(Photo from Visit Jackson)
- City Grocery isn’t simply a restaurant. It’s where celebrations begin, and long conversations stretch past closing time, where locals sit beside visitors, and nobody feels out of place.
There are restaurants you visit. And there are restaurants that become part of your story.
For me, City Grocery in Oxford is exactly that place.
My husband and I have celebrated there. Escaped there. Sat across from each other after long weeks of work and parenting and life — usually promising we wouldn’t talk about schedules or baseball practice, and then doing it anyway. We linger just a little longer over dessert because neither of us is quite ready for the night to end. The glow of candlelight bouncing off exposed brick walls, the hum of conversation rising from the Square below, the unmistakable feeling that you are somewhere special — somewhere deeply Mississippi.
Oxford’s historic Square has long been known for its charm, but extraordinary cuisine is just as much a part of its identity. From down-home Southern cooking to elegant dining experiences, there is truly something to satisfy every appetite within a few walkable blocks. And right at the center of it all sits City Grocery, offering refined Southern cuisine from Chef John Currence, winner of the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef South.
Truthfully, it’s the place we always end up coming back to.
And yes — Dolly Parton has eaten there.
So if it’s good enough for Dolly….you know the rest.
Located inside a Reconstruction-era livery stable overlooking the Courthouse Square, City Grocery opened in 1992, just as Oxford’s now-famous downtown revival was beginning to take shape. Early on, the restaurant became more than a place to eat — it became a landmark in North Mississippi’s dining scene.
Step inside and you immediately feel it. Heart pine plank floors, exposed brick walls, candlelight reflecting off crisp white linens. It’s elegant without feeling stiff, refined without losing its Mississippi warmth. The space invites you to slow down, talk longer, and savor both the meal and the company sitting across the table.
That balance was intentional.
Chef John Currence, a New Orleans native trained in classical French technique alongside traditional Southern cooking, envisioned a restaurant built on what he calls “casual elegance.” His approach blends thoughtful technique with local ingredients, allowing Mississippi flavors to shine without unnecessary fuss. Nearly three decades later, City Grocery still feels vibrant because it never stands still. Menus evolve regularly, the wine list expands weekly, and rotating artwork from local artists keeps the dining room feeling alive and connected to the community.
The restaurant eventually grew into what is now the City Grocery Restaurant Group, helping shape Oxford into one of the South’s premier culinary destinations. Just steps away, Bouré, housed in the former Leslie’s Drug Store building, serves lively Creole-inspired fare that defies easy labels. Big Bad Breakfast “gives proper respect to the most important meal of the day” with Southern breakfasts worth planning a road trip around. Snackbar pushes creative boundaries with globally inspired flavors, while Main Event extends the group’s hospitality through catering across the region.
Yet City Grocery remains the heart of it all.
By 2009, the restaurant had fully embraced its role as Oxford’s neighborhood restaurant and living room. Locals gather for anniversaries and celebrations. Ole Miss families mark graduations over unforgettable meals. Visitors blend seamlessly with longtime residents, proving the restaurant’s guiding philosophy true: treat locals like rock stars and rock stars like locals.
Evenings often come with another unexpected bonus — live local music drifting through the space, adding another layer to the experience. It feels less like dining out and more like being welcomed into a community gathering.
Over the years, City Grocery has earned national recognition from publications including The New York Times, Southern Living, and Bon Appétit. The team has cooked multiple times at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, affirming what Mississippians already knew: something remarkable was happening on the Oxford Square.
But accolades only tell part of the story.
What makes City Grocery special is how deeply it belongs to the Magnolia State. Currence has invested not only in food but in people — supporting local farmers, championing Mississippi artists, helping establish culinary education programs, and strengthening the cultural fabric of Oxford itself.
Every Mississippi town has that one restaurant everyone measures the rest against.
In Oxford, this is that place.
City Grocery isn’t simply a restaurant.
It’s where Oxford gathers. Where celebrations begin, and long conversations stretch past closing time. Where locals sit beside visitors, and nobody feels out of place.
Go in the evening, linger upstairs overlooking the Square, and watch the courthouse lights glow while music drifts through open doors below. Students laugh. Friends hug goodbye. Another table orders dessert even though everyone insists they’re full. City Grocery is more than a restaurant; it is an entire Mississippi experience.
And that’s the thing about places like City Grocery.
You come for the food — and you absolutely stay for the food — but somewhere along the way it becomes about something bigger. It becomes about memory. About tradition. About returning to the same table year after year and realizing that Mississippi has a way of turning ordinary evenings into lifelong stories.
In Mississippi, the best tables aren’t just reserved.
They’re remembered.
Meredith Biesinger
