Where to eat in Memphis after midnight, and the classic 2am move.
Where to eat in Memphis after midnight. kitchens that keep going, post-bar staples and the classic 2am move.
Earnestine and Hazel's on South Main downtown Memphis runs Soul Burgers and a jukebox until 03:00 daily, the city's defining late-night dive bar.
Try: Soul Burger
Order: Soul Burger with a cold beer; sit at the bar.
Tip: Cash works fastest. Upstairs the rooms run quiet most nights.
Bardog Tavern on Monroe Avenue downtown Memphis runs sliders, Italian subs and beer until 03:00 daily, with downtown's most reliable late kitchen.
Try: Sliders and Italian subs
Order: Sliders and a cold beer at 01:00.
Tip: Kitchen runs late most nights to 02:00. Tuesday $5 soup of the day is a local rite.
Gibson's Donuts on Mount Moriah in East Memphis runs hot doughnuts 24 hours a day since 1967, the city's late-night sugar fix with drive-thru open around the clock.
Try: Hot apple fritter
Order: Apple fritter or glazed buttermilk bar, hot from the rack.
Tip: Fresh batches at 04:00 and 16:00. Drive-thru open all night.
Howard's Donuts on South 3rd Street in Memphis has run hot doughnuts around the clock since 1958 from a no-frills counter, the city's 24-hour fix.
Try: Glazed buttermilk bar
Order: Glazed buttermilk bar or apple fritter, fresh batch from the rack.
Tip: Cash preferred. Drive-thru open all night for late-night and shift-worker traffic in South Memphis.
Young Avenue Deli in Cooper-Young Memphis runs deli sandwiches, 30-plus draft beers and live music to 03:00 daily, midtown's late-night sandwich stop.
Try: Deli sandwiches and beer
Order: Deli Club and a cold Wiseacre Tiny Bomb pint.
Tip: Late kitchen until 02:00 most nights. Live music in the back room weekends.
Lamplighter Lounge on Madison Avenue in midtown Memphis runs cheap beer and a pool table to 03:00 daily, the city's longest-burning smoke-stained dive bar.
Try: None
Order: Beer and a shot at the bar, jukebox playing.
Tip: Cash preferred. No food; bring a sandwich from Young Avenue Deli first.
Central BBQ Downtown on East Butler Avenue in Memphis runs late BBQ until 22:00 daily, with BBQ nachos and pulled pork after a Beale Street night.
Try: BBQ nachos
Order: BBQ nachos and a pulled pork sandwich.
Tip: Order at the counter. Last call kitchen at 21:30 most nights.
Peak food season in Memphis is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Memphis rewards trust.