Rising Culinary Stars In Jackson, Mississippi

As Jackson grows and matures as a city, new dining establishments continue to make splashes as exciting additions to the restaurant community. It’s hard to keep up with all of them sometimes, but it sure is a delicious task to try.

tomato pie at Crazy Cat
Tomato pie at Crazy Cat Eat Up
Credit: Ben Hon

Crazy Cat Eat Up

Crazy Cat Eat Up started out as just a bakery, but soon customers began clamoring for them to expand into a full-service restaurant offering lunch throughout the week and dinner on Thursday through Saturday night. Serving elegantly plated inventive dishes that range from salads to sandwiches to seafood, Crazy Cat focuses on seasonal food presented in an unfussy Southern ambiance, like dining in your favorite grandma’s tearoom. (Providing she was a very good cook, of course.) True to their baking heritage, the desserts at Crazy Cat are insanely delicious.

SAMBOU'S AFRICAN KITCHEN

This family-run eatery utilizes Gambian culinary methods to deliver a scrumptious menu that excites the senses and delights the palate. Opened by Jospeh Sambou in 2022, Sambou’s was recognized as a James Beard Semifinalist for “Best New Restaurant” and was also named to the New York Times’ “25 Restaurant Dishes We Couldn’t Stop Thinking About This Year.

Aplos

Fire and food come together at this modern Mediterranean eatery where the kitchen revolves around an Italian pizza oven and an eight-spit rotisserie where meats turn and cook slowly to lock in flavors. These meats are the centerpiece of the menu which features salads, wraps and rice bowls made using shawarma-style chicken or beef, souvlaki pork or lamb or falafel for a vegetarian option. The rest of the menu is like a tour of the Mediterranean with pizzas, Middle Eastern mezze small plates and Greek-inspired side dishes.

a Dutch Baby at Elvie's
The Dutch Baby at Elvie's
Credit: Cody McCain

Elvie’s Restaurant

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.

Pulito Osteria

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.

A culinary guide curated in partnership with The Local Palate and writer Chris Chamberlain

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