The has hundreds of dining options, including classic beach restaurants and bars. But visitors sometimes overlook these 10 spots away from the waterfront beloved by locals.
Here’s the list.
Long Beach Market & Deli
Long Beach Market & Deli is about two miles from the beach, and its menu is distinct from the Mississippi Coast’s most popular tourist dining spots. Customer favorites, according to the restaurant, include its banh mi po-boy, kogi po-boy, Korean BBQ, General Tso's chicken, red beans and rice and falafels. It is usually bustling over the lunch hour.
Inside of a converted gas station in the middle of a residential neighborhood, the restaurant serves a wide range of cuisines, including Korean, Chinese, Cajun, Vietnamese and American dishes. Its chef, Lucia van Norden, graduated from Le Cordon Bleu, the renowned culinary school.
Price: $$
Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed Mondays.
Address: 20110 Pineville Rd., Long Beach, Mississippi
Oysters at Dempsey's Seafood & Steak in Kiln.
Sun Herald file
Dempsey’s Seafood & Steak
Dempsey’s Seafood & Steak is in Kiln — a small but growing community about a 20-minute drive . Its original location in Waveland, Mississippi, was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. But the Kiln restaurant — housed in a green tin building — is busy.
It’s known for big portions. Customers rave about its mac and cheese. Dempsey’s says its menu features fresh, locally-sourced seafood and many dishes inspired by h. It’s also part of the same restaurant family as Jack Dempsey’s in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood.
Price: $$
Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays and Tuesdays
Address: 6208 Kiln Delisle Rd., Kiln, Mississippi
Pirate’s Cove
Pirate’s Cove is just a few blocks away from the beach in Pass Christian, but it’s usually filled with locals rather than tourists. Its menu is dominated by classics — po-boys, hamburgers, fries and seafood plates.
It’s beloved by broadcaster Robin Roberts and comedian Tig Notaro, who both grew up in Pass Christian. Notaro even had the restaurant . Roberts recommends the .
Price: $$
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays
Address: 208 Menge Ave., Pass Christian, Mississippi
Audrey Duncan, the namesake and owner of Ms. Audrey’s Southern Kitchen and Catering, at a table inside her restaurant in Gaston Point on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021.
Hannah Ruhoff/Sun Herald
Ms. Audrey's Southern Kitchen & Catering
Ms. Audrey’s Southern Kitchen & Catering, about a mile from Gulfport’s beachfront, serves homestyle southern dishes to diners craving meals that are unique from the shrimp and oysters featured in many other restaurants across the Gulf Coast.
Its owner, Audrey Duncan, has served customers in Gulfport for more than 25 years, and her menu features homemade fried chicken, red beans and rice and smothered pork chops. She has become a beloved staple in her neighborhood. “People are looking for some love in their food,” Duncan in 2022.
Price: $$
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, closed on weekends.
Address: 1526 Mills Ave., Gulfport, Mississippi
South China Restaurant
South China, about a mile from the beach in Gulfport, is unassuming. It sits off a busy road in between a McDonald’s and Gulfport High School.
But it’s a go-to spot for many locals seeking affordable Chinese food, and its dining room is often full. It features a buffet and regular menu, with dishes including orange chicken, egg rolls, fried rice and noodles. It is decorated with yellow and red lanterns.
Price: $
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays
Address: 548 Courthouse Rd., Gulfport, Mississippi
Blue Dog Bistro
Blue Dog Bistro expanded from its original Ocean Springs restaurant in 2023, when it opened a location on the east side of Gulfport. It’s a popular breakfast, brunch and lunch spot that is usually busy.
Its menu is divided into two categories — “good dog” and “bad dog.” The “good dog” side includes healthy options like banana oat pancakes, baked avocado and egg, and a spinach and mushroom frittata. The “bad dog” side features more indulgent meals, including cochon benedict, banana foster French toast and steak and eggs.
Price: $$
Hours: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed Mondays.
Addresses: 8829 Lorraine Rd., Ste. 100, Gulfport, Mississippi and 1801-A Government St., Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Le Bakery
Le Bakery, a Vietnamese pastry shop, is beloved by locals. It was one of the first businesses to reopen in east Biloxi after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Mississippi Coast.
It’s known for turnovers filled with fruits and cream cheese, and also its signature banh mi sandwiches. The bakery is a few blocks from the beach and near several casinos. It also sells during Mardi Gras.
Price: $
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays, closed Mondays.
Address: 280 Oak St., Biloxi, Mississippi
Kim Long
This busy Vietnamese restaurant in Biloxi is filled during lunch hours with loyal customers eating pho and vermicelli. Kim Long reopened soon after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, serving residents, street cleaners, volunteers and first responders.
The restaurant’s busiest day is Sunday, when Vietnamese families visit from New Orleans and elsewhere around the South. Reviewers praise its fast service and rich flavors.
Price: $$
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Address: 832 Division St., Biloxi, Mississippi
Buzzy’s Breakfast Downtown on DeSoto Street in Ocean Springs has reopened and is serving breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy and other morning favorites.
BY MARY PEREZ | SUN HERALD
Buzzy’s Breakfast
Buzzy’s Breakfast is often busy with locals and visitors in Ocean Springs, a quaint town known for its arts scene. Buzzy’s original location in downtown Ocean Springs has since been joined by a new spot about a mile down the road.
Buzzy’s specializes in southern-style breakfast and lunch, including biscuits and gravy, breakfast tacos and sandwiches. Its new midtown location features an exclusive lunch menu that begins at 11 a.m.
Price: $
Hours: Buzzy’s Midtown is open 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Sunday, Buzzy’s Downtown is open 7 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on weekends.
Address: Buzzy’s Midtown at 1061 Thorn Ave., Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and Buzzy’s Downtown at 1019 Desoto St., Ocean Springs, Mississippi
El Rincon
The popular Mexican restaurant El Rincon is about five miles north of Biloxi and a short drive from Interstate 10 in the community of St. Martin. Most diners are locals.
The restaurant is a go-to for classic Mexican dishes, and its signature offerings include birria tacos, fajitas, burritos and enchiladas. The restaurant says it sources spices, chiles and specialty ingredients from Mexico. It also has locations in .
Price: $$
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays.
Address: 15701 Lemoyne Blvd., St. Martin, Mississippi