The Porch (old Pontocola Gro.)

The Porch @ 124 CR-506 Shannon, MS (old Pontocola Grocery) Located just off the Natchez Trace on Pontocola Road. NOTE: During road work on the Trace between Tupelo and The Porch, signs say local traffic is still permitted. Open Thursday-Saturday 5-9. Follow their page for updated hours and more.

👇 Menu at the bottom of photos bellow 👇

The old Pontocola Grocery was a family owned business dating back to the mid 70’s. Joseph Sloan, tells me that his grandmother mostly ran the store in the early days by herself. Her work ethic and dedication to serving the community made a lasting impression on Joseph. Wanting to continue his family’s legacy, he has opened his own restaurant on one side of the building, and plans to revive the family grocery side in stages, as a testament to his grandmother and the dwindling number of mom & pop country stores.

If you arrive early like I did, you may wonder if your gps lead you to the right place. From the road you’ll see an old red wood building with gas pumps and lights that probably haven’t worked in decades. Plus a Pepsi machine that is now considered antique.

Upon closer inspection, you’ll find a small sign hanging by the entrance of the still new eatery inviting you to sit and relax at The Porch.

The interior has booth and table seating with old rusted tin, beautiful wood walls, and exposed ceiling with burnt beams to bringing the beauty of an old country porch inside.

Although the menu features a few photos that showcase their offerings, most people are unaware of the impressive and exquisite dishes being created just a few feet away in the exposed kitchen.

🔥What I ordered:
🔥Porch BBQ Nachos
🔥Chicken Philly Porch Potato
🔥MS Philly Tacos
🔥Double Smash Burger with Cheese
🔥Ribeye Sandwich
🔥Smash Burger Pizza
🔥Fresh Cut Fries

Everything I tried had the Mmmm & WOW factor! Each item was beautifully plated, and definitely delicious!

The Porch BBQ Nachos were HUGE and may be my favorite so far! They start with a pan full of freshly fried crisp nachos, then loaded with their owned smoked bbq, thick and creamy custom made Porch Dip, and finally drizzled with two sauces, sweet bbq and Carolina bbq flavors. I didn’t ask, but the bbq meat was either chopped or finely pulled. Perfect for loading up each chip or crush it all up and eat with a fork. You do you!

The Chicken Philly Porch Potato is oversized and mounded over with all the Philly toppings! There is plenty to share or take home for another meal. Just from the menu, I had no idea how large the loaded potato would be. It definitely had the WOW factor when I laid eyes on it for the first time!

The MS (MIssissippi) Philly Tacos come 3 per order and each filled mostly with meat with enough toppings to make every bite an authentic Philly experience.

I ordered a double Smash Burger with cheese and all the toppings. A single patty would have been plenty, but I just love the look of a well stacked burger! The Smash burger meat was hot off the grill with several layers of melted cheese and plenty of crisp veggies and sauces. I couldn’t help grabbing a taste of just the delicious meat and cheese before chomping into the entire package! Of corse, an order of their house cut fries is always a great side of choice!

The Ribeye steak sandwich starts with fresh cut steak cooked and seasoned to perfection along with all the fresh toppings you desire. It definitely has a savory quality and should satisfy the most critical steak sandwich critics.

Their pizzas can be build with most of the traditional toppings or about any of the Custom toppings they offer. Other customers had praised the Smash Burger Pizza so I figured it was a great place to start. It definitely had the building block ingredients of its burger brethren but with a more refined taste and texture worthy of an established pizzeria.

The Porch wasn’t started on a whim. The owners would travel, seeking out unique restaurants and regional cuisine. Originally planning to open their own food truck, they decided reviving the family business with a destination restaurant that supported the community came first.

They made note of what they enjoyed while visiting other eateries as inspiration to create their own unique flavors. Joseph still operates his trucking company, building his happy place with family and friends at The Porch along the way. Happy Trails!

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Brooks Grocery – Tupelo, located at 1661 N. Coley Road, Tupelo, MS. Family owned and operated since 2009. Offering local favorites and specialty items from around the world.
D’ Cracked Egg Tupelo, located @ 206 Troy Street, Tupelo, MS. Open 7:45am till 2:00pm every day. For a straight up traditional breakfast with coffee or an elegant brunch with mimosas, bloody Mary’s, or one of their specialty cocktails, owner Gary Griffin and the crew have you covered! For Sponsorship and advertising information, Request your FREE e-info Package from Eating Out With Jeff Jones.