The following recommendations are my personal preferences and opinions. When a craving hits in any of these categories, I hightail it to these places in Jackson, Mississippi. And while I’ve been able to visit a large number of restaurants within one year, there is a long list of places I have yet to visit.

Best Breakfast

Primo’s Cafe | www.primoscafe.com
I love a dependable breakfast/brunch spot, and this has been it so far. Primo’s has a consistently good menu for a meal any time of the day, but the breakfast is what we go for. They serve blue plate special at lunch and dinner, and have a bakery. Just about anything will be good, but for dessert lemon ice box pie, strawberry cake and caramel cake are stellar. (Read my story)

Best Burger

Cherokee Inn | 1410 Old Square Rd, Jackson, MS 39211
Don’t be fooled by appearances. Sometimes the best food isn’t located within the fanciest walls, because this greasy dive has one great burger. The Cherokee offers standard fare such as burgers, sandwiches and a nice plate lunch special during the week. Don’t forget to order chili cheese fries on the side.

Cool Al’s | www.coolals.net
Sometimes in life all you want is a satisfying meal, no frills, with dependable good food. Cool Al’s would be your place in Jackson where they serve up burgers (beef, turkey, vegetarian), chicken sandwiches, homemade lemonade, fresh cut chips and sweet potato fries, milkshakes, malts and root beer floats. They tend to get behind easily, so call your order in ahead of time.

Best Catfish

Cock of the Walk | www.cockofthewalk.biz
It’s a simple restaurant with the only two choices being fried catfish or fried chicken; they know what they are good at. The sides come family style, they flip the cornbread and the catfish or chicken is brought out heaped on pizza platters surrounded by French fries.

Jerry’s Catfish House | www.jerryscatfishhouse.com
Who wouldn’t love eating in an igloo? Besides the appeal of the shape of the restaurant, Jerry’s catfish is fresh, hot, crispy and delicious. The sides are coleslaw, French fries and hush puppies, with the options of sweet potato fries and greens. They have a lot of options, but go with the catfish. (Read my story)

Best Seafood

Mayflower Cafe | 123 W Capitol St., Jackson, MS 39201
If you are walking through downtown Jackson, this is unassuming restaurant with two facades; plate lunch diner by day and expensive seafood menu by night. My first visit was for dinner and seafood dominates the dish selection. They get their fresh fish delivered every day from the Gulf Coast. Try the red fish, snapper, shrimp, whatever is the best for the day, and don’t forget to order a slice of pie for dessert. (Read my story)

Best Pizza

Sal and Mookies | www.salandmookies.com
This New York style pizza and ice cream place is one of the best places to get pizza in Jackson. They have a large menu and an equally large outside sitting area with fans. They offer up salads, sandwiches, panini, Stromboli, pastas, and of course, pizza. The lunch deal is a bargain which includes a slice of the day and a side salad or soup for $5.50.

Soulshine Pizza Factory |  www.soulshinepizza.com
We are sort of self proclaimed pizza snobs, and we have found Soulshine to be the best pizza in Jackson. Their pies are made with fairly thin crust, and there is a wide variety of topping options for whatever your taste may be. The Greek salad and crawfish bisque are perfect on the side. If you can, it’s definitely best to eat at the restaurant to get your slices hot.

Best Asian

Ding How (Chinese) | www.dinghowasianbistro.com
I love Ding How. The food is fresh, comforting and I can’t get enough of it. They offer a great lunch special during the week, dim sum on the weekends and a Chinese menu if you ask for it. (Read my story)

Nagoya (Japanese) | www.nagoya-ms.com
When a sushi craving hits, this is my go-to place for miso, seaweed salad, nigiri, maki rolls, any and all things Japanese. I could eat sushi every day: a spider roll, unagi, the salmon, the tuna, it’s all great. The kind sushi chefs will even make you a special Saints roll if you ask nicely.

Saigon (Vietnamese) | 2640 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, MS 39232
This is a small piece of Asia in the middle of Mississippi. Saigon specializes in Vietnamese food, pho, hot pots, rice and noodle dishes, fruit smoothies with mango, durian, or avocado (to name a few), and coffee drinks. We like to get the pho with thinly sliced beef tenderloin (especially satisfying when feeling under the weather), spring rolls, combination hot pot and mango smoothie. (Read my story)

Spice Avenue (Indian) |  4711 I-55 N, Jackson, MS 39211
There may not be many Indian restaurants around, but Spice Avenue still stands out as serving terrific food. I’ve only visited here during the work day, taking advantage of the lunch buffet. The dishes are always fresh, high quality, and well marked so you know what you are eating. The buffet is a great way to go to sample their extensive menu, and hot, crispy naan is continually brought to your table. (Read my story)

Best Mediterranean

Aladdin Mediterranean Grill | www.aladdininjackson.com
I have a weakness for Greek food (it reminds me of our honeymoon) and to relive our experience we would go to Aladdin’s. Although their tzatziki sauce isn’t exactly authentic, most of the rest of their food is pretty good. Focus on the hummus, kabobs, gyros, spanikopita, and baklava.

Wraps  | 1220 East Northside Drive, Jackson, MS
Tucked away in a strip mall area, Wraps is a hidden little gem. The owner originates from the Northern part of Greece and knows how to make a gyro. Order the gyro with lamb, gyro with pork loin chunks, fresh cut French fries and tzatziki sauce.

Best Mexican

Taqueria de Guatalupe | 6537 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Authentic is the word to describe this Mexican joint’s eats. Every time we go there are more and more people eating up the fantastic enchiladas, tacos, tortas, tamales and burritos. Anything you order will be good. The tacos are topped with fresh avocado, sour cream, savory meat, and limes on the side. We love this place.

Best Fine Dining

The Parker House | www.theparkerhouse.com
This is one of the first really nice restaurants Ben and I ate at in Jackson. It’s located in a house ( I have a weakness for businesses in houses), which creates an intimate, quaint atmosphere. The food is wonderful because the chef focuses on local ingredients, and the dishes have a Southern/Cajun twist. (Read my story)

Walker’s Drive Inn | 3016 N. State St, Jackson, MS 39216 | www.walkersdrivein.com
This is a deceiving place. From the outside you think this is a cute, small drive-inn, but it’s so much more than that. Walker’s serves terrific plate lunch specials during the week; for about $8 you get the main entree, two sides, a salad and roll. During dinner time the atmosphere is stepped up a notch and they bring out the white table clothes, candles, and china. The food is an eclectic mix of American favorites with a Southern twist. Walker’s is my absolute favorite place in Jackson. (Read my story)

Best Southern Cookin’

Mama Hamil’s | www.mamahamils.com
Probably winning two categories for best buffet and best Southern food, Mama Hamil’s really knows how to throw down the gauntlet. With four generations of cooks to their name, they serve up home cookin’ in an enormous barn sized restaurant. The buffet is immense and offers up a number of meats, vegetables, sides and desserts. (Read my story)

Best Places to Please a Crowd

Broad Street Bakery | www.broadstbakery.com
Whether you are in the mood for a salad, pasta, quiche, a wrap, pizzas or a plain ol’ sandwich, Broad Street has you covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Half cafe, half bakery, their menu covers a large number of items, so certainly you can find something to your liking. We’ve had their salads, Croque Mouser, po’boys, most of their sandwiches and soups. (The King Cake is extra fine.)

Keifers | www.keifers.net
Not really Greek but serving up gyros, Keifers always seems to be packed. They have a nice porch, a long list of sandwiches, and food that satisfies. I stick to the chicken gyro with honey mustard and sliced potatoes on the side, but the gyro, BTL, pita mozz, Greek salad, and cucumber salad are also good choices.

Two Sister’s Kitchen | 707 N. Congress St, Jackson
There’s nothing more Southern than a buffet with fried food. Located in an old house in the heart of Jackson, this down home cookin’ buffet features a different meat and staples such as greens, beans, mashed potatoes, grits, fried okra and bread pudding. It’s a pricey at around $30 for two people with drinks (iced tea), but skip a few meals and save up some calories because it’s worth it.