News

ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore, the studio host for the SEC Network’s SEC Nation and ESPN’s College Football Final, recently named Big Bad Breakfast one of three absolute must-eats in the SEC. Thanks, Joe!

From the article:

• BBB in Oxford, Mississippi: John Currence is a remarkable chef. One of my favorite guys to have a drink with. Everybody loves his hot spot City Grocery near Ole Miss but my choice is to head to his strip mall hidden gem Big Bad Breakfast . I know breakfast is in the name but go there for dinner. Two rules at BBB. First, order any dish that includes his house-cured bacon. It’s rubbed with the excess pepper sludge from the original Tabasco plant. And the second rule I have at BBB is to order extra homemade pork terrine. Yes, that’s correct, spreadable pork. You dip a butter knife into a mason jar of pork. I repeat, pork you can spread! ‘Nuf said.

Read the full list here.

Full-Service Restaurants has named City Grocery one of its Top 100 Independents! We’re honored to be included on this list of outstanding independent restaurants across the country.

Check out the full list here, and make plans to visit some of these culinary destinations.

City Grocery Restaurant Group owner Chef John Currence was recently featured in SoFAB Magazine for his role in revolutionizing the Southern culinary scene.

From the article:

Chef Robert St John in Hattiesburg and Chef Alex Perry in Ocean Springs are great examples, but the lead dog in this hunt seems to be Chef John Currence in Oxford. Born in Louisiana, he was first schooled in his mother’s kitchen, then as a deck hand and cook on a tug boat. This was followed by the University of North Carolina, and several years in Europe, and a dozen other small steps leading to Gautreau’s in New Orleans. But his feet finally landed in Oxford, Mississippi, and although he strays occasionally, that university town seems to have him well rooted.

Chef Currence is bright, articulate, and involved on just as many levels as he can be. I had the chance to spend a little time with him recently and our conversation was all over the place. He sees the need for better quality restaurants — and food — and quotes the changing statistics of dining out, the cost of food, and more like a stock broker assessing a portfolio. But it’s not rote memory, he is describing the things that he cares about deeply, things he is involved with everyday and about which he is very, very passionate.

Read the full article here.

City Grocery  Restaurant Group Executive Pastry Chef Dwayne Ingraham will be on Food Network’s “Spring Baking Championship.” Grab a beverage and kick back while you watch him this Sunday at Lamar Lounge from 7-9 p.m. at our viewing party!

We are proud to help the UM Pride Network make up funding they did not receive from the ASB this year so they can host their annual end-of-year event. Thursday night, all of the CGRG restaurants will donate a percentage of the day’s sales to help out. We will serve a specialty cocktail “Stonewall Punch” and all proceeds of those sales will benefit Pride. Please visit and support on Thursday.

When: Thursday night, April 23, 2015

Where: City Grocery, Snackbar, Boure & Lamar Lounge

Big Bad Breakfast is taking over the Snackbar Kitchen this Thursday from 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. for a Big Bad Late Night. Join us for late night breakfast favorites and enjoy live music from Rocket 88.

Also, Lamar Lounge is excited to announce that they will be hosting the “Big Bad Minero Pop Up” this Friday beginning at 5:00 p.m. Our own Chef John Currence and Chef Sean Brock of Husk Nasheville and Minero Charleston have come up with a wonderful menu featuring the best of Minero Charleston and Nacho Mamas 1994.