Page 32 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2026

DINING
story and photo by Chelsea Gieselmann
The late 1920s was full of economic growth, jazz music, culture change, and culinary transformations. Amongst all of this, the po’boy sandwich was created in none other than New Orleans, Louisiana.
It’s said that in 1929, two former street cart workers, Benny and Clovis Martin, decided to open a restaurant after a four-month strike. These two brothers wanted to figure out a cost-friendly way to feed their ex-coworkers during their long days, free of charge. They built a sandwich on crusty French bread stacked with fried potatoes, gravy, and fried meats, and it picked up
the name “po’boy” after waitresses would call out “here comes another poor boy” through the kitchen window whenever the streetcar workers came in to eat.
The po’boy grew into a true New Orleans staple, capturing the city’s blend of French influence, working-class roots, and deep seafood culture. Over time, the sandwich has been refined and expanded into countless variations that now make up the world of the po’boy. I’ve put together a po’boy guide along with a solid Cajun potato salad to round out this scrumptious sandwich.
32 | June 2026
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