I spent 2025 trying new South Mississippi restaurants. Here are my 5 favorites
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Reviewer sampled South Mississippi openings in 2025 and named five top restaurants.
- List highlights diverse concepts: Nashville hot, custard sliders, inventive fusion menus.
- Addresses and signature dishes provided to guide locals and visiting diners.
The holidays are in full swing, my favorite college football team just lost its bowl game and every day is a guessing game on whether it will be 30 or 60 degrees outside.
That means it’s the time of year to reflect on what new culinary adventures the Mississippi Coast offered over the last 12 months.
The Lower Six produces a dizzying number of new restaurants each year and does so from backgrounds that span from local cuisines to faraway exotics to unique blends that the region is known for breeding.
That was again the case in 2025. The Sun Herald gave many of these places a visit, and we’ll list our favorites of the year right here.
Rip’n Hot Chicken
They don’t lie in the name. If you can find the small building hidden in the space between Howard Avenue and the Delauney Street parking lot then you win a pretty unforgettable meal, one way or another.
The restaurant serves traditional Nashville Hot Chicken in sandwich and plate form at varying degrees of heat and with a set of sauces that includes a locally inspired Barq’s BBQ sauce.
Address: 169 Rue Magnolia, Biloxi
Savvy Sliders
Look, not the fanciest of places, I know. But I cannot count how many strawberry custard shakes I have had this year. And I’m probably going to get another one today.
Besides the array of custard concoctions, Savvy’s offers a lineup of sliders that typically features a rotating specialty. My personal favorite is the boomin’ chicken. One of the simpler versions, but comes with chicken soaked in a boom sauce that do indeed be boomin’.
Address: 12045 US 49, Gulfport
The Butcher Baker
The restaurant that scored a perfect review from us is one unlike any other on the Coast. The Butcher Baker takes high quality ingredients from different parts of the world and uses them to create pretty much whatever comes to mind.
I could tell you what I had, but they change the menu on a regular basis, so there’s always something new to try. Their most recent menu posted on Facebook featured wagyu corndogs, brisket pizza, rabbit pot pie and a bunch of other combinations of words you’ve never heard before.
Address: 1062 Thorn St, Ocean Springs
El Fornino Pizzeria
Remember when I mentioned the unique blends of culinary styles found on the Coast? This is one of them. El Fornino is a Mexican-Italian fusion pizza joint with a fun menu and a giant brick oven right there in the foyer.
The focus is pizza and pasta, and they do both in ways that you won’t find at many other places. Like the birria pizza or the Nutella pizza. El Fornino has a great pasta alla vodka for those feeling Italian and a chorizo pizza if the vibe is more Mexican.
Address: 2650 Beach Blvd Suite #39, Biloxi
Acropolis Greek Restaurant
The suite at 871 Howard Avenue has seen its fair share of tenants, and they’ve pretty much all been bangers. The newest is no exception.
Greek has always been hidden around the area, but Acropolis puts the genre on the South Mississippi map in a big way. Authentic and friendly, Acropolis fills your need for gyros, souvlaki, lamb chop and more.
Address: 871 Howard Ave Ste A, Biloxi
