Page 38 - South Mississippi Living - March, 2026
P. 38
DINING FRENCH HERMIT
ADDRESS
5600 Washington Ave., Ocean Springs
CONTACT
228.369.7118
WEBSITE
frenchhermitoyster.co
HOURS
Closed Mon
Tues-Sun
11 a.m.-7 p.m.
38 | March 2026
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
There’s something poetic about savoring oysters right on the waters where they’re raised. That’s exactly what you’ll find at the company store for French Hermit Oyster Company, located at the foot of the Fort Bayou Bridge in Ocean Springs.
The brand itself is rooted in Mississippi lore. It’s named for the French Hermit
of Deer Island—Jean Guilhot—a French barber who settled on Deer Island in the 1920s. He farmed and sold oysters, and fa- mously rowed out to the Sailfish tour boat to serenade tourists with French folk songs.
The oyster farm sits south of Deer Island, but the company store is where the magic happens. Here’s the concept: you order
story and photos by Anne Pitre
