photo: David Meany

Memphis’ Best Food: Bucket List Eats

Want to know where to get Memphis’ best food? We may be the BBQ capital of the world, but there’s so much more than BBQ offered here in the Bluff City.

Want to know where to get Memphis’ best food? We’re gonna dish it out to you. These items have been hand-picked by us from experience and legend, and they are in no particular order. Print the list, and hit the town!

  1. Ching’s – Honey Gold Wings
  2. Tacos Nganas – Tacos and consome
  3. Bishop – Bishop Burger
  4. Good Fortune Co – GFC Wings
  5. Sunrise Memphis – The Dirty South
  6. Young Avenue Deli – Mozzarella Sticks or Cheese Fries
  7. Bryant’s – Ham Biscuit
  8.  Farm Burger – Farm Burger Fries and Sweet Potato Hush Puppies
  9. Gus’ Fried Chicken IN the SAME bag as Gibson’s Donuts
  10. Slider Inn – Chick-N-Fill-Ay sliders and a Jameson Slushie
  11. Jerry’s – Supreme Sno Cone
  12. Kwik Check – Bi Bim Bop
  13. Roxie’s – Good Burger
  14. Hog & Hominy’s – The Thunderbird
  15. Golden India – Chicken Korma with Garlic Naan
  16. Huey’s – Cheese Fries with ranch and Bluff City Burger
  17. Tamboli’s – Bucatini & Marinara
  18. Cozy Corner – Cornish hen
  19. Memphis Pizza Cafe – Buffalo Chicken Pizza
  20. Earnestine & Hazel’s – Soul Burger
  21.  La Michoacana – Avocado Paleta
  22. The Arcade Restaurant – Sweet Potato Pancakes
  23. Pizzeria Trasimeno – Chef Special
  24. Ryu – Sushi
  25. Muddy’s – Prozac Cupcake
  26. Kooky Canuck – Kookamonga Burger
  27.  Payne’s Bologna Sandwich
  28. Elwood’s Shack – Brisket Tacos
  29. Corky’s – Tamales
  30. Cafe Eclectic – Bacon waffle
  31. Local Gastropub – Blackened Chicken Tacos
  32. Alcenia’s – Chicken & Waffles
  33. Central BBQ – BBQ Nachos and Wings with ranch
  34. Taco Los Jarochos – Quesadilla 
  35. Sweet Noshings – The Memphis Mix popcorn
  36. A Schwab’s on Beale – Chocolate Malt
  37. Belly Acres – Bison Burger on a Waffle
  38. Lafayette’s – Elvis French Toast
  39. Capriccio Grill = BBQ Salad in a Mason Jar
  40. Say Cheese Food Truck – Elvis Italiano Grilled Cheese sandwich
  41. Dyer’s Burger (fried in 100 year old grease) with a chocolate shake
  42. Chinese Sub Shop – A sub on soft bread from the 
  43. Frost Bake Shop – Caramel cake, warmed, with vanilla ice cream at 
  44. Brother Juniper’s – Cinnamon Roll Pancakes or San Diegan Open Face Omelet 
  45. Fuel Food Truck – Breakfast Burrito from 
  46. Soul Fish Cafe – Blackened Tilapia with Mac & Cheese
  47. Cheffie’s – House Salad
  48. Staks – Birthday Pancakes
  49. Second Line – The Verno
  50. Newby’s – Cheeseburger pizza
  51. Bounty on Broad – Cornbread stuffed quail with andouille sausage
  52. Makeda’s – Banana pudding and butter cookies
  53. Char – No Filler Crab Cakes
  54. Catherine & Mary’s – Lumache
  55. Ms. Girlee’s – Porkchops
  56. Lou’s Fried Chicken – A 7 piece and a biscuit
  57. Alchemy – Frites 
  58. Aldo’s Pizza – Vodka pie 
  59. Maciel’s Tortas & Tacos – Fried chicken tacos, guacamole salsa, and horchata
  60. The Wing Guru (formerly Don Don Jr’s Hotwings) – Garlic sriracha wings
  61. Crumpy’s – Honey gold and lemon pepper wings
  62. Railgarten – Veggie Tacos
  63. Gourmade Food Truck – Gourmade Burger, BLT, and Cheese Fries
  64. Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe – Peach Cobbler Nachos
  65. Phuong Long – Combination Vermicelli
  66. Global Cafe – Chicken Shawarma and Baklava
  67. City Silo – Foxy BBQ Sandwich and a Smoothie Bowl
  68. The Liquor Store – Cuban sandwich with plantain chips
  69. Hog and Hominy – Chicken Nashvillanese
  70. Rendezvous – Ribs or BBQ Nachos
  71. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana – Tortuga
  72. Fino’s – Penn Station
  73. Tsunami – Sea Bass

Did we forget more of Memphis’ best food? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for other things to do in Memphis? Check out these cool volunteer opportunities. Need to work off some of that fine fare? Check out our Local Guide to the Great Outdoors!

Join the movement.

Memphis educators are making an impact in the lives of tomorrow's leaders today, and they need your help.

Share Article:

More Articles