Walk into Miss Delta on any given day and you’ll find the aroma of house-smoked meats drifting through the air, the unmistakable crackle of a fresh waffle hitting the griddle, and a steady rhythm of laughter from longtime regulars and newcomers alike. Nestled on North Mississippi Avenue in Portland, Miss Delta has become a neighborhood staple—a place where Southern comfort food is made from scratch and served with a whole lot of heart.
The story behind Miss Delta is as soulful as the dishes on its menu. Owner Marcus Oliver has been in the restaurant industry for 35 years, doing just about every job there is—cook, server, bartender, manager. He cut his teeth in kitchens of all styles, from fine dining to pizza joints, sandwich shops to cafes. He even went to culinary school at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. But it was the memory of his Grandma Velma Louise’s cooking that planted the seed for what would one day become his own place.…