Jackson’s Belhaven neighborhood discovered upscale Mediterranean dining in 2013 when a sommelier and chef opened a wood-fired restaurant that immediately changed the city’s culinary landscape. 🔥
The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen combines fresh Gulf fish, scratch-made Neapolitan pizzas, and Certified Angus beef with Southern flair, earning “Best New Restaurant” from Mississippi Magazine.
The wood-fired ovens and grills create rustic Mediterranean flavors that Wine Spectator recognized with their prestigious wine list approval.
How The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen Won Jackson’s Hearts
Entrepreneur Steven O’Neill partnered with Chef Alex Eaton in 2013 to bring a whole new style of food and service to the Jackson market.
The menu features Greek, northern Italian, and Spanish dishes prepared in what Chef Eaton calls the most “honest” form of cooking—over a wood fire. 🍕
O’Neill brought sommelier expertise and business acumen, building the largest selection of wine and spirits in Mississippi that earned Wine Spectator recognition.
The menu reflects “the relationship between chef and harvest,” with dishes changing based on what’s available from Mississippi and Louisiana sources. ✨
The wood-fired duck wings became legendary—an innovative appetizer that customers rave about years later as exceptional.
Critics and locals agreed: this was far from just another place to grab a bite. 🦆
Awards followed quickly, with Mississippi Magazine naming it Best New Restaurant and Best New Chef (Alex Eaton) and Best Rising Entrepreneur (Steven O’Neill) honors in 2015.
Chef Eaton even appeared on Food Network, with customers watching the show right in the restaurant while experiencing exceptional service.
Food Highlights
- BBQ Chicken Pizza: A Southern twist on pizza that combines wood-fired techniques with regional flavors, earning consistent praise and repeat orders. 🍕
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Smoked Brisket Pizza: Featured as a table favorite when groups order multiple items to share—the tender brisket on wood-fired crust creates unforgettable flavor combinations.
- Redfish and Gouda Grits: One of the signature Gulf fish dishes featuring fresh local catch over creamy Gouda grits—customers love the flavors even when preferring filets over shell-on presentation.
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Grouper Over Polenta: Featured as a nightly special that demonstrates the kitchen’s ability to showcase fresh Gulf fish with Mediterranean preparations.
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Shrimp and Grits: The Southern classic elevated with fresh ingredients and Manship’s distinctive style, consistently appearing in positive reviews.
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Fried Green Tomatoes with Lump Crab Meat: Customers arriving 45 minutes before closing still received this delicious Southern-Mediterranean fusion appetizer with excellent service.
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Huevos Rancheros: Another excellent brunch selection—black beans, fried corn tortilla, Sriracha cream, roasted tomato salsa, eggs, and avocado
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Gumbo: A popular dish that brings Louisiana flavors to the Manship menu, showcasing the restaurant’s Southern roots alongside Mediterranean influences. 🥘
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Wood Fired Oysters: Served swimming in orange-colored liquid and covered with melty cheese in metal cooking trays—a unique preparation different from traditional chargrilled.
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Crab Claws: Part of the fresh seafood offerings that showcase Gulf Coast ingredients prepared with Mediterranean techniques.
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Ribeye: Called “unbelievable” by customers who enjoyed it while watching Chef Eaton on Food Network—Certified Angus beef cooked to perfection. 🥩
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Pork Belly: Served with Gouda grits (or greens when grits run out)—guys rave over this rich, flavorful dish despite substitutions.
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Lasagna: The Italian comfort classic prepared with wood-fired techniques, earning consistent praise.
Atmosphere
The modern and artistic ambiance features beautifully appointed decor with clean tables and a relaxed vibe that combines neighborhood comfort with big-city sophistication.
The sharp, open bar/eatery showcases the massive bourbon collection—the best many customers have ever seen—plus a Wine Spectator-approved wine list with varied and interesting selections.
Outdoor seating provides perfect people-watching in the Belhaven neighborhood, while indoor dining lets you experience the aroma of wood-fired cooking throughout your meal.
Bottom Line
Visit for Mediterranean dishes cooked over hickory wood fires that earned Best New Restaurant honors, experience the largest wine and spirits selection in Mississippi with Wine Spectator approval, taste legendary duck wings and wood-fired pizzas made from scratch, and enjoy fresh Gulf seafood and Certified Angus beef in a neighborhood spot that brings big-city dining to Jackson. 🔥
Address:
1200 N State Street, Suite 100, Jackson, MS 39202
📞 (601) 398-4562
🕔 Open Mon 11 AM–8:30 PM | Tue-Fri 11 AM–10 PM | Sat 10 AM–10 PM | Sun 10 AM–2:30 PM