Winter Southern Style
Columbus, Mississippi
I
t should come as a no surprise that
Columbus, Mississippi knows how
to set the scene for some of the finest dining in the South. Columbus is,
after all, the city where Tennessee
Williams, one of America’s greatest
playwrights, was born, a city where
history comes alive in dramatically
beautiful fashion in a gorgeous array
of antebellum and Victorian homes
and mansions. Columbus is also home
to the Mississippi University for Women’s
Culinary Arts Institute, where future
culinary stars make their entrance.
In short, this is the city where you’ll
want to grab a front row seat for the
flair and rich flavors of only-in-Columbus eateries.
The chef and staff of CJ’s Italian Bistro, for example, offer show-stopping
performances in the Bistro’s open
kitchen, whipping up mouthwatering
122 FOOD TRAVELER | WINTER 2013
masterpieces as live music fills the air.
Delectably fresh dining that’s all
about pleasing you, that’s the Columbus experience, thanks to warm
Southern hospitality and a feast of
varied choices. Naturally, homestyle
has pride of place at inviting spots like
Café on Main, where “meat plus three”
equals satisfaction magnificently
squared—especially topped off by one
of the two dozen divine desserts of the
restaurant’s Sweet Shop. For homestyle steeped in soul, diners flock to
Helen’s Kitchen, owned and operated
by Helen Karriem since 1988; at Helen’s pride is also enticingly evident
in the “44th President Breakfast” a
veritable banquet of a morning meal.
Another beloved Columbus soul food
institution, a must-stop on any culinary tour, is Jones Rest W&