Ben Napier Shares Where To Get Some of the Best Fried Catfish and Cheese Grits in Mississippi

Next time you find yourself with a hankering for classic Southern fare in Meridian, Mississippi, Ben Napier knows exactly where you should head.

In an Instagram post, the HGTV Home Town star, extolled the virtues of Jean's, a beloved haunt for over 40 years in the Eastern Mississippi city that's about an hour northeast of Napier's homebase of Laurel. "A few days ago, I did a solo camping test run up to my parents farm. The morning started off rough, and as I drove north, sweating profusely and madder than [heck], I discovered a silver lining," Napier captions a trio of photos documenting his Jean's adventures. "I would be in @visitmeridian around lunch time and @eatatjeans had posted that they were serving fried catfish and cheese grits. It would've been rude of me to not stop and get a plate that I could eat on the side of the road."

"Gotta keep these small businesses thriving during these hard times. I'm glad to see you're doing your part Ben! Hope you enjoyed that catfish!" one fan of Napier's responded to his post. Another chimed in with "Never be rude when there's cheese grits!" We can't say we disagree with either of these sentiments, and many, ourselves included, suddenly got very hungry upon seeing Napier's third photo, showcasing his Jean's feast.

The popular eatery clearly knows how to make a stellar fried catfish, but they also cook up hits like grilled pimento and cheese, black eyed peas, fried okra, braised cabbage, fried green tomatoes, and more. The restaurant also whips up plenty of tasty desserts like meringue pies.