This post is not about a campground, but it is about a place you absolutely need to eat if you are ever camping near Oxford, Mississippi. We are staying at Roundabout RV Resort, and Old Taylor Grocery in Taylor, Mississippi, is only about a 15 minute drive away.
Old Taylor Grocery turned out to be one of the highlights of our Oxford, Mississippi RV trip.
There may never have been a more accurate example of “don’t judge a book by its cover” or a restaurant by what it looks like from the road. Honestly, if this place had not come so highly recommended, we probably would have driven right past it and assumed it was either closed or had been waiting on a coat of paint since the Carter administration.
That would have been a terrible mistake.
Old Taylor Grocery is only open from 5:00–9:00 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, and they are famous for their catfish. Let me tell you, the catfish more than lived up to the hype.
There were six of us, and they will not seat your party until everyone is there. So make sure everybody uses the bathroom, finds their shoes, and gets in the truck before you leave the campground.
Walking inside is like stepping back in time. There are checkered tablecloths, old license plates, pictures of local high school classes, and banners from CBS Sports and ESPN hanging everywhere. Nothing about the place is fancy, and that is exactly what makes it so great.
The service was excellent. I had never tried blackened catfish before, so I decided to be adventurous. Rick and Jay ordered it too, and all three of us agreed it was some of the best fish we had ever eaten. I may have permanently ruined regular fried catfish for myself. I am not saying I will never eat fried catfish again, but it is now going to have to work much harder to impress me.
The ladies ordered the fried catfish fillets and loved them too. The meals came with plenty of sides and hush puppies, so saving room for dessert required determination, sacrifice, and loosening your belt one notch.
Make sure you try the homemade peach cobbler with ice cream. I did not get a picture of dessert because once it hit the table, nobody was interested in holding a camera.
Our portion of the bill, including the tip, was about $60, and it was worth every penny.
If you are ever anywhere near Oxford, do yourself a favor and stop at Old Taylor Grocery. Do not let the outside fool you. The building may look humble, but the food inside is absolutely first-class.
Go hungry—and wear pants with a little extra room.
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