The South's Best New Restaurants

Saltine Oyster Bar: Jackson, MS

You might not think Jackson, Mississippi, when you imagine robust oyster culture. And you might not expect to find a sleek eatery in a repurposed schoolhouse. But Jesse Houston has created such a spot, where he is wholeheartedly supporting a resurgence of American oystermen, such as Murder Point Oysters off Dauphin Island, Alabama. Inside a former elementary school that was built in 1927 in the city’s Fondren District, Houston has turned a series of classrooms into a nautical wonderland worthy of Jules Verne—complete with a massive octopus mural. In this unexpected setting, you can slurp down a pristine dozen and get your fill of wood-fired half shells lacquered with tangy white barbecue sauce or loaded with crawfish tails, bacon, and hot sauce butter. Through his consistently killer collection of seafood dishes, Houston has earned his diners’ trust and the right to play around with his menu. Most notably, every Monday (no doubt, locals mark it on their calendars) he serves up Southern ramen, transforming familiar Mississippi ingredients into rich, brothy noodle bowls. He might use ham hock-laced collards or Gulf shrimp to create his dashi (the broth base). From there, his creativity truly knows no bounds. In a recent creation he called Pond Ramen, Houston loaded the dish with lemongrass-braised frog legs, fried frog legs, and smoked Mississippi catfish. Saltine might be located in an old school, but it’s anything but textbook.

Full list at Southern Living