Jackson Free Press

Recently, Wine Spectator honored a number of restaurants in Mississippi with its 2014 Restaurant Awards, which highlight the eateries around the globe that offer the best wine selections. Wine Spectator began the Restaurant Awards program in 1981. This year, 3,748 restaurants spanning all 50 U.S. states and more than 80 other countries and territories received awards. Of those, 17 were in Mississippi.

Among the local restaurants that received awards are Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar (4500 Interstate 55 Frontage Road, Suite 244), Char (4500 Interstate 55 Frontage Road, Suite 142), Nick's (Now closed) and Table 100 (100 Ridge Way, Flowood).

The full list of award winners is featured in the Aug. 31 issue of Wine Spectator, which went on sale July 22. All winners can also be found in WineSpectator.com's Restaurant Search.

Two New Restaurants Coming to Jackson

Come Thanksgiving 2014, Jackson will get two new restaurant additions when well-known franchises Luby's Cafeteria and Fuddruckers make their way to the capital city.

The restaurants are both part of the Luby's, Fuddruckers and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant group, whose headquarters is in Houston, Texas and which operates 129 franchises nationwide.

Fuddruckers specializes in fresh, never frozen grilled-to-order hamburgers. The menu also offers ribeye-steak sandwiches, grilled and breaded chicken-breast sandwiches, hotdogs, turkey and veggie burgers, fish sandwiches and exotic items such as buffalo, elk and wild-boar burgers.

Luby's Cafeteria offers a variety of made-from-scratch southern comfort foods, featuring 18 entrees and 20 side items and salads to choose from. Entrees include blackened tilapia, chicken fried steak, Texas ribeye, roast chicken, French grilled liver and onions, and more. Sides include everything from mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and fried okra to fresh fruit salad, home-style chicken noodle soup and seafood gumbo.

The restaurants will be side-by-side in a building with a shared lobby. The building once housed a Steak and Ale restaurant and is located off Interstate 55 near the Briarwood exit, just south of Chili's Grill & Bar at the corner of West Frontage Road and Briarwood Drive, and in front of Cowboy Maloney's Electric City.