10 Mississippi Diners Where Buttered Buns Are A Way Of Life
When it comes to comfort food in Mississippi, there’s nothing quite like a warm, buttered bun to make your taste buds dance. These soft, golden delights have become a signature offering at many of the state’s most beloved diners. From Jackson to Oxford, I’ve tracked down the spots where these heavenly treats aren’t just a side dish; they’re practically a religion.
1. Big Apple Inn
Tucked away on Farish Street, this Jackson institution has been slathering butter on their famous sandwich buns since 1939. The moment that warm, glistening roll hits your plate, you know you’re experiencing something special.
What really sets their buns apart is the family recipe that’s been guarded for generations. Crisp on the outside, cloud-soft inside, and swimming in just the right amount of melted butter.
Locals swear the secret ingredient is love, but I suspect it’s the cast-iron skillets that have never seen soap in 80+ years!
2. Ajax Diner
My knees actually went weak the first time I bit into Ajax’s legendary butter-soaked bun. Situated on Oxford’s historic square, this diner doesn’t just butter their buns; they transform them into something transcendent.
Students from Ole Miss pack this place before football games, creating a ritual around these golden pillows. The buns arrive glistening under the diner lights, leaving delightful butter pools on your plate.
Owner Randy Yates once told me they go through 40 pounds of butter weekly just for their buns!
3. Big Bad Breakfast
Chef John Currence could serve cardboard and people would rave, but his buttered breakfast buns at this Oxford hotspot are the stuff of dreams. Arriving perfectly toasted and swimming in a lake of melted, locally-sourced butter, these morning treats have their own fan club.
The buns come warm to the touch, with butter seeping into every nook and cranny. I’ve watched grown adults close their eyes in pure bliss at first bite.
Rumor has it that Currence tested 37 different butter-to-bun ratios before finding perfection!
4. Jo’s Diner
A roadside gem that locals try to keep secret, Jo’s in Flowood serves buns so buttery you might need extra napkins tucked into your collar! The family-run establishment has been perfecting their butter technique since 1987.
What makes Jo’s special is their butter-warming method; they use a copper pot that’s been in the family for three generations. The buns arrive with a light sprinkle of sea salt that makes the buttery flavor absolutely pop.
I once saw a customer order six buttered buns to go, no sandwich fillings needed!
5. Mammy’s Cupboard
Housed in a building shaped like a 28-foot tall woman’s skirt, Mammy’s Cupboard near Natchez serves buttered buns that are as unique as its architecture. These aren’t just any buttered buns; they’re infused with honey and a touch of cinnamon.
The butter itself is churned on-site weekly, giving it a freshness you can taste immediately. Tourists come for the quirky building but return again and again for these sweet, buttery creations.
A little-known fact: the butter is mixed with a splash of bourbon during holiday seasons!
6. The Blue & White Restaurant
Gamblers from nearby casinos flock to this Tunica landmark for what might be the luckiest buttered buns in Mississippi. Since 1937, The Blue & White has been slathering their homemade rolls with a butter so rich it should be illegal.
The buns arrive at your table with butter melting down the sides, creating what locals call a “butter moat.” The recipe hasn’t changed in over 80 years, and for good reason; it’s absolute perfection.
Elvis himself reportedly made late-night stops here just for these buttery delights!
7. Sunrise Café
Farmers start lining up outside this Oxford café at 5:30 AM, not just for coffee, but for those heavenly butter-drenched buns that come fresh from the oven every 30 minutes. The morning sun streaming through the windows actually makes these buns glisten like gold.
Owner Marilyn Jenkins uses a special European-style butter with a higher fat content that creates an almost croissant-like texture. The café smells like butter and happiness from open to close.
My personal tip: ask for the “double dip”; they’ll give your bun an extra butter bath!
8. Pecan House Café
Leave it to the creative minds at Jackson’s Pecan House Café to revolutionize the buttered bun game with their pecan-infused butter spread. These buns arrive warm, with tiny bits of toasted pecans visible in the melting butter pools.
The café sources their pecans from a family orchard just outside the city. When you bite in, there’s a delightful crunch that complements the soft, pillowy bun texture.
During fall harvest, they offer a special pumpkin-pecan butter that creates a line out the door!
9. Campus Corner Deli
Mississippi State students have been fueling late-night study sessions with Campus Corner’s famous garlic-butter buns since the 1970s. These aren’t subtle; they hit you with a vampire-repelling level of garlic that somehow makes the butter even more delicious.
The buns come wrapped in foil to keep them piping hot. Legend has it that a perfect exam score is guaranteed if you eat one before your test.
During rivalry week with Ole Miss, they add a touch of maroon food coloring to the butter; now that’s dedication!
10. The Elite Restaurant
Walking into The Elite in downtown Jackson feels like stepping back in time, and their buttered buns recipe hasn’t changed since 1947. These aren’t flashy or trendy; just perfectly executed butter-to-bun ratio that has stood the test of time.
State politicians have been known to cross party lines just to share these buttery delights. The butter is whipped with a touch of honey, giving it a subtle sweetness that enhances rather than overwhelms.
My grandmother swears they use the same butter bells they’ve had since opening day!
