Our intrepid restaurant columnist heads to this college town and digs into everything from a gussied-up grilled cheese to the best chicken on a stick you’ll ever have in a gas station.
Handy Andy Grocery & Market
DOUBLE CHEESEBURGER
This little market captures Oxford’s small-town vibe. Go for the double cheeseburger: two quarter-pound patties cooked to order on a flattop. They’re juicy on the inside with a crisp char around the edges—the perfect foil for gooey melted American cheese. $4.18; 662/234-4621
Rice & Spice Thai Kitchen
CRISPY CATFISH SALAD
Sam Thamutok, a Bangkok native, channels The Delta in this rendition of laab pla, a salad of chopped fresh greens and crispy fried catfish, tossed in a mix of chili paste, lemon, roasted ground rice, and Thai basil. $10.95; 662/801-9338
Snackbar
SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD
With vegetables from local Woodson Ridge Farms, chef Vishwesh Bhatt gives a toss of sweet-potato-pickling liquid and EVOO to house-made yogurt, watermelon radish, coal-roasted beets, carrots, pickled sweet potatoes, fennel stalk, toasted pistachios, and mixed spring lettuces. $10; snackbaroxford.com
Ravine
SMOKED RABBIT AND AREPAS
About 15 minutes outside town, this cottage-style restaurant serves its rabbit cold-smoked over applewood, braised in chicken stock, and situated atop a crispy corn arepa with grain mustard crema. $9; oxfordravine.com
My Guys Biscuits & Bar-B-Que
SMOKED CHICKEN BISCUIT
Ms. Earline Hall has been making buttermilk biscuits for 22 years, and My Guys was smart enough to snatch her up when it first opened under its original name, Embers, in 2013. Tuck in the smoked chicken with egg and ivory barbecue sauce for one fine breakfast. $2.99; 662/238-3565
City Grocery
SHRIMP AND GRITS
The menu changes often at chef John Currence’s flagship, but you can’t miss the shrimp, bathed in white wine, garlic, scallions, and lemon, sitting on coarsely ground Original GritGirl cheese grits, topped with mushrooms and bacon. $27; citygroceryonline.com
Oxford Canteen
BEEF BRISKET GRILLED CHEESE WITH SRIRACHA MAYO
Duck down the alley by The Lyric Oxford theater to order through a walk-up window. Chef Corbin Evans braises brisket in sweet onions, celery, tomatoes, and peppers, then piles Texas-size slices with white Cheddar on sourdough. $10; oxfordcanteen.com
Corners Chevron
CHICKEN ON A STICK
No one does fried better than a Mississippi gas station. For over 30 years, the late-night Oxford crowd has headed to the 4 Corners Chevron for chunks of all-white meat dredged in seasoned flour, fried, and threaded kebab-style onto a wooden stick. Brides even serve this icon at their wedding receptions. $3.99; 662/234-0275
Bottletree Bakery
BLUEBERRY BRIOCHE
At this diner-style bakeshop, beeline to the pillowy brioche, a sweet yeast dough dusted in sugar and stuffed with cream and blueberry filling. $3.85; 662/236-5000
The Second Line
ANDOUILLE + CRAWFISH + PIMENTO CHEESE FRIES
In this dish by Ole Miss alum chef Kelly English, andouille gravy, gumbo-style crawfish, and melted pimiento cheese cascade over hand-cut fries. Beware: It beckons like The Grove to a bottle of bourbon. $12; chefkellyenglish.com
