The historic Black neighbourhood south of downtown around Mississippi Boulevard, Lamar Avenue and the Stax Museum on McLemore, with old-line BBQ and soul food.
The Four Way is Memphis's defining Black-owned soul food room on Mississippi Boulevard since 1946. Martin Luther King Jr. ate here; the walls show the guests.
OrderSmothered turkey wings, collard greens, mac and cheese, sweet potato pie.
TipOpen Wednesday to Saturday for lunch only, 11:00-17:00. Cash and card both fine.
Payne's Lamar Avenue Memphis BBQ counter has run chopped pork sandwiches and mustard slaw out of a converted gas station since 1972. Locals' top chopped pork.
OrderChopped pork sandwich, mustard slaw, fizzy red drink.
TipLunch only, Tuesday to Saturday, 11:00-17:30. Cash preferred and the line moves fast.
Coletta's is Memphis's oldest restaurant on South Parkway since 1923, Elvis Presley's South Parkway haunt and the home of Memphis BBQ pizza topped with pork.
OrderBBQ pizza with the side spaghetti.
TipAsk for the Elvis Room dining area. Closed Sundays and Mondays. The Appling Road location runs the same menu.
A&R Bar-B-Que on Elvis Presley Boulevard in South Memphis has run Black-owned hickory-smoke BBQ from a converted gas station since 1983: pulled pork, ribs.
OrderPulled pork sandwich with smoked bologna on the side.
TipCounter service. The Hickory Hill branch at 3721 Hickory Hill Rd runs the same menu.
Howard's Donuts on South 3rd Street in Memphis has run hot doughnuts around the clock since 1958 from a no-frills counter, the city's other 24-hour fix.
Worth the queueGlazed buttermilk bar
TipCash preferred. Drive-thru window all night for late-night and shift-worker traffic.
Memphis hot tamales are a Delta street-food tradition: cornmeal-wrapped beef tied with twine, simmered in spicy broth. Located in South Memphis.
TryHot tamales
TipFound at Cozy Corner and A&R BBQ as a side. Ask at any Memphis BBQ joint with Delta roots.
Payne's chopped pork sandwich on Lamar Avenue South Memphis is wrapped in mustard slaw and a white-bread bun, the city's defining cheap BBQ sandwich.
TryChopped pork sandwich
TipLunch only, Tuesday to Saturday. Cash preferred and the line moves quickly.
The South Memphis Farmers Market on Mississippi Boulevard runs Thursday mornings June to October, a community-led food-access market for South Memphis.
TipSmaller than the downtown market but the only summer source of fresh produce in South Memphis.
Payne's chopped pork sandwich with mustard slaw on Lamar Avenue in South Memphis stays under $10, the Memphis cheap-BBQ defining order since the family.
OrderChopped pork sandwich, mustard slaw, fizzy red drink.
TipOpen Tuesday to Saturday lunch only, 11:00-17:30. Cash preferred. The line moves fast.
The Four Way on Mississippi Boulevard in South Memphis runs a soul food lunch plate around $15 with two sides, the Black-owned Memphis room that fed MLK.
OrderSmothered turkey wings, collards, mac and cheese, sweet potato pie.
TipLunch only Wednesday to Saturday, 11:00-17:00. Cash and card both fine; sit at a counter.
Howard's Donuts on South 3rd Street in Memphis has run hot doughnuts around the clock since 1958 from a no-frills counter, the city's 24-hour fix.
OrderGlazed buttermilk bar or apple fritter, fresh batch from the rack.
TipCash preferred. Drive-thru open all night for late-night and shift-worker traffic in South Memphis.
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