Giardina's, Greenwood, MS

Chef Lee Leflore honors his Sicilian heritage and Deep South Mississippi Delta roots with cuisine that showcases the bounty of the nearby Gulf of Mexico along with family recipes handed down from the four generations of Sicilian immigrants who left their culinary stamp on the region. Lee, a graduate of the University of Mississippi’s hospitality management program and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, presides over a kitchen where “family atmosphere” is paramount. To Lee, "family" describes the espirit des corps of a team that collectively offer the customer a unique, lively and personal dining experience. Giardina’s opened its doors in 1936 and under Lee Leflore’s leadership it thrives, paying homage to the past while offering its loyal customers an eclectic menu that is fresh, imaginative and ever changing.