College towns often have a very vibrant food scene from town to town. Oxford, Mississippi, where I did my college years, is no exception. The home of the University of Mississippi or as it is more affectionately known, “Ole Miss”. Oxford for a long time was that small, sleepy, southern town in northeastern Mississippi that was for all intents, a little quiet town off the beaten path. When I lived there it was not unusual to run into a literary figure of one frame or the other, a celebrity passing through on an occasional movie shooting wasn’t unusual either. With all the former student-athletes who have gone on to do well in the pros, you never really knew who you may run into. One example, these days, Actor Morgan Freeman has become a regular at the Pavillion for Ole Miss Men’s basketball games. Today’s Oxford has been featured in almost every “best of” list that you can think of from Southern Living’s best tailgating to retirement lists, best collegiate towns, everything.
The only downside, restaurants may have a short life span here. There are many “anchor” restaurants, but there are some who have disappeared over the last 14 years or so. While I can’t say something about all of them, I do want to highlight a few and encourage you to visit as well. You will roll out of town for sure having had a chance to experience a wide palate of food options. Let me point you to their chamber website too as a resource for you should you check Oxford out. On to a few specific restaurants though-
City Grocery, a longtime Oxford staple is an upscale opportunity when you are visiting. You’ll find a variety of vegetable, fish, chicken, and beef dishes to choose from on their menus, and yes, the dessert list is rock solid so my sweet tooth is satisfied there every-single-time.
At Proud Larry’s, you will find a menu of Italian-esque fare with lots of pasta, pizzas, and some specialty sandwich pieces too. Larry’s is another long-time staple that established both a food and a hipster music presence back in the mid-90s and hasn’t let up since.
If the square scene where City Grocery and Larry’s are located is not your deal, and you want to get something to eat, go back to where you are staying and just “chill”, I wouldn’t be in the south if I didn’t throw out a good barbecue place too. One of the best BBQ places in town defines “hole in the wall” as it is tucked away in the back end of town but is worth it for both cost and quality, Handy Andy’s BBQ. It really is just old school serve it over the counter from the line style BBQ. It’s worth the time and effort to go by if BBQ is your style.
The variety of food type of restaurant here ranges well across the board. Everything from fried chicken tenders to upscale gourmet, to specialized old-style southern breakfasts. Some tips though. Plan ahead, dependent on the time of year, the restaurants fill up very quickly. You may need a reservation, you may just be able to do call ahead-it depends on the restaurant. If you are thinking of a sit-down meal say around the Double-Decker Festival in the spring, or during football season in the fall. Plan ahead, and plan an hour or so ahead of when you are thinking.
One way or the other, bring a healthy appetite when you visit Oxford and prepare to eat your way through town, you’ll have a fabulous experience and maybe stumble across a famous face or two along the way.
