In 1699, Pierre Le Moyne Sieur dIberville claimed Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for France. The impact on gastronomy and culture is still felt today.
Dr. William Glover Austin found therapeutic mineral springs running from the soil a century and fifty years later, and Ocean Springs became renowned. He was aware that the springs may be beneficial to patients. Yet, Native Indians had been visiting the springs for years prior to Dr. Austin’s discovery. They considered the waters to be a precious gift from the Great Spirit and referred to the surrounding territories as E-Ca-Na-Cha-Ha, meaning sacred ground.
Dr. Austin named the town Ocean Springs when he erected the Ocean Springs Hotel on Jackson Avenue in 1854. Because of the medicinal effects of the springs, the excellent temperature, and the lovely seashore, the hotel sector developed up around them. Several of the top Ocean Springs eateries sprung up shortly after.
Not long after, the Civil War wreaked havoc on the coastal economy. The Union Navy landed from the USS Hartford and captured any firearms and supplies they could locate. In 1861, the local males enlisted in the Live Oak Rifles, Company A, 3rd Mississippi Regiment, and many families relocated north to become farmers.
The constructed L & N Railroad attracted northern tourists and rich southerners back to the baths about 1870. The modest hotels were open for business. Ocean Springs witnessed a property boom, attracting wealthy developers to construct resorts and golf courses. Northerners used the railroad to get away from the cold, while southerners used it to get away from Yellow Fever.
The War Memorial Bridge, one of the roads, linked Biloxi with Ocean Springs, making it easier to get to the city by automobile.
Ocean Springs’ art scene was also expanding. Shearwater Pottery, developed by artist Peter Anderson, has achieved worldwide acclaim. Walter Inglis Anderson, a great watercolor painter, worked with Peter at Shearwater but was never properly recognized for his efforts. Walter’s paintings is now the subject of a museum, which opened in 1991.
There is a lot to do at Ocean Springs. A quaint downtown with boutique stores and live music venues where you may take your beverages to go across the entertainment sector. You’ll also find numerous various ethnic eateries, some with French, Cajun, and Creole influences, as a reference to Ocean Springs’ heritage.
These vary from a well-known doughnut business to fine dining. Of course, there’s the beach, which has spectacular views of the Gulf of Mexico and is alive with the best seafood offered in restaurants all along Mississippi’s coast.
Visiting other places in Mississippi? Check out our other tasty guides:
- 5 Best Biloxi Restaurants
- 18 Must-Try Jackson, MS Restaurants & 15 Fun Things To Do In Jackson MS
- 7 Must-Try Bay St. Louis Restaurants
- 10 Best Must-Try Oxford Restaurants, Mississippi
- 5 Best Natchez MS Restaurants
- The 7 Best Mexican Restaurants In Jackson MS
- 6 Best Jackson MS BBQ Restaurants
The Top 9 Restaurants in Ocean Springs
Vestige
228-818-9699715 Washington Avenue
Vestige is a little and one-of-a-kind item. Obtaining a table here is similar to getting tickets to your favorite concert—difficult it’s to acquire, but once seated, each dish is mind-blowing until the next course comes. Vestige was founded in 2013 by Alex Perry and his wife Kumi Omori in a contemporary minimalist environment that seems exquisite, much like their tasting menus.
Perry was a James Beard Foundation semi-finalist for Best Chef in the South in 2019. Perry had no intention of being a James Beard semi-finalist; in fact, he had no intention of becoming a chef at all. Alex intended to pursue a career as an epidemiologist at the University of South Alabama in Mobile.
Then he changed his mind and enrolled at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Miami. His former expertise is useful, but his ingenuity prompted him to choose a career more aligned with his interests.
His expanding aim is to highlight local goods and providers, as well as natural flora and wildlife to his Gulf Coast area. Each dish is a delight thanks to the combination with his idea of Japanese cuisine. The presentation is comparable to a piece of art. Kumi makes all of the bread and sweets, which are both beautiful and tasty. She is a native of Japan who is inspired by nature and inspires her spouse.
The dinner is a tasting menu that varies seasonally and is inspired by what the purveyors have. It starts with an amuse bouche, followed by a first, second, bread course, third, and dessert. The service is great, and each meal is described. It costs roughly $76.00 per person, including tax and tip.
The dinner at Vestige that evening began with a foie gras mousse, preserved cherry leaf, crushed strawberries, and a strawberry fluid gel. Everything was edible, and the method was great at extracting tastes. You’ve never had strawberries like this before.
After that were small dishes of marinated cherry tomatoes and pan-seared wild gulf caught red snapper with roasted and pickled beets. Then there’s milk bread with strawberry butter, wagyu beef with sea urchin, and chocolate gnoise with Ponchatoula strawberry, ginger, almonds, and orange diplomat cream.
It was a memorable trip that took advantage of the finest of what Coastal Mississippi has to offer. Alex and Kumi are artists whose medium is food.
The Crawfish Restaurant
+122821516891801 Government St #3942, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564, USA
The Crawfish House is a wonderful family-owned restaurant in Ocean Springs. Nothing beats a relaxing evening with friends and family over great conversation and delicious seafood.
Picnic tables and high-top tables are available both outdoors and indoors. There are also roll-up garage doors with fans. I really liked the classic rock music choices.
My companion ordered the shrimp boil plate, which arrived in a little boat, while I had shrimp and grits. These shrimp and grits were among the greatest I’ve ever tasted!
I really liked the shrimp and grits since they were both wonderfully cooked. The grits were really creamy. Yum! The sauce was what set this meal apart. It tasted like both an Alfredo sauce and a Bechamel sauce. Whatever it was, it was fantastic.
I definitely suggest this restaurant to anybody looking for a great breakfast!
Cheryl’s Steak House is a steakhouse.
+122887599221306 Bienville Blvd, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564, USA
Cheryls on the Beach is an Ocean Springs institution. The Mississippi Beef Council even named it the state’s best steak.
Their steak is tender and juicy, their salad dressing is homemade, and their onion rings are to die for. The atmosphere is excellent, and the staff is quite kind.
The steaks we ordered were delicious and prepared to our specifications. The fried and sautéed mushrooms are both delicious. Their salad dressings are all created from scratch and wonderful.
Sides and appetizers are also excellent. Despite the fact that they do not serve wine, you are welcome to bring your own and use their bottle openers.
If you’re in the Ocean Springs area, swing by Cheryls for a fantastic steak. You will not be sorry!
Eat, Drink, and Be Loved
Porter Avenue, +1 (228) 217-7160604
Eat Drink Love, located on the ground level of the wonderfully renovated Roost Boutique Hotel, is a cheerful, bright restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The fresh meals that caterer and owner Lauren Taranto passionately prepares everyday are the greatest aspect of this informal diner and market.
She is picky about her ingredients and produces everything from scratch for her catering and restaurant clientele. Her breakfast selections include childhood favorites that have been enhanced.
Lauren’s rendition of a pop-tart, a huge cinnamon bun, or a basic house-made buttermilk biscuit are all options. If you’re looking for a larger meal, there’s a complete menu of breakfast sandwiches, platters, and bowls. If you come for lunch, you may have small nibbles or gourmet sandwiches.
A favorite is the chicken salad with cranberries, pecans, and pepperoncini on your choice of bread with spring mix. Homemade soups or classic salads with add-ons like chicken or salmon are other tasty options.
I attempted to eat healthily by ordering the Signature house salad with feta, red onion, tomato, cucumber, artichoke hearts, and pepperoncini over romaine and spring greens and topped with a nicely grilled piece of salmon. But I couldn’t pass up Lauren’s massive chocolate chip cookies for dessert.
If you’re planning a picnic at the beach, you may buy a boxed lunch, or for a larger occasion, the catering menu for lunch or brunch is ideal for a large group. It is a must-see while visiting Ocean Springs.
Pastries with a French Kiss
228-215-1160910A Washington Avenue
A celebration without cake, in the words of Chef Julia Child, is simply a meeting. Jaqueline Ladnier, Chef and Owner of French Kiss Pastries, believes totally in this saying and hopes her customers do as well. That is why she stocks her shelves with the most delectable pastries, cookies, and cakes to seduce anybody who enters her delightful bakeshop.
Ms. Ladnier’s love is baking, and it shows in the excellent ingredients and craftsmanship. Breakfast pastries, sandwiches, fresh soups or quiche, a sweet treat, or a delicious dessert are available. Everything is homemade and cooked fresh in the kitchen. The stunning assortment is astounding.
I stopped in for a sweet treat and chose a fruit tart from the display case. The delicate, sweet shell was filled with a vanilla bean custard and topped with fresh fruit (in season). I was in a state of ecstasy.
If you’re not a lover of fruit, I prefer the Chocolate Mousse Cake. The bottom layer is a buttermilk chocolate cake layered with a light Belgian chocolate mousse and topped with a mirror glaze of chocolate and chocolate curls. Everything, from the cannoli to the maple pecan roll, is so delicious that you must restrain yourself from ordering everything.
Ms. Ladnier also makes custom cakes for birthdays and weddings. This is the spot to go for everything cake-related because of the great tastes and the elegance of her work.
Donut Store Tato-Nut
228-872-20761114 Government Street
The whole community mourned the death of owner David Mohler in early January owing to complications with Covid-19. Not only was David a member of the community, but his family’s company is also a local favorite. For years, the handcrafted, fresh TatoNut Donuts, also known as the Only Real Donut, have been a must-stop for residents and visitors alike. Last summer, his daughter Katelyn, together with her mother, took up the mantle and re-opened the business, much to the surprise of the people of Ocean Springs. To make more space inside, the business needs to be remodeled and renovated. Yet, the recipe for the famed doughnuts remained unchanged.
Because of its superb gourmet coffee and hot fresh donuts produced daily, this small store on Government Street in Ocean Springs has remained an institution. Long lineups form outside the shop for the doughnuts, but they are worth the wait. The blueberry cake donut and the donut holes are the most popular.
Even so, glazed, twists, and specialty donuts are marketed on the Facebook page on a regular basis. Everyone loves these handcrafted doughnuts, so grab yours before they’re gone.
Mosaic
Government Street, +1 (228) 818-98851010 Government Street
Mosaic is a tapas bar and restaurant with a quirky, modern interior and a large terrace for outside eating. The weather in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, is ideal for a site like Mosaic. Every day of the week, you can have a couple small meals, a handmade beverage, and listen to live music at this pub.
Mosaic’s cuisine is cosmopolitan, featuring small portions that are ideal for sharing. Tapas selections vary from dips to empanadas, with larger plates featuring fresh salads, tacos, gyros, burgers, and gumbo. The craft drink selection is remarkable, with unique mojitos, frozen concoctions, cocktails, and wines to choose from.
I went in for one of those speciality mojitos, and since I’m a purist, I got the original: white rum, sugar, lime juice, club soda, and mint. My cool drink had to be paired with the Argentinian Empanadas, deep-fried crescent-shaped pastries stuffed with beef (a house recipe) and served with a chipotle aioli dipping sauce. The four empanadas were golden brown and crunchy, with flaky pastry crust. The meat and vegetable stuffing was appropriately seasoned but not too hot. I dunked my empanadas in the dipping sauce to add extra spice, which gave my appetizer the ideal kick.
I wished I could have stayed and tried more options from the menu, but I had more places to see on Government Street. I liked the terrace and the atmosphere inside. It’s a hip cocktail bar. On weekends, Mosaic also serves a Jazz Brunch.
Government Street Market
228-818-94101210 Government Street
Government Grocery is a laid-back local hangout where everyone knows your name. They also provide wonderful meals at cheap costs, and live music is performed on a regular basis. On Facebook, handmade lunch and supper specials appear. Nonetheless, the normal menu features some fantastic seafood and southern alternatives that are popular with locals. Here, vegetarian choices and burgers are standard fare.
The ambiance inside is quite club-like. Bands perform here on a regular basis, so you know it’s a good spot to hear live music. The greatest thing is that the cuisine is very excellent. Poboys and other southern classics are available. If you follow the Facebook page, you’ll note that Cajun foods like Jambalaya feature often. I had to try a Poboy here, so I grabbed a seat on the big outside patio.
I chose fried okra as a side, and although I realize that’s a lot of fried stuff for one dish, I didn’t care; I wanted to experience everything.
The fried shrimp sandwich came with lettuce and tomato, but I had the shrimp with a spicy jerk sauce on top (an option). That was an excellent topping for the classic version. Although I couldn’t eat it all, the fried okra was crispy and snappy. Since the amount of shrimp on my sandwich was so large, I ate them all. I couldn’t believe the reasonable pricing either.
This restaurant is a lot of fun, and since you can carry your beverages with you down Government Street, you should stop by Government Grocery while you’re in town.
Lu’s House
228-875-0032626 Washington Avenue
This upscale dining establishment’s tagline is Stylish cuisine for fashionable people. Furthermore, although they provide appealing lunch choices such as soups, salads, and sandwiches, the dinner hour is exceptional.
Luann Thornton Ellis is a chef. After eighteen years at The Frenchtown Inn in Frenchtown, New Jersey, Chef Ellis relocated to Ocean Springs. She never turned around. The setting of their Washington Avenue restaurant is cozy, with Proprietor preparing French-inspired food.
You may enjoy local seafood converted into wonderful meals as appetizers and entrees, as well as a renowned salad that she recreated from her days in New Jersey, at her company. The salad is made out of mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, bacon, and goat cheese, and it’s topped with warm apple beignets tossed in a white balsamic dressing.
That was my appetizer, and it was delicious. Although all of the food here are delicious, I came for the classic lamb entree. I wanted to enjoy it outside on the large terrace.
I followed my salad with the New Zealand Rack of Lamb. The chops are cut and served with a daily sauce and a selection of sides. I went with the twice-baked cauliflower, a lower-carb option, and the roasted mushrooms and onions, all of which were fantastic. The lamb was prepared to order and was really tender and tasty.
The restaurant offers a complete bar and an exceptional craft cocktail menu, but I chose a wine of Bordeaux to complement my well grilled lamb. The evening was a success in every category. I like the outside ambience, as well as the service and cuisine. Maison de Lu is a fantastic option for upmarket dining in Ocean Springs.
You can’t go wrong when it comes to eating in Ocean Springs. So make sure you give yourself enough time to munch your way through this charming town.
FAQ
What is Ocean Springs, Mississippi famous for?
Ocean Springs boasts a rich history, creative flair, beautiful surroundings, and small-town charm. The arts and festivals are well-known in this bustling and affluent area.
Is there a beach in Ocean Springs?
Nothing beats a day spent lazing in the sun and swimming in the waves at Ocean Springs’ Front Beach. From the Biloxi Bay Bridge to Ocean Springs Harbor, the beach is accessible. From a fishing pier to a playground to vistas of the Gulf Islands, Front Beach offers everything you might want for a wonderful beach day.
Is it a good location to live in Ocean Springs, Mississippi?
Ocean Springs, in Jackson County, is one of Mississippi’s most desirable communities. Ocean Springs offers homeowners a modest suburban feel, and the majority of residents own their homes. Ocean Springs has a number of taverns, restaurants, and parks.