United States Mississippi Cleveland
Airport Grocery
A family-owned restaurant offering Southern-style comfort foods, BBQ, and po’ boys in a casual, aviation-themed setting.
- 3608 U.S. 61
- (662) 843-4817
- https://m.facebook.com/profile.php
Tips from the community
Located in the charming Delta town of Cleveland, Mississippi, Airport Grocery has made a name for itself serving some of the best food in the Delta in a unique atmosphere. While they’re also known for having one of the best hamburgers in Mississippi, Airport Grocery has made a name for itself with its generous portions of tamales - a favorite of both locals and tourists. Add the delicious tamales to a laid back atmosphere with a full bar and pool tables and smiling waitresses and you’ll find the Airport Grocery is one of the best tamale experiences in Mississippi.
jvandergriff 11 months ago
Airport Grocery Guides
The Delta Tamale Trail
jvandergriff (Jody Vandergriff) The “Cotton Rush” of the turn of the last century brought all sorts of cultures and nationalities to the Mississippi Delta. One such group were the Mexicans who could make more picking cotton in the Delta than they could make anywhere else in the country. Of course they brought their food with them, and the “hot tamale” was introduced to the African-American laborers who worked beside them. That’s one theory, anyway. Other theories suggest that tamale recipes were brought back from the Mexican-American War, or that the Native Americans had been making tamales all along. However they got here, we’re glad they did! At any rate, the popularity of the tamale took off because of their portability, affordability, and full flavor. You may ask yourself how the Mexican tamale is different from the Delta tamale. According to the Southern Foodways Alliance, the Delta tamale differs in that, “Tamales from the Mississippi Delta are smaller than Latin-style tamales, are simmered instead of steamed, have a gritty texture from the use of corn meal instead of corn flour, have considerably more spice, and are usually served with juice that is the byproduct of simmering.” There are dozens of great places to try the different varieties of Delta Tamales (some places even deep fry them) throughout the region and we’re going to name some of them below. And if you’re really, really into tamales, you don’t want to miss the Delta Hot Tamale Festival which takes place in Greenville every October