Markham Hotel is back with places for locals to sip, dine and party in Gulfport
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- The Markham Hotel opened in April with 115 rooms and suites in downtown Gulfport.
- The Library Restaurant and Lounge offers seafood, steaks, tapas, and weekend brunch.
- The restored Crystal Ballroom is hosting weddings, meetings and events again.
The Markham Hotel brought 115 hotel rooms and suites hotel rooms back to downtown Gulfport when it opened in April and also several venues where locals now meet, dine and celebrate.
From morning coffee to late night cocktails, the Markham has comfortable, swank and even romantic restaurants and lounges for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The owners brought back the ballroom for meetings and parties and the rooftop deck that’s made for sunset views and chilling under the stars.
The exterior of the 100-year-old Markham Hotel at 14th Street and 23rd Avenue looks similar to when it opened in January 1927. Step inside, and it’s a contemporary showpiece for the city, with photos of old Gulfport and the Mississippi Gulf Coast hanging throughout.
These are the new restaurants and party places:
Velvet Bean coffee shop
This restaurant is ready with drinks, pastries and sandwiches daily from 6 a.m.-2 p.m. as downtown Gulfport wakes up, people get to their offices and the Amtrak trains arrive with people walking to Mississippi Aquarium and other attractions.
Customers can enter the coffee shop directly from the street or wander in to admire the hotel’s soaring lobby. Large windows overlook the action in downtown and customers can sit at the table and chairs and use the Wi-Fi or at one of the comfortable couches.
The menu board lists a big variety of espresso and coffees, cold and frozen drinks plus their special Irish cream or Crème brûlée.
For breakfast are muffins and cinnamon rolls, along with breakfast sandwiches served on a croissant, English muffin or biscuit. Lunch brings a list of paninis, such as Tuscan fig and brie, and a variety of salads. Fruit trays, parfaits and assorted cookies turn the morning or afternoon into a tea party.
The Library Restaurant and Bar
The new place to mark a special occasion or do a night on the town is The Library Restaurant and Lounge on the mezzanine level of Markham Hotel, looking out over the lobby and the beach at sunset.
“Reservations are not required, but they are encouraged,” said Tessy Lambert, chief marketing officer for Lodging & Leisure Investments, the owner of the hotel.
The menu is a collection of seafood, steaks and flavorful starters, soups and salads.
Those who want to try something different can opt for a chilled seafood martini with shrimp, crab, corn and peppers in a chilled martini glass or go for a starter of fried crab claws or steakhouse bacon with a brown sugar, root beer glaze.
Corn and crab bisque and French onion soup are featured and for a refreshing summer salad, customers can order shrimp and avocado lemon wraps or a steakhouse salad.
Among the entrées are Coast favorites like shrimp and grits, bluefin tuna, grouper, filet mignon, ribeye steaks and chicken Marsala. Ten sharable sides to pass around the table can add truffle mac and cheese, Gouda grits and their own house-made pecan sweet potato casserole to dinner.
Dinner at The Library is Thursday from 4-9 p.m. and until 10 pm. Friday and Saturday. A bountiful weekend brunch is available Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Toast to good times
For lighter fare and conversation, the Library Bar serves tapas and drinks from 4-9 p.m. daily.
Or head to the Rooftop Bar which spills out onto the open air deck high above Gulfport, with views of the harbor and the sunset.
The ballroom is back, with its sparkling crystal chandeliers, ready to host princess parties and many more special events.
“We do have a Mardi Gras krewe that has booked with us,” Lambert said, along with people booking weddings and other events.
Spaces throughout the hotel are available to rent for parties and business events, she said., in the two meeting rooms, the restaurants and the rooftop, she said, to make the Markham a place to make memories again.
