Inaugural Michelin Guide American South honors 10 MS restaurants. See which made the list

In the inaugural Michelin Guide American South, Mississippi restaurants from the northern corners to the coast were recognized, with two winning the prestigious Bib Gourmand distinction and another eight making Michelin’s “recommended restaurants” list.

Michelin Guide announced the 2025 American South selections during a ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina, Monday night, Nov. 3.

In total, the Michelin Guide honored 228 restaurants representing 44 different types of cuisine and seven Southern states, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The guide awarded 10 restaurants Michelin Stars, one of the most coveted distinctions in the dining world.

While Mississippi did not collect any Michelin Stars, the state was still heavily represented.

Bib Gourmand distinction

The Bib Gourmand distinction recognizes eateries for great food at a great value, according to Michelin Guide.

The 2025 American South selections had a total of 50 restaurants, including two Mississippi eateries: Elvie’s of Jackson and Sacred Ground Barbecue of Pocahontas.

Both restaurants are fairly new to the Mississippi dining scene.

Elvie’s

In 2020, award-winning Jackson chef Hunter Evans opened Elvie’s as a homage to his grandmother, May Eliveretta Good, who provided the chef’s first memories of the complex nature of food. Evans grew up visiting his grandmother in New Orleans and fondly remembers eating her classic Southern cooking, which inspires Elvie’s menu today.

In 2020, weeks after Elvie’s had opened, the restaurant fell victim to the COVID-19 pandemic and, like so many other restaurants around the world, shut its doors. The closure was temporary, however, and Evans and his crew managed to grow the restaurant through pop-ups and takeout meals.

Five years later, Elvie’s is still going strong. Earlier this year, the restaurant was named a James Beard Awards Semifinalist.

The menu, split between day and night, includes classic Southern breakfast dishes such as home fries and cheese grits, as well as some more upscale dishes, including oysters and caviar service. The menu includes a wide range of wines and specialty cocktails.

Sacred Ground Barbecue

Sacred Ground Barbecue, tucked away in Pocahontas, opened in 2024 and has quickly become a local favorite.

The newcomer to the Mississippi barbecue scene won the first-ever Clarion Ledger Jackson Metro BBQ Battle in August.

After five weeks and five rounds of bracket-style voting, starting with 32 competitors, Sacred Ground emerged victorious. The menu’s non-traditional dishes managed to beat out established local favorites week after week.

Award-winning local chef Derek Emerson opened the restaurant in late 2024. Emerson, originally from California, started his culinary journey working at the Subway on East Northside Drive in 1989.

When the old Tivoli’s Crawfish building next to the former Big D’s Barbecue went up for sale, Emerson and his wife knew it was perfect for a barbecue joint. The location is far enough away from the busy city, but close enough to make the drive worthwhile.

The name “Sacred Ground” is an homage to the sacred Native American mounds across the street. According to Emerson, the mounds were not burial mounds, but rather served as a central meeting place and ceremonial site.

Sacred Ground’s menu includes some twists on BBQ classics like Kung Pao Pork Belly and BBQ baked potatoes. You can also get plates of brisket, turkey, tri tip, pulled pork, pork ribs and even lamb.

Other menu items include Frito pie, nachos, house-made sausage, brisket melts, smash burgers and smoked pork butts.

American South’s 2025 Recommended Restaurants

In addition to the two Bib Gourmand descriptions, Mississippi garnered eight spots on the American South’s 2025 Recommended Restaurants list:

• Ajax Diner, Oxford
• City Grocery, Oxford
• Snackbar, Oxford
• Taylor Grocery, Taylor
• Pulito Osteria, Jackson
• Siren Social Club, Gulfport
• Vestige, Ocean Springs
• White Pillars, Biloxi

Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com