Memphis fried catfish is Mississippi farmed catfish coated in seasoned cornmeal and deep-fried until crisp, served with hush puppies and slaw. A Southern Memphis lunch standard.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Mississippi catfish farming exploded in the 1960s in the Delta and Memphis quickly became the urban hub for farmed-catfish frying. Most Memphis Southern restaurants carry it; the Four Way and Soul Fish Cafe in Cooper-Young codified the fried catfish lunch plate, and Tug's Casual Grill in Harbor Town does the riverside version.
Common allergens: Fish, Wheat
Tip from the editors. Mississippi farmed catfish is mild and clean; use it over wild for a Memphis-style fry. Cornmeal first, not flour.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Soul Fish Cafe in Cooper-Young Memphis on South Cooper runs catfish baskets, hush puppies and Mississippi-style po'boys under $15, the city's cheap-catfish standby.
Try: Catfish plate
Order: Catfish basket with hush puppies and turnip greens.
Tip: Counter service. The shrimp po'boy is the dark-horse order. Patio in spring is the seat.
The Four Way on Mississippi Boulevard in South Memphis is the city's defining Black-owned soul food room since 1946, where MLK ate but most tourists never go.
Why locals love it: South Memphis sits off the visitor track; the room rewards those who make the drive.
Tip: Lunch only Wednesday to Saturday. Save room for sweet potato pie.
Tug's Casual Grill anchors the Harbor Town neighbourhood on Mud Island in Memphis with a wide riverside patio, burgers and Mississippi catfish dinners.
Signature: Catfish dinner, Burgers
Order: Catfish dinner with hush puppies; sit on the patio at sunset.
Tip: Wednesday is half-price burger night. The walk from downtown across the Auction Avenue bridge takes 15 minutes.
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