Sooners On SI Travel Preview: What to Do in Oxford

The Sooners hit the road for the second time In their inaugural SEC season, and OU fans will want to soak up the Deep South atmosphere in a spot ESPN called "America's Best College Town."

The Square, Oxford / VisitOxfordMS.com

Oklahoma fans might be seriously displeased with the performance of their football team in 2024, but they’ll still want to dive head first into the full SEC experience.

“After all, this is SEC football we're talking about,” says John Macon Gillespie, publisher at Ole Miss On SI, “and it's important to soak up as much as you can on these road trips.”

Up next, the Sooners on Saturday return to the heart the Deep South with a trip to Oxford, MS, and a visit to Ole Miss, a place ESPN once called “America’s Best College Town.”

“Oxford has been tabbed as a ‘Cultural Mecca’ of the South,” Gillespie said, “and even though it's not great in size, it's great in impact.”

Situated in rural North Mississippi, Oxford's population was just 25,416 at the last census. That's not a huge number, but it is the 14th-most populous city in the state.

Sports Illustrated’s On SI network has writers planted throughout the other 15 SEC hamlets and townships, and we’ll give you some of the top recommendations from the locals who call the SEC home.

We also take a peek at TripAdvisor, the local CVB and check out websites and menus ourselves for the various restaurants, bars, coffee shops, greasy spoons and hot spots throughout each SEC city to which the Sooners travel. Because we’re sentimental, we’re also going to give you a short list of the top attractions and must-see’s.

Here’s our travel preview for where to go in Oxford:

Where to Eat

Gillespie says the Rebels On SI staff’s “general consensus” for OU fans coming to town is to focus on The Square in downtown Oxford, where a variety of restaurants and bars happily cater to their Friday night or Saturday morning desires. It’s about a 10-15 minute walk from The Grove or Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

But be aware, there are parking meters on The Square that require hourly payments. Most locals recommend parking nearby and walking.

Ajax has “soul food with an authentic Southern flair,” Gillespie says. “Their macaroni and cheese (listed as a vegetable on the menu) is divine, and you really can't go wrong with any entree they offer. Prepare to be insanely full when you leave, though.”

South Depot Taco Shop features a walk-in, build-your own vibe similar to Chipotle or Q’Doba, “but it's a much better atmosphere.” 

The Square, Oxford / VisitOxfordMS.co

El Agave on Jackson Avenue — that’s on the other side of town — is “elite in the Mexican food scene and is probably my go-to,” Gillespie says.

Volta Taverna is just north of The Square in a building that used to be a gas station. “Their Greek food is probably the most famous in town along with a great, small-town atmosphere.” Gillespie says.

Handy Andy is also north of The Square on North Lamar Boulevard. Rebels On SI staff writer Henry Stuart (and other Oxford residents) call this the “best burger in town,” even though it's branded as a barbecue place. The pork is beloved, but burgers are “definitely the way to go here.”

Connie’s Chicken and Obys are “good chicken places” and Boure and Walk Ons are popular as well.

SEC Podcaster Mike Bratton (SEC Mike on Twitter/X) tells us he prefers City Grocery.

Ole Miss podcaster Trent Browning (Trent In The Sip on Twitter/X) says just about every place on The Square is “good and popular” and also recommends making a little extra time to browse and shop the numerous local stores on The Square.

Where to Drink

Funky's on The Square is probably the best atmosphere you'll find, the locals say, and they also feature “elite pizza.” One attraction of Funky’s is the TV setup, which is perfect for college football weekend. Their specialty is New Orleans-style daiquiris. This is where Katy Perry dove off the bar after Ole Miss beat ‘Bama in 2014 — shortly after her “College GameDay” appearance, when she publicly hit on the the Oklahoma quarterback: “Trevor Knight, call me.”

The Library is reputedly the busiest and biggest bar in Oxford, with a sports bar for watching games, a music hall and dance floor, and a patio and balcony. Arrive early and expect a cover charge.

Proud Larry’s is a funky spot with a full menu, but the star of the show here is the live music. Friday night, George Porter Jr. & The Runnin' Pardners go on at 9:30, and Blue Mountain performs on Saturday night.

The Coop offers a great view of the Square at sunset to start the night, though the rustic 4th-floor patio of the Graduate Hotel is usually full and but does include a light bar menu.

The Summit Lodge Bar is upstairs from Old Venice restaurant. Patrons are encouraged to try The Horn Shot, concocted of an undisclosed mix of booze served in a ram’s horn.

What to Do

The Grove on campus is the “obvious answer as one of the best tailgating scenes in America,” Gillespie says. Here’s Rebels On SI’s guide for first-timers to The Grove.

The Grove is “something everyone needs to check out,”  Browning said. “Best tailgating in college football is at Ole Miss. Thousands of people, and thousands of tents. … It still blows my mind.” 

It’s open before the game and after, although for an 11 a.m. kickoff, The Grove will shut down around 6 o’clock.

Square Books on the south end of The Square is “one of the best independent bookstores in the country, in my opinion,” Gillespie says. “ … I highly recommend taking some time to wander through their selection and maybe picking up a shirt or coffee mug along the way.”

Rowan Oak is the former home of Nobel laureate William Faulkner right on campus and provides interesting tours that reveal the famed author’s life and literary inspirations. Faulkner is buried at nearby Saint Peter’s Cemetery.

Rowan Oak / VisitOxfordMS.com

The Walk of Champions, about two hours before kickoff, is where Ole Miss players and coaches disembark from the buses and walk into Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. “If you want a good spot to see coach Kiffin and the players walk through The Grove, I recommend getting there 30-45 minutes before it starts,” Browning said.

The Lyceum is a stately, iconic building in the center of campus built in the Ionic Greek Revival design. There are still bullet holes in the front columns from the Civil War, and was the epicenter of so much unrest and turmoil during the Civil Rights Movement.

The Lyceum / VisitOxfordMS.com

The Civil Rights Monument, located behind the Lyceum on campus, commemorates the courage and strength of James Meredith, who in 1962 became the first African American student at Ole Miss. A statue, depicting Meredith walking toward history, was erected in 2006.

Confederate Cemetery is a modest little walled cemetery just south of Tad Smith Coliseum on campus, where Confederate soldiers who died during the Battle of Shiloh in 1862 are interred. Some of the buildings on the Ole Miss campus served as hospitals and triage units, and when soldiers died, they were buried here. Legend has it that a groundskeeper moved the headstones to mow, then forgot where they went, so a single monument was erected at the center.

Tupelo, about an hour east of Oxford, is the birthplace of one Elvis Aaron Presley — The King of Rock and Roll himself was born here, and there’s a wonderful little complex on the north edge of town about a mile off Interstate 22 that includes the shotgun shack where young Elvis and his family lived before moving to Memphis. It’s free to walk around the compound outside the museum (and peek in the windows), plus there’s a chapel and church where Little E and his family worshipped. It also features a poignant interpretive timeline visitors can walk.

Also, Browning says, Tupelo Hardware, where Elvis bought his first guitar, is still open, and so is Johnnie’s Drive-In, where Elvis ate at as a kid.