The valley village under Lookout Mountain's Incline Railway, trading in smoked brisket, barbecue plates and basement beers.
Little Coyote smokes Texas-style brisket for tacos on house tortillas in St. Elmo, Chattanooga's only Bib Gourmand in the 2025 Michelin American South guide.
Signature: Smoked brisket, House-made tortillas
Order: Smoked brisket with house-made tortillas and pinto beans.
Tip: Saturday and Sunday open at 11:30 for full-day service; weekdays are dinner only from 16:00. Same Niel family as Easy Bistro.
The Purple Daisy Picnic Cafe plates barbecue and picnic fare at the base of Lookout Mountain in St. Elmo, Chattanooga, next to the Incline Railway.
Order: The BBQ plate, or the Rainbow sandwich if you want the local cult order.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Order at the counter and take the side garden; it is the natural lunch stop after riding the Incline down.
Tacos El Tote parks its truck at 5601 St Elmo Avenue in Chattanooga, handing out birria tacos with consomme, street corn and breakfast burritos.
Try: Birria tacos with consomme
Tip: Weekdays 09:00 to 19:00 and closed weekends, the reverse of most trucks; the birria quesadilla with broth is the cold-day order.
Mad Knight Brewing Company pours small-batch beer from a basement taproom on Tennessee Avenue in St. Elmo, Chattanooga's take on the neighbourhood nano.
Tip: It sits on the same Tennessee Avenue strip as Little Coyote, a block south; look for the downstairs entrance and check social feeds before a special trip.
Tacos El Tote hands birria tacos and street corn out of a St Elmo Avenue truck window in Chattanooga at prices a sit-down room cannot touch.
Try: Birria tacos with consomme
Tip: Weekdays 09:00 to 19:00 and closed weekends, the reverse of most trucks; the birria quesadilla with broth is the cold-day order.