Taste of the Game: Visit City Grocery as Ole Miss hosts South Carolina
OXFORD, Miss. — Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.” No matter how many times I have crossed in and out of the Oxford city limits, I perform the same rituals as we all do when we come home. For me, that always involves a drive around the Square — and a stop for food and spirits at City Grocery.
A perfect Friday night view from @CITYGROCERYOXMS 💜 #VisitOxfordMS https://t.co/Fjz9FZqEFQ
— VisitOxfordMS (@VisitOxfordMS) July 11, 2020
There is just something about having the windows down in my Tahoe as I make that loop, listening to Widespread Panic and Canned Heat as I feel the crisp fall breeze and take in the scents that only a place like Oxford can bring on gameday…all the while crossing my fingers I get the perfect parking spot to enjoy whatever the day will bring.
This weekend the Rebels return home after a much-needed week off and look to capitalize on still actually getting to play a game this weekend. Ole Miss and South Carolina are one of just three SEC match-ups that have not been forced to cancel due to COVID-19. Coach Kiffin and his ball club will host the Gamecocks in a Saturday evening showdown with kickoff slated at 6:30 PM in the Vaught.
So, with a coveted evening time slot you know what that means. You can enjoy an all day affair in and around the Square. Press those sports coats and shine those boots, gentleman and ladies, because It’s time to get dolled up in true southern gameday fashion.
When I’m not on the sidelines or in a press box, I love to hang out at a place where I can sample a variety of food and drink and enjoy the atmosphere. I want a place I can have a post-run libation or go for a date night while people-watching and having good conversation.
Luxe, yet simply Southern
There is just something so luxe yet simply Southern when you go to a place like City Grocery. Seriously, y’all, this should be a right of passage for anyone who comes to Oxford. What I love is you can really make a whole evening of it and never need to go anywhere else; it’s a one-stop-shop.
Enjoy the downstairs with fantastic cuisine — you know if it has John Currence’s name on it, your tastebuds will thank you for years to come. And if you’re looking for something more cozy and quaint, then head up those signature steps and be greeted like you’re the only one in the room.
City Grocery feels like home.
Walking up those steps at City Grocery and being greeted by a familiar face who still knows what bourbons I love is like coming home. (I am still hoping I can get that signature plaque one day on the bar!)
I could stay all day on that Balcony and I am pretty sure I have more than once closed it down. If there is a place that you can get all the things we love on Gameday then City Grocery has to be on your stop.
Like I said its going to be an all-day affair so let’s get started on my picks for this week’s Taste of the Game at City Grocery.
Lunch at City Grocery
Fuel your day with an early start off their lunch menu. For those looking to go lighter, start with the OGCG Cesar Salad and kick it up with your choice of grilled chicken, fried oysters, or blackened shrimp.
Click here for the lunch menu.
For those of you wanting to really jumpstart your day with a more hearty fixing, go straight for the Roast Beef Po Boy or Pan Seared Gulf Fish. Both of these dishes and sides will get you through game day. Wash it down with some of the best libations in town. (If you are looking for some of the best selection of bubbly waters and my personal favorite small-batch boutique bourbon, this is your place.)
Happy Hour
Check out Happy Hour from 2:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. or hang out and pre-game your dinner plans. City Grocery’s Happy Hour menu is a winner from top to bottom with the best of both worlds, luxe southern food and libations. I say go for the Poutine and Tiger Sauce Chicken Wings and wash that down with a Stella or Yuengling — unless you’re Texan, in which case go for the Shinerbock.
Even though we can’t Grove this season due to COVID-19 precautions, we can still have our party. The one thing I love about City Grocery reunions, as I like to call every stop there, is you never know who you’ll to run into, or the new fellowships and memories you will make. As the saying goes, ‘if those walls could talk!’
Dinner deliciousness
Whether you’re solo or enjoying a date night, dinner at CG will be a winner for sure!
Enjoy the Crawfish Etouffee appetizer or the Cumin Scented Butternut Squash Soup. If you’re looking to enjoy a nice savory entree, try the Grilled 44 Farms Filet. It will leave your mouth watering. Or, you can always go for the comfort food — Shrimp and grits, with scallions, white wine, lemon juice and big bad bacon. Yum!
Check out their dinner menu here.
There’s no place like home
No matter how much time goes by, there are just some places that will always feel like home and City Grocery is that for me. There is nothing like having a place to watch the annual Christmas parade, or enjoying conversations with both friends and strangers from across the balconies on gameday.
Each of us has our own memories of City Grocery and they are only understood by those of us who gather there and keep the traditions of Gamedays in Oxford. Bon Appetit!
To keep up to date with game day at City Grocery or to make a reservation, contact them at 662-232-8080 or visit them at https://citygroceryonline.com
City Grocery
152 Courthouse Square
662-232-8080
LUNCH
MONDAY-SATURDAY: 11:30AM-2:30PM
HAPPY HOUR(S)
MONDAY-SATURDAY: 2:30PM-6PM
DINNER
MONDAY-SATURDAY: 6PM-10PM
CLOSED SUNDAY
RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED
Lee Ann Herring-Olvedo
Lee Ann is the Director of Recruiting for The Rebel Walk. She is a veteran SEC sports journalist and NFL content writer. She is also the Sr. Editor for MESPORTS digital. Herring-Olvedo is a Brown University graduate who loves good cigars, good games, and a smooth glass of bourbon — not necessarily in that order.
