After more than a century of serving hot plates and hometown comfort, one of Mississippi’s most beloved landmarks has gone dark. The Coney Island Café in Hattiesburg — a family-owned diner that first opened its doors in 1923 — officially shut down in February 2025, marking the end of a 102-year run that spanned four generations of the family owners.
For locals, the news hit hard. The small café wasn’t just another restaurant — it was a living piece of Hattiesburg history. The Fokakis family opened Coney Island Café during the early 1920s, when the city was booming as a railroad and timber hub. Over the decades, it became a fixture downtown, known for its classic hot dogs, burgers, and no-frills hospitality that rarely changed with the times.
The café’s walls told its story: black-and-white photos, fading memorabilia, and the kind of worn booths that only decades of family meals can create. For generations, locals gathered there for breakfast, shared gossip over coffee, and celebrated life’s small milestones at the same tables their grandparents once did.
In early February, the owners quietly announced the closure, saying it was simply time. There was no dramatic reason — just the natural close of a long family chapter. “We’ve loved serving this community for over 100 years,” one family member told local reporters, “but it feels right to step away while the memories are still good ones.”
The Coney Island Café survived economic downturns, new restaurant trends, and even the pandemic. Not to mention two world wars and the invention of the computer. It was one of the last true “old-school” diners left in the state — cash register up front, counter stools, and daily specials written by hand. Its closing leaves a noticeable hole in Hattiesburg’s downtown district, where revitalization efforts have drawn newer restaurants but few with the same legacy.
Residents flooded social media with memories and old photos after the news broke. Some recalled eating there as children, while others shared stories of their grandparents working behind the counter. Many simply expressed disbelief that a piece of their city’s identity could vanish so quietly.
While new eateries will undoubtedly fill the space, locals say it won’t be the same. The Coney Island Café wasn’t just about food — it was about community. It was a place where time stood still, where the faces behind the counter knew your name, and where “regulars” truly meant family.
After 102 years, Mississippi’s oldest restaurant has finally closed its doors — but its story, and its spirit, will linger far longer than the smell of bacon and coffee that once filled the air.
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