Steakhouse$$$downtownMon-Sat 16:00-22:00; Sun 16:00-21:00
Hennen's is downtown Chattanooga's steak-and-seafood standby on Chestnut Street, hand-carved Certified Angus beef and a cellar of more than 100 wines.
Order: Aged Angus ribeye with a Bordeaux from the deep list.
Tip: Sunday service ends at 21:00, earlier than the rest of the week; OpenTable holds tables for aquarium-adjacent evenings.
ItalianChef Daniel Lindley$$$southsideMon-Thu 17:00-21:00; Fri 17:00-22:00; Sat 16:45-21:45; closed Sunday
Alleia is Chattanooga's candlelit Italian dining room on E. Main Street, where Daniel Lindley's kitchen hand-rolls pasta and fires Neapolitan pizza.
Order: Handmade gnocchi, then the wood-fired duck for two.
Tip: The dim Harrington Building room suits anniversaries; Resy releases tables ahead and Saturday seatings start at 16:45.
SeafoodChef Erik Niel$$$downtownSun-Thu 16:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-22:00
Easy Bistro & Bar is Chattanooga's special-occasion room, French-rooted seafood cooking in a 1900s Coca-Cola bottling hall, Michelin Recommended in 2025.
Order: The raw bar tower, then hearth-roasted oysters.
Tip: Reserve on Resy ahead of weekends; the marble bar takes walk-ins from 16:00 and the happy hour oysters are the value play.
Middle EasternChef Khaled Albanna$$$mlkMon-Thu 17:00-21:00; Fri-Sat 16:00-22:00; Sun 16:00-21:00
Calliope is Chattanooga fine dining at its most current: Levantine tasting plates from 2026 James Beard semifinalist Khaled Albanna on MLK Boulevard.
Order: The mezze course with whatever bread came off the fire.
Tip: The New York Times put Calliope on its 2025 Top 50 list; Tock reservations open ahead and Friday and Saturday sell out first.
New American$$$downtownBreakfast daily 06:30-10:30; dinner Tue-Sun from 17:00; brunch Sat-Sun 10:30-14:00; closed Monday evening
Whitebird runs the Edwin Hotel's dining room by the Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga, modern Appalachian cooking with Tennessee River Valley sourcing.
Order: The seasonal Appalachian tasting plates with a whiskey pairing.
Tip: Ask for a window table at dusk for bridge views, and time dinner around a rooftop aperitif at Whiskey Thief upstairs.