The appealing lifestyle of Oxford, Mississippi, emanates from its sometimes quiet, seasonally bustling downtown Square. This cultural center is one of the South's most endearing destinations, filled with genteel tradition and college-town energy. One restaurant on The Little Easy stage is a telling reflection of Oxford's ever-growing appetite for innovation. Located at 152 Courthouse Square, City Grocery opened its doors in 1992 when Oxford's culinary scene was relatively underdeveloped compared to what it would soon become.
City Grocery's rugged charm and eclectic cuisine strike a dependable balance between Oxford's old and new. Within the year, I have personally attended impromptu dinners for two, post-game celebrations, ladies' lunch outings at City Grocery and even a lively birthday party in the restaurant's separate venue, The Upstairs Bar at City Grocery. Each occasion has been on par with the authentic, elevated experience that is "City Grocery."
Then
In the early 1990s, Chef John Currence added culinary greatness to a wake of nationally known firsts in Oxford, such as Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner, Civil Rights icon James Meredith and celebrity quarterback Archie Manning. At that time, the town was still significantly small, with a population of approximately 10,000. The University of Mississippi's students, faculty and visitors generated transient activity, but the Square was still a gathering spot for locals more than a destination for outsiders. Within this context, City Grocery played a pivotal role in the vitalization of downtown Oxford.
With City Grocery, Currence introduced a fresh culinary vision. He pushed the boundaries of what Southern food could be. City Grocery's menu has always featured familiar and surprising dishes and local ingredients blended with global influences. In turn, this original dining option quickly attracted a broader audience. For his impact in this realm, Currence won the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South and the Charleston Food and Wine Festival's Iron Chef Challenge in 2009. City Grocery and Currence's subsequent restaurant concepts put Oxford on the map as a culinary destination. It drew attention to the town's potential as a food culture hub. Today, Oxford is often referred to as The Little Easy, as in a smaller version of Currence's native city, New Orleans – The Big Easy.
And Now
In his mid-30s, Chef Jon Davis already has an impressive repertoire of knowledge from professional kitchens of local establishments and high-pressure restaurant environments in faraway places. His culinary journey reached a new height in the spring of 2024 when he became City Grocery's head chef. He maintains the restaurant's forward-thinking take on tradition by telling a story with every dish using the flavors of his Southern roots enhanced by experiences gathered along the way. For example, his recently developed tomato cobbler recipe is a contemporary twist on peach cobbler, a staple Southern dessert and a fond childhood memory for Chef Davis.
Growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Davis was no stranger to a place where food is integral to culture. He recalls the aromas of Sunday dinners and the flavors of family gatherings, all of which inspired his culinary imagination. "There was something about those big family gatherings, with fried chicken and peach cobbler on the table, that just stuck with me," he shares.
After moving to Oxford to attend the University of Mississippi, where he initially pursued a degree in history, he discovered a passion for culinary arts. "I found cooking while I was in college, and that was it for me," he says. "I just fell in love with it and didn't want to leave."
Davis began his culinary career at another John Currence restaurant, Bouré. He credits Bouré as his first real taste of what it means to work in a professional kitchen. There, he honed his skills, learned the intricacies of kitchen operations, and set his sights on the lofty goal of working as a chef at Currence's flagship restaurant, City Grocery. "If you were a cook that cared, that's where you wanted to be."
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Davis learned to merge Italian ingredients with Southern sensibilities at Oxford’s Saint Leo. Midway through his advancement as a chef, he served in a job at Winslow's Tavern in Cape Cod and says the experience was invaluable. "It was intense," he admits. "Every day felt like a Double Decker weekend in Oxford with the volume and the pace."
Upon returning to Oxford he worked in management at the Blind Pig. "This taught me crucial management skills and how to run a restaurant from all angles. It gave me the confidence to manage a kitchen, write menus and understand the business side of things."
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Davis' statement recipes are personal in character. "I think food is a unifier," he explains. “It's comforting, and it reminds you of where you come from. Food tells a story; for me, it's often about revisiting those memories and bringing them into the present. It's everything I hoped it would be and more."
The City Grocery menu, which changes every six weeks under Davis' leadership, offers both familiar and unexpected tastes, plus the consistent main ingredient of this chef's passion for the art, business and storytelling of food: "I love feeding people. It's what I'm meant to do."
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Davis' Crawfish and Onion Dip is an upscale version of a classic favorite. He describes it as a "bougie" French onion dip. While playing around with crème fraiche and mascarpone, he decided to add crawfish tails, roasted artichokes and homemade benne seed crackers.
Crawfish & Onion Dip ingredients: mascarpone (2 cups), crème fraîche (2 cups), roasted garlic paste (3 Tbs.), sliced chives, (1.5 cups), chopped parsley (2 Tbs.), chopped roasted artichokes (.5 cup), crawfish tails, chopped (1 cup), juice and zest of 2 lemons, and pepper to taste
Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Chill before serving.