With so many mouth-watering options, choosing the Coast’s best restaurants is no easy feat. Once again, we turned to our audience to determine the best of the best dining experiences in South Mississippi. We received hundreds of votes in numerous cuisine categories and are pleased to present the winners of Gulf Coast Woman’s 2025 Best Places to Eat Contest. Bon appétit!
AMERICAN
Half Shell Oyster House
125 Lameuse St, Biloxi
(228) 432.5050
www.halfshelloysterhouse.com
Facebook: Half Shell Oyster House
Specialty: Our signature dishes include Redfish Orleans, Big Easy Surf & Turf and Seafood Stuffed Portabellas, along with traditional staples like Seafood Gumbo, Crab Cakes, and Fried Shrimp.
BAGELS
A Southern Bagel Company
19019 Pineville Road, Long Beach
(228) 363-4461
Facebook: A Southern Bagel Company
Specialty: Our most popular menu item is the Red Lox Bagel. Salmon, capers, red onion and cream cheese on a freshly made everything bagel. Our bagels are hand rolled, freshly boiled and baked with our own mix of everything seasoning. We also whip our cream cheese for a smooth creamy texture.
BAKERY
Sugar Pop Baking Co.
335 Coleman Ave, Waveland
(228) 467-9990
www.sugarpopbakingco.com
Facebook: Sugar Pop Baking Co
Specialty: The shop specializes in custom-order cakes and wedding cakes but offers pastries, cupcakes, breakfast pastries and more.
BARBECUE
That Boy Good (TBG Bay St. Louis)
1100 Hwy 90, Bay St. Louis (at the Washington Street traffic light)
(228) 344-3032
www.tbgbaystlouis.com
Facebook: TBG Bay St Louis
Specialty: We are a veteran-owned BBQ and Soul Food restaurant specializing in brisket, ribs, catfish, and specialty deviled eggs. We also have specialty cocktails and draft beer. We like to say we don’t have customers; we have family. Everyone leaves full and happy, saying, “That boy good!”
BREAKFAST AND BRUNCH
Rusty Pelican
6174 Beatline Rd., Long Beach
(228) 868-5511
Facebook: Rusty Pelican
Specialty: Vietnamese Pho, A Vietnamese dish of slow-simmered beef broth freshly made in house served with rice noodles, sliced beef, onions and fresh herbs for topping
BURGERS
Under the Oak Café
9380 Central Ave., D’Iberville
(888) 752-9772
www.scarletpearlcasino.com/restaurant/under-the-oak-cafe/
Specialty: Comfort-food classics, traditional Southern entrees and items for every taste
CAFÉ
Sugar Beans Cafe
5005 Main St. Ste B, Moss Point
(228) 313-4216
Facebook: Sugar Beans Cafe
Instagram: @sugarbeanscafe
Tiktok: @sugarbeanscafe
Snapchat: @sugarbeanscafe
Specialty: Coffee house and grill serving a selection of coffee drinks, tacos, homemade burgers, loaded nachos, fresh lemonades and croffles. Croffles are croissants pressed like waffles and loaded with decadent dessert toppings. Lemonades and tacos are always favorites, as the lemonades are made with fresh fruit, and all food is made to order.
CAJUN AND CREOLE
Cafe New Orleans
11014 Lamey Bridge Road, D’Iberville
(228) 396-6031
cafeneworleans.net
Facebook: Cafe New Orleans D’Iberville
Specialty: Cajun favorites such as Cajun pasta, crawfish etouffee and Bourbon Street gumbo. Menu items are homemade daily and made to order.
CARIBBEAN
CB’S Jamaican Jerk
124 Lameuse St., Biloxi
(228) 207-4103
Facebook: CB’S Jamaican Jerk
Specialty: Oxtails, described as the best flavor and texture of beef you’ll ever encounter next to wagyu. That melt-in-your-mouth texture, paired with the bold umami and richness in flavor, will take your taste buds to a place they’ve never been.
CHINESE
Panda Palace, D’Iberville
3920 Promenade Pkwy D, D’Iberville
(228) 396-8585
https://pandapalacediberville.kwickmenu.com/
Facebook: Panda Palace
Specialty: Buffet featuring seafood delight, sesame chicken fried rice, lo mein, sushi rolls, and more
COFFEE AND TEA
Coffee Culture
1113 Highway 90, Bay St. Louis
(228) 493-4666
coffeeculturebsl.com
Facebook: Coffee Culture Bay St. Louis
Specialty: Iced latte, with 50-plus unique flavors you can add into to your latte to make it fun! Top it off with homemade sweet cream, cold foam or whipped cream for that extra dose of sweetness.
DONUTS
The TatoNut Shop
1114 Government St., Ocean Springs
(228) 872-2076
Facebook: The Tatonut Donut Shop
Instagram: @thetatonutshop
Specialty: The original glazed TatoNut — sold the most out of any other donut. Two other top sellers are the blueberry cake donut and the Persian, which is TatoNut’s version of a cinnamon roll.
GREEK; MEDITERRANEAN
Mr.Greek Restaurant
1670 Pass Road, Suite H, Biloxi
(228) 432-7888
Facebook: Mr. Greek Restaurant
Specialty: Authentic Greek food, including the Greccian combo plater — which comes with gyro meat, Grecian-style meatballs, stuffed grape leaves, eggplant casserole, a side Greek salad, Greek potato and green beans.
HOT DOGS
Boogies Grill & Chill
2650 Beach Blvd. Suite 41, Biloxi
(228) 207-2866
boogiesbiloxi.com
Facebook: Boogies Grill & Chill
Specialty: Biloxi’s (and your) newest and favorite local hangout spot featuring pub-style favorites such as an andouille sausage dog, handcrafted burger, smoked wings, various sandwiches or even a yummy savory salad.
ICE CREAM AND FROZEN YOGURT
Bop’s Frozen Custard
3179 Mallett Road, Suite 25, D’Iberville
(228) 392-2677
bopsfrozencustard.com
Facebook: Bop’s Frozen Custard of D’Iberville
Instagram: @bopsgulfcoast
Specialty: Snappy Turtle – sundae layered with vanilla custard, roasted pecans, hot fudge and caramel
INDIAN
Orchid Indian Cuisine
63 Hardy Court Shopping Center, Gulfport
(228) 206-1162
orchidms.net
Facebook: Orchid Indian Cuisine
Specialty: Chicken tikka masala and butter chicken are the most popular dishes. The curries are rich, creamy and flavorful. Diners get to enjoy the zest of all the spices without the heat.
ITALIAN
Salute Italian & Seafood Restaurant
1712 15th St., Gulfport
(228) 865-2500
www.saluteitalian.com
Facebook: Salute Italian & Seafood Restaurant
Specialty: Eggplant gondola — thinly sliced eggplant, Italian breaded and fried crisp, topped with a signature seafood sauce: shrimp and crawfish in a roasted-garlic alfredo sauce, served with choice of a side of pasta or vegetables.
JAPANESE
Chef Scott’s Asian Cuisine
803 Bienville Blvd, Ocean Springs, MS
(228) 215-3917
Facebook: Chefs Scott
Specialty: A full sushi menu featuring signature “Kick Ass roll” and “Speak to the Dragon” specialty roll with shrimp and spicy sriracha. Also providing hibachi, sweet and sour chicken and bento boxes.
MEXICAN
El Saltillo Mexican Restaurant
(228) 875-1981
3100 Bienville Blvd, Ste 78, Ocean Springs
elsaltillo.com
Facebook: El Saltillo Mexican Restaurant
Specialty: Very popular menu items include our Burrito Supreme, Mexican Torta, Steak Burrito, The Jorge Combo, Pescado Frito, El Molcajete, Carne Asada and Nachos Al Carbon.
PIZZA
Brooklyn Pizzeria
51 Hardy Court, Gulfport
(228) 864-6555
Facebook: Brooklyn Pizzeria (Gulfport)
Specialty: Authentic New York-style pizza — the most popular is the large 20-inch pizza with customers’ choice of topping(s).
SANDWICHES
Lil Ray’s Poboys and Seafood
500 A Courthouse Rd, Gulfport
(228) 896-9601
www.lilraysrestaurant.com
Facebook: Lil Ray’s Poboys and Seafood
Specialty: Our signature shrimp Po’Boys are dressed on french bread delivered daily from New Orleans and we cook our own roast and gravy for our famous hot roast beef Po’Boys! Other dishes include boiled seafood, seafood gumbo, fried and grilled platters, and jumbo lump crab cakes.
SEAFOOD
Jourdan River Steamer
15152 MS-603, Kiln
(228) 255-7333
www.jrsteamer.com
Facebook: Jourdan River Steamer
Specialty: Fresh fish, live Maine lobster pulled right out of the tank, JUMBO King Crab the size of an arm, Royal Red Shrimp (the real Royal Reds from the Gulf of Mexico, not the headless imported), Dungeness Snow Crab, mouth-watering Certified Angus Beef steaks, not your everyday pastas, freshly shucked Gulf oysters, etc, and of course, no fried food.
SOUL FOOD
Ms. Audrey’s Southern Kitchen and Catering
1526 Mills Ave., Gulfport
(228) 214-4287
www.msaudreysgulfport.com
Facebook: Ms. Audrey’s Southern Kitchen and Catering
Specialty: Gumbo, which is Swahili for its main ingredient okra, represents the melting pot of Louisiana creole culture. A dish mixed with a savory brown roux, filé spices, local seafood, smoked meat, and Ms. Audrey’s southern essence is cooked in a big ole pot with heaps of love.
SOUTHERN
Lancaster’s
1409 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs
(228) 447-4050
www.lancastersos.com
Specialty: Sassy Salad — a bed of fresh green-leaf lettuce combined with tomatoes, Colby jack cheese, red onion, boiled eggs, avocado and croutons and topped with boiled shrimp, Cajun crawfish and jumbo lump crab. Whole and half sizes are available.
SPANISH
Tavi’s Salumeria
1618 25th Ave, Gulfport
www.tavisllc.com
Facebook: Tavi’s Salumeria
Instagram: @tavis_salumeria
Specialty: Tavi’s Salumeria is an authentic Italian sandwich shop. All of the sandwiches we create are made using fresh ingredients from Italy, Spain, and France. This is the Sicily, featuring focaccia bread, spicy salami, prosciutto, burrata cheese, arugula, pickled red onions, roasted peppers, roasted pepper and feta spread and Calabrese pepper pesto.
SPORTS BAR
Coastal Daiquiri Bar & Grill
501 Jeff Davis Ave, Long Beach
(228) 206-1100
www.coastaldaiquiri.com
Facebook: Coastal Daiquiri Company
Specialty: The Coast’s premiere daiquiri bar! Our daiquiris are derived from premium mixes made with real fruit.
STEAKHOUSE
The Rack House Steak & Spirits
1301 26th Ave., Gulfport
(228) 206-2744
rackhousesteaks.com
Facebook: The Rack House Steaks & Spirits
Instagram: @therackhousesteakandspirits
Specialty: Some of the eatery’s most popular items include Rack House-style steaks and fish of the day, lemon parmesan chicken, braised short ribs and wedge salad. Our whiskeys and a fantastic wine list are perfectly paired with our made from scratch menu highlighted by Choice and Prime cuts of beef, lamb, fresh fish and seafood. We also offer unique appetizers, salads and pastas.
TAPAS
White Pillars Restaurant & Lounge
1696 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi
(228) 207-0885
www.biloxiwhitepillars.com
Facebook: White Pillars Restaurant and Lounge
Instagram: @White_Pillars
Specialty: We are farm to table and change our menu often based on what we get daily from our fisherman and farmers. I think what people love most about White Pillars is that the menu is always new, exciting and fresh with the seasons!
THAI
Thai Lotus
2327 25th Ave, Gulfport
(228) 822-9248
thailotusgulfport.com
Facebook: Thai Lotus
Specialty: Our Thai restaurant is a true culinary journey through the beautiful flavors of Thailand and Vietnam. Our menu features an array of traditional dishes. From the rich and creamy curries, to the fresh and tangy salads, every bite is a taste of the vibrant cultures of these two countries.
VEGAN
Blue Dog Bistro
1801-A Government St., Ocean Springs
(228) 447-4023
www.bluedogbistro.com
Facebook: Blue Dog Bistro
Specialty: Pasta Primavera | Vegan Burger | Baked Avocado & Egg | Banana Oat Pancakes
VEGETARIAN
By the Fig & the Olive
3670 Groveland Rd Suite C, Ocean Springs
(228) 697-5843
www.figandtheolive.com
Facebook: By the Fig and the Olive
Instagram: @bythefigandtheolive.ms
Specialty: Our thali offers a variety of fresh and nutritious dishes that cater to all taste preferences, including grains, protein, carbs, fiber, and dairy such as roti, rice, daal, fresh and pickled veggies, chutney, and raita or buttermilk. Our soba noodle salad consists of buckwheat noodles, edamame, seasonal veggies, roasted peanuts and coconut and tamarind dressing.
VIETNAMESE
Chopstx Noodle Bar
9380 Central Ave., D’Iberville
(888) 752-9772
www.scarletpearlcasino.com/restaurant/chopstx-noodle-bar
Specialty: Authentic Asian cuisine with options of Vietnamese sandwiches, made-to-order pho and a variety of appetizers.