(Angelina Mazzanti)
BY KAYLEIGH SKINNER
kaskinne@go.olemiss.edu
Oxford residents can now say they have access to one of the best breakfasts in the world, according to Travel + Leisure. Last month Big Bad Breakfast (BBB) was named to the magazine’s top-10 list of “Best Breakfasts Around The World.”
Published on the CNN website and in Travel + Leisure magazine, BBB took the No. 5 spot on the list that included nine other eateries in locations including London, Tokyo and Istanbul, as well as cities across the United States. The Oxford restaurant serves typical American breakfast food, and according to the list it “will have you praying for more.”
“BBB is one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had, especially since I’m not a big breakfast person,” junior psychology major RT Cantillo said. “The first time I heard about (the appearance on the list) I was kind of surprised that they would even consider a small town in Mississippi, but I think that’s pretty awesome.”
Located in the Mid-Town Shopping Center, the restaurant is positioned away from more traveled, iconic places such as the Square. This facet makes the honor of making the top 10 list more satisfying, according to BBB owner and chef John Currence.
Currence said being included on the list is “insanely flattering,” but he is most happy about the attention it brings to Oxford.
“I love it whenever we get mentioned in this sort of breath because of how it validates Oxford,” Currence said. “It’s sort of a little town that can be dismissed because we’re in the middle-of-nowhere Mississippi in some people’s eyes.”
Currence also owns the Oxford restaurants Bouré, City Grocery and Snackbar, and in May of 2008 he opened Big Bad Breakfast in an attempt to have a restaurant that only served breakfast food. He said he was proud that his work has been recognized among the best in the world.
“I’m just glad we set out five years ago to do something remarkable with BBB,” he said. “We wanted to do something that reflected how we looked at lunch or dinner at any of our other restaurants, but give (breakfast) that same kind of respect.”
Since the list was published, BBB has attracted more customers from out of town, according to server Jed Hannaford. He said some people have traveled more than 1 1/2 hours to eat breakfast at the restaurant.
“It’s funny because the people we weren’t reaching — the tourists we weren’t reaching —we started to reach once they saw that,” Hannaford said.
