Featured image: Explore Ridgeland
While Ridgeland days are best spent shopping at Renaissance or boating on the Rez, it’s necessary to fuel up before and wind down after. There are a number of spots around town to kickstart your day with a craft coffee, then round it out with happy hour cocktails or mocktails.
Whether you’re craving a cozy cappuccino, a Mississippi mixology masterpiece, or something refreshingly non-alcoholic, here’s your guide to where to drink in Ridgeland.
Coffee
Insider Tip: Looking for a spot of tea? Head to CW Organics Apothecary.
Whirl Smoothie Bar & Coffee House
This cozy little cottage is guaranteed to help you wake up not only because of its caffeinated concoctions, but also because of its bright, charming interiors. The coffee house is situated right beside the Bike Crossing store and very close to a Natchez Trace Parkway entrance, making it the perfect stop before or after a scenic ride.
CC’s Coffee House
A beloved New Orleans-based brand, CC’s Coffee House, opened up just off of Highway 51 to the delight of locals. It’s long been a cherished spot for seasonal craft coffees and tasty pastries (might we recommend a frozen Mochasippi espresso drink), and its location is prime for pre-antique and thrift store shopping nearby.
Fusion Coffeehouse
We’ve all been there – staring at a coffee menu that might as well be in a different language (and, well, items like cappuccino and affogato actually are). Grabbing a coffee doesn’t have to be for seasoned pros, which is why Fusion Coffeehouse simplifies the whole experience with simple coffees, lattes, and teas paired with knowledgeable baristas.
Cocktails
Amerigo
Italian food is usually an easy sell, but Italian cocktails? I’m there in a heartbeat. Citrusy limoncello, a tiramisu martini, and Italian wines can all be found on the menu at Amerigo, the first location of this now regional chain, and the excellent pastas and dressed-up interiors only add to the occasion.
Dogmud Tavern
If you’re ready to really take a load off, Dogmud Tavern houses a collection of games alongside its full bar. There are more than 250 board games here, from Battleship and Scrabble to Candy Land and Uno. Pizza is on the menu, and local beers and cocktails are available to fuel the fun.
Zea Rotisserie & Bar
Head to Zea for happy hour – $1 off beers, $2 off cocktails, and an extra half glass of wine on the house. Seasonal craft cocktails include a tart honeysuckle lemonade and spicy Caribbean heat margarita rimmed in Tajín, all of which pair well with Louisiana-style chicken, ribs, or Mississippi catfish.
Pelican Cove Grill
Drinks taste better with a waterfront view, can confirm. Pelican Cove Grill sits right off the Rez and serves up nautical classics like frozen cocktails and margaritas, plus buckets of beer and glasses of wine. The food menu leans coastal with fish tacos and shrimp baskets, but also includes burgers, wraps, and dedicated options for kiddos.
Mocktails
Insider Tip: Explore Ridgeland recently unveiled its Mocktail Trail.
Local 463
Despite this upscale hotspot’s multi-page wine list, the menu also includes a collection of zero-proof brews like a Heineken 0.0 and Athletic Brewing Free Wave hazy IPA. And with pan-seared grouper with grain mustard lemon butter, Dr. Pepper-braised short rib, and Manchego-topped shoestring fries.
Aplos
Whether you sit inside or out on the umbrella-covered patio at this Mediterranean café, the drinks hit all the same. The small but mighty mocktail menu includes concoctions like a nonalcoholic Mint Julep with pomegranate, a fizzy Honey Crisp with fruit juices and ginger beer, or a refreshing cucumber, lavender, and citrus spritzer.
Ready to plan the rest of your trip? We have you covered.
This article is presented in partnership with Explore Ridgeland, a Modern South Founding Partner.
