Hungry for the kind of lunch that makes you glance at the clock all morning? Mississippi’s blue plate specials deliver hot comfort, hometown stories, and the kind of value that keeps regulars loyal.
These are the plates that run out fast, the cornbread that disappears first, and the desserts you promise to split but never do. Bring an appetite and a little patience, because the best meals here are worth lining up for.
Primos Cafe – Flowood, Mississippi
At Primos Cafe in Flowood, the lunch rush feels like a reunion you somehow got invited to. Plates fly from the kitchen stacked with fried chicken, meatloaf, or turkey and dressing, flanked by creamy mashed potatoes and shiny buttered corn.
You smell yeast rolls before you see them, and somehow a slice of caramel cake always lands on your table.
Blue plates change daily, but the hospitality is constant. Prices stay friendly, portions generous, and the tea flows like conversation.
Get there early for the best choices, because locals really do watch the clock and slide in right before noon.
You will leave full, happy, and plotting your next visit. Save room for pie.
Or don’t, and thank yourself later.
Blue & White – Tunica, Mississippi
The Blue & White in Tunica is a time capsule with a lively heartbeat. Slide into a booth and order the blue plate before the lunch bell really rings, because those country fried steaks vanish fast.
There is plenty of gravy, crisp green beans, and mac and cheese that clings to your fork like a promise.
Locals swap stories while servers keep sweet tea topped without asking. Desserts sit in a glass case, tempting you with tall meringue pies.
You tell yourself you will only have a bite, then mysteriously the plate is empty.
Prices are fair, flavors honest, and the pace refreshingly human. It is a roadside treasure worth a detour.
Come hungry and leave smiling.
Taylor Grocery – Taylor, Mississippi
Taylor Grocery wears its rustic soul proudly, where catfish is nearly a religion. The blue plate here often means golden filets, hushpuppies that whisper secrets, and slaw that cuts right through all that crispy richness.
Bring cash and patience, because the line tells you everything you need to know.
Inside, guitars hang and laughter bounces off the wood. Portions are ample, sauces craveable, and the hushpuppies arrive hot enough to fog your glasses.
Add a side of fries, because why not lean into joy?
You will linger, sip sweet tea, and lose track of time. This is small-town Mississippi at its friendliest.
The catfish alone is worth the drive.
Betty’s Place – Indianola, Mississippi
Betty’s Place in Indianola feels like Sunday dinner landed in the middle of the week. The blue plate line showcases baked chicken, pork chops, or meatloaf, plus sides that taste like somebody’s grandma made them.
Turnip greens, yams, and cornbread arrive steaming, and you will swear the banana pudding winks at you.
Service is swift but never rushed. Regulars know the drill and newcomers catch on quickly.
You slide your tray, make tough choices, and wonder if ordering two meats is allowed.
It is the kind of lunch that fuels a great afternoon. Prices are kind, flavors familiar, and the porch breeze hits just right.
Expect to crave a nap afterward.
Doe’s Eat Place – Greenville, Mississippi
Doe’s Eat Place is famous for steaks at night, but lunchtime blue plates hold their own. Delta tamales under chili, a simple salad, and fries steal hearts in a hurry.
The setting is gloriously unfancy, with history layered into every scuffed doorway.
Servers move fast, and the whole room hums with stories. You can smell onions hit the grill and hear laughter ripple from table to table.
Prices are fair for the legend you are tasting.
Get there early if you are eyeing the daily special. Tamales sell quick.
Leave room for nostalgia, because it comes free with every plate.
The Dinner Bell – McComb, Mississippi
The Dinner Bell is a spinning feast, literally. You sit at a round table with a lazy susan groaning under fried chicken, peas, greens, and fresh cornbread.
You nudge the carousel, pass a plate, and share smiles with strangers like old friends.
It is family style without fuss and a master class in Southern hospitality. Blue plate lovers adore the rhythm here, where everything tastes freshly cooked.
The peach cobbler arrives warm, begging for just one more spoonful.
Come early, stay flexible, and enjoy the ritual. Prices make sense and portions are generous.
You will walk out full and a little delighted with people again.
Abe’s Bar-B-Q – Clarksdale, Mississippi
Abe’s Bar-B-Q sits at a crossroads of smoke and blues. For a blue plate craving, pile up chopped pork or ribs, beans, slaw, and a slice of white bread that soaks up every last drip.
The sauce is tangy, the smoke honest, and the vibe pure Clarksdale.
Lunchtime moves quickly, but nobody rushes your plate. Blues posters watch over every bite like old friends.
Ask for extra pickles and thank me later.
Prices stay reasonable, and portions keep you satisfied till supper. It is a meal that tastes like the Delta itself.
You will leave with sticky fingers and a happy grin.
Marshall Steakhouse – Holly Springs, Mississippi
Marshall Steakhouse might be known for beef, but the lunch blue plate is a sleeper hit. Chicken-fried steak with cream gravy, bright green beans, and a warm roll checks every comfort box.
Portions are generous enough to share, though you probably will not.
The room feels lodge-like, with sunlight catching on polished wood and the hum of locals catching up. Service is friendly, quick, and proud of the kitchen’s pace.
Prices match the value on the plate.
Arrive ahead of the rush for the best pick of sides. The mashed potatoes deserve a spotlight.
You will head out the door content and already planning a return.
Highway One Fish Market – Greenville, Mississippi
Highway One Fish Market keeps it straight: fresh, hot, and fast. The blue plate leans seafood, especially catfish fried crisp and served with hushpuppies that crackle when you bite.
Slaw cools things down, fries keep it classic, and lemon wedges brighten every piece.
It is counter service with a smile, and the line moves because they know their craft. Prices are friendly, and the fish tastes like it just left the water.
You will finish and consider ordering another round.
Grab extra napkins and a second tea for the road. This is Greenville lunch at its most satisfying.
Simple food, done right, right on time.
H.D. Gibbes & Sons – Learned, Mississippi
H.D. Gibbes & Sons feels like stepping into a storybook.
Part mercantile, part eatery, it serves a blue plate that tastes like Sunday supper. Think roast beef over rice and gravy, butter beans, and a biscuit that breaks into perfect steam.
Old shelves line the walls, and a chalkboard announces today’s fixings. Locals greet you like they have known you forever.
Prices are gentle, but the memories are the real value.
Get there early, because the best meats sell first. Save room for whatever dessert just came out of the oven.
You will leave warmed from the inside out.
Penn’s Fish House Restaurants – Canton, Mississippi
Penn’s Fish House in Canton is a dependable go-to for quick, satisfying plates. The blue plate leans fried catfish or chicken tenders, with slaw, fries, and hushpuppies that practically leap off the tray.
You grab a booth, sip tea, and settle into a reliable rhythm.
Service is quick, prices friendly, and families fill the room with happy chatter. The batter is crisp without heaviness, which is its own small miracle.
Ask for extra hushpuppies and thank yourself later.
It is comfort by the basket, finished before you know it. Grab a slice of pie if you see it.
Lunch done right and right on schedule.
Brent’s Drugs – Jackson, Mississippi
Brent’s Drugs in Jackson brings movie-set nostalgia with real-deal flavor. The blue plate might be meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas, finished with a buttered roll that disappears fast.
Milkshakes hum behind the counter like a sweet little soundtrack.
Locals crowd the booths, and the staff glides through with practiced ease. Prices are friendly, and the pace encourages lingering.
You will watch the grill sizzle and feel time slow a notch.
Order the special early, then tack on a shake for good measure. It is a lunch that tastes like memory.
When the check lands, you will already want tomorrow’s seat.
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