Sugar's Place / Sugar's Catering

In operation since 2008, Sugar’s Place is affectionately named after co-owner Glenda Barner’s mother is certainly a sweet part of our culinary community.

Sugar’s Place Downtown could quite possibly be one of Downtown Jackson’s best-kept secrets, that is until they swept the city by being named the People’s Choice – Restaurant of the Year, awarded by Visit Jackson, MS, earlier this year!

If you are in the Jackson Foodies Facebook Group, you know of Sugar’s and you know it very well. A family-run operation, this diner is nestled in the Sterling Towers Apartment Complex across from Mississippi College School of Law. It is within convenient walking distance from most businesses and government offices west of West Street and south of Amite Street. Parking, however, is limited to street-side parking and – parking meters. They are open for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday.

The Atmosphere: The Restaurant offers indoor and outdoor patio seating. The indoor seating includes traditional red and white checkered vinyl table cloths, giving you the feel of a home-like, casual dining experience. There’s music ranging from oldies to recent rhythm and blues tunes playing in the background. It’s a counter-service establishment, with daily specials handwritten on the board and a simple, yet savory everyday menu available.

The Food: In full disclosure, I must admit Sugar’s is one of my favorite breakfast spots in Jackson. In fact, because I felt I would be totally biased regarding breakfast, I chose to review a lunch item instead. Although the Jackson Foodies would agree with me that Sugar’s Breakfast cannot be beaten, I want to focus on the lunch menu for this review. I had the fortune of dining on a Monday, where the deal of the day was the Loaded Mama Burger, a hand pressed, all-beef, burger special. For less than $10, the special comes with a side and a tea or kool-aid. Yes, kool-aid! Not just any kool-aid, but Sugar’s kool-aid. If you’ve had it before, you know it is addictive. There’s no surprise to you what I chose as my beverage.

Other regular items on the menu included catfish and shrimp, chicken wings, chicken tenders, Philly cheesesteak subs, and salads. Daily specials range from baked chicken with veggies to chopped steak and gravy to chicken tetrazzini. If variety is what you are looking for, watch out for their daily specials.

Now, about my Loaded Mama Burger. I asked them to prepare mine well, with grilled onions and bacon. The patty was hand pressed and easily more than a quarter-pound of well-seasoned, juicy beef. My bun was toasted and buttered with the edges having just the right amount of crunch. Even the lettuce topping was a mix of greens with crisp romaine lettuce. The onions were grilled to perfection and added balance to the texture of the crisp bacon.

The Loaded Mama Burger was a home-run.

Sugar’s was already my favorite breakfast spot, but it is easily moving to my favorite burger spot as well. My only negative point is that I have to wait until Mondays to enjoy this delectable goodness.

The Service: Marcus was the young man who took my order and he was extremely gracious, and expedient in getting my order to me. Before I could get from my seat after having my ticket called by my name, he met me at the table with my food.

Is it Monday, yet?

Carlyn Hicks

Carlyn Hicks, founder of Jackson Foodies, lover of all things culinary, pro-Jackson advocate. All opinions expressed in this post are the opinions of the writer and not necessarily those of Visit Jackson.