The Old Country Store (18801 Hwy 61, Lorman) is definitely not in Jackson—it’s about an hour and a half away in Lorman, Mississippi.  On a recent Saturday I took a mini-road trip there, via the Natchez Trace (which takes about two hours), because I had heard they have the best fried chicken in the state, and possibly the country.  That’s the kind of claim you have to check out when you live within 3 hours of it, I think.

The Old Country Store is probably the most charming fried chicken place …

I ended up at Mediterranean Fish & Grill (6550 Old Canton Rd, Ridgeland) when my first choice for lunch in Ridgeland fell through, but I’d been hearing good things about Med Fish (a nickname I just made up) for a while so I was happy to try it.

I wish I had gotten pictures of the inside. It is a large space, mostly a restaurant but also partly a grocery store. Around the edges of the dining area there are shelves of Mediterranean groceries, including dry goods and cheeses and drinks …

Rib Shack (932 J R Lynch St, Jackson) won me over with sides and also more than hit the spot when I had a serious bbq craving.

The ribs were pleasantly tender. They had some pink color, but the taste of smoke didn’t quite shine through the vinegariness of the sauce (which was also sweet, but not quite spicy enough for me).

On my plate, the sides really stood out. The beans were less sweet than at some other places, and some of the sweetness came from lightly caramelized onions–this added an …

Palette Cafe (201 E. Pascagoula St, Jackson) is the Viking-owned cafe inside the Mississippi Museum of Art. The menu seems thoughtful and has several interesting-sounding options; the cafe also offers a daily special which was Red Beans & Rice when we went. We ordered the two most intriguing menu items: The Plantation Sandwich and the White Palette Sandwich.

The menu described the Plantation Sandwich as “Southern cornbread split and layered with smoked turkey and asparagus, more cornbread and topped with hollandaise sauce and crumbled bacon.” It’s as good as it sounds. …

The “soul spaghetti” at Collins Dream Kitchen (1439 Terry Rd, Jackson) is on John T. Edge’s list of 100 Southern foods to try before you die, and I have been hearing good things about the restaurant since before I moved to Jackson. So it’s embarrassing that it took me this long to get there, but I’m glad I finally did.
The restaurant doesn’t look like much on the outside (true of so many of the best places), but inside it is bright and open. You order from a cafeteria line and …

Bully’s (3118 Livingston Rd, Jackson) is a small, homey place that feels very family run—in fact, it feels a bit like someone’s actual home, except with a few more tables.

I know I talk  a lot about BBQ.  I know I usually say it is good.  I always mean it (I tend to only write about food I like), but this time I really mean it. Louise’s Open Pit BBQ (Corner of Hwys 51 and 27, Crystal Springs) is well worth the 30-minute trip (each way) from Jackson.

We only found the restaurant because Google Maps led us wrong in our search for another place in Crystal Springs. We drove by Louise’s, smelled the open pit, and suddenly became hungry.

Louise’s BBQ …