07/24/2026
I love finding these small-town restaurants where, if the chef were in a bigger city, you’d see their names on national best-restaurant lists. But they aren’t always chasing that; they are cooking because they love to cook. They are brewing coffee or beer simply because they love it. And so on... It’s about more to them. It seems to me it’s about the community they have created behind their dishes—the regulars on a Saturday night. The family celebrations they choose to share with the space, the restaurant quietly becoming part of the memories. That’s what I felt eating at J. Broussard’s in Columbus, Mississippi. From the morning bakery to the evening dinner, everything was created out of a love of cooking.
I also went to the local pizza joint, Munson and Brothers Trading Post (Munson & Brothers). It’s what every small town needs. A place for community, good food, and a collection of town characters. It’s a place where friends meet after work and families go out for a casual dinner; it’s the community this small spot just off 5th Street draws. No one is in a hurry when surrounded by familiar faces and really good pizza. I also ate at Amata twice. The tiramisu was fantastic! I have zero shame in eating there for dinner and going back for lunch two days later.
I also explored a lot of art while I was in Columbus. As a homeschool parent, The Gallery at The W (Mississippi Univ. For Women) is exactly the type of gallery I would bring my son to, one where you can sit and study the art quietly. With a mix of local artists like photographer Birney Imes and regionally based artists like Ashleigh Coleman, along with student art, it was the art adventure I was looking for. Just next door to the main gallery, they incorporated something I feel like more galleries and museums should implement: a children’s gallery. Art by Walter Anderson and Maurice Sendak, among others, hung at a child’s level. So endearing to create the love of art and museums at an early age. I also visited the galley at the Columbus Arts Council. Pop into the side gift shop for local and regional work. Visit Columbus
