Concord Inn

This quirky, colorful diner made of Christmas lights, neon signs, and red vinyl booths has been a constant way of life for this college town since 1997. Down home and heartfelt, the restaurant offers a comforting taste of Southern cooking in its most classic form. Skip any apps or salads and jump straight to the plates featuring the likes of cornmeal-dusted and fried catfish or chicken and dumplings. A vegetable platter is another good way to go: Think butter beans, turnip greens, and black-eyed peas. Chocolate chess pie and blueberry cobbler for dessert conclude this lovely salute to the regi

In the heart of Oxford right on the town square, Chef John Currence’s flagship restaurant remains a shining culinary light for the region. Open since 1992, the historic dining room is wrapped in red brick, local art, and well-worn wood. The menu is a revolving door of ideas, but the style sticks to the seasons, sources quality product across the region, and largely celebrates Southern cuisine. Think salmon croquettes or a tower of fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade. Shrimp and grits is a house staple for good reason. Cap off the meal with a perfect slice of cake. Portions are generous

In a region where fried catfish is practically a religion, Taylor Grocery stands tall as one of the great stewards of this culinary tradition. Since 1977, crowds have lingered on the front porch waiting for a seat in a rudimentary dining room where scratched walls are covered in scribble and old class photos. There’s no reason to look at a menu. You could dabble in gumbo or poke at a salad, but nothing should distract or deter from ordering a righteous mountain of cornmeal-dusted, golden-fried catfish flanked by an avalanche of hushpuppies. Tartare sauce and ketchup on the table complete the p