Ask a group of Coast locals where to eat, and the conversation can turn into a long list of favorites. There is the place you always recommend, the spot you keep meaning to try and the restaurant where you order the same thing every time.
Savor the Coast puts several possibilities into one outing. With guided walking food tours in Ocean Springs and Biloxi, the company pairs restaurant tastings with stories about the communities surrounding them.
Husband-and-wife founders Clay and Aimie Barton found inspiration in their own travels. They enjoyed seeking out local restaurants, but choosing which ones to visit could be difficult. Food tours offered a way to sample several places while learning about a city. They brought that idea home to Coastal Mississippi, creating an experience centered on the food, history and hospitality they wanted to share.
I have now experienced both tours, and the food is only part of what makes them worth taking. As we walked from stop to stop, I learned about the history, people and culture that shaped each downtown. Even as someone who lives on the Coast, I came away knowing more about the places around me.
In downtown Ocean Springs, the current route includes The Traveler, Knuckleheads, Mosaic Restaurant, Tato-Nut Shop, Government Street Grocery and CRAVE Food Hall. The lineup ranges from a Coastal Banh Mi and Mississippi Pot Roast to shrimp and grits, muffuletta, doughnut bites and dessert. Between tastings, guides introduce guests to Ocean Springs’ history and arts community, including Walter Anderson’s influence.
Children are welcome, too, and Savor the Coast has created a clever little scavenger hunt to keep younger guests engaged between stops. Kids receive pictures of details and objects they may see along the route, then watch for each one as they walk through town. It turns the walk into a game and gives children their own way to explore alongside the adults.
Across the bridge, the historic downtown Biloxi tour has its own lineup. The current itinerary begins at Greenhouse Biloxi with a sweet potato biscuit sandwich and includes oysters at Half Shell Oyster House, Piña Colada Coconut Shrimp at Catch 110 and Nashville-style hot chicken at Rip’N Hot Chicken. Ground Zero Blues Club adds a stop for the pork-based Morgan Special before the route finishes with a frozen treat at The Scoop.
Along the way, guides share Biloxi’s seafood heritage, music and stories of resilience and downtown renewal. Optional drink packages are available on both tours for guests who want pairings with their tastings.
One of my favorite parts was trying dishes I would not have chosen while looking at the full menu. A few surprised me enough to become new favorites at restaurants I had already visited, where I never even realized those options were available. It is easy to return to the same places and order the same meal every time. The tours make it comfortable and fun to venture beyond your usual choices.
That sense of discovery works for locals and visitors. A familiar downtown can feel different when someone else chooses the stops and shares the stories. For visitors, the tour offers an introduction to the area and a useful list of places they may want to revisit before their trip ends.
The experience also contributes to the communities it explores. A portion of each Ocean Springs tour ticket supports The Lord Is My Help, while Biloxi tour tickets help support Back Bay Mission.
Private tours are available for birthdays, family gatherings, wedding groups and workplace outings. That opens up possibilities for a girls’ day, a shared celebration or an afternoon showing visiting friends around the Coast without having to plan every restaurant stop yourself.
The Ocean Springs tour runs approximately three hours, while Biloxi’s lasts about three and a half. Both cover less than a mile, with stops and menu selections subject to change. Upcoming dates, current itineraries and reservations are available at savorthecoast.com.
The hardest choice may still be where to eat. At least this time, you can choose a whole afternoon’s worth.
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