One regional specialty that must be tried when visiting Mississippi is the doughburger. This hamburger goes by many different names, including slugburger, Weeks burger, Trolley Burger, and Dudie Burger, but it’s all the same basic concept: hamburger meat (beef, pork, or a combination) mixed with a filler like bread crumbs, potato flakes, or flour, and fried. This mixture was created of necessity sometime during or before the Great Depression to stretch a family’s meat supply.
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links with no change in price for you.
The origins of the doughburger are murky, but it’s likely that many people utilized this way of extending their meat during hard times. The concept is similar to making meatloaf. John Weeks of Corinth, Mississippi is often credited with creating the first doughburger in the early 1900s. Borroum’s Drug Store, also in Corinth, has been in continuous operation since 1865, but no one really knows what year they first served doughburgers. Still, it looks like Corinth is the official birthplace of the doughburger!
The cafes that serve doughburgers are usually historic; institutions in their respective towns. These fried burgers, dressed traditionally with mustard, pickles, and onions, are still a local favorite today. Many families in the region still make their own form of doughburger at home, whether they’re trying to stretch their grocery money or relive that nostalgic taste.
The burgers are celebrated annually in northeast Mississippi at the Slugburger Festival in Corinth and the Dudie Burger Festival in Tupelo. Read on to find some of our favorite doughburger restaurants!
Borroum’s Drug Store
Corinth, MS | facebook.com/Borroums-Drug-Store-Inc
Address: 604 E Waldron Street
In business since 1865, Borroum’s Drug Store is Mississippi’s oldest drug store that has been in continuous operation. The pharmacy is still operating in the back, serving Corinth for over 150 years and counting! Unless you need to pick up some medications, the real draw here is the soda fountain and café. Grab a seat at the counter, and trust us when we say to order yourself a slugburger!
So, if a doughburger is meat mixed with dough or potato flakes, that makes a slugburger mixed with…. Nope. It’s the same thing! No slimy slugs involved! Instead, the name came from the nickname for a nickel: a “slug.” These burgers once only cost five cents, thus the slightly misleading name.
At Borroum’s, you can be sure you’re trying one of the oldest doughburger recipes in Mississippi. Simple, fresh, and crispy, these burgers also come really cheap (though they cost a bit more than a nickel these days!). Be sure to get one of Borroum’s famous milkshakes, too!
Slugburger Festival
Corinth, MS | corinth.net
Address: Downtown Corinth
Corinth, Mississippi is widely accepted as the birthplace of the slugburger/ doughburger. The original creation is credited to Corinth’s own John Weeks who began cooking up burgers mixed with flour and potato flakes in 1917. His version became known as, you guessed it, the Weeks burger! Don’t forget that the slugburger is still being sold at the oldest continually run drug store in Mississippi (Borroum’s) as well. Because of Corinth’s ties to the slugburger’s history, it’s home to the Slugburger Festival each year in July.
Downtown Corinth hosts to this unique event during the second weekend of July each year with plenty of slugburgers and entertainment. Attendees can enjoy entertainment ranging from live local music performances to the “Miss Slugburger” competition, the “Slug Idol” singing competition to a carnival.
Looking for more Mississippi specialties? Try some recipes from one of these Mississippi cookbooks!
Main Street Trolley
Ecru, MS | facebook.com/Main-Street-Trolley
Address: 222 Main Street
At Ecru’s Main Street Trolley, their version of the doughburger is known as the “Trolley Burger.” A regular Trolley Burger is a 1/4 lb. patty, but the extra hungry can opt for the “Jumbo” that weighs 1/2 lb. I’m telling you now, the Jumbo is huge!
Unlike the traditional doughburger toppings, the Trolley Burger comes dressed with mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, lettuce, pickles, tomato, and onion. This sandwich definitely has more of a hamburger look and feel but has that crispy, fried, savory doughburger taste.
The Trolley Burger gets our vote for Best Doughburger! We like all that we’ve tried, but the Trolley Burger made a lasting impression with its size and flavor.
Latham’s Hamburger Inn
New Albany, MS | facebook.com/lathamshamburgerinn
Address: 106 W Main Street
Latham’s opened in New Albany back in 1948, serving its version of the doughburger since day one. The Latham’s hamburger is, shall we say, well done. But don’t let that blackened patty fool you; it’s known as one of the best hamburgers in the state!
The burger itself is made from a secret recipe, but it is definitely pan-fried to achieve that outer crispiness. It’s served with the traditional doughburger fixings of mustard, onion, and pickles, but you can add on cheese as well.
Stepping into Latham’s is a step back in time with its antique stools, exposed brick, and nostalgic decor. The service is great, so feel free to ask for suggestions from the menu or find out more about doughburgers… just don’t expect to find out the secret recipe!
See Related: The Best Places to Eat in Tupelo, Mississippi
Johnnie’s Drive-In
Tupelo, MS | facebook.com/Johnnies-Drive-In
Address: 908 E Main Street
Head to the hometown hangout of Elvis Presley for Tupelo’s favorite doughburger at Johnnie’s Drive-In. Opened in 1945, Johnnie’s is the oldest restaurant in Tupelo and celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2020. With clientele split between tourists and loyal locals, it’s a great spot to start a conversation with friendly strangers as you grab a delicious bite.
You get points for ordering a doughburger when visiting Johnnie’s, but you get EXTRA points if you enjoy your burger in the “Elvis booth” (so named because of the photo of Elvis sitting at that very table!). The restaurant is small, surrounding guests with memorabilia and the aroma of Southern favorites. The doughburger is as simply perfect as they come, served traditionally with pickles, onions, and mustard.
Looking for more Mississippi specialties? Try some recipes from one of these Mississippi cookbooks!
Dudie Burger Festival
Tupelo, MS | facebook.com/DudieBurgerFestival
Address: 689 Rutherford Road (Oren Dunn Museum)
Each May, the Dudie Burger Festival is held at the Oren Dunn Museum in Tupelo, Mississippi. Truman “Dudie” Christian brought a Memphis streetcar down to Tupelo in 1947, converted it to a diner, and began selling his version of doughburgers for ten cents apiece (makes a slugburger look like a steal, huh?).
The original Dudie’s Diner streetcar sits on the property of the Oren Dunn Museum in Tupelo’s Ballard Park, and its opened up once a year to offer original Dudie Burgers to loyal fans and to those eager to try the doughburger for the very first time. Go extra hungry and sign up for the burger-eating contest!
DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links with no change in price for you.
Ready to explore Mississippi? Book a tour!
Will you be trying a doughburger during your visit to Mississippi? Have you tried one of these burgers before? What did you think? Which doughburger name do you like best? Have you ever cooked something similar? Let us know in the comments below!
Pin this post for later!
