Abe’s Bar-B-Q at the Clarksdale Crossroads

The Crossroads sign in Clarksdale gives a barbecue lunch an unusually good backdrop. Directly in front of that well-known marker sits Abe’s Bar-B-Q, a longtime-looking, old-school stop where a pork sandwich, a paper basket of sides and a glass of tea fit neatly into a day spent following the Delta’s blues trail.

Abe’s has the casual, welcoming Southern character people hope to find on this corner of town: a place to settle into a booth, talk over lunch and look around without feeling hurried. It works as a meal before or after the Delta Blues Museum, but it also stands on its own as a satisfying reason to pause in Clarksdale.

Pulled and chopped pork anchor the menu, appearing in sandwiches and plate meals. The sandwiches arrive on soft buns, and adding slaw and Abe’s barbecue sauce makes for the familiar, happily messy combination that calls for extra napkins.

For a more fork-and-knife lunch, pulled-pork and beef plates offer a change from the sandwich route. Rib tips are another recurring order, especially appealing to diners who like the smaller, sauce-friendly cuts; the ribs have a reputation for being notably tender as well.

The Big Abe gives the pork sandwich its own named variation. It also appears in chili-cheese form, while the menu has room for other hearty roadside-counter favorites, including a chili-cheese dog and a Big Abe chili cheeseburger that can be ordered with slaw.

Tamales deserve a place near the beginning of the meal rather than an afterthought at the end. They are one of Abe’s signature orders and a useful choice for anyone who wants a Delta specialty alongside the barbecue.

An order of tamales makes a fine table starter, especially if one person wants pork and another is tempted by rib tips or a burger. It also gives a mixed group one more thing to pass around before the main plates arrive.

Abe’s house barbecue sauce has a mild sweetness and goes by the memorable name “Come Back” sauce. It is the sort of condiment that encourages a second swipe through the sandwich, and bottles are available to take home.

The coleslaw is not merely there to fill a side compartment. Its vinegar-based character has a distinct tang that cuts through pork and chili, and it is one of the most frequently praised parts of a meal. Put it beside the sandwich or order it on top; either way, it earns attention.

Other familiar sides include baked beans, potato salad and crinkle-cut fries. The fries bring a crisp texture to a table otherwise built around soft buns, tender meat and sauced rib tips.

Sweet tea belongs naturally with this menu, and Abe’s also offers a “half ’n half” tea for diners who want half sweet and half unsweet. It is a small choice, but a welcome one on a barbecue stop where the sauces and sides bring plenty of flavor.

Inside, booth seating helps keep the room relaxed and conversational. Indoor seating makes Abe’s easy for a solo lunch, a couple on a Delta drive, a family meal or a larger table of friends; outdoor patio or terrace seating has also been available.

The mood is vintage rather than polished-up-for-effect. Abe’s traditional character has remained a point of affection over repeat visits, and the friendly, attentive service suits the unfussy setting.

The Crossroads sign is right outside, so a stop at Abe’s easily combines two Clarksdale rituals: take a look at the landmark, then sit down to barbecue. There is no need to turn lunch into a grand production when the geography has already done the pairing for you.

The Delta Blues Museum and other music-oriented landmarks are commonly folded into the same outing. That makes Abe’s especially handy when a day has been spent moving between exhibits, markers and downtown stops and calls for something more substantial than a quick snack.

A free parking lot with ample space keeps the stop straightforward for people arriving by car. The restaurant has accommodated everything from quick lunch visits to meals for larger groups.

Several recent meals have landed in the roughly $10 to $20 per-person range, making it easy to build a simple lunch around a sandwich and side or broaden the order with tamales and another plate. Waits have been light on a number of lunch visits, though the pace can naturally change with the day and time.

If the Come Back sauce becomes the item you keep reaching for, the bottled version is an easy souvenir with a more practical purpose than most.