 1981. Eddie's Snack Bar, as it's often called, serves up delicious, crispy fried pan trout and fried catfish baskets as well as fried pan trout and catfish sandwiches. The menu at Eddie's is simple, but there's a reason why people keep coming back for so many years.
Charbroiled Oysters and a Gulf Coast Pedigree
Drago's Seafood
1005 E. County Line Road
The name says it all. Drago's is known for their seafood selection, and any seafood lover is sure to have a favorite meal at Drago's. Options are raw — Drago's Original Charbroiled or Oyster Voisin — fried Louisiana oysters, creamed spinach, bacon, bordelaise sauce, and extra cheese on toasted French bread medallions. If oysters aren't your thing, other appetizers include BBQ shrimp, lobster mac and cheese, fried squid, tuna, and fleur de Lis shrimp. Specialty items include boudin stuffed shrimp, grilled shrimp pasta, shrimp and grits, seafood pasta, and the Drago's mixed grill that includes half charbroiled Maine lobster, a petit filet and blackened shrimp.
A Full Spread of Fried Fish, Southern-Style
Martin's Fish House
5249 Clinton Blvd.
Serving chicken wings, pork chops and other Southern favorites, the menu at Martin's Fish House also boasts a large selection of fried fish dishes. Customers can choose from fried pan trout, fried catfish, whole catfish, catfish steak, catfish nuggets, tilapia and several other fishy options. Complete your meal at Martin's with their golden-brown hushpuppies or French fries.