LOU’S FULL SERV - Belhaven
This Belhaven refuge combines a sort of woodsy feel with a novel almost steampunk industrial vibe to create an eminently comfortable neighborhood hang. The bar and lounge area are great places to enjoy a craft cocktail or beer while you wait for a table to open up, which is a common occurrence at this popular eatery. Patience is rewarded with a seasonal menu of dishes inspired by Southern, French and Creole influences. Even with so many excellent choices on the menu, the No.7 Burger with candied bacon and tomato-bacon aioli is always a power move.

URBAN FOXES - Belhaven Heights
This family-owned pie shop is located in a lovely restored Craftsman-style bungalow divided into many distinct spaces where you can find people working quietly on their laptops or sharing a flight of sweet and savory scones. They take their coffee very seriously at Urban Foxes, and that care is evident in each deliciously complex cup that they brew. Evenings feature occasional live music and trivia nights, so there’s always something going on in the Foxes’ den.

ELVIE’S RESTAURANT - Belhaven
Take a virtual trip to a cozy European bistro at this all-day café in Belhaven. The former residential home has been converted into an attractive oasis with gleaming brass accents and a sparkling white marble bar where they serve specialty coffee drinks during the day and inventive cocktails at night. The menu also skews European with seasonal fare made using fresh ingredients and a thoughtful attitude toward sourcing. From fresh breads and egg dishes at breakfast and lunch to classic French dishes like Duck Confit Cassoulet and Steak Frites at the evening meal, Elvie’s knows exactly what sort of restaurant they want to be and maintains a laser focus on their food. Pro tip: show up early - or stay after - to visit their sister establishment nextdoor, open-air cocktail bar, Good Bar.

PULTIO OSTERIA - Belhaven
Pulito Osteria is an Italian-inspired restaurant with handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and seasonal Italian cooking curated by Jackson, MS native Chef Chaz Lindsay. Located at the Belhaven Town Center, Pulito boasts a robust menu filled with thoughtfully curated food and beverages that residents of Jackson are already raving about, praising the restaurant as a new mainstay in the Jackson community. The restaurant offers a menu unlike any other in Mississippi, putting an elegant Southern flair on traditional Italian dishes.

FENIAN'S IRISH PUB - Belhaven Heights
Fenian’s has been around since 1996. This restaurant is a sit-down place with that great pub feel to it and a lovely Irish-inspired menu.Look for curry poutine (chips, sharp cheddar cheese and curry sauce), Scotch eggs made with Irish sausage, farm eggs, pickled onions and mustard, and leek and potato soup. The menu also boasts burgers, “paddy” melts and a Mississippi Reuben sandwich. You can’t leave without trying the famous whiskey bread pudding and Guinness chocolate pot de crème.

LIBRARY LOUNGE - Belhaven
An experience at the intimate lounge at the Fairview Inn really does feel like being served a fine cocktail in the clubby library of a family friend. The bookshelf-lined walls of the library of the former Fairview Mansion are still filled with historic tomes, many written by Mississippi authors. The personal service from the talented bartenders is exemplary, and the Library offers one of the best happy hours in town from 4:00 until 6:00 Monday through Friday.

KEIFER'S ON POPLAR - Belhaven
Just across Poplar Boulevard from its original location, Keifer's is a longtime fixture in the Belhaven neighborhood. Opened in 1980, “Jackson didn’t know what hummus was, or gyros or falafel or cottage fries,” current general manager Chip Holden explains. Keifer’s was also one of the very first restaurants in the Jackson area to offer outdoor seating. Today, the menu hasn't changed and the decor - painstakingly recreated from the original location - lives on.

THE MANSHIP - Belhaven
Focusing on wood-fired meats, seafood and pizzas and boasting the largest whiskey collection in town, The Manship sounds like it would be named after a decidedly masculine sailing vessel. In truth, the name comes from the historic gothic revival mansion located not too far from the restaurant in Belhaven. The Manship strives to utilize whole animal cookery whenever possible out of respect for the farmers and their livestock that provide the proteins. This philosophy shows up throughout the Mediterranean-leaning menu from charcuterie boards of cured meats to pasta sauces to pizza toppings.

FERTILE GROUND BEER COMPANY - Belhaven
Whether you're a local Jacksonian or visiting the capital city, new experiences are always exciting, especially when it involves craft beer.Opened in May 2022, Fertile Ground Beer Co. is the first craft brewery located in Jackson's historic Belhaven neighborhood. "Our 'core four' which consists of a pale ale, a german style pilsner, a light lager, and a sessionable IPA," said one of the partners in the project, Matthew McLaughlin. "Beyond that, we will have a couple of different IPAs - West Coast, hazy, imperial - a peach berliner, and possibly a chocolate stout. Once we are... keeping regular schedule, we will always have a the core four, a rotating IPA series, a rotating lager series, a different fruited sour each month, a couple of seasonals, and some one-offs."

SUNFLOWER OVEN - Belhaven Heights
Open most days with a selection of breads, pastries, and prepared foods, the bakery is a cooperative, meaning the business prioritizes people over profits. Along with natural yeast strains, Sunflower Oven is committed to using only flour "grown and sown" locally in the South. The bakery offers fresh foods that "show people that bread does not have to weigh you down" - treating it like it's fresh produce. Find them on Saturday mornings at the Mississippi Farmers Market.

THE PIZZA SHACK - Belhaven Heights
The Pizza Shack began in 2005, offering artfully made pizzas using dough and sauce made in-house daily. In addition to the standard options, there are unique offerings, including Andy’s buffalo chicken pizza, chicken curry delight pizza, the Greek pizza, double cheeseburger pizza, chicken fajita pizza and Mexican fiesta pizza. Ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, and each pie is made to order. And because so many young people survive on pizza while in college, The Pizza Shack offers a ten percent discount to college students. (Pro tip: call in orders ahead of time, then be prepared to wait. It’s worth it).