This new soul food buffet on the highway in Gulfport is cheap, authentic and delicious
I found this place by accident.
I was driving up U.S. 49 in Gulfport and saw the Big Daddy’s soul food sign. I didn’t have time to stop, so I noted the name and location and put it on the calendar for a later visit. Soul food has always been popular in the Deep South, but the Coast has few places that serve this country, home-cooked style of food.
Discovering a new soul food place is cause for a celebration in my book.
When I looked at the regular menu online, it wasn’t exactly what I expected. There were lots of good choices, like specialty wings, nachos, a pork chop plate and a few burgers, but it wasn’t the vegetable and hearty meat kind of menu I expected. Fortunately, I explored their Facebook page a little further and realized there was a daily menu that was just the over-the-top soul food menu I was craving.
When I finally made it to Big Daddy’s, I was delighted to see that it was a buffet. and a fair size one too.
The buffet takes up the center of the room and there are a few chairs along a bar on one side of the room, but seating is limited. Most of the customers that visited while I was there, and business was brisk, got takeout.
There are more than a dozen delicious choices on the buffet, including the regulars you would expect like mashed potatoes, gravy, rice, greens, cornbread, corn on the cob and green beans. But the real test of a soul food place is the fried chicken, and Big Daddy’s got it right, and it was smokin’ hot.
There is also baked chicken, fried catfish and BBQ ribs. Everything we tried was perfect. The greens were not overcooked, the ribs were tender, and the sauce was wonderful, and I am happy to tell you the mac and cheese was creamy and cheesy. One oddity was the lasagna made with cheddar cheese. I was dubious, but it was very good.
I am excited to introduce Big Daddy’s to you, as it’s only been around for three months. The food is great, it’s a quick in-and-out if you are in a hurry and service is friendly and quick. It’s a great and inexpensive way to feed the family. My meal, which was more than enough, was less than $9.
If you go to Big Daddy’s
Address: 2605 25th Ave, Gulfport
Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m. to 1:30 am; Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Phone: 228-265-5545
