ENID — It’s official. The Enid Depot, a restaurant housed in an historic local building just a stone’s throw from the railroad tracks, serves up the very best steaks in the state of Mississippi.
Brent Tippitt, chef and owner of the business, as well as his wife, Casey, and daughters Asherlyn, Shiloh and Anna, were on hand Sunday to receive recognition to that effect from the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and Mississippi Beef Council.
Bearing the designation, “The Enid Depot: Mississippi’s Best Steak 2025,” a plaque was presented in a ceremony on the floor of the Mississippi Coliseum during the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson.
In addition to the award, and statewide bragging rights, The Enid Depot received a $1,000 advertising package.
Tippitt, a 45-year-old native of Hernando in DeSoto County, knows his way around the kitchen.
“I’ve been cooking all my life, and I’ve been cooking steaks for a long time,” he said.
As a graduate of the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu culinary arts school, Tippitt is a certified chef.
His professional resume includes stints as a grill cook at Gold Strike Casino Resort in Tunica County, as chef at the University of Memphis and as a member of the kitchen staff at Erling Jensen, widely recognized as the best fine dining restaurant in the Memphis area.
“I’ve worked for some of the best chefs in America, in Las Vegas, in Memphis and even Europe,” Tippitt noted.
At one point, he took a 10-year career detour into the field of commercial real estate before happening upon an opportunity to acquire The Enid Depot.
Tippitt explained that he and his wife were driving on I-55 when they just happened to pull off at the Enid exit. They found their way to the restaurant, at the time owned by David Howard, had a meal and things progressed from there.
Within a matter of two months, on Nov. 1, 2022, Tippitt and Casey took ownership of The Enid Depot, fulfilling a longtime dream of his to own and operate his own restaurant.
Tippitt did not completely overhaul the restaurant's menu, but the nuanced refinements of a professional chef quickly grew the establishment's reputation and clientele. The Enid Depot now regularly pulls in eager diners from throughout North Mississippi and beyond to enjoy the Southern hospitality and cusine in a casual, family-friendly environment.
“I could have built a restaurant anywhere, and for whatever reasons, God wanted me to come to Enid, Mississippi, and open up a restaurant,” said Tippitt. “We’re just grateful to bring something to Tallahatchie County and glad that we’re able to make something of this place.”
— * —
In early October, on its Facebook page, the Mississippi Beef Council began seeking nominations for its annual best steak in the state award. In December, based on a popular vote of those customer nominations, the list was narrowed to five finalists.
A panel of judges secretly visited the top five restaurants, which also included Big Jim’s Meat Market & Grill in Mendenhall, Cheryl’s Steakhouse in Ocean Springs, Jason’s Southern Table in Kosciusko and Mitchell’s Central Service & Grill in Eupora, for “the taste portion of the contest.”
Tippitt was aware that his place was a top-five selection and that judges would be coming, but he said he had no idea when they would appear..
On Jan. 28, he received a call informing him that The Enid Depot would be crowned as the overall winner of Mississippi’s best steak at the Dixie National Rodeo.
“We were thrilled, because this is a big honor,” Tippitt noted. “There are not very many restaurant competitions, and it’s just an honor to get recognized for what you’re doing. It’s a big deal to us. It’s not like when I was selling houses and you got employee of the month for selling the most houses. In the restaurant industry, there are more critics than there are awards.”
Tippitt said the award he received, as well as other publicity by the Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and Mississippi Beef Council, features a photo of The Enid Depot’s prime rib.
The Enid Depot received this plaque, featuring an image of the restaurant's best-selling prime rib. (Photo special to The Sun-Sentinel)
“They wanted a picture of our No. 1 seller, which is the prime rib,” Tippitt noted. “That’s what’s on the plaque.”
Tippitt offered little insight into why his restaurant received the top steak honor, except to say, “I think it’s just the fact that we try to serve the best steak we can.”
One would expect nothing less from an eatery self-identifying as "The Tallahatchie Steakhouse."
— * —
The Enid Depot is located at 1027 Jackson Ave., Enid.
Currently, Tippitt said, the restaurant is reservation-only during the operational hours of Thursday through Sunday, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
“After spring break, we’ll open up five nights a week in March — Wednesday through Sunday — once the fishermen start coming down here after [Enid Lake] is full.”
To request a reservation, Tippitt said customers may call 662-623-9485 or send a message to The Enid Depot via its Facebook page.
In addition to the steak award, Tippitt said there is an ongoing effort to have the restaurant building, a former mercantile store that dates to 1907 and has filled many roles in the community, approved for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. He said a decision on that might come as early as March.
"The building is a pretty cool place," Tippitt added.
The interior of The Enid Depot features displays of local and area memorabilia, and his website includes a selection of historical documents and photos.
