25 for 2025: Another batch of new restaurants is on the way to South Mississippi
Dozens of new restaurants opened across South Mississippi in 2024 and more are on the way for 2025.
Expect a mix of Mexican and taco restaurants, a make-your-own-charcuterie board restaurant, Italian restaurants and Buc-ee’s, which is take out only to enjoy the travel center’s renowned brisket sandwich. There’s also a mix of New Orleans restaurant owners taking a shot on the Coast and locals opening their own place.
Whet your appetite with this list of newly opened restaurants and those coming in 2025:
Savvy Sliders at 12045 U.S. 49 in the Orange Grove section of Gulfport is opening the first Mississippi location early in 2025. The franchise has 40 locations in Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Texas and is known for slider sandwiches made fresh to order, using Angus beef that’s never frozen. Also on the menu are hand breaded chicken fingers, fried chicken sandwiches with the restaurant’s boom sauce and spicy falafel, made with chickpeas and topped with boom sauce, for a vegetarian choice.
Among the selection of premium sliders are English cod, ribeye steak sandwich and The Hangover — an Angus beef and bacon sandwich topped with an egg. Add fries, onion rings or fried cheese curds and a custard shake.
Desi Vega’s Steakhouse was announced as the fine dining restaurant that will bring a taste of New Orleans to OS 1515 when it opens in early 2025 on Government Street in downtown Ocean Springs. Chef Marlon Hornsby and his team will prepare USDA prime steaks and seafood dishes.
The owners of OS 1515 have named other restaurants that will be part of Crave Food Hall:
▪ Marcello’s by Frank Marcello, owner of Mandina’s Restaurant in Mandeville, Louisiana, will serve a variety of classic Italian dishes, like spaghetti and meatballs or chicken Parmesan. Also on the menu will be veal picatta and homemade lasagna, for which the New Orleans restaurant is known,
▪ Mawí Tortillas, named by the New York Times as one of the “Best Restaurant in NOLA Right Now,” opened in New Orleans in 2017 as a corn tortilla bakery in Metairie, and now is a wholesale bakery and full-service restaurant.
▪ The District Coffee Company, which has a coffee show down the street on Government
▪ Sugar Cubed, featuring homemade croissants, danishes, macaroons and cheesecakes. This is an extension of Sweet Enchantments, also from local chefs Michael Paoletti Jr. and Stephanie Paoletti of Food Booze Hiccups.
▪ The Charcuterie Maker from the Ocean Springs Food Booze & Hiccups brand by the Paolettis will allow customers to build-your-own charcuterie boards, choosing from meat and cheese selections, pickles, mustards, crackers and jams. They’ll also have chef-crafted sandwiches with fresh cut meats and fresh baked breads from Butcher Baker.
New and renewed restaurants
Other restaurants coming across the Coast will fill spaces empty for awhile or will open in places new to the Coast.
A new restaurant by the owners of The Blind Tiger is coming to Henderson Point in Pass Christian in 2025. Owner Thomas Genin says a pier and other parts of the waterfront development are already in place and the as yet unnamed restaurant will be the first commercial project in that area since Hurricane Katrina destroyed Pelican Cove Marina in 2005.
Hen & Egg Restaurant by Nick Wallace opens at The Traveler, an expansion of the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in downtown Ocean Springs. The Mississippi celebrity chef who has appeared on “Chopped” and “Top Chef” will feature a menu of breakfast, lunch and chicken.
4-Bulls opened a butcher shop in October on U.S. 90 near Washington Avenue in Ocean Springs where the Shrimp Basket had closed. Coming in 2025 in the same building is a restaurant, owner Joseph Mason said, featuring meat products from his 250-acre Mason Hills Farm.
38 Degrees Family Restaurant opens soon in the former Kenny Ward’s steakhouse on U.S. 90 in Ocean Springs. Ward said he’s long wanted to have a family-style restaurant, and he plans to offer several varieties of meat and seafood, such as Mississippi catfish fried or Creole style and fried chicken. Lunch and dinner will come with sides like mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and corn off the cob with cream and sugar.
Aztecas Biloxi is opening soon in the former Hooter’s location on U.S. 90 in Biloxi..The owners have other locations in South Mississippi.
Tacos & Beer is opening soon on Court Street in downtown Bay St. Louis. The New Orleans restaurant is best for its street-style food and affordable happy hour deals — and the $1 Taco Tuesday special,
Under construction
Field’s Italian Restaurant is scheduled to open in two locations on the Coast. One will be part of The Artesian mixed use development on Government Street in downtown Ocean Springs.
Another Field’s Italian Restaurant will open in at Pass Bungalows, along with Bacchus Cafe and an ice cream parlor, right in the center of Pass Christian at Market Street and Scenic.Drive.
The Downtowner will move into the former Triplett-Day building in the center of downtown Gulfport in the fall of 2025. Chef Robert St. John created a similar restaurant in Hattiesburg and other areas of the state and will introduce his diverse menu to South Mississippi. The restaurant is expected to open around the time of Cruisin’ The Coast in early October.
PS Taco had construction delays and is scheduled to open soon at the Crossroads on U.S. 49 in Gulfport.
Adventurer’s Tavern in Biloxi on Pass Road at Eisenhower also is finishing construction and will be a place to play games while enjoying pizza and a beer.
Hammered Harry’s is taking shape in what was the former Margaritaville casino in east Biloxi. The venue will be a combination of restaurants and entertainment that is family-friendly until about 10 at night, when it becomes an adult-only venue with a bikini dance club until 2 a.m.
Chick-fil-A is bringing a second location to Biloxi, this one outside the new Rouses Market on Pass Road.
Another Chick-fil-A and a second Coast location of Chipotle Mexican Grill will be going up on Bienville Boulevard in Ocean Springs.
Buc-ee’s is under construction west of Gulfport and while the huge travel center doesn’t have a place to sit and eat, it does have brisket sandwiches, pulled pork, burritos, beaver nuggets and much more, along with a big variety of snacks and desserts. Opening is scheduled in the spring.
Newly opened
Ajo & Orégano Caribbean Restaurant is open at 726 Westgate Plaze on U.S. 90 in Gautier, with a large menu of main dishes, sides and a children’s menu.
El Potrillo Taqueria & Mexican Restaurant, 1711 Pass Road, Biloxi, serves tacos, burritos, fajitas, quesadillas and tortas.
This story was originally published December 30, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
