“I’m going to Jackson.” Sanderson Farms Championship, The Country Club of Jackson, October 2-5, 2025
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If going to Jackson is good enough for Johnny Cash*, it’s good enough for us. And judging from the restaurants in Jackson we surveyed, not going would be a mistake. Ok, the wines have some catching up to do, but given the energy behind the food, we’ll go out on a limb and guess they won’t lag for too much longer. Below are some options where you’ll do just fine right now.
On the retail side, it seems we have multiple contenders claiming they are the “best in Mississippi,” but no one will “put their Morey where their mouth is,” meaning they don’t show inventory online. We list some of these no-see-ums below.
Restaurants:
Walker’s Drive-In, despite the aw-shucks name, had the best traditional wine list we could find during previous visits, especially deep in California reds. Unfortunately as of October 2025 they have removed the list from public view. We only hope this doesn’t signal a decline in their program.
CAET, in Ridgeland also has a terrific list. It’s organized by grape on the white side and region on the red, which makes the browsing experience a little discombobulated but it’s well worth the hunt. An astonishing number of interesting low priced options, and we’re talking under $35, without at all neglecting the high end. Well done. Wine List
Local 463 in Ridgeland looks a lot like CAET (same ownership?) but in a more modest vein. Still there’s excellent global diversity, great pricing and plenty to choose from.
Koestler Prime has a classic steakhouse list heavy in reds with some impressive verticals, including a ton of wines from Saxum and a very large collection of Guigal La La’s, Penfold’s Grange Hermitage and several top Bordeaux. It’s a good bet for a big night out. Wine List
Elvie’s offers a small very eclectic organic/natural-leaning list. We applaud them for bringing Brooklyn to Jackson if nothing else. “Pulpe Fiction” is their muscadet. How cute is that?
Estelle Wine Bar and Bistro had a nice list when they last published it online in 2022. Now the best we can say is they are a “No See Um” and hope they stayed with the program.
Retail:
Here is a short list of the stores that claim to be the best in either Jackson or all of Mississippi. With no customer-facing evidence of such, you’ll have to take your chances: Fondren (the retail trend setter!), Wine & Spirits in the Quarter (Mississippi’s Biggest-and Best!), Kat’s Wine and Spirits (Higher scores/Lower prices, Mississippi’s Wine Destination for nearly 55 years!), Briarwood Wines and Spirits (Mississippi’s Finest Wine and Spirits!). They can’t all be right.
*Ok, we know the song was probably written about Jackson, TN, but we’re hoping nobody calls our bluff
