Memphis fried catfish is Mississippi farmed catfish coated in seasoned cornmeal and deep-fried until crisp, served with hush puppies and slaw. A Southern Memphis lunch standard.
Mississippi catfish farming exploded in the 1960s in the Delta and Memphis quickly became the urban hub for farmed-catfish frying. Most Memphis Southern restaurants carry it; the Four Way and Soul Fish Cafe in Cooper-Young codified the fried catfish lunch plate, and Tug's Casual Grill in Harbor Town does the riverside version.
3 editor picks for Memphis fried Mississippi catfish in Memphis, ranked by editorial score. All Memphis signature dishes · Memphis fried Mississippi catfish across every city.
The Four Way ★ 4.6
south-memphis · 998 Mississippi Blvd, Memphis, TN 38126
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.
Soul Fish Cafe ★ 4.3
cooper-young · 862 S Cooper St, Memphis, TN 38104
Soul Fish Cafe's Cooper-Young Memphis original on South Cooper runs fried Mississippi catfish, hush puppies and Gambino-bread po'boys daily.
Tug's Casual Grill ★ 4.0
downtown · 51 Harbor Town Sq, Memphis, TN 38103
Tug's Casual Grill anchors the Harbor Town neighbourhood on Mud Island in Memphis with a wide riverside patio, burgers and Mississippi catfish dinners.