Jefferson is full of restaurants that fit its historic, small-town setting, but one local lunch spot serves something most travelers have probably never tried before.
Kitt’s Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar builds its signature sandwiches on thick pieces of cornbread instead of ordinary sliced bread. Add homemade soups, salads, comfort food, and an entire selection of pies, and it becomes the kind of place worth planning a Jefferson day trip around.
Located at 125 North Polk Street, Kitt’s has been serving lunch in Jefferson since 2003.
A Different Kind of Sandwich
The restaurant’s signature idea is simple: place familiar sandwich fillings between two pieces of cornbread sturdy enough to hold everything together.
The idea began years before the restaurant opened. Owner Kitt Williams says she first thought of making a cornbread sandwich as a child. Later, she spent two years developing a cornbread recipe that would hold together like sandwich bread instead of crumbling apart.
Today, visitors can choose from several combinations.
The Club includes ham, turkey, and cheese. The Redneck features fried bologna and cheese. The Texan piles Texas chili and melted cheese between pieces of cornbread and is best handled with a fork.
Other choices include corned beef with Swiss cheese, pastrami with provolone, and a vegetarian sandwich with cheese, tomato, red onion, spinach, and mayonnaise.
Cornbread varieties may include traditional, jalapeño, or broccoli, depending on current availability.
More Than Cornbread Sandwiches
Kitt’s also serves soups, salads, wraps, burgers, and other comfort-food favorites.
The menu includes chicken salad, tuna salad, broccoli salad, chili, and chicken and dumplings. A few gluten-free choices are also available.
The restaurant is open only for lunch, so arriving earlier in the day is a good idea, especially during busy weekends in Jefferson.
Save Room for Pie
The second half of the restaurant’s name matters just as much as the first.
Kitt’s offers a rotating selection of pies and desserts by the slice. Current choices may include coconut buttermilk, pecan, key lime, chocolate cream, frozen peanut butter, cheesecake pie, and very berry pie.
Whole pies may also be available with advance notice.
Even travelers who stop only for a sandwich may have a difficult time leaving without dessert.
Make It Part of a Jefferson Day Trip
Kitt’s sits in the historic heart of Jefferson, close to antique stores, museums, old hotels, and several of the town’s best-known attractions.
A simple day in Jefferson could include:
- Browse the antique stores along Polk Street
- Visit the Jefferson Historical Museum
- Stop for lunch at Kitt’s Kornbread
- Walk through the historic downtown district
- Explore the Big Cypress Bayou riverfront
- Finish the afternoon with more shopping or another historic attraction
Jefferson also pairs well with Marshall for a longer East Texas road trip.
Know Before You Go
Address: 125 North Polk Street, Jefferson, Texas
Hours: Thursday through Monday, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday
Best for: Lunch, comfort food, pie, and casual day trips
Specialty: Sandwiches served on cornbread
Because hours and menu availability can change, confirm current information before making a special trip.
Is It Worth the Stop?
Kitt’s Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar offers something travelers are unlikely to find at an ordinary highway restaurant.
The cornbread sandwiches provide the novelty, while the comfort-food menu, pies, and downtown Jefferson location make it an easy addition to a full day of exploring.
For anyone looking for a memorable local lunch in East Texas, this is one stop that earns its place on the route.
Information checked August 2, 2026. Hours, prices, menu items, and availability may change.