40 editor picks in Memphis.
40 cheap eats places in Memphis, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Memphis: the places editors actually return to. All Memphis food.
Muddy's Bake Shop in Memphis has run scratch-baked cupcakes, layer cakes and cookies since 2008, now anchoring the Broad Avenue Arts District storefront.
TipClosed Sunday through Tuesday. Get there by 11:00 on Saturdays before the favourites sell out.
Brother Juniper's near the University of Memphis on Walker Avenue has run breakfasts in a tiny house behind a white picket fence since the Koplins took it.
TipTuesday to Sunday breakfast only; closes 13:00 weekdays, 12:30 Saturdays. Get there by 08:30.
Raymond Robinson's North Parkway Memphis BBQ joint has smoked Cornish hens, bologna and ribs over hickory in a one-room shack since 1977. Priced at $.
OrderSmoked Cornish hen with the slab.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. Cash works best; the bologna sandwich is worth ordering even if you came for ribs.
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.
Dinstuhl's at Laurelwood is the East Memphis storefront for a fifth-generation candy company that has been hand-dipping creams, brittles, turtlettes.
TipThe Cashew Crunch brittle is the marquee buy; chocolate-covered strawberries are the seasonal.
Cxffeeblack in Memphis is Bartholomew Jones and Renata Henderson's coffee roaster and cafe with an Ethiopia-direct supply chain, serving single-origin.
TipThe roastery doubles as the retail cafe; weekend hours are limited so check the site.
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.
OrderChopped pork sandwich
TipLunch only, Tuesday to Saturday. Cash preferred and the line moves quickly.
The smoked Cornish hen at Cozy Corner on North Parkway Memphis is the city's most singular BBQ plate, hickory-smoked whole and mahogany-skinned in sauce.
OrderSmoked Cornish hen
TipTuesday to Saturday only. The bologna sandwich on white bread is the second-best order.
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.
La Baguette on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis has run French baguettes, croissants and pastries from a Laurelwood storefront since 1976. A cafe sits next door.
TipThe almond croissant is the regular order; the lunch sandwiches use the bakery's own bread.
French Truck Coffee at Crosstown Concourse in Memphis is the New Orleans roaster's flagship, with single-origin espresso and a co-working seat on the atrium.
TipWeekend mornings fill fast; sit at the high counter facing the atrium.
City and State on Broad Avenue in Memphis is a hybrid coffee shop and small-goods store, with pour-over from rotating local roasters and a shortlisted retail.
TipThe light back room is the work seat; the front counter is for grabbing and going.
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.
The Memphis flagship of Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken on South Front Street downtown runs spicy crisp birds from a tin-roof shack, the chain's 2001.
OrderThree-piece dark meat plate with fried pickles and slaw.
TipCounter service, no reservations. Lunch line moves; dinner can run an hour during weekends.
Makeda's Homemade Butter Cookies on Jefferson Avenue downtown Memphis is the family bakery famous for the cookies Young Dolph was buying when he was killed.
TipTwo Memphis locations (Jefferson Avenue and Airways). The sweet potato pie sells out fastest.
Dr. Bean's Coffee and Tea Emporium tucks into the Stock and Belle retail loft on South Main, with a pour-over bar, cold brew on draft and a small-batch.
TipSit at the pour-over bar and ask for the current single-origin; the cold brew on tap is the summer order.
The Soul Burger at Earnestine and Hazel's on South Main is a griddled patty with caramelised onions, pickles and the bar's mysterious Soul Sauce on a soft.
OrderSoul Burger
TipWalk upstairs to the old brothel rooms while waiting for your burger. Cash works fastest.
The Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison Avenue in Memphis invented BBQ spaghetti: pulled pork and BBQ sauce tossed over noodles. Open tue-sat 11:00-21:00.
OrderBBQ spaghetti
TipOrder a small spaghetti as a side; the full plate is enormous. The Dancing Pigs sauce ships.
Alcenia's in the Pinch District of Memphis runs Betty Joyce Chester-Tamayo's soul food plates under $15: fried chicken, collards and a hug at the door.
OrderFried chicken plate with greens and yams; ask for a Ghetto Aid.
TipCounter service, cash preferred. B.J. greets every table; the experience is half the meal.
Earnestine and Hazel's Soul Burger on South Main downtown Memphis is the city's $8 late-night bar burger, griddled with onions, pickles and Soul Sauce.
OrderSoul Burger with a cold beer; sit at the bar.
TipCash works fastest. The kitchen runs late, food until 02:00.
Hattie B's Cooper-Young Memphis hot chicken counter, the Nashville import on South Cooper Street, runs heat levels from Southern to Shut the Cluck Up.
OrderHot quarter, dark; pimento mac and cheese on the side.
TipCounter service, no reservations. Lunch lines move; Saturdays can run thirty minutes after 12:30.
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.
Otherlands Coffee Bar in Cooper-Young Memphis has run shabby-chic seating, full breakfast and bottomless drip coffee since 1995, with a side patio.
TipSundays the brunch line stretches; weekday mornings are the easy seat.
Maciel's Tortas and Tacos on South Main downtown Memphis runs handmade tortas with telera bread, tacos al pastor and house aguas frescas. At 45 S Main St.
OrderTacos and tortas
TipClosed Sundays. The Midtown branch at 820 Cooper runs the same menu and the same lines.
Las Tortugas Poplar in East Memphis runs Jose Magallanes's Germantown taqueria menu from a Poplar Avenue branch, with tortas and tacos al pastor at counter.
OrderTortas and tacos al pastor
TipClosed Sundays. Cash and card both fine. The Germantown original at 1215 S Germantown Rd is the easier seat.
Memphis hot tamales are a Delta street-food tradition: cornmeal-wrapped beef tied with twine, simmered in spicy broth. Located in South Memphis.
OrderHot tamales
TipFound at Cozy Corner and A&R BBQ as a side. Ask at any Memphis BBQ joint with Delta roots.
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken on South Front Street is the city's defining counter-service fried chicken, a Mason-born spice-crusted bird on butcher paper.
OrderSpicy fried chicken plate
TipLunch line moves; dinner can be an hour on weekends. Three-piece dark plate is the order.
Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken on South Front Street downtown Memphis runs the city's cheap fried chicken plate, three-piece dark with sides under $15.
OrderThree-piece dark meat plate with fried pickles and slaw.
TipLunch line moves fast; dinner can run an hour. No reservations.
Maciel's Tortas and Tacos on South Main downtown Memphis runs handmade tortas with telera bread and tacos al pastor under $13 from a quick counter-service.
OrderCubana torta and tacos al pastor with aguas frescas.
TipClosed Sundays. The Midtown branch at 820 Cooper runs the same menu.
Central BBQ in midtown Memphis runs the city's most reliable pulled pork sandwich under $13, plus BBQ nachos and a half slab combo that splits between two.
OrderPulled pork sandwich with BBQ nachos to share.
TipOrder online to skip the lunch line at the Midtown branch on Central Avenue or use the app.
Soul Fish Cafe's Cooper-Young Memphis original on South Cooper runs fried Mississippi catfish, hush puppies and Gambino-bread po'boys daily.
OrderCatfish basket with hush puppies and turnip greens.
TipCounter service. The shrimp po'boy is the second-best order; sit on the patio when it cools.
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.
OrderFried peanut butter and banana sandwich; sit at Elvis's marked booth.
TipCounter service from 07:00-15:00 daily. Cash and card both fine; no reservations.
Gibson's Donuts on Mount Moriah in East Memphis has run hot doughnuts 24 hours a day since 1967, with apple fritters and the city's late-night sugar fix.
TipHot fresh batches come out around 04:00 and 16:00 daily. The drive-thru runs around the clock.
Belltower Coffee on Highland Street near the University of Memphis is the flagship of the Memphis-grown roaster, with a sit-and-work room, attached studio.
TipOpen daily 7:00-18:00. Pet-friendly patio out back.
Central BBQ in midtown Memphis runs the city's standard BBQ nachos: tortilla chips with pulled pork, sauce, sour cream and jalapeños. Open daily 11:00-21:00.
OrderBBQ nachos
TipOrder at the counter and grab a patio table. Available at all four city locations.
Arcade Restaurant on South Main downtown Memphis runs the city's oldest diner since 1919 with sweet potato pancakes and the fried peanut butter and banana.
OrderFried peanut butter and banana sandwich; sit at Elvis's marked booth.
TipCounter service from 07:00-15:00 daily; cash and card fine Cash is faster than card.
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.
OrderCatfish basket with hush puppies and turnip greens.
TipCounter service. The shrimp po'boy is the dark-horse order. Patio in spring is the seat.
Frost Bake Shop at Laurelwood in East Memphis is a family-owned scratch bakery running since 2004 with layer cakes, cupcakes and the signature strawberry.
TipPre-order custom cakes a week out. Walk-in cupcakes and cookies daily.
French Truck Coffee Highland is the second Memphis branch of the New Orleans roaster on Highland Row near the University of Memphis with espresso.
TipCrowds run on student schedules; mid-mornings and afternoons are emptiest.
Sunrise Memphis on Jefferson Avenue downtown is a colourful quick-serve diner running Southern breakfast and lunch with a full bar daily 07:00-14:00.
TipThe shotgun building fills fast at 09:00. The Rooster biscuit sammy is the dark-horse order.
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