Where to Drink and Dine in Belhaven & Belhaven Heights
In Jackson's Belhaven neighborhood, food offerings are storied and eclectic, alongside new flavors and purveyors of City With Soul cuisine.
Belhaven Town Center
ELVIE'S
Drawing inspiration from French cafés and his New Orleans grandmother's kitchen, Chef Hunter Evans has created a refined dining destination that celebrates the Gulf Coast's culinary heritage. The seasonal menu showcases ethically-sourced ingredients, from fresh Gulf oysters to heirloom vegetables. Breakfast features house-made breads and French omelets, while dinner elevates Southern classics with dishes like duck confit cassoulet and Gulf Coast bouillabaisse. Under beverage director Brandi Carter's expertise, the bar program shines with creative cocktails such as the Pepper Jelly Julep and Chartreuse Daiquiri, complemented by a thoughtful wine list and unique offerings like absinthe service.
PULITO OSTERIA
Chef Chaz Lindsay's Italian-inspired restaurant brings a sophisticated yet approachable dining experience to Jackson. Featuring handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and seasonally-driven Italian cuisine with Southern influences, Pulito represents the culmination of Lindsay's two-decade culinary journey. The menu emphasizes fresh, locally-sourced ingredients transformed into memorable dishes that honor both Italian tradition and Southern flavors. Their commitment to scratch-made pasta and authentic preparation techniques has quickly earned them praise as a standout in Jackson's dining scene.
FERTILE GROUND BEER CO.
As the anchor tenant of Belhaven Town Center, this craft brewery has transformed a former hospital laundry facility into a vibrant community gathering space. Four core beers maintain a steady presence alongside rotating seasonal selections, including the Jackson original, Colson's Beer. The space features both indoor and outdoor seating, complete with authentic German beer garden benches and games like giant Connect Four. Regular events such as Lagers and Joggers and Pints and Poses keep the community engaged, while a meeting room with AV capabilities and beer taps making it perfect for private functions.
ROWAN'S
Chef Chaz Lindsay's second Belhaven Town Center venture creates the perfect neighborhood pub atmosphere, balancing family-friendly daytime service with a more casual evening vibe. The space, designed in collaboration with Mary Sanders Ferris Cavicchi, captures a "shotgun New Orleans" feel that seems to have been part of the neighborhood forever. The menu features elevated pub fare including a stellar hamburger, crispy tater tots, and a daily lunch special with entries like Thursday's Charles Fried Chicken. The bar program keeps things playful with offerings like the Weenie Martini featuring Cathead Vodka and the shell shot, a boiled peanut juice infused quick hit of liquor.
GOOD BAR
This outdoor drinking spot, created by the team behind Elvie's, offers a sophisticated yet casual atmosphere at the Terrace. The carefully curated beverage program features cocktails on tap, seasonal creations, natural wines, and low/no ABV options. Signature drinks include their house Old Fashioned, Spicy Bees Knees, and Spanish Spritz, all best enjoyed on their welcoming patio. Light snacks complement the drinks menu, making it an ideal spot for pre-dinner aperitifs or post-meal nightcaps.
MAYDAY ICE CREAM
This Florida-born ice cream shop brings its creative flavors to Mississippi, marking its first location outside the Sunshine State. Known for inventive combinations like Coffee and Donuts and Blueberry Toast Crunch, MayDay emphasizes quality ingredients and classic hospitality. Visitors can explore multiple flavors through their popular ice cream "flights," enjoy fresh waffle cones, or take home pints for later. The shop thoughtfully includes gluten and dairy-free options, ensuring everyone can enjoy their creative frozen treats.
POPPY PIES
What began as a humble pop-up has evolved into one of Jackson's most beloved pizza destinations. Founded by Gray Welch and JeriAnna Shaw in 2022, Poppy Pies crafts Neapolitan and Detroit-style pizzas with both classic and innovative toppings. Sandwiches are made for the lunch menu. Their journey from portable ovens to a custom brick oven trailer led to their permanent home in Belhaven Town Center, where they continue their mission of "serving pizza without compromise." Their dedication to quality and creativity has quickly established them as a neighborhood staple
WING MOUTH
Wing Mouth brings expertly crafted wings, tenders, and fries to Belhaven Town Center. Founded by veteran restaurateur George Gillespie, this fast-casual spot specializes in house-made sauces, including customer favorites like garlic Parmesan and honey bourbon barbecue. While the restaurant operates as takeout only, guests can enjoy their meals throughout the center's outdoor spaces or at neighboring establishments.
Around the Neighborhoods
URBAN FOXES - Belhaven Heights
This family-owned pie shop is located in a lovely restored Craftsman-style bungalow divided into many distinct spaces where you can find people working quietly on their laptops or sharing a flight of sweet and savory scones. They take their coffee very seriously at Urban Foxes, and that care is evident in each deliciously complex cup that they brew. Evenings feature occasional live music and trivia nights, so there’s always something going on in the Foxes’ den.
LIBRARY LOUNGE - Belhaven
An experience at the intimate lounge at the Fairview Inn really does feel like being served a fine cocktail in the clubby library of a family friend. The bookshelf-lined walls of the library of the former Fairview Mansion are still filled with historic tomes, many written by Mississippi authors. The personal service from the talented bartenders is exemplary, and the Library offers one of the best happy hours in town from 4:00 until 6:00 Monday through Friday.
KEIFER'S ON POPLAR - Belhaven
Just across Poplar Boulevard from its original location, Keifer's is a longtime fixture in the Belhaven neighborhood. Opened in 1980, “Jackson didn’t know what hummus was, or gyros or falafel or cottage fries,” current general manager Chip Holden explains. Keifer’s was also one of the very first restaurants in the Jackson area to offer outdoor seating. Today, the menu hasn't changed and the decor - painstakingly recreated from the original location - lives on.
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THE MANSHIP - Belhaven
Focusing on wood-fired meats, seafood and pizzas and boasting the largest whiskey collection in town, The Manship sounds like it would be named after a decidedly masculine sailing vessel. In truth, the name comes from the historic gothic revival mansion located not too far from the restaurant in Belhaven. The Manship strives to utilize whole animal cookery whenever possible out of respect for the farmers and their livestock that provide the proteins. This philosophy shows up throughout the Mediterranean-leaning menu from charcuterie boards of cured meats to pasta sauces to pizza toppings.
SUNFLOWER OVEN - Belhaven Heights
Open most days with a selection of breads, pastries, and prepared foods, the bakery is a cooperative, meaning the business prioritizes people over profits. Along with natural yeast strains, Sunflower Oven is committed to using only flour "grown and sown" locally in the South. The bakery offers fresh foods that "show people that bread does not have to weigh you down" - treating it like it's fresh produce. Find them on Saturday mornings at the Mississippi Farmers Market.
THE PIZZA SHACK - Belhaven Heights
The Pizza Shack began in 2005, offering artfully made pizzas using dough and sauce made in-house daily. In addition to the standard options, there are unique offerings, including Andy’s buffalo chicken pizza, chicken curry delight pizza, the Greek pizza, double cheeseburger pizza, chicken fajita pizza and Mexican fiesta pizza. Ingredients are sourced as locally as possible, and each pie is made to order. And because so many young people survive on pizza while in college, The Pizza Shack offers a ten percent discount to college students. (Pro tip: call in orders ahead of time, then be prepared to wait. It’s worth it).