Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken on South Front Street is the city's defining counter-service fried chicken, a Mason-born spice-crusted bird on butcher paper.
Editorially verified May 21, 2026 by Lewis Vaughan, TableJourney editor. Source.
Tip: Lunch line moves; dinner can be an hour on weekends. Three-piece dark plate is the order.
Address: 310 S Front St, Memphis, TN 38103
Maciel's Tortas and Tacos on South Main downtown Memphis runs handmade tortas with telera bread, tacos al pastor and house aguas frescas. At 45 S Main St.
Try: Tacos and tortas
Tip: Closed Sundays. The Midtown branch at 820 Cooper runs the same menu and the same lines.
The Soul Burger at Earnestine and Hazel's on South Main is a griddled patty with caramelised onions, pickles and the bar's mysterious Soul Sauce on a soft.
Try: Soul Burger
Tip: Walk upstairs to the old brothel rooms while waiting for your burger. Cash works fastest.
Payne's chopped pork sandwich on Lamar Avenue South Memphis is wrapped in mustard slaw and a white-bread bun, the city's defining cheap BBQ sandwich.
Try: Chopped pork sandwich
Tip: Lunch only, Tuesday to Saturday. Cash preferred and the line moves quickly.
The smoked Cornish hen at Cozy Corner on North Parkway Memphis is the city's most singular BBQ plate, hickory-smoked whole and mahogany-skinned in sauce.
Try: Smoked Cornish hen
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday only. The bologna sandwich on white bread is the second-best order.
The Bar-B-Q Shop on Madison Avenue in Memphis invented BBQ spaghetti: pulled pork and BBQ sauce tossed over noodles. Open tue-sat 11:00-21:00.
Try: BBQ spaghetti
Tip: Order a small spaghetti as a side; the full plate is enormous. The Dancing Pigs sauce ships.
Maciel's Tortas and Tacos on South Main downtown Memphis runs handmade tortas with telera bread, tacos al pastor and house aguas frescas. At 45 S Main St.
Try: Tacos and tortas
Tip: Closed Sundays. The Midtown branch at 820 Cooper runs the same menu and the same lines.
Las Tortugas Poplar in East Memphis runs Jose Magallanes's Germantown taqueria menu from a Poplar Avenue branch, with tortas and tacos al pastor at counter.
Try: Tortas and tacos al pastor
Tip: Closed Sundays. Cash and card both fine. The Germantown original at 1215 S Germantown Rd is the easier seat.
