Weidmann’s restaurant was founded in 1870 by Swiss immigrant Felix Weidmann and has been serving the downtown Meridian, Mississippi, community for over 150 years.
As one of the oldest restaurants in the state — many claim it is the oldest — Weidmann’s has survived economic downturns, changing dining trends, and even world wars while preserving many of the traditions that helped make it famous.
One of the restaurant’s most distinctive customs is noticeable as soon as customers sit down: a jar of peanut butter and an assortment of crackers on every table.
While it may seem unusual to first-time visitors, the practice has become one of Weidmann’s signature traditions and a beloved part of the historic steakhouse’s dining experience.
It dates back to World War II, when butter was scarce because of wartime rationing and supply shortages.
According to the restaurant, when a customer mentioned to then-owner Henry Weidmann, Felix’s grandson, that they could replace traditional butter with peanut butter, which was more widely available, it took off.
Customers quickly embraced the substitute, and what started as a practical response to a wartime shortage became a beloved restaurant tradition.
Even after butter became readily available again following the war, customers had grown so fond of the combination that the restaurant decided to continue the practice.
Decades later, staff still place a jar of peanut butter and a basket of assorted crackers on every table, preserving a piece of the restaurant’s history.
They weren’t served in a standard-issue peanut butter jar, either
Back in the 1940s, Henry commissioned a potter in Louisville, Mississippi, to make peanut-butter crocks by hand.
Today, diners are encouraged to spread the peanut butter, which is still served in a handmade ceramic crock, onto crackers while they browse the menu and wait for their food. The pre-meal snack is complimentary.
Weidmann’s is also known for classic steakhouse fare, including crab cakes and hand-cut steaks, as well as Weidmann’s World Famous Black Bottom Pie, a dessert with a gingersnap crust topped with a layer of dark chocolate, bourbon custard, and whipped cream, introduced by Henry Weidmann.
The famous peanut butter crocks are now handmade by a local potter in Meridian and available for purchase for $27.50, according to the restaurant’s website.
More than 80 years after World War II ended, a wartime workaround remains a defining feature of the historic restaurant, proving that sometimes the most enduring — and tasty — traditions begin as simple acts of resourcefulness.
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