Mayflower Cafe named one of USA TODAY’s best restaurants of 2026
Take a look inside Mayflower Cafe in Jackson, Mississippi, named one of USA TODAY’s best restaurants for 2026.
Mayflower Cafe was recently named to USA TODAY’s Restaurants of the Year list.The article highlights five other notable restaurants in the Jackson, Mississippi, area.These additional restaurants include Italian eateries, a steakhouse, a barbecue joint, and a classic drive-in.Several of the featured chefs and restaurants have received local and national awards.
Mayflower Cafe recently secured a spot on USA TODAY’s best restaurant list, but the historic restaurant is only one of Jackson’s outstanding dining spots
The USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2026, released today, features 39 restaurants from casual BBQ joints to upscale Italian eateries.
USA TODAY Network food journalists from throughout the nation compiled the list from restaurants they know, love and recommend.
Here are five other Jackson area restaurants we wish made the list.
Bravo!Where: 4500 I-55 North, Suite 244, Jackson
Bravo! Italian Restaurant & Bar has been a local favorite for an upscale, yet welcoming dining experience since opening in 1994.
The website describes the restaurant as “fine dining without the attitude,” and the mission statement includes a commitment to a “culture of guest care and service to others.”
The menu includes brunch options, gourmet pasta dishes, pizzas and more.
Ely’sWhere: 115 West Jackson St., Ridgeland
Ely’s Restaurant and Bar opened in 2008 and has since cemented itself as a local favorite for a classic steakhouse experience.
Owner Richard Shapley is committed to serving “mouth-watering cuts of beef and fresh seafood in a contemporary, upscale atmosphere,” according to the restaurant’s website.
The menu includes fried oysters, barbecued shrimp and grits, filet, ribeye, New York strip, fresh fish and more.
Pulito OsteriaWhere: 800 Manship St., Jackson
Pulito Osteria opened under local award-winning chef Chaz Lindsay in Jan. 2023 in the growing Belhaven Towncenter.
Lindsay spent time in Italy honing his cooking skills and brought that knowledge back to his hometown.
Pulito matches elite service with an extensive menu of upscale, seasonal Italian dishes. The menu includes fresh fish, braised short rib, handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza and more.
The restaurant has garnered several awards and recognitions in its three-year history. Most recently, Pulito appeared on Garden & Gun magazine’s “31 New Restaurants to Try Now” list.
Sacred GroundWhere: 1052 Pocahontas Road, Pocahontas
Sacred Ground Barbecue, tucked away in Pocahontas, opened in 2024 under award-winning local chef Derek Emerson and quickly became a local favorite.
The newcomer to the Mississippi barbecue scene won the first-ever Clarion Ledger Jackson Metro BBQ Battle in August 2025.
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.
Walker’s Drive-InWhere: 3016 North State St., Jackson
In 2025, local chef Joe Cravens took over Walker’s Drive-In, an iconic restaurant in the Fondren district of Jackson.
Cravens kept the same menu and friendly atmosphere built by former owner Derek Emerson. In a conversation with the Clarion Ledger in July 2025, Cravens said his goal is to make sure Walker’s stay exactly as it has been for the past 24 years.
The tried-and-true menu includes fried oysters, brisket, fresh fish, tamales, po-boys and more.
Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com
Dining and Cooking