Southaven's restaurant scene is dominated by national chains along Goodman Road, but a handful of locally owned places are worth seeking out — and the great Memphis barbecue houses are a short drive across the state line.
For genuinely local cooking, try Cafe Olé for Tex-Mex, Bonne Terre Café at the country inn of the same name for upscale Southern, and Genghis Grill for build-your-own Mongolian stir-fry. The local Memphis Barbecue Co. on Goodman Road, started by competition pitmasters John and Melissa Cookston, does some of the best pulled pork on the Mississippi side of the line. For breakfast, Bryant's Breakfast in Memphis is twelve minutes north and worth the drive.