Are you a finalist? Didn’t get your party invitation? Email kimberly@jacksonfreepress.com or call 601-362-6121 x11
Best Local Fried Chicken; Best Lunch Counter or Buffet; Best Soul Food: Mama Hamil’s Southern Cookin’ & BBQ
Best Place for Hummus; Best Vegetarian Options: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill
Best Local Fried Chicken finalists: Fannin Mart Restaurant (5419 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-992-0411; 160 Weisenberger Road, Madison, 769-300-2493; fanninmart.com) / Local 463 Urban Kitchen (1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., Suite 5002, Ridgeland, 601-707-7684, local463.com) / Primos Café (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Suite A, Flowood, 601-936-3398; primoscafe.com) / Rooster’s Restaurant (2906 N. State St., 601-982-2001, roostersfondren.com)
Best Place for Hummus finalists: Athenos Greek and Lebanese Café (111 Colony Crossing Way, Madison, 601-605-1400, athenoscafe.com / Babalu Tapas & Tacos (622 Duling Ave., Suite 106, 601-366-5757, eatbabalu.com) / Keifer’s (120 N. Congress St., 601-353-49756; 705 Poplar Blvd., 601-355-6825, keifers.net) / Krilakis (207 W. Jackson St., Suite D, Ridgeland, 601-790-9463; krilakis.com) / Zeek’z House of Gyros (currently closed) Best Vegetarian Options finalists: Babalu Tapas & Tacos (622 Duling Ave., Suite 106, 601-366-5757, eatbabalu.com) / Crossroads Café (398 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601790-7141) / BRAVO! Italian Restaurant & Bar (4500 Interstate 55 N., Suite 244, 601982-8111, bravobuzz.com) / High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road, 601-366-1602 ext. 3, rainbowcoop.org)
Best Lunch Counter or Buffet finalists: Brent’s Drugs (655 Duling Ave., 601-366-3427) / McDade’s Markets (Multiple locations, mcdadesmarkets.com) / Primos Café (515 Lake Harbour Drive, Ridgeland, 601-898-3600; 2323 Lakeland Drive, Suite A, Flowood, 601-9363398; primoscafe.com) / The Country Kitchen (219 County Line Road, 601-991-1056) Best Soul Food finalists: Bully’s Restaurant (3118 Livingston Road, 601-362-0484) / Gloria’s Family Restaurant LLC (2855 Bailey Ave., 601-362-0009) / Sugar’s Place (168 W. Griffith St., 601-352-2364, sugarsdowntown.com) / The Country Kitchen (219 County Line Road, 601-991-1056)
Best Meal Under $10; Best Place to Buy Beer: McDade’s Markets (Multiple locations, mcdadesmarkets.com)
TRIP BURNS / FILE PHOTO
Best Pub Quiz/Trivia Night finalists: Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St., 601-948-0055, fenianspub.com) / Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., 601-948-0888, halandmals.com) / Library Lounge (Fairview Inn, 734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429, fairviewinn.com) / Lost Pizza Co. (multiple location, lostpizza.com)
Best Meal Under $10 finalists: Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive, 601-3666033, aladdininjackson.com) / Basil’s (2906 N. State St., Suite 104, 601-982-2100; 120 N. Congress St., Suite L1, 601-944-9888) / Surin of Thailand (3000 Old Canton Road, Suite 105, 601-981-3205) / The Trace Grill (574 Highway 51, Suite F, Ridgeland, 601-853-1014, thetracegrill.com)
Best Barbecue finalists: E&L Barbeque (1111 Bailey Ave., 601-355-5035) / Hickory Pit (1491 Canton Mart Road, 601-956-7079, hickorypitms.com) / Little Willie’s BBQ (115 Village Square, Suite G, Brandon, 601-992-6328; 3015 Highway 80 E., 601-397-6698; littlewilliesbarbecue.com) / Sylvester’s MS Style BBQ (9434 Highway 18, Raymond, 601-346-8000)
Best Place to Buy Beer finalists: Hops & Habanas (2771 Old Canton Road, 769-5724631; 123 Grandview Blvd., Madison, Suite N, 601-853-7449; hopsandhabanas.com) / LD’s Beer Run (5006 Parkway Drive, 769-208-8686) / Lucky Town Brewing Company (1710 N. Mill St., 601-790-0142, luckytownbrewing.com)
January 24 - 30, 2018 • jfp.ms
(3139 N. State St., 601-326-6070, pigandpint.com)
When looking for a meal under $10, especially during lunch, a grocery store can sometimes be the best option. McDade’s is no exception to this. While the store itself is stocked with everything to make a cheap lunch, from bread to tortillas to peanut butter and jelly, and more, each McDade’s also has an affordably priced lunch counter. Every day of the week, you can find menu items at the lunch counter such as fried or baked chicken, and vegetable soup, but the lunch bar also has items for specific days of the week such as fried pork chops, spaghetti with meatballs and broccoli and rice casserole. Each location’s lunch menu varies. McDade’s also has a deli, bakery, a meat counter and produce, so whatever kind of meal you want to make for under $10, you’ll probably find it there. Also, as the winner for Best Place to Buy Beer should, the grocery store also has an extensive selection of beer, with everything from craft beers such as Lucky Town Brewing Company to imported beers such as Guinness. —Amber Helsel
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Best Pub Quiz/Trivia Night; Best Barbecue: The Pig & Pint Drive by The Pig & Pint on a Monday night (trivia night), and you probably won’t find a spot to park or sit at if you don’t plan ahead. The restaurant’s patio, which is full of long tables, forces unlikely allies to team up during trivia or brings out squads of folks to compete for gift cards. If trivia isn’t your thing, the restaurant was also voted Best Barbecue this year. From brisket to pulled pork, you will not be disappointed. The restaurant only uses charcoal and wood-burning smokers to cook their meat. They also know a thing or two about sauce, and the options, Carolina mustard sauce and Mississippi “sweet” barbecue, sit on every table in the restaurant. For more information, visit pigandpint.com. —Arielle Dreher
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(730 Lakeland Drive, 601-366-6033, aladdininjackson.com)
Tucked away in Fondren, Aladdin is a Mediterranean restaurant where vegetarians can eat without having to do mental gymnastics to find suitable options. The menu includes vegetarian dishes such as falafel (a fried mixture of ground chickpeas, onion and parsley). It also offers a popular sautéed vegetarian plate with a mix of squash, zucchini, carrots, celery and mushrooms, sautéed in olive oil and garlic. It is served over basmati rice, and topped with feta cheese; and more. Aladdin is also known for its hummus. It’s a smoothly blended dip made of tahini paste, lemon and pureed chick peas, and topped with a jalapeño pesto, olive oil and sumac. It comes alongside the vegetarian plate, or you can order it as a side with any meal you choose. —Ko Bragg
COURTESY MAMA HAMIL’S
(751 Highway 51, Madison, 601-856-4407, hamils.com)
Mama Hamil’s has been part of the Jackson metro area’s food scene ever since the restaurant opened in 1977. Its first location was a small cabin only big enough for 60 people, but these days, the restaurant can accommodate up to 300 people. The menu includes soul-food classics such as turnip greens, barbecue beans, black-eyed peas, smoked chicken, fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, barbecue ribs, meat loaf, collard greens, mashed potatoes and gravy, pulled pork and more; however, if you’re going to Mama Hamil’s make sure you try the fried chicken (it is the winner for Best Local Fried Chicken, after all). —Dustin Cardon
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