14 Mississippi Meat And Three Cafeterias Where The Home Cooked Sides Always Win
Mississippi knows how to turn a simple plate into pure comfort, and nowhere is that clearer than in its beloved meat and three cafeterias.
Walk through the doors and the first thing that hits you is the lineup of sides that look like they came straight from a grandmother’s kitchen.
These spots take pride in generous scoops, slow simmered flavors, and recipes guarded with real affection. Order for the main dish if you want, but the sides steal the show every time.
1. Bully’s Restaurant (Jackson)
Jackson locals have been lining up at Bully’s since 1982, and honestly, who can blame them? The fried chicken gets all the glory, but regulars know the real treasures are hiding in those steam trays.
Creamed corn that tastes like it came straight from grandma’s kitchen, turnip greens with just the right amount of pot liquor, and squash casserole so good you’ll want seconds before you finish your first helping.
The cafeteria line moves fast, but take your time choosing because every single side deserves a spot on your plate.
2. Ajax Diner (Oxford)
Right in the heart of Oxford’s square sits a diner that knows how to do vegetables right. Ajax serves up Southern comfort with a college town twist, attracting students and professors alike who crave real food.
Their mac and cheese is legendary, with a crispy top that crackles under your fork.
Black-eyed peas seasoned to perfection, butter beans that melt in your mouth, and cornbread muffins warm enough to steam when you break them open.
On game days, the line wraps around the block, and nobody’s complaining.
3. Walnut Hills Restaurant (Vicksburg)
Picture this: lazy Susan tables loaded with more than a dozen dishes spinning past you like a delicious carousel.
Walnut Hills has been serving family-style meals since 1946, and they’ve perfected the art of Southern sides.
Fried okra that’s crispy without being greasy, candied yams sweet enough for dessert, and green beans cooked low and slow with bacon.
Everything gets passed around until you’ve tried every single dish, and then you start over. It’s impossible to leave hungry or disappointed.
4. Romie’s Grocery (Tupelo)
Don’t let the name fool you because Romie’s is way more than just a grocery store. Tucked into a Tupelo neighborhood, this unassuming spot cranks out some of the best home cooking in North Mississippi.
Their mashed potatoes are whipped to fluffy perfection, purple hull peas taste like summer, and the fried green tomatoes have just the right amount of tang.
Local workers pack the place during lunch, grabbing their three sides and fighting over the last piece of cornbread. Call ahead if you want something specific because the good stuff goes fast.
5. Pearl’s Diner (Laurel)
Laurel’s downtown revival brought new energy to the city, but Pearl’s has been keeping folks fed with honest cooking long before HGTV showed up.
This diner specializes in the kind of food your great-aunt would make if she had a restaurant.
Collard greens simmered with smoked turkey, creamy coleslaw with just a hint of sweetness, and baked beans that could convert a vegetarian.
The portions are generous, the prices are fair, and the sweet tea flows freely. Regulars have their favorite tables and their favorite side combinations memorized.
6. The Midtowner (Hattiesburg)
Hattiesburg’s college crowd knows where to find real food when they’re tired of dining hall mystery meat.
The Midtowner dishes out Southern classics that remind students of home cooking, especially those perfectly seasoned sides.
Lima beans cooked until they’re creamy, fried squash with a cornmeal crust, and rice and gravy that soaks into everything on your plate.
The daily specials rotate, but the quality never wavers. Professors and construction workers sit side by side, united by their love of vegetables done right and sweet cornbread that crumbles just so.
7. George’s Museum Café (Jackson)
Eating at George’s feels like having lunch in your quirky uncle’s living room, if your uncle happened to be an amazing cook with impeccable taste.
Art covers the walls, and comfort food fills the plates in this Jackson institution.
Their turnip greens have a cult following, butter beans are creamy perfection, and the cornbread dressing appears on plates year-round, not just Thanksgiving.
The atmosphere is funky and fun, but the food is seriously good. Businesspeople loosen their ties, artists sketch between bites, and everyone agrees the sides outshine everything else.
8. Primos Café (Ridgeland)
When Ridgeland residents need their vegetable fix, they head straight to Primos.
This cafeteria-style favorite keeps the line moving, but people still take their sweet time choosing from the rainbow of sides behind the glass.
Broccoli casserole bubbling with cheese, sweet potato casserole topped with pecans, and green beans that still have some snap to them.
The portions are huge, the flavors are bold, and the servers pile your plate high without judgment. Whether you’re grabbing a quick lunch or settling in for a leisurely meal, those sides make it worth the trip.
9. The Trace Grill (Ridgeland)
Just down the road from Primos, The Trace Grill proves Ridgeland takes its meat and three seriously. This spot focuses on fresh, simple cooking that lets the vegetables speak for themselves without a bunch of fancy tricks.
Cabbage cooked tender with butter, fried okra that stays crispy, and mashed potatoes with real butter and cream. Nothing here tastes like it came from a can or a freezer, and you can tell the difference.
The lunch crowd includes everyone from construction crews to church ladies, all filling their plates with three or four sides.
10. Restaurant Tyler (Starkville)
Starkville’s Restaurant Tyler brings a slightly upscale touch to the meat and three tradition without losing that homestyle soul.
Mississippi State fans and locals pack this place, especially when those perfectly prepared sides start coming out of the kitchen.
Roasted Brussels sprouts that convert haters, creamed corn that tastes like summer, and collards cooked with a modern touch but traditional flavor.
The chef respects the classics while adding just enough creativity to keep things interesting. Even visiting SEC fans admit these might be the best vegetables they’ve ever had at a college town restaurant.
11. Mama Jo’s Country Cookin’ (Oxford)
Mama Jo’s doesn’t mess around with fancy presentations or complicated recipes.
This Oxford favorite sticks to what works: honest country cooking that tastes like somebody’s mama made it, because essentially, that’s exactly what happened here.
Pinto beans simmered all morning, fried green tomatoes with a perfect cornmeal crust, and macaroni and cheese that stretches when you scoop it.
The staff knows most customers by name and remembers their favorite sides. On busy days, the line stretches out the door, but nobody minds waiting for vegetables this good.
12. Bettina’s Soulfood Kitchen (Jackson)
Bettina’s brings serious soul to Jackson’s meat and three scene with flavors that tell stories of tradition, family, and love cooked into every pot.
This isn’t just food but a celebration of African American culinary heritage done right every single day.
Candied yams glazed to perfection, collard greens seasoned with smoked meat, and black-eyed peas that could make a preacher weep.
The portions are generous, the hospitality is genuine, and the sides are so good people order extra to take home. Regulars call ahead to make sure their favorites haven’t sold out yet.
13. The Dinner Bell (McComb)
Way down in McComb, The Dinner Bell rings at lunchtime, and folks come running for what might be Mississippi’s ultimate meat and three experience.
Everything arrives family-style at round tables where strangers become friends over passed bowls and shared silverware.
Fried okra piled high, butter beans swimming in pot liquor, and cornbread so good it needs nothing but a pat of butter. More than twenty dishes circle the table, and the unwritten rule is simple: try everything.
By the time you finish, you’ll understand why people drive hours for these legendary sides and southern hospitality.
14. Mama Hamil’s Southern Cooking (Madison)
Walking into Mama Hamil’s feels like stepping into your favorite aunt’s kitchen on Sunday afternoon.
The aroma of slow-cooked vegetables and seasoned meats fills the air, making your mouth water before you even reach the serving line.
What makes this Madison gem special is the rotating selection of vegetables that change daily. You might find butter beans simmered with ham hocks one day and crispy fried okra the next.
The squash casserole has a loyal following, with its buttery cracker topping that adds the perfect crunch. Regulars know to arrive early because popular sides sometimes sell out by mid-afternoon.