The Best Burgers in Mississippi: Slugburgers and More (2026)

The best burgers in Mississippi range from Jackson's Stamps Super Burgers, a family-run institution, to the state's own regional style: the deep-fried slugburger of Corinth. Add Johnnie's Drive-In in Tupelo, Zip's Cafe in Magee and Phillips Drive-In in Laurel, and you've got a road trip that covers the whole state.

Below is our roundup, grouped by region. Every spot appeared in a 2025 or 2026 roundup, local news story or tourism listing when we wrote this. Small-town spots keep short hours, so check before you go.

Mississippi's own burger: the slugburger

A slugburger is a thin patty of ground meat stretched with an extender, such as soybean meal, flour or potato flakes, then fried until the edges crisp. The inside stays soft, almost like a hash brown. It's traditionally topped with mustard, pickles and onion on a small bun.

The story usually starts with John Weeks, who is widely credited with selling these burgers from a cart in Corinth around 1917. Stretching the meat kept the price down, and the habit stuck through the Great Depression. The name is often traced to "slug," old slang for a nickel, though nobody is completely sure. Around Tupelo, a similar burger goes by "doughburger."

For how this fits into the bigger picture, see our American burger styles explained guide.

Corinth: slugburger country

Corinth's tourism office lists three places that serve slugburgers year-round:

• Borroum's Drug Store: billed as Mississippi's oldest drug store, with a lunch counter serving slugburgers, cheeseburgers and milkshakes.
• Slug Burger Cafe: a casual cafe that also does breakfast, sandwiches and homemade desserts.
• White Trolley Cafe: a retro-style spot that's another local standby for slugburgers.

Corinth has held a Slugburger Festival every July since 1988. If you want to see the whole town celebrate a burger, that's the time to go.

Tupelo and Oxford

• Johnnie's Drive-In: a Tupelo drive-in known for its doughburger, a close cousin of the slugburger.
• Neon Pig: a Tupelo restaurant that Islands picked as Mississippi's burger spot worth visiting in 2026. It's the modern counterpoint to the old-school drive-ins.
• Oxford Burger Company: on Jackson Avenue in Oxford, serving classic and creative builds to a mix of Ole Miss students and locals.

North Mississippi is close to Memphis, so if you're crossing the state line, our Memphis burger guide is your next stop. For more Tennessee picks, see the best burgers in Tennessee.

Jackson

• Stamps Super Burgers: it started as a grocery store in 1970 and became a burger restaurant in 1986. The Stamps family still runs it with the original recipe. The Super Burger is a half-pound patty with mayo, ketchup, mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato and onion, and there's a double for big appetites. It has won Jackson readers' polls, and Chowhound named it Mississippi's best hole-in-the-wall burger in 2025.

Jackson's newer restaurants have strong burgers too, but Stamps is the one to try first.

South Mississippi: Magee, Laurel and Hattiesburg

• Zip's Cafe: a Southern comfort-food cafe in Magee, best known for fried chicken and smothered steak plates. Its simple cheeseburger has earned national attention, and Chowhound named it Mississippi's best burger in 2025. Don't skip the heavily battered fries.
• Phillips Drive-In: a Laurel drive-in whose Jumbo No. 3 was The Takeout's pick for Mississippi's standout burger in 2025.
• Ed's Burger Joint: on Hardy Street in Hattiesburg, using fresh, never-frozen beef. A classic cheeseburger with grilled onions is the move.

Heading to the Gulf Coast? New Orleans is about an hour west of the Mississippi line, so check our New Orleans burger guide too.

How to make a slugburger-style burger at home

1. Stretch the meat. Mix ground beef with a small amount of flour or fine breadcrumbs and a little water so it's soft but still holds together.
2. Form thin patties. Keep them small and flat so they crisp evenly.
3. Fry in hot oil. A shallow fry in a cast iron skillet works. Flip once, when the edges are deep brown.
4. Keep the toppings simple. Mustard, dill pickles and chopped onion on a soft bun.
5. Cook it through. Ground beef should reach 160°F. Our burger temperature guide covers how to check thin patties.

Tips for a Mississippi burger road trip

• Go north to south. Start in Corinth, drop down to Tupelo and Oxford, then head through Jackson toward Magee, Laurel and Hattiesburg. Each leg is a manageable drive.
• Order the local style first. In Corinth, get a slugburger before anything else. In Tupelo, ask for a doughburger. You can get a regular cheeseburger anywhere.
• Keep it simple. Mustard, pickle and onion is the traditional slugburger dressing. Adding a pile of toppings hides the crispy texture that makes it special.
• Expect lunch-counter hours. Drug store counters and small cafes often close by mid-afternoon, and some close on Sundays.
• Bring an appetite for sides. Battered fries, onion rings and milkshakes are part of the experience at many of these spots.

Prefer an all-beef classic? Try our classic backyard cheeseburger.

FAQ

What is a slugburger?

It's a Mississippi burger made from ground meat stretched with an extender, then fried. It's crispy outside, soft inside, and usually topped with mustard, pickles and onion.

Where did the slugburger come from?

Corinth is the home of the slugburger. John Weeks is widely credited with selling them from a cart there starting around 1917.

What is the best burger in Jackson, Mississippi?

Stamps Super Burgers is the longtime local favorite, and it regularly tops reader polls and national best-in-state lists.

Is a doughburger the same as a slugburger?

They're close cousins. Both use an extender in the meat. "Doughburger" is the name you'll hear around Tupelo, including at Johnnie's Drive-In.