Tasting menus, Michelin stars and the chefs redefining Memphis.
Tasting menus, Michelin stars, and the kitchens redefining what fine dining means in Memphis.
Chez Philippe is the modern American fine-dining room inside the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, with white tablecloths, formality and weekend afternoon tea.
OrderAfternoon tea at 13:00; the prix fixe at dinner.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipOpen Thursday to Sunday for dinner; afternoon tea Wednesday to Sunday. Reserve on OpenTable two weeks out.
Erling Jensen's eponymous East Memphis fine-dining room runs Danish-trained, French-leaning tasting plates from a Yates Road bungalow. Tasting menu $95.
OrderRack of lamb with the daily seasonal tasting starter.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipReserve on Tock; the bar takes walk-ins. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman's Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen in East Memphis runs Italian rooted in Southern ingredients from Brookhaven Circle since 2008.
OrderMaw Maw's potato gnocchi with red sugo.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipClosed Sundays. The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on Resy two weeks out.
Catherine and Mary's is Ticer and Hudman's downtown Memphis room pairing Tuscan and Sicilian grandmother cooking with Southern produce in the Chisca on Main.
OrderWhatever pasta they are rolling that night plus the wood-roasted whole fish.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipWalk-in seats at the bar most weeknights; the dining room books on Resy two weeks out.
Folk's Folly is Memphis's original prime steakhouse on South Mendenhall since 1977, with USDA prime cuts, white tablecloths and a piano bar in the back.
OrderFilet mignon with the prime ribeye to share at the table.
Book1 week ahead
TipThe piano bar is the relaxed seat; the main dining room is jacket-friendly. Open seven nights for dinner.
The Capital Grille's East Memphis Poplar Avenue dining room dry-ages prime steaks 18 to 24 days and hand-cuts them. A reliable Memphis steakhouse choice.
OrderBone-in dry-aged ribeye with the lobster mac.
Book1 week ahead
TipReserve on OpenTable; the bar takes walk-ins and runs a full menu.
Acre Restaurant in East Memphis on Perkins runs seasonal New American cooking from chefs Wally Joe and Andrew Adams, plus one of the city's best wine lists.
OrderWhatever the seasonal tasting menu is featuring; the wine pairing is worth it.
Book1 week ahead
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. The patio under string lights is the best seat in spring.
Chef Kelly English's Restaurant Iris in East Memphis moved to Laurelwood on Poplar Avenue in 2022 with a tighter menu of New Orleans Creole on Mississippi.
OrderCrawfish and grits; the four-course tasting menu at dinner.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipLunch service since the 2022 move; the four-course tasting at dinner is the steady bet.
Curfew is Fabio Viviani's Union Avenue Memphis restaurant inside Canopy Downtown, with wood-fired steaks, house pastas and one of downtown's later kitchens.
OrderWood-fired bone-in ribeye with whatever pasta is on the daily list.
Book1 week ahead
TipKitchen runs to 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on OpenTable.
Char Restaurant in East Memphis on Highland Street runs USDA prime steaks, fresh Gulf seafood and crab cakes in a modern Southern steakhouse with nightly.
OrderPrime filet with the crab cake starter.
Book1 week ahead
TipSaturday and Sunday brunch from 10:30; the piano bar runs on most weeknight evenings.
Coastal Fish Company sits on Hyde Lake in Shelby Farms Park in Memphis with day-boat oysters, grilled snapper and a long sunset patio over the water.
OrderHalf-dozen oysters and the whole grilled snapper.
Book2 weeks ahead
TipSunset tables face the lake; reserve a week out on OpenTable for Saturday dinner.
Guided tour · 3.5 hours
VIP behind the scenes access to local craft breweries, up to 12 beer samples, a fresh baked snack, and round trip transportation. Led by a Beer Guide who will educate ...
Guided tour · 1 hour
Explore "America's Most Iconic Street" on a one-hour guided walking tour. Learn about the colorful characters and stories that have made Beale Street the "Home of the Blues."
Multi-day trip · 6 days
Picture it, a journey from Nashville to Memphis to New Orleans, recording tracks in iconic studios, walking in Elvis’ footsteps and diving into the food, music and cul...
Editor picks in Memphis include Chez Philippe, Erling Jensen, The Restaurant, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.