Mississippi Families Have Shared Chinese Takeout For Decades, And These 5 Spots Show How Deep Those Roots Run
Some of my best meals in Mississippi started with a plain storefront and a growling stomach. I kept pulling into strip centers and grocery lots, expecting nothing special, and walking out planning my next visit.
Chinese restaurants have been part of family life across the state for decades, feeding busy parents, college kids, and anyone craving fried rice after a long day. Here are five spots that show just how deep those roots run.
1. Mr. Chen’s Authentic Chinese Restaurant
Grocery carts rolling past your table might sound odd, but it fits perfectly here. The dining room sits inside an Asian market off the Interstate 55 North Frontage Road in Jackson, so you can shop for spices, fresh seafood, and Asian fruits and vegetables before or after lunch.
Food comes cooked to order with real table service, which sets the place apart from quick buffet stops around town. Roast duck, crispy oysters, and Kung Pao Chicken are steady favorites.
Bolder eaters can try Chen’s Crazy Spicy Chicken, while fans of the classics can stick with Mongolian beef, chicken fried rice, or sauteed green beans.
Plant-based diners get more than an afterthought. A full vegan and vegetarian menu includes Sizzling Tofu, Bok Choy with Black Mushroom, steamed dumplings, and a Taiwanese style wonton soup made for two.
Pair any of it with something from the tea list, which covers hot and cold choices like jasmine green tea.
Families will find high chairs, plenty of free parking, and prices that usually land between 10 and 20 dollars per person. Hours run from 11 AM daily, stretching to 9:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Sunday afternoons get busy, so weekday lunch is the calmer pick.
2. Asian Foods Market-Restaurant
What do college students, local families, and curious cooks have in common in Starkville? Many of them end up at this combined market and restaurant on MS-12, where a hot plate and a bag of imported snacks often leave together.
Shelves hold an impressive mix of Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and Indian groceries. Picture instant noodles, sauces, candies, and pantry staples that are hard to track down elsewhere in town.
Browsing the aisles while waiting for takeout has become part of the routine for regulars.
On the restaurant side, authentic Chinese cooking takes center stage. Mongolian Beef is a highlight, and the portions feel generous for the price, usually 10 to 20 dollars per person.
A full vegetarian menu means everyone at the table can order something filling.
Service moves quickly and with a friendly touch, which helps when class schedules are tight. Free wi-fi, high chairs, and easy parking add to the convenience, and delivery is available for nights when leaving the couch feels impossible.
Plan around the schedule, though. Doors open at 10 AM most days and close on Tuesdays.
Friday and Saturday afternoons draw the biggest crowds, with hours stretching to 9 PM.
3. Little China Chinese Restaurant
Eight dollars. That is roughly what an all-you-can-eat buffet has cost at this North Davis Avenue favorite in Cleveland, a Delta town of about 11,000 people.
In a college town, value like that travels fast by word of mouth.
Steam trays here lean hearty and comforting. Expect egg rolls, house lo mein, pepper steak, and even corn nuggets, a playful Southern touch you will not find at every Chinese buffet.
Shrimp fried rice is the dish many locals order again and again, often alongside an extra egg roll or two.
Takeout is just as popular as dining in. Phone orders are usually ready in 10 to 15 minutes, and the line tends to get answered, which matters when you are feeding a hungry household after practice.
Delivery is not offered, so plan on a quick drive.
Inside, the mood stays casual and relaxed, with high chairs for little ones and a full vegetarian menu for those skipping meat. Reservations are not accepted, but free parking is easy to find.
Hours run from 10:30 AM to 10 PM Monday through Thursday, and until 10:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Sundays are closed, so get your fried rice fix early in the week.
4. Pearl 88
Clarksdale is famous for the blues, yet one small spot on North State Street proves the town has another kind of fusion worth celebrating. Pearl 88 brings Chinese cooking and Southern soul food together under one roof.
Fried rice is the star, and it shows up on plenty of orders. Then there are hog maws, a soul food classic that sits comfortably beside Chinese favorites here.
That pairing tells the story of the Delta, where Chinese families have run groceries and kitchens for generations and blended their cooking with local traditions.
Inside, the space is small but tidy, with neat decor and a friendly crew behind the counter. It feels like a neighborhood place where you can grab a quick bite or settle in for lunch.
A full vegetarian menu adds options too.
Practical details make planning simple. Pearl 88 opens early at 9 AM and stays open until 10 PM Monday through Saturday, closing on Sundays.
Curbside pickup and takeout are available, though delivery is not. There is no public restroom, so keep that in mind on road trips.
Visitors exploring blues landmarks will find it an easy, affordable stop, usually 10 to 20 dollars per person.
5. China Garden
Picture a busy weeknight in Greenville. Groceries are done, everyone is hungry, and nobody wants to cook.
Right in the Walmart Shopping Center on MS-1 South, China Garden has quietly solved that problem for many Delta households.
Greenville has a long Chinese food history, with earlier restaurants introducing classics like egg foo yung and pepper steak to the region decades ago. China Garden carries that tradition forward with its own lineup of favorites.
Orders tend to include General Tso’s chicken, orange chicken, and sweet and sour chicken, plus vegetables on the side. The rice earns special attention, cooked just right and easy to love.
Steamed dumplings, wings, and lunch specials round out a menu with plenty of variety.
Speed is a big part of the appeal. Food comes out fast and orders come out accurate, and the dining room stays clean and calm for those who choose to eat in.
Staff keep things friendly from start to finish.
Prices generally run 10 to 20 dollars per person. Hours are 11 AM to 9:30 PM Monday through Saturday, with Sundays closed.
Reservations are accepted, delivery is not, and free parking surrounds the shopping center.