Eating Oxford

A Delta Legend: Doe’s Eat Place

Published

13 years ago

November 25, 2013

Rachel West

by Miriam Taylor

The Delta Recovery Project 2011: What Ever Happened to Main Street?

The humble exterior of this decorated restaurant hasn’t changed and isn’t likely to. As Signa sees it, why mess with success? Photo by Garreth Blackwell

Doe’s Eat Place still sits at the end of Nelson Street, its dilapidated exterior a fit for the neighborhood, all the glory of Greenville’s past melted into fading clapboard houses and potholed asphalt.

It’s a little past seven on a Friday night and the parking lot is packed. In a neighborhood where yards are cluttered with rusty cars and bordered by broken-down fences, new Lexus, BMWs, and Mercedes fill the vacant lot used for parking.

Men and women from as far away as jackson and Memphis come for a taste of the tamales, the salads, the meatballs and the steaks — steaks whose seasoning rival any restaurant in the country, steaks that at their thickest measure three inches. Tamales, that strange little treat from south of the border that has become a staple of the Mississippi Delta, also lure guests from every corner.

Outside, the night is cool and quiet, the only sound the occasional screen door slamming or a car backfiring. but inside the kitchen it is hot and loud. Orders are tossed back to the cook, and every now and then a guest lingers by the stove to comment about the steak or the Ole Miss game. It’s been 70 years since Doe’s opened, but while conversations and crowds may have changed, the same familial atmosphere present in 1941 prevails today.

***

“Well it started out because Daddy was a civilian worker out at the air base in the thirties,” recalls Charles Signa, 63, son of the late Doe Signa, who put the Doe in Doe’s. “He was a cafeteria worker there, and somebody gave him a tamale recipe, and he and Mom kind of doctored ‘em up and made them by hand.”

Charles Signa wears a yellow cap, glasses and a red apron, his blue shirt sleeves rolled up as he tells how a little ramshackle house in a bad part of town became a legendary restaurant. It’s early afternoon, before the dinner rush, and Signa sits with a cup of coffee recounting tales from his childhood. The stories are jumbled and mixed, each one running into the next as he scatters them through his mind and off his tongue.

“One of his doctor friends said, ‘Doe, why don’t you cook steak,’ and Daddy said, ‘Well, I’ve never really thought about it, but I guess I could.’ So one of his doctor friends brought a steak there, and he just cooked it on that little residential stove, and they agreed, well, you’ve got to have some kind of salad to go with steak. So they made up this salad dressing that you squeezed fresh lemons into. So they had fresh lemon juice and olive oil and they’d roll the bowl with garlic, and so it’s a lemon flavored salad. And they said, well, with the tamales, chili would go good. So they started making chili and gumbo, and then well, we’re Italians, so they made meatballs.”

Signa ticks off the menu items from the top of his head — items that haven’t changed in 70 years. Doe’s isn’t about to mess with what works.

“We’ve had people who haven’t come in 10 or 12 or 14 years, and they’ll come by and say this is just like I remember, it tastes just like I remember,” laughs Signa, his eyes shrinking into slits as his smile deepens, stretching out his whole face. “but how you gonna screw up the taste of a steak if you’re cooking on the same grill?”

Charles Signa loves to recount how the humble ramshackle house became a legendary restaurant. Photo by Garreth Blackwell

The grill and the menu aren’t the only thing at Doe’s that hasn’t changed. The building, originally a grocery store, has housed the restaurant since the beginning. It survived the 1927 flood, when, legend has it, Doe had to swim out of one of the windows.

“Actually in this room right here,” Signa gestures to the wood paneled dining area, “back in the late forties and early fifties this was where I lived. It’s still the same. And as for the people, we’ve had waitresses been working as long as I have—we got one girl that’s been here since 1965, her daughter works here, she’s been here for 30 years almost, her sister works here and she’s been here for 30 years, and then we have another girl who’s been working here about 20 years.”

Having lived his whole life in Greenville, Signa has seen many changes over the years. He has watched a thriving downtown fade, noted the disappearance of three theaters, several jewelry and clothing boutiques, department stores, furniture shops and a downtown hotel.

“Back then, walking along Washington Avenue, it was like, hell, it was like walking down somewhere in New york.” Hyperbole notwithstanding, Signa shakes his head from left to right as he mutters to himself, “gone, gone. All that’s gone.” Throwing his hands up in frustration, he glances heavenward. “Everyone started moving south of town and that’s when this part of town started going down. That was the ‘80s.”

Things were different at the restaurant back then too.

“We used to go to the Swift and Co., a meatpacking company. Daddy used to call there, they knew what he was talking about because they knew dad, and he would call there and get special meat to make his chili, real lean meat. And he’d do it all special, and get special meat to make his meatballs, get fresh parsley, call City grocery in New Orleans and get shipped real good cheese. We’d grind it up ourselves. We even made our own croutons.”

The conversation is interrupted by the entrance of Doe and little Charles, Charles’s brother and son. Polite “Hi, how ya doin’s” are tossed across the room, before both of the men retreat to the kitchen.

“He likes to cook, that’s his deal,” Signa explains of his brother. “I like to go around talking to people. you know, we have four generations of family members coming in. We have this man that comes in all the time, shoots the bull with us, his parents came in, and his kids come in and that’s three generations of that family. but his kids are old enough to be having kids soon, so it’ll be four coming up.”

A small girl with long dark hair and a bright turquoise bow pokes her head in the door to see what’s going on.

“That’s my granddaughter Lela,” says Signa, smiling as the little girl approaches to give him a quick hug.

There’s not only four generations of customers, but four generations of Signas still hanging around Doe’s.

Florence Signa, known as “Aunt Flo” to generations of the same families, shows off her special salad. Photo by Cain Madden

“You kind of feel like home when you get here. My aunt florence was 85 last Wednesday. I was one when she started working and she still works here. She makes salads.”

‘She makes salads’ is a bit of an understatement for the undertakings of florence Signa. Married to big Doe’s brother, Frank, in 1948, florence, or Aunt Florence as she’s known, has at one time or another played waitress, host, potato- fryer, phone-answerer, mother, wife, sister-in-law, aunt and salad maker.

“Well, Frank called up one night when we were first dating, and I thought oh, where we going tonight. And he said our girl that fries potatoes can’t make it. Can you fry potatoes? And I thought, fry potatoes? you want me to come and fry potatoes? but I did it, and that was my first job at the restaurant,” she says.

Florence Signa is small with a shock of white hair, an apron tied snugly over her pale blue skirt. She is constantly at the heart of the restaurant.

Her station is in the middle kitchen, making her salads, so well-known for their special taste that people have started to bring her bowls to ‘fix’ in hopes that their salads at home can be as delectable as those at Doe’s.

“It’s been a while back, but someone came in and said, ‘Do you season salad bowls.’ And I go, ‘Well I guess I do.’ And they said, ‘Would you season mine for me.’ And I said, ‘yes.’ ”

Aunt Florence laughs and begins pointing out details about the restaurant from her place by the bowls. A letter from the British prime minister, hanging in one of the three dining rooms, catches her eye.

“I get to see so many people from all over the world. We have them come from Germany, from Paris, from all over. We had the ambassador from britain come in one night, and they were real nice, real down to earth. Wrote me a letter,” she states proudly.

“Valentines this year we had Morgan freeman come in, ordered himself a steak. Well, kathy Wong, our cashier, was taking pictures when I was talking to him and she posted them on facebook. “And the next day all the ladies at the beauty parlor wanted to know, how was Morgan freeman, what did he say. And I said well Morgan’s real sweet. In fact, we’re going to make a picture together. Instead of Driving Miss Daisy it’s gonna be ‘Driving Aunt Florence.’”

Photographs litter the walls in every dining room, signed and addressed to Doe and Charles and Aunt florence from athletes like Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning to former Boston Red Sox pitcher David “boo” Ferriss. In the front kitchen there is another wall of photographs of entertainers who have eaten here. from Willie Nelson to liza Minelli, their signatures and faces decorate the sun-faded white wall.

But the photos that Charles and Aunt Florence and all the Signas love to point out, are the ones stuck lovingly to the refrigerator in the middle kitchen. These are photos of family and friends — each one portraying a story, a memory.

“I enjoy this. I always have. I love people, and I like to be around people. I’m a people person,” she says.

“My nephews are always in the kitchen when the guests walk in.” Florence is referring to that little oddity of Doe’s: a front door that leads straight into the kitchen. “Well, they’re always saying go in and say hey to my Aunt Florence, and people will come back here saying, hey, Aunt Florence. And I have to think— is this some relative I haven’t met yet? but I love it, I really do. I’m everybody’s aunt.”

***

LEFT: The walls of Doe’s are covered in photos of the rich and famous who have dined here, form politicians to football heros. RIGHT: Signa cuts those famously thick steaks.

As the evening wears on, more and more diners trickle in, each greeted by Charles, Doe, and Aunt Florence as they walk out of the night air and into the warm kitchen. Aunt Florence is at her station, makin salads and greeting people. Doe is cooking steaks and Charles is running around, making sure everybody’s feeling good, and has what they need.

Florence turns away from her salads for a moment, gesturing towards a small table against the wall in the middle kitchen. “We call that the family table. It’s great. We get to talk to people while they’re sitting. And in that room,” she points to where Charles had been sitting earlier, “that table right over there in the back is what we call the engagement table. We’ve had so many engagements here, I just love it.”

In the room where the engagement table sits, a few regulars are brown bagging along with their meal. One of them, Hank Burdine, is as much a staple of Doe’s as an extended member of the family. He leans back into his chair and leaps straight into one of the many stories that exist about the restaurant and the family behind it.

“My mother,” Burdine says, “used to tell us that this room used to be the children’s bedroom. And the only bathroom in the house was adjoining it. In the early days, you had to go to the bathroom elsewhere because Miss Mamie would not let you go at Doe’s because you might wake the kids up as you walked through the bedroom. Mama said they would always stop at Mr. joe bordelon’s gulf Oil service station because he had a heated toilet seat there!”

Burdine, along with the rest of the table, erupts into laughter at the memory. Aunt florence and Charles, who have come in to listen, greet each person at the table – a firm pat on the back from Charles and a hug from Aunt Florence.

“And after the bedroom was made into a dining room and the bathroom was opened up with the hallway, Jughead [Frank Signa] used to shuck fresh gulf oysters for the customers,” Burdine continues. Everyone else listens, eyes glazed as their minds retreat to images of those early days.

“I used to come by here just about every night when I was a bachelor and they were just like my family,” he says. “I always sat in the kitchen at the table with the aunts and when everybody had left or were supposed to be leaving, Aunt Rosalie would get up and pull the cord on the bare light bulb over the refrigerators and by golly when she pulled that cord and that light came on, well, you better be heading for the door!”

Again the room is filled with the sound of laughter, large guffaws from the men, slight chuckles from the women, and a sweet giggle from Aunt Florence.

“We try to make everyone feel like family, that’s why people like it here,” explains Florence.

In a town that seems to be starved for business, Doe’s continues to feed people and feed itself. And the world has noticed.

“We’ve been on the food Network Channel a couple of times. you know, bon Apetit had us rated as the third best steakhouse in the nation, and we got exposure on TV for that,” says Charles, “and in ’07 we got the james beard American Classic award.”

Aunt Florence recalls one of her favorite stories, so telling of the reach the restaurant has had, and the loyalty of guests who have visited time and time again.

“We had a man come in who was on a plane coming from England, and the man beside him asked, ‘Where ya going?’ and he said, ‘To Greenville,’ and the man said, ‘Well you got to go to Doe’s.’ ”

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Eating Oxford

The Velvet Ditch brings seafood and steady service to Oxford

A new hot spot offering seafood, bar favorites and steady service in a setting that fits both weeknights and game weekends

Published

10 months ago

November 15, 2025

Andy Hodges

OXFORD, Miss. — The Velvet Ditch has become a regular stop for people looking for seafood plates, sandwiches and a sports-bar setting near the Oxford Square.

Its menu leans toward familiar items, and the service is one of the reasons diners say they return. The restaurant sits on South Lamar Boulevard, close enough to campus and the Square to draw steady traffic on most nights.

The interior features televisions, open tables and a bar that stays busy during major sporting events. Staff members move between areas at a quick pace.

A visitor can see at a glance that the restaurant is built to handle crowds during football weekends or spring baseball series.

The menu includes catfish, shrimp, burgers and pasta dishes. One food-travel site highlighted the “Catfish with Grits” and the “Lobster Mac and Cheese” as standout items.

Another review praised the staff, noting that a server “went above and beyond to ensure guests had a memorable experience.” Those comments help show why service is often mentioned in accounts from diners.

Guests also mention that the kitchen keeps wait times short. Even on harder nights, food tends to reach tables in a steady rhythm. For people on a schedule, that can be a deciding factor.

Some patrons report that visiting in the early evening brings a quieter atmosphere. Later hours often mean a louder bar setting, especially during games or campus events.

One commenter on social media wrote that the place was “packed” but said staff and management stayed active and remained helpful. That reflects a common pattern in local feedback.

The porch and outdoor seating add to the appeal, especially during fall and spring weather. The spot offers extra room for groups and keeps the dining room from feeling crowded when traffic picks up.

For diners seeking a consistent seafood option that works for friends, families or visitors, The Velvet Ditch meets those expectations without trying to be a fine-dining restaurant.

Most guests seem to accept it as a casual place where they can get reliable favorites.

Menu impressions and pacing

Portion sizes fall on the larger side. Some customers report leaving with leftovers, which adds value for a college-town audience.

Pricing falls within the range expected for a restaurant near the Square, though the seafood dishes push slightly higher than the sandwiches.

Most tables seem to order at least one fried dish. For people choosing wings or fried seafood, asking about crispness is a reasonable step.

One local blog gave the wings a 6.8 out of 10, citing texture but praising the seasoning and service.

It is not unusual for fried items to vary between busy and slow shifts, and guests sometimes adjust their orders based on earlier visits.

Pasta selections, including shrimp-based dishes, tend to draw positive remarks for flavor.

Several diners have shared online comments praising the seasoning balance, which can be harder to maintain in larger kitchens on crowded nights.

Service remains one of the restaurant’s strengths. Reports mention hosts greeting guests quickly and servers keeping check-ins consistent without becoming intrusive.

These basic steps stand out in a setting that often juggles game-day crowds.

The bar area typically fills first. Guests wanting a quieter space may choose tables near the front or the patio. Staff usually offer guidance on where noise levels are lower.

Visitors should expect a mixed crowd. Students, families, alumni and travelers pass through during busy weekends.

The range creates a social atmosphere without shifting the restaurant’s identity into a full bar.

When the pace picks up, the kitchen maintains a workmanlike rhythm. Though the menu is wide enough to challenge any staff during peak hours, food tends to be steady.

This consistency is part of why the restaurant keeps its place among Oxford’s regular dining choices.

Final thoughts

The Velvet Ditch presents itself as a casual dining option that fits Oxford’s blend of campus life and regional visitors.

Diners visiting early in the evening, before louder crowds settle in, often get a more relaxed experience. Later hours tilt toward a sports-bar feel, but service remains attentive.

The restaurant’s strengths lie in its steady approach. It does not try to compete with upscale dining rooms in town.

Instead, it focuses on familiar dishes, efficient service and a setting that suits both weeknight diners and visitors in town for a game.

For people seeking seafood or bar favorites near the Square, The Velvet Ditch offers a dependable choice.

Key takeaways

The Velvet Ditch delivers steady service and familiar seafood-and-bar dishes near the Oxford Square.
Early visits offer quieter meals, while later hours bring louder sports-bar energy.
Portions are large, and service remains a strong point even on busy nights.

Eating Oxford

Captain Morgan’s Pirate Ship Grounds on the Oxford Square for Three Days of Swashbuckling Fun

Captain Morgan’s Pirate Ship drops anchor in Oxford Square for a three-day rum-filled adventure supporting local arts programs.

Published

10 months ago

November 12, 2025

Andy Hodges

The Oxford Square is about to get a taste of the high seas as Captain Morgan’s legendary Pirate Ship makes landfall for three days of rum, revelry, and community celebration. The nearly 40-foot vessel will drop anchor right in the heart of downtown, inviting residents and visitors alike to climb aboard for photos, exploration, and a chance to join the pirate crew—if they dare.

The festivities kick off Thursday, November 13, with the Captain Morgan Pirate Pub Crawl, benefitting the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. The crawl begins with a 7:30 p.m. check-in at The Powerhouse Community Arts Center, where participants will experience the Captain’s Tailgate Tour Ship and enjoy a signature cocktail.

From there, crews will sail through town—stopping at Moe’s Penny Bar, Back Nine, Quack’s, and The Blind Pig Pub—collecting treasure map stamps, stories, and plenty of pirate memories along the way. The night culminates with a grand drawing for a Captain Morgan Yeti Cooler, stocked with spirits and exclusive gear.

The event is free, with donations and drink proceeds directly supporting the Arts Council’s free community arts programs throughout Oxford.

Participants are encouraged to arrive in full pirate regalia for extra raffle entries and bragging rights.

So grab your eyepatch, raise your glass, and prepare to set sail without ever leaving the Square. The Captain Morgan Pirate Ship may be grounded—but the adventure, and the cause it supports, will lift everyone’s spirits.

To learn more, visit www.oxfordarts.com.

You can register for the event here: Pirate Pub Crawl

The first “docking” of the boat will be at the Powerhouse Thursday night

Eating Oxford

Lenora’s in Oxford delivers solid Southern fare with attentive service

At Lenora’s Restaurant in Oxford, Mississippi the seafood is fresh, the staff attentive, and dishes like rib eye and catfish stand out

Published

12 months ago

September 17, 2025

Andy Hodges

OXFORD, Miss. — At Lenora’s Restaurant in the heart of Oxford, Mississippi, quality doesn’t come from gimmicks or gimmickry.

It’s built from consistency, craft, and the quiet confidence of a kitchen that knows its identity of Southern elegance, balanced by seafood staples and a touch of upscale polish.

A first impression that lasts

Situated at 309 North Lamar Boulevard, just steps away from the Square, Lenora’s manages to create a dining experience that feels elevated without being exclusive.

Soft lighting, rustic wood accents, and an uncluttered layout give the space a comfortable rhythm.

There’s a sense of refinement that doesn’t need to announce itself. It simply exists, welcoming guests into a dining room that suits both quiet conversation and shared celebration.

Tables are well-spaced, and the pace is deliberately calm. From the moment diners walk in, staff are attentive but never overbearing, allowing the experience to unfold at its own tempo.

A menu with depth and purpose

The menu at Lenora’s blends Southern influence with coastal finesse.

The star attractions often lean toward seafood—dishes like the seared catfish Lenora and shrimp pasta Lenora exemplify the restaurant’s commitment to familiar flavors delivered with thoughtful precision.

These dishes arrive hot, well-seasoned, and plated with attention that suggests pride behind the scenes.

Steaks are another strong point. The rib-eye, in particular, arrives with a sear that holds its juices and a side of smashed potatoes that achieves that rare feat of being both comforting and composed.

The mixed grill offerings allow guests to sample a little bit of everything—surf and turf combinations that work in harmony.

Appetizers such as the jumbo lump crab cake and the beef tenderloin skewer serve as a warm welcome to the meal. Meanwhile, seasonal salads, grilled vegetables, and expertly prepared greens round out the plate without feeling like afterthoughts.

Service that elevates the experience

While food often gets top billing in restaurant reviews, the service at Lenora’s deserves its own recognition. Guests routinely highlight the staff’s friendliness and professionalism.

In one recent example, a reviewer praised server Emily S. for being “calm, friendly, and super attentive,” even during a particularly busy evening.

That level of consistency isn’t an accident. The staff—from the front-of-house to the kitchen—operate with clear communication and a shared understanding of what makes for a great dining experience: timing, warmth, and a sense of ease.

Even when the restaurant is bustling on weekends or special occasions, the flow remains steady. Courses arrive at the right intervals, water glasses stay full, and special requests are handled without hesitation.

Finishing strong with dessert and drinks

When it comes to the final course, Lenora’s makes a strong case for lingering just a little longer.

Bread pudding with white chocolate sauce is a standout, offering a warm, rich bite without becoming overly heavy.

Other dessert selections rotate seasonally, giving repeat diners something new to look forward to.

The bar program includes handcrafted cocktails, a curated wine list, and premium spirits, creating an opportunity to extend the evening in relaxed fashion.

Whether it’s a classic old fashioned or a house-infused martini, the drink selection pairs naturally with the pace and style of the meal.

Consistency and craft at the center

Lenora’s isn’t trying to be trendy. It isn’t chasing viral moments or social media flash. What it offers instead is something harder to replicate: a sense of place.

A restaurant that knows who it is, knows what it does well, and delivers on that promise night after night.

It’s this combination of skill in the kitchen, warmth at the table, and ease in the atmosphere that makes Lenora’s a cornerstone of Oxford’s dining scene.

Whether it’s a dinner out with family, a date night, or a business conversation over a meal, Lenora’s fits the moment.

Location and hours of operation

Address: 309 North Lamar Boulevard, Oxford, Mississippi 38655
Phone: (662) 236‑1144
Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, Friday, Saturday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
- Sunday: Closed
- Note: On major event weekends, opening hours may shift to 4:00 p.m.
- More details at lenorasrestaurant.com

3 key takeaways

Southern seafood done right — Signature dishes like the seared catfish and shrimp pasta showcase flavor without overcomplicating.
Service with care — Staff are consistently described as professional, warm, and attentive, contributing to the calm, composed environment.
Refined but relaxed — The space strikes a balance between casual comfort and upscale polish, making it accessible to all types of diners.