Itta Bena is a hidden upstairs Memphis dining room above B.B. King's on Beale Street, named for the Mississippi town King was born in. Southern, white tablecloths.
Signature dishes: Shrimp and grits, Catfish
Must order: Mississippi catfish with shrimp and grits.
Tip: Enter through the unmarked Second Street door or a private hall inside B.B. King's. Reservations open on OpenTable.
Address: 145 Beale St, 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.
Signature: Catfish dinner, Burgers
Order: Catfish dinner with hush puppies; sit on the patio at sunset.
Tip: Wednesday is half-price burger night. The walk from downtown across the Auction Avenue bridge takes 15 minutes.
Curfew is Fabio Viviani's Union Avenue Memphis room on the ground floor of Canopy Downtown, with wood-fired steaks and house pastas served until late.
Signature: Wood-fired steaks, House pastas
Order: Wood-fired bone-in ribeye with whatever pasta is on the daily list.
Tip: Kitchen runs late by Memphis standards (until 23:00 Fri-Sat). The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on OpenTable.
Char Restaurant in East Memphis on Highland Street runs USDA prime steaks, crab cakes and a piano bar in a polished modern Southern steakhouse format.
Signature: Prime steaks, Crab cakes
Order: Char's prime filet with the crab cake starter.
Tip: Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10:30; the piano bar starts at 18:30 most weekday nights.
Mortimer's East Memphis neighbourhood room near Walnut Grove has run pub burgers, Greek salads and bread pudding since 1985 at Perkins and Walnut Grove.
Signature: Cheeseburger, Bread pudding
Order: Cheeseburger with onion rings; bread pudding for dessert.
Tip: Open weekdays from 11:00; the bar fills with regulars at 17:00 and the back patio is the seat to grab.
Tug's Casual Grill anchors the Harbor Town neighbourhood on Mud Island in Memphis with a wide riverside patio, burgers and Mississippi catfish dinners.
Signature: Catfish dinner, Burgers
Order: Catfish dinner with hush puppies; sit on the patio at sunset.
Tip: Wednesday is half-price burger night. The walk from downtown across the Auction Avenue bridge takes 15 minutes.
Coastal Fish Company sits on Hyde Lake in Shelby Farms Park in Memphis with day-boat oysters, grilled fish and a long sunset patio over the water. Opened 2019.
Signature: Day-boat oysters, Grilled snapper
Order: Half-dozen oysters and the whole grilled snapper.
Tip: Sunset tables face the lake; reserve at least a week out for Saturday dinner on OpenTable.
Jose Magallanes's family Memphis-area taqueria in Germantown has run tortas, al pastor and braised meats from a strip-mall counter since 2002.
Signature: Tacos al pastor, Tortas
Order: Tacos al pastor with house guacamole; add the cochinita pibil torta if available.
Tip: Closed Sundays. The Poplar Avenue East Memphis branch at 6300 Poplar runs the same menu if Germantown is full.
Curfew is Fabio Viviani's Union Avenue Memphis room on the ground floor of Canopy Downtown, with wood-fired steaks and house pastas served until late.
Signature: Wood-fired steaks, House pastas
Order: Wood-fired bone-in ribeye with whatever pasta is on the daily list.
Tip: Kitchen runs late by Memphis standards (until 23:00 Fri-Sat). The bar takes walk-ins; the dining room books on OpenTable.
