Big Apple Inn

Big Apple Inn is one of the most historically resonant food destinations in Mississippi, a counter-service institution operating from 509 North Farish Street in Jackson's Farish Street Historic District since the 1930s. The restaurant was founded by Juan 'Geno' Lee, a Mexican immigrant who introduced the Delta tamale tradition to Jackson and developed a pair of sandwiches that have become local icons: the pig ear sandwich and the smoked sausage sandwich, each served on a steamed bun with mustard, slaw, and hot sauce for approximately three dollars. These sandwiches have not changed in decades, and they are not meant to. Big Apple Inn serves as a living document of Jackson's African American commercial history — Farish Street was once the center of Black business, entertainment, and civic life in Mississippi, and the inn has outlasted the era and most of its contemporaries. The counter is small, the ordering direct, and the experience efficiently friendly. Delta tamales, the other constant on the menu, are made in the traditional manner and served in small batches. The restaurant operates Tuesday through Saturday and closes by early evening. Big Apple Inn is frequented by longtime Jackson residents who grew up eating here, by food writers and journalists on documented pilgrimages, and by visitors who have read about the sandwiches in national food coverage. It is one of the cheapest and most historically important meals in Mississippi.