GREEN DERBY RESTAURANT, Hiway 80W at the Drake Motel, Jackson, Mississippi. HOME OF SOUTHERN COOKING. Breakfast–Lunches–Dinners with Hot Biscuits. Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Q Chicken and Ribs. Char-Broiled Western Steaks–Mexican Dishes.
Green Derby New Restaurant Being Built
A handsome new dining place is under construction in West Jackson to be operated by the Green Derby Restaurant for the Drake Motel.
Wise Construction Company of Jackson is building the 4,000 square foot building on U.S. Highway 80 West, on a high knoll overlooking the city’s picturesque skyline.
The building will contain a large dining room, two club dining rooms and a coffee shop with a total seating capacity of 170.
The restaurant is so designed that during the peak hours all dining areas may be served with a minimum of cross traffic by the help.
One wall of the main dining room is set at an angle and is glass to permit diners to view the skyline. The front of the building faces directly west, with a minimum of glass in the front to avoid the hot afternoon sun rays, and to permit the maximum efficiency of air conditioning.
Godfrey and Bassett of Jackson are the architects.
CLARION LEDGER-JACKSON DAILY NEWS
October 16, 1955
See also . . .
Roadside Mississippi: Photographer John Margolies
Categories: Jackson
Preservation in Mississippi 
I love those modern restaurants for the motels, even if most of them are abandoned now.
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I am curious as to what constituted “Mexican Dishes” in 1955
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This apparently later version of the sign indicates they switched to, or also included, Italian dishes and Country dishes: https://flic.kr/p/4w3prR
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hmm depending on the time the sign changed Italian may have still been somewhat exotic cuisine. Maybe the country fare was added to appease the less adventurous eaters of the family?
Did the later version of the sign change the chefs hand or am I just not seeing the original sign clearly?
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My opinion only, but discounting Pizza and Spaghetti, real Italian dishes are still rather exotic in this area.
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It is the same design on the hand, just different color. Must have been wearing red gloves in the first, and white gloves in the second?
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The Green Derby had the first enchiladas in the Jackson area.Better than The Elite but they are the best in town now.The sign could have been redone after the original owners retired.There was also a spunk type sign when they first moved to this location.Originally the Green Derby was at the corner of hwy.80 and Robinson Rd.
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Sputnik not spunk.lol
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Hey, it took a lot of spunk to put up a sputnik (or any modern-type facility) in Mississippi!
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The Mexican plate was a specialty of the restaurant.They were famous for enchiladas,biscuits with country ham and redeye gravy.The only Italian dish I remember was spaghetti.
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My guess is the standard beef and cheese enchilada plate, with the requisite refried beans and “Spanish” rice.
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I was a child. My Dad always ordered the enchiladas. He gave me a taste and I must confess, they were outstanding.
The biscuits literally melted in your mouth. Best I’ve ever eaten.
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Yum. Let’s go for lunch
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My daughter and I ate there once around 1992, 1993, or 1994, but I can’t recall the menu. Did it close in the 1990s? Where was the picturesque skyline? I must have missed it.
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I’m curious about that too–the postcard image doesn’t show it on a high knoll, so I wonder if the site changed after this article?
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I suspect the Mexican food was simply hot tamales. I don’t remember my parents or any family members being aware of any other form of Mexican food (we later made the pleasurable acquaintance of the full line of Mexican foods!).
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Nope, enchiladas. My Dad always ordered them.
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What good eyes you have, Mr. Rosell! The chef’s hand is a wee bit different. Eyebrows too. Very astute observation!
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The red glove/hand is a little more pointy, but he is still doing the “magnifico” kiss. :)
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The Green Derby sat at the SW corner of Hwy 80 and Ellis Ave and was on a hill that sloped gently to the north and steeply to the south. I ate there a few times through the years with the last time being in the early 90’s. I don’t recall any view of the Jackson skyline. The only Mexican food I can remember in restaurants from the 50’s were the Enchiladas served at the Elite restaurant (they still are). However, there were the tamales from Jacks Hot Tamales on the Gold Coast. He had young men riding bicycles throughout the streets of residential Jackson ringing a bell and selling them for a nickle apiece. Jacks closed a few years back after about 60 years.
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Love this, especially the old picture!
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“The Green Derby sat at the SW corner of Hwy 80 and Ellis Ave”
Then the view is towards the southwest (towards Raymond) and the Jackson city sky line would be to the camera’s and viewer’s rear.
Jim
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Actually, the Green Derby sat on the southeast corner of Highway 80 and Ellis Avenue, and the camera was looking towards the southeast. I remember it well.
Bill
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My mom worked there in the 70’s.
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Their enchiladas were delicious as far as the Mexican entree, all their other food was excellent as well.
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My family ate dinner here several times in the 1970s enroute from Atlanta, GA to see our family in Shreveport, Louisiana. I-20 was not completed yet and we stayed at the Drake Motel on US 80 at Ellis Av, it was always a good stop, very clean and reasonable. My parents liked that it was a member of Quality Courts so we knew it had to keep up standards. I am guessing the Drake must be gone by now. I remember a very large Holiday Inn across the street.
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I was raised in Jackson. The Green Derby is one of many Favorite Memories of growing up in Jackson. My mother, Lois urged me to try her tossed salad while we were waiting for the main course to arrive. I was about 17 at the time. She said just try a bite. These lips had never taken a bite of salad up to that point in my life. I was so surprised at how good it was with the Thousand Island dressing which was her favorite. I was hooked!
She said do you want one. I said yes and Mama did it to me again. She continued teaching her children to try NEW things. Mama hooked me in for life! I miss her but will see her soon. Mike Haase
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