Mississippi is culturally rich and a melting pot of traditions from around the globe. It's the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock 'n' roll.
It's a state that has produced writers such as William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, Margaret Walker Alexander and John Grisham.
It's also a state that's known for food. From Southern classics to Louisiana flavors and influences from far away, Mississippi offers a dining experience like no other state.
And there's no shortage of great restaurants, either. So, with summer officially beginning soon, many people will have a little more time on their hands, making it an excellent time to take a drive and experience something different.
Below are five restaurants outside the Jackson area that are definitely worth the drive.
Mr. D's Fried Chicken at the Old Country Store in Lorman
If you're looking for atmosphere, entertainment and possibly the best fried chicken and cornbread you've ever put in your mouth, look no further than the Old Country Store in Lorman.
Owned by Arthur Davis, more commonly called Mr. D, Mr. D's Fried Chicken has put Lorman on the map. Davis credits his grandmother for his cooking and calls her the "Cornbread Cooking Queen." On the other hand, he calls himself the "Chicken Cooking King."
And he may very well be. He's been featured in the likes of Southern Living and on the Food Network, among others.
But it's not all about chicken and cornbread. Davis' buffet includes southern favorites like mustard greens, collard greens, candied yams, sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, pork chops, smoked ribs, potato salad, green salad, biscuits and, of course, apple, blackberry and peach cobblers.
If you're lucky, he may belt out his signature song about his grandmother, the Cornbread Cooking Queen.
Location: 18801 US 61, Lorman
Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every day
Contact: 601-437-3661 or oldcountrystorelorman@gmail.com
Distance from downtown Jackson: 73 miles, about 1 hour and 20 minutes
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Soul Food cooked with love at The Cooking Diva in Canton
It's all about soul food at The Cooking Diva in Canton and the mouth-watering menu keeps customers coming back.
Owner April Hood started the restaurant in 2018 and it has developed quite a following. Hood said on her busiest days, Thursdays, she serves around 175 lunches out of the 19th Century home.
And the food carries on that feeling of home. Hood said her grandmother was her inspiration for cooking and the menu offers homestyle goodness such as meatloaf, beef tips with rice, smothered steak or pork chops and fried chicken. Sides are reminders of home too such as mac and cheese, green beans and sweet potato casserole. Hood describes her meals as what you ate on Sundays when you were growing up and said they're cooked with love.
Those homestyle meals have hit home with customers. The Cooking Diva has an impressive 4.8-star rating on Google.
Location: 123 Depot Drive, Canton
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Monday-Saturday
Contact: 601-407-6212 or thecookingdivacatering@gmail.com
Distance from downtown Jackson: 26 miles, about 35 minutes
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Los Molcajetes is a Flora gem hidden in plain sight
Blink and you'll miss it.
Los Molcajetes is in a strip mall on US 49 in Flora, but it's hard to see from the highway. It's tiny and cozy on the inside, but the food is huge on authentic Mexican flavor.
Roberto Amaro, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Sandra, said he moved from Mexico to the U.S. in 1990 and brought the flavors of his home country and his love of cooking with him. His basic approach is simple: make it fresh and make it yourself.
Amaro said all of his ingredients are fresh and everything is made there on site, down to the salsa as well as the seasoning mixes and sauces.
The restaurant has many Mexican favorites, but one of his biggest sellers is carnitas. It's a type of Mexican pulled pork and customers order it on everything from fajitas to burritos. The carnitas tacos topped with fresh cilantro, onions, tomatillo sauce and lime juice are truly a treat.
Location: 740 U.S. 49, Flora
Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m. on Friday
Contact: 601-879-3301 or www.facebook.com/molcajetes.flora
Distance from downtown Jackson: 26 miles, about 27 minutes
Experience Creole and southern cuisine at Loveys in Vicksburg
Vicksburg is well known for its military history, historic homes dating back to 1700, museums and its views of the Mississippi River and Yazoo Diversion Canal.
Take a drive to this restaurant and you'll probably add Loveys Seafood & Grill to the list.
It's a mix of Southern and Creole cuisine, and rightly so. Owner Charles Smith grew up in Vicksburg and was trained to cook in New Orleans. Smith said his passion for cooking came from his mother and the restaurant is named after her.
Smith said his offerings start out as fresh as possible. His burger is never frozen and ground daily. His steaks are cut by hand to order. The rosemary he uses is picked fresh from his back yard and everything is made from scratch.
All the freshness and passion come together in dishes like the popular Hilly City Pasta that includes shrimp, crawfish and andouille. Other favorites are grilled oysters and blackened catfish topped with a crawfish and shrimp cream sauce.
On the Southern side, hamburger steak topped with his house gravy is also a favorite among customers.
Location: 3505 Pemberton Square Boulevard, Vicksburg
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m-4 p.m. Sunday
Contact: 601-501-7982 or loveysseafoodgrill@gmail.com
Distance from downtown Jackson: 49 miles, about 47 minutes
Try award-winning catfish at Shivers Creek in Crystal Springs
Mississippi is known for catfish and Shivers Creek Fish House cooks them in an award-winning fashion.
According to Mississippi Magazine, Shivers Creek Fish House was voted as the top spot for catfish in 2022, 2023 and again in 2004. It serves fresh Mississippi farm-raised catfish that have never been frozen for a taste that's hard to beat. Online reviews give it 4.9 stars on Restaurantji, 5 stars on Tripadvisor and 4.9 stars on Google.
Of course, they have fried catfish fillets, but they're also available whole. Customers can choose how many fillets or whole fish they want or an unlimited platter for $21.99. Blackened catfish are also served. Sides are Southern classics such as cole slaw, turnip greens, fries and hush puppies.
There's more to choose from than just catfish. Fresh Gulf oysters, shrimp and grilled, wild-caught Atlantic salmon are also on the menu. Customers can also choose from poboys, burgers and chicken and the desserts are home-made.
Location: 24188 MS 27, Crystal Springs
Hours: 4:30-9 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 4-9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
Contact: 601-281-5241 or malleyproperties@gmail.com
Distance from downtown Jackson: 26 miles, about 28 minutes
Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: These Mississippi restaurants are worth the drive from Jackson
