Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the city known as the birthplace of Rock n Roll, is also known for having the highest number of locally-owned restaurants per capita in Mississippi!
If you want to try some delicious local cuisine, check out this list of the best places to eat in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
What Food to Eat in Hattiesburg
Southern food has its flavors that you can’t get in any other part of the country. From delicious fried chicken to boiled crawfish, Hattiesburg has the best of Southern and Mississippi staples.
One fun foodie event Hattiesburg has is the HatiesBURGER trail. There are over 33 locally-owned, non-chain restaurants in Hattiesburg that are included on the trail. Do you think you can eat all of the burgers?
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Places to eat and drink in Hattiesburg MS
1. Birdhouse Cafe
6763 Hwy 98 B
After a long road trip from New Orleans, the first thing that I want to eat is LUNCH! The Birdhouse Cafe is the first stop on this Hattiesburg Foodie list! The Birdhouse Cafe is conveniently built inside an appliance store, a beautiful, Instagrammable cafe with delicious lunch!
With fresh ingredients and food made with love, everything I tried on the menu was delicious. If you look around the restaurant, you may notice a few framed Master Chef Aprons – that is because Chef Katie Dixon was on a season of Master Chef. Even though she did not win, she is undoubtedly winning as one of the yummiest places to eat in Hattiesburg, Ms.
What to order: From fresh juices to acai bowls – I could have eaten everything on the menu. But instead, I went for something a bit heartier. I got The Hubert a tasty turkey sandwich with avocado, spinach, chipotle paleo mayo, served on sprouted bread with a tomato basil soup on the side!
I also ordered The Crooked Rabbit salad because I knew I would be lax on getting my vegetables in. The Crooked Rabbit salad has mixed greens, quinoa, roasted beets & sweet potatoes, pumpkin seeds & apples tossed in a lemon vinaigrette
2. Brass Hat
103 S 30th Ave
While in Hattiesburg, I stayed at the Hotel Indigo and, of course, had to check out the hotel’s bar! The Brass Hat is very impressive for a hotel bar. Each night while we were in town, the bar was full of tourists and locals looking to have a good time.
The Brass Hat also has live music and an extensive menu! If there weren’t so many places to try and things to do, I could have easily spent both evenings listening to music and hanging out so close to my home base.
What to order: Even though I am not a huge seafood lover, shocker being from New Orleans, I have to have a crab cake when I see it on the menu! I ordered the crab cake napoleon, which comes with three fried green tomatoes and two crab cakes covered with remoulade.
Paired with an old-fashioned (made with Makers Mark!), that appetizer was the yummiest thing to get the night started.
3. The Porter
201 WEST PINE STREET
Craft beer lovers rejoice! The Porter is one of the best places to drink beer in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Not only do they brew their own beer, but they have tons of local breweries on tap, in bottles and cans. And, if you are a local or frequent the area, they even have a mug club.
What to order: Make sure you order a flight of The Porter beer or some local brews and wash it down with an order (or two) of the LOADED FRIES Hand-cut fries topped with house-made beer cheese, bacon & chives served with ranch or Wit Sauce.
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4. Depot Kitchen and Market
209 Buschman St
The Depot Kitchen and Market is a yummy breakfast, brunch, and lunch place that strives to give its diners a unique yet familiar experience at the table. The Depot is a great place to stop on your next foodie brunch, from the seasonal, handcrafted lattes to delicious smothered biscuits.
As long as the weather is nice, the outdoor dining at The Depot is the perfect way to start your morning.
What to order: I am always indecisive at brunch, so my sister and I decided to go halfsies on two main meals! Splitting the two entrees was a perfect choice because the Biscuit and Sausage Gravy hit the spot while the Grits and Greens wrapped up the meal.
For me, I would have to say that the perfect meal would have been the cheddar biscuit, sausage gravy, and sunny side-up egg with a side of smoked gouda grits!
Also, we drank dessert first by getting an affogato while waiting for brunch. Who said you couldn’t have ice cream with your espresso?
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5. Art of Roux
301 Mobile St
If there is something that I love, it is a food truck! Now add a food truck with a brewery, and that is the best! The Art of Roux is only open Friday-Sunday and is only located inside the beer garden for Southern Prohibition.
This cajun comfort food is what you need while drinking a flight (or two!) of SoPro Beer.
What to order: Ok, I’m going to admit. I’m 100% the person who looks at a menu ahead of time and knows exactly what they want to order. BUT Art of the Roux tricked me because I was all ready for a HattiesBURGER, but it wasn’t on the menu the day I visited.
Instead, I got the Pork tacos and was not disappointed. The tacos were made with Braised Pork Shoulder, Queso, Cilantro Ranch, Chipotle BBQ, Cilantro and Pickled Onions pork tacos
6. Yard Milkshake
3002 Hardy St Suite 120
Located across the street from Southern Miss, The Yard milkshake is the only chain on this list, but I just had to try it since no one in New Orleans! If you are not familiar with this concept, Yard Milkshake makes Frankenstein-Esq milkshakes with so much sugar and fun you are bound to get a sugar rush.
The milkshake itself is so Instagrammable that that is how I found out about the company. You can try seasonal flavors, and if there is no location near you, you can purchase a milkshake kit through Goldbelly!
7. Donanelle’s Bar & Grill
4321 US 49
If you are looking for something delicious and off the beaten path, look no further than Donanelle’s Bar and Grill. When driving down highway 49, you may think you will never find this place, but keep going because eventually, you will find it.
Donanelle’s motto is that You Can’t Beat my Meat, and there is nothing more accurate than that. The building that Donanelle’s was originally a WWII roadhouse for soldiers! Donanelle’s will make the perfect pit stop after visiting Camp Shelby!
You will want to make sure to bring a dollar with you to sign and tack onto the wall. That way, the next time you visit, you can track down your $1.
What to order: If it is your first time at Donanelle’s, you must order one thing and one thing only – steak! Now you are allowed to decide if you want to get a ribeye, 8, 12, or 16 ounces, a New York Strip Steak, or a Filet Mignon.
I opted for a 12-ounce Ribeye while my sister got the filet mignon. Typically I order filet no matter where I go, but there was something about a huge Ribeye calling my name. Both steaks were cooked in the medium range.
One thing I will note – you are coming here for the atmosphere, food, and fun. The grill is tiny, so make sure you have a Designated Driver and throw back a few beers. Enjoy the live music outside or each other’s company inside.
8. Southbound Bagel & Coffee Shop
217 E Front St, Hattiesburg
After a night on the town, the best thing to do is get a specialty bagel from Southbound Bagle & Coffee shop. Bagels are made fresh every day, and who doesn’t like to sit outside and watch the trains pass by.
After breakfast, you can easily walk around downtown and find some murals and instagrammable spots.
What to order: If you need to get something in your stomach quickly, order the Everything Bagel with bacon scallop cream cheese, it is sure to do the trick—looking for something a little sweeter? The massive Cinnamon rolls will sure make your stomach happy.
9. T-Bones Records & Cafe
2101 Hardy St
Can T-Bones Records be any cuter? This is a full-blow cafe inside of a record shop! You cannot only buy records and used books, but you could also enjoy your coffee or lunch while listening to live music.
You know you are getting close to T-Bones when you see the Birthplace of Rock n Roll mural!
What to order: When I saw that there was a Girl Scout Latte miked with your favorite girl scout cookie, I just knew I had to get one! I had a hard time picking between Samoa and thin mints, but at the end of the day, Samoas always win when it comes to Girl Scout Cookies.
10. Main Squeeze
109 S 31st Ave Suite 40
Main Squeeze is one of my all-time favorite Juice and Smoothie places in New Orleans and I was so excited to see one right across the street from the University of Southern Mississippi! Here you can get delicious juices, smoothies, and even plant-based coffees. It is the perfect pick me up after a weekend of eating and drinking heavy Southern food.
12. Mahogany Bar
3810 Hardy St
If you are looking for a relaxing place to grab a drink or a beer, the Mahogany Bar is for you. Sharing a building with Crescent City Grill, you will need to walk through the restaurant to get to the Mahogany Bar. Their extensive beer and Whiskey menu will make anyone want to stay for a drink or two. Once you order your drink, sit outside in the courtyard and you will feel like you are transported back to New Orleans.
12. Southern Prohibition Brewing
301 Mobile St
Southern Prohibition has an excellent reputation as a great place to get beer, so I was super excited when I got to visit SoPro instead of just getting a beer in a can back home in New Orleans. I’m typically a stout drinker so imagine my surprise when I was able to get an entire flight of delicious stouts!
Southern Prohibition has live music, a food truck, and great beers so you can spend anywhere from just an hour to a whole afternoon hanging around this area!
13. Colludium Brewing Company
2108 W 4th St
Being a self-proclaimed beer girl I wanted to check out the other brewery in town, Colludium Brewing company. Known for their huge game wall, Colludium has between 2-4 of their own brews on tap, but has a large number of other brewery beers on tap for you to try. It is a great way to try some local beers, play a game, and enjoy the afternoon.
Eating and drinking in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Those are just some of the delicious places to eat and drink in Hattiesburg, Mississippi! From off the beaten path steaks to Instagrammable Milkshakes make sure you add Hattiesburg, Mississippi as your next foodie destination.
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