Six great Southern catfish houses
Catfish is king in the Mississippi Delta—some 28 species are indigenous to North America. Here are six of the South's best catfish restaurants.
Catfish is king in the Mississippi Delta, said Hunter Lewis in Saveur. Some 28 species are indigenous to North America. The catfish is so named because of the whiskers, or barbels, with which it searches for food along river bottoms. Today most catfish is farm-raised, and it may be “the only widely consumed fish” that tastes better farmed “than when caught in the wild.” In a recent tour of the South, I discovered six catfish houses especially worthy of attention.
Carmack Fish House
“A rural Southern treasure.” These catfish are raised in limestone ponds and fried up as steak-thick filets. 24973 Highway 35, Vaiden, Miss. (662) 289-5082
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Catfish Hole
This popular eatery sells more catfish than any other in the state. Served with “excellent homemade hush puppies.” 4127 W. Wedington Drive, Fayetteville, Ark. (479) 521-7008
Cowtown Cafe
Try the fried catfish and fried potatoes cooked with onions and bacon grease. 20248 State Highway E., Bloomfield, Mo. (573) 568-2250
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Huck’s
Their cornmeal-crusted catfish filets equal those in the Mississippi Delta. Other favorites are Cajun shrimp and country fried steak. 2811 South Trail Drive, Denison, Texas (903) 337-0033
Middendorf’s
Famed for its “ultrathin, melt-in-your-mouth fried filets.” 30160 Highway 51 S., Akers, La. (985) 386-6666
Taylor Grocery
Just eight miles south of Oxford, this favorite of Ole Miss students serves up cornmeal-crusted filets flecked with black pepper. 4A County Road 338, Taylor, Miss. (662) 236-1716
-
Cytomegalovirus can cause permanent birth defects
The Explainer The virus can show no symptoms in adults
-
Summer in Seattle: Outdoor dining like nowhere else
Feature Featuring a patio with a waterfront view, a beer garden, and more
-
Ari Aster revisits the pandemic, Adam Sandler tees off again and Lamb Chop gets an origin story in July movies
the week recommends The month's film releases include 'Eddington,' 'Happy Gilmore 2' and 'Shari & Lamb Chop'