This Biloxi seafood dynasty is back with a new restaurant, market. Take an inside look.
It’s a brand new building that has the look of old Biloxi and the renowned Desporte Seafood name.
Two weeks ago, Sean Desporte opened his new seafood market on Caillavet Street in an area of the downtown known for supplying fresh food to South Mississippi residents, restaurants and casinos.
The building, just south of the railroad tracks and north the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, has a wooden water tower reminiscent of the seafood factories, along with architecture and old photographs from when seafood was king.
Within the next month, Desporte plans to open a deli with daily seafood specials and an oyster bar with steamed seafood and chargrilled oysters.
For now, Desporte said he’s focused on bringing fresh-caught Gulf fish to Coast seafood lovers.
Although he doesn’t talk about it, this new seafood market comes at the end of a legal battle with his uncle, Arnie Desporte, which led to the closing of Desporte & Sons at the corner of Division Street and Porter Avenue.
Judge Jennifer Schloegel signed an order dated June 26 that dissolved Desporte and Sons Inc. as of June 30.
The new Desporte Seafood opened July 14.
The Desporte family has been part of Biloxi’s seafood industry for 122 years, which is believed to be the longest operating seafood supplier in the state.
Gulf fresh catch
Sean Desporte said he’s always been involved in the family seafood business. As he sets up his new location, he’s joined by his mother, Angela Desporte, his fiance, Jessica Wallace, and longtime Desporte employee Kathy Juanico.
From Monday through Saturday, the display case is well-stocked with fresh snapper, flounder, speckled trout, redfish, pompano, halibut, salmon and tuna from the Gulf of Mexico.
“We’re getting fresh mahi mahi coming in every day,” he said, and scallops are shipped three times a week. Local picked crabmeat and tuna dip are fresh daily. Local fresh shrimp are available in medium and large.
Even before the deli opens, “Every day we do fresh boiled shrimp and fresh boiled crabs and, when in season, fresh boiled crawfish,” he said. Crawfish season is longer than usual this year, he said, and it’s still available.
What’s new?
Opening during the coronavirus pandemic requires extra precautions. All the staff is wearing masks and tables will be socially distanced indoors and also available outdoors on the porch and on the lawn.
Since more people are cooking at home, Desporte is offering more seasonings and a selection of frozen specialties that customers can defrost, heat and eat.
A freezer at Desporte Seafood has options for seafood from beyond the Gulf, like frozen crab legs, and for heat-and-eat specialties such as bacon-wrapped jalapeno stuffed with crabmeat, stuffed chicken with etouffee, spinach and artichoke dip and gumbo.
“We are going to start having steaks and some pork products,” he said. “We will be doing catering, too.”
The market and deli will open at 7 a.m. and be open until 3 p.m. Sunday, noon on Monday and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Sun Herald reporter Anita Lee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 11:54 AM.
