Central BBQ's Midtown Memphis room on Central Avenue is the chain's original, opened in 2002 with dry-rub ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and BBQ nachos.
Signature dishes: Pulled pork, BBQ nachos
Must order: Pulled pork sandwich with BBQ nachos to share.
Tip: The patio is the seat; the dining room fills fast at lunch. Online ordering skips the line.
Address: 2249 Central Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
Germantown Commissary on South Germantown Road has slow-smoked Memphis BBQ from a converted general store east of the city since 1981. A long porch out front.
Signature: Pulled pork plate, Smoked chicken
Order: Pulled pork plate with the smoked chicken and slaw.
Tip: Open daily; the porch fills first. Drive from downtown takes 20 minutes via Poplar Avenue.
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, bologna.
Signature: Pulled pork sandwich, Smoked bologna
Order: Pulled pork sandwich with smoked bologna on the side.
Tip: Counter service. The Hickory Hill branch at 3721 Hickory Hill Rd runs the same menu.
Tops Bar-B-Q is a Memphis chain of drive-in BBQ counters since 1952, with chopped pork sandwiches, onion rings and the city's signature cheap drive-thru BBQ option.
Signature: Chopped pork sandwich, Onion rings
Order: Chopped pork sandwich, onion rings, sweet tea.
Tip: Drive-thru and counter only, no dining room. The Summer Avenue branch is one of the oldest still standing.
Pyro's Fire Fresh Pizza in Cordova runs Memphis-born fast-casual pizza, blistered in 90 seconds in a wood-fired oven with build-your-own toppings east of Memphis.
Signature: Build-your-own pizza, Wood-fired Margherita
Order: Wood-fired Margherita with house red sauce and fresh basil.
Tip: Counter service; ready in under five minutes. The Collierville branch on Houston Levee runs the same menu.
Central BBQ's Poplar Avenue East Memphis room runs the same dry-rub ribs and pulled pork as the original Midtown branch in a larger dining room with easy parking.
Signature: Dry ribs, Pulled pork nachos
Order: Half slab of dry ribs and a basket of pulled pork nachos.
Tip: Easier seat than Midtown or Downtown locations; Sunday lunches fill the room first.
Speros Zepatos's South Main Memphis diner is the city's oldest restaurant, open since 1919 and once Elvis Presley's regular booth. Breakfast and lunch daily.
Signature: Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, Sweet potato pancakes
Order: Fried peanut butter and banana sandwich; sit at Elvis's marked booth.
Tip: Counter service from 07:00 to 15:00 daily. Cash and card both fine; no reservations.
