New AmericanChef Wally Joe and Andrew Adams$$$$$85Book 1 week ahead
Acre Restaurant in East Memphis on Perkins runs seasonal New American cooking from chefs Wally Joe and Andrew Adams, plus one of the city's best wine lists.
Order: Whatever the seasonal tasting menu is featuring; the wine pairing is worth it.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. The patio under string lights is the best seat in spring.
Tasting menuChef Kelly English$$$$$85Daily 11:00-21:00Book 2 weeks ahead
Chef Kelly English's Restaurant Iris in East Memphis moved to Laurelwood on Poplar Avenue in 2022 with a tighter menu of New Orleans Creole on Mississippi.
Order: Crawfish and grits; the four-course tasting menu at dinner.
Tip: Lunch service since the 2022 move; the four-course tasting at dinner is the steady bet.
ItalianChef Fabio Viviani$$$$$80Book 1 week ahead
Curfew is Fabio Viviani's Union Avenue Memphis restaurant inside Canopy Downtown, with wood-fired steaks, house pastas and one of downtown's later kitchens.
Order: Wood-fired bone-in ribeye with whatever pasta is on the daily list.
Tip: Kitchen runs to 23:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on OpenTable.
Soul foodChef Char team$$$$$70Book 1 week ahead
Char Restaurant in East Memphis on Highland Street runs USDA prime steaks, fresh Gulf seafood and crab cakes in a modern Southern steakhouse with nightly.
Order: Prime filet with the crab cake starter.
Tip: Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10:30; the piano bar runs on most weeknight evenings.
SeafoodChef Coastal team$$$$$75Mon-Sat 11:00-22:00, Sun 10:30-22:00Book 2 weeks ahead
Coastal Fish Company sits on Hyde Lake in Shelby Farms Park in Memphis with day-boat oysters, grilled snapper and a long sunset patio over the water.
Order: Half-dozen oysters and the whole grilled snapper.
Tip: Sunset tables face the lake; reserve a week out on OpenTable for Saturday dinner.
New AmericanChef The Peabody team$$$$$110Book 2 weeks ahead
Chez Philippe is the modern American fine-dining room inside the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, with white tablecloths, formality and weekend afternoon tea.
Order: Afternoon tea at 13:00; the prix fixe at dinner.
Tip: Open Thursday to Sunday for dinner; afternoon tea Wednesday to Sunday. Reserve on OpenTable two weeks out.