First things first: to know me is to know that I love food. A lot. Food is my life. I love to eat, I love to cook and I love to stare longingly at pictures of food on Pinterest, and I shamelessly consider eating to be one of my favorite hobbies. This level of obsession comes with a pretty special insight into where to find the best culinary creations in any given area, and when I moved to Starkville, I was quick to seek out the very best of the best that Starkville has to offer. As it turns out, Starkville has a distinct culinary culture, and some of the best food I’ve ever eaten has been made with love in Mississippi’s College Town. Here’s a list of the very best places to nosh (and what to order when you get there).
Oby’s
Everyone know’s Oby’s, not least because of those obnoxious commercials filled with greasy fried food and New Orleans jazz music. Don’t let this fool you. Yes, Oby’s is tacky — but it’s also very, very tasty. The inside is decorated in dark woods and vintage coke signs, and the atmosphere is generally pretty lively. You'll find everyone from Starkville natives to frat guys, because Oby's is just that good. Get the pimento cheese sandwich (spoiler: I'm really into pimento cheese) or the alligator po' boy; you can't really go wrong here.
Starkville Café
Like most people, I am a firm believer that breakfast food is the best kind of food, and as far as breakfast food goes, Starkville Café is definitely one of the best. The staff is really friendly and the whole place just feels homey. Like your grandma’s house, but with even more biscuits and gravy. My favorite thing to eat here is the pulled pork omelet; that sauce they put on top is killer. Try the biscuits too — my own mother, a picky eater, proclaimed they were “the best biscuits she’s ever eaten.” I’ll let you be the judge.
Restaurant Tyler
Restaurant Tyler is another one of those restaurants where you just can’t go wrong; everything is just good. The upstairs dining area is nice and usually quiet. I’ve heard great things about the meatloaf and the mashed potatoes, but my personal favorite is the chicken and waffles. It’s almost too good to be allowed. The brunch menu is good too!
Mugshots
I’m a sucker for a good burger, and Mugshots definitely delivers. The staff is really nice, and it’s never too loud. The outdoor seating is really nice too — you can sit upstairs on the deck with a view of the street below. The best burger (in my humble opinion) is Will’s All-American burger, though I’ve heard excellent things about the pizza burger. Also, if you get an appetizer, definitely go for the fried mushrooms.
Petty’s
There’s a sort of running argument about which barbecue place in Starkville is the best. Yes, the Little Dooey is good. But Petty’s is better. It reminds me of roadside barbecue stands back in Georgia, with outdoor picnic tables and a walk-up window. Get the pulled pork plate, and make sure you get it with toast. The barbecue sauce is ridiculously good and I’m pretty sure the toast is seasoned by God himself.
The Biscuit Shop
So you can’t really come here and sit down for a meal, but the Biscuit Shop deserves a spot on the list anyway. The biscuits are seriously the best in the world. I tell this to everybody. If you’re in Starkville, your trop isn’t complete if you haven’t stopped by here. Get the pimento and cheese biscuit, or the blueberry biscuit. In fact, it doesn’t matter what you get, just go and get a biscuit — all of them are delicious and the price is good for someone like me, who generally struggles to come up with enough change for a pop-tart from the vending machine.
In the end, it doesn't really matter where you go to eat in Starkville. When in doubt, just go out and explore — it's pretty hard to go wrong, because in Starkville, good food is just about everywhere.
