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The
Real
The city’s most extensive dining listings. 80 LAST STAND Should Ain’t Good
A few thoughts on the delicate art of shedding regret. ~ by frank murtaugh
Here at Taghavi’s, we would like to do our part to help stop the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus. Recent studies have shown that the virus can be brought into your home, by your shoes and can live on surfaces like your rugs and floors anywhere from two to nine days. In order to help curb the spread, we at Taghavi’s, recommend that you stop wearing your outdoor shoes into your homes and to have your rugs cleaned and disinfected. Quality rug cleaning can only be accomplished by in-store professional rug cleaners. Call us for disinfecting and cleaning of your rugs.
CEO AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF anna traverse
EXECUTIVE EDITOR michael finger
MANAGING EDITOR frank murtaugh
SENIOR EDITORS jon w. sparks, abigail morici, bruce vanwyngarden
STAFF WRITERS michael donahue, alex greene, chris mccoy
EDITORIAL INTERN mary swanson
CONTRIBUTORS jesse davis, tom jones, jane schneider. vance lauderdale
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR brian groppe
ADVERTISING ART DIRECTOR christopher myers
GRAPHIC DESIGNER neil williams
PHOTOGRAPHERS adam david, michael donahue, incredibly wee photography, latonya jones, john pickle, michael putland, jon w. sparks, anna traverse, bruce vanwyngarden, bryant wade, ashley weaver
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SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE shaune mcghee
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES kelli dewitt, chip googe
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subscriptions: 901-575-9470
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CONTROLLER lynn sparagowski
CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER jeffrey a. goldberg
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SPECIAL EVENTS DIRECTOR molly willmott
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PUBLISHER EMERITUS kenneth neill
july 2025
Master Weaver Ali Taghavi restoring an antique Persian Farahan rug.
Memphis Magazine's THE 2025 FACE OF
That Old House
BY ANNA TRAVERSE
My parents bought their first home — a wood-frame bungalow at the bottom of a hill, on a dead-end street in Midtown — in June 1985. The sale price was $65,000. I recently confirmed the exact details by searching the Shelby County Register of Deeds website, where after less than a minute spent searching, I opened a PDF and instantly recognized my father’s angular signature on a grainy scan. $65,000!
True, the place needed work — like, a lot of work. Rumor had it that the home’s previous occupants had been involved in shady dealings, which required installing a bank of telephone lines in the attic. In the bathroom, aluminum foil lined the walls, shining strangely through the splinters of unfinished wood paneling. The ceilings vaulted up to the roof line — the house had been remodeled at some point, to feel more mod inside than its 1920 build date would suggest — and on one expanse of wall, someone had painted a floor-to-ceiling portrait of a woman in profile. Neighbors told us that folks used to ride motorcycles in through the
front door and clear out the back, into the tumble-down garage. The house was wonderfully open, after all, with clear lines all the way through.
We didn’t have a lot of money, so my dad, equal parts handy and hardheaded, taught himself to tackle home-repair projects large and small. One summer, he reroofed the place — solo. (While he worked, I was tasked with sitting on the back porch and listening for any sudden thud — if he fell, my job was to run inside and dial 911.) When the foundation developed cracks, he jacked up the house and fixed it. He taught himself to move walls, to lay tile and install counters, to shift electrical and plumbing lines — mostly
by consulting library books, these being the days before YouTube tutorials and DIY shows (except This Old House, which he loved). Before I left for college, he filled a toolbox with solid basics, even engraving my initials onto the metal tools with his Dremel engraver — so no scumbag boyfriend would “accidentally” wander off with my hammer or multi-bit screwdriver, thank you very much. It wasn’t easy; I know that. The house was forever demanding more attention, as old houses do, and there was never enough money. But it wasn’t impossible. The mortgage would have been a relatively manageable portion of my parents’ salaries — even their educators’ salaries. And it was home — for the entire duration of my memory, until I left for college at 18. (We moved into the house when I was 1 year old, from Virginia; those 17 years still mark the longest I’ve lived any place since.)
I’m thinking about that old house, and the life it made possible, in the context of real estate, which this issue inhabits as a theme. I read last month in The New York Times about how much longer it takes the average American family to save for a down payment now, compared to what it took our parents and grandparents. In 1970, families needed 4.7 years to save; in 2023, they needed 7.8. Three years might not sound like a long time in some respects, but for a young family, it’s an entire era. Meanwhile, in 1970, the median sale price of an existing home was $23,000, and the median family income was $9,867 (42
percent of the home price). By 2023, the median home price had climbed to $394,100 (a 16-fold increase) — while the median family income had reached $100,800 (only a 9-fold increase). The house where I grew up is currently estimated to be worth $452,000. Granted, it’s no longer got foil-lined bathroom walls and motorcycle treads in the kitchen, but even so — I doubt a young family like mine could reasonably consider purchasing it.
And Memphis is an affordable city, relatively speaking. No wonder Gen Z is reportedly cynical to the point of hilarity about their own financial futures. Who could blame them? My millennial generation gets dinged for whininess; the folks entering adulthood now are simultaneously more savvy than we were, and more resigned. It’s an odd amalgam of qualities, and one that emphasizes, to me, how feeble is our ability to prognosticate the future. Will they even want to buy houses? I tend to think so. People are drawn to the idea and the reality of home: a center of gravity, a refuge from the storm. The little house my parents bought in 1985 gave the story of our life a form and a place, a continuity that helped the days add up to something meaningful. I still visit that little bungalow sometimes — just crawl my car down the block, idle outside, try not to look creepy. It’s some other family’s home now, but I love the shiver of 10,000 memories passing through me when I look up at the walls I once knew better than any place on Earth.
ASIAN
JULY 2025
COMPILED BY ABIGAIL MORICI
MEMPHIS’ LARGEST FIREWORKS
FESTIVAL Join Memphis Parks and the city of Memphis for an Independence Day festival and the official city fireworks show, plus live music, entertainment, and food trucks. LIBERTY PARK, JULY 3
REDBIRDS BASEBALL July 4–6 vs. Nashville Sounds, July 8–13 vs. Charlotte Knights, July 22–27 vs. Gwinnett Stripers AUTOZONE PARK COOPER-YOUNG FOURTH OF JULY BLOCK PARTY Join the CooperYoung Community Association for a Fourth of July celebration. PEABODY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, JULY 4
“HORIZON LINES: ANTHONY LEE, MATTHEW LEE, AND SOWGAND SHEIKHOLESLAMI” This exhibition brings together landscapes and landscape-influenced artworks by three Memphis painters: Anthony Lee, Matthew Lee (no relation), and Sowgand Sheikholeslami. DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS, JULY 6–SEPTEMBER 21
FLOWER HAPPY HOUR Try your hand at flower arranging with some of Memphis’ favorite florists. MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN, JULY 10
TRAGEDY SOUND Becky, Billie, and Mariel are three lifelong friends in
Michigan. When the three young women accept a dare and embark on a canoe trek in frigid waters, they find themselves stranded in the middle of Lake Superior. PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE, JULY 11–27
SPIES IN THE CEMETERY Discover the secrets of spies at rest during this in-person event that will take you on a winding journey through the past 150 years. ELMWOOD CEMETERY, JULY 13 SUNSET JAZZ AT COURT SQUARE: TAMARA JONES MONGER Sunset Jazz is a free, family-friendly jazz concert series hosted by Just Jazzin’. COURT SQUARE, JULY 13
“SUSAN WATKINS AND WOMEN
ARTISTS OF THE PROGRESSIVE ERA” This exhibition examines how women at the turn of the twentieth century overcame barriers and achieved success within the professional art world. DIXON GALLERY & GARDENS, JULY 13–SEPTEMBER 28
CEMETERY SALONS Elmwood
Cemetery is bringing the nineteenthcentury salon to the present day with Cemetery Salons, a series and space for nurturing freedom of thought, gentle curiosity, and sensitization to wonder. ELMWOOD CEMETERY, JULY 17
WHET THURSDAY: KARAOKE ON THE BLUFF
THE WIZ AT THE ORPHEUM THEATRE
FLOWER HAPPY HOUR AT MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN
LIVE AT THE GARDEN: PARKER MCCOLLUM See country singer-songwriter Parker McCollum in concert. MEMPHIS
BOTANIC GARDEN, JULY 18
ASIAN NIGHT MARKET 2025 Take part in an Asian street food adventure, a night of delicious authentic Asian vendors, live cultural performances, and activities. AGRICENTER INTERNATIONAL, JULY 19
BIG STAR QUINTET See the Big Star Quintet in concert. GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, JULY 19
THE WIZ The hit show returns to stages across America in a new Broadwaybound tour, the first in 40 years. ORPHEUM THEATRE, JULY 22–27
SPLASHIN’ FOR A CAUSE Enjoy a sunset splash while interacting with — and marveling at — the zoo’s dusky gopher frogs. MEMPHIS ZOO, JULY 26
WHET THURSDAY: KARAOKE ON THE BLUFF This Metal Museum event will kick off your weekend with a mix of stunning views and high-energy karaoke. METAL MUSEUM, JULY 31
To suggest an event for future editions of Out and About, email abigail@memphismagazine.com.
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AT THE GARDEN: PARKER MCCOLLUM
W.C. Handy Statue
Our history expert solves local mysteries: who, what, when, where, why, and why not. Well, sometimes.
BY VANCE LAUDERDALE
DEAR VANCE: What’s the story of the W.C. Handy statue on Beale Street? Was that made locally? — T.W., MEMPHIS.
DEAR T.W.: Born in 1873, William Christopher Handy came to Memphis in 1909 from Florence, Alabama. Decades later, an eight-foot sculpture of the “Father of the Blues” came to our city from Florence, Italy.
Before I start talking about the statue in my rambling way, it’s important to note that Handy didn’t singlehandedly “invent” the blues — maybe the best word is “adapt.” He remembered the mournful chants of the field hands he heard growing up, recalled the rhythm of the pounding hammers when he worked in a steelworks in Alabama, watched a man play slide guitar using a knife blade, and recalled the gospels sung in church. After he formed his own band, he added instruments — horns, strings, a rhythm section — and blended all these sounds into music people had never heard before.
And they liked what they were hearing. In his twenties he formed the Handy Orchestra, touring in almost every state between Mexico and Canada, venturing as far as the Pacific Northwest, and even performing at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. He
was his band’s director, singer, songwriter, and cornet and trumpet player, while occasionally playing piano and guitar. He settled down, just briefly, in Huntsville, Alabama, teaching music at the Alabama State Agricultural and Mechanical College, where he also directed the school’s band.
In 1909, he and his first wife, Elizabeth, moved to the Bluff City. Living in a shotgun bungalow on Jeanette Place in the “Greasy Plank” area of south Memphis, he began playing the clubs up and down Beale Street. at same year, he wrote a song about E.H. Crump, then running for mayor, which included the famous lines: “Mister Crump don’t ’low no easy riders here / We don’t care what Mister Crump don’t ’low / We gonna bar’l house anyhow.” Some historians credit the popularity of Handy’s song for Crump’s election, and the resulting control of Memphis politics for the next four decades. Meanwhile, Handy produced more work — even rewriting “Mr. Crump’s Blues” and retitling it “Memphis Blues,” which became one of his first hits. Others quickly followed — “St. Louis Blues,” “Yellow Dog Rag,” “Hesitation Blues,” and more.
In 1917, Handy, who had teamed up with a Memphis lyricist, Harry Pace, moved to New York City and became a national sensation. It was a far cry from the humble bungalow in Memphis; within just a few years, he moved into a Tudor estate in Yonkers, where he would live for the rest of his life.
Despite almost constant touring, Handy considered Memphis home and came back often. He had already been honored here in the 1930s, when city leaders changed the name of a vacant lot at Beale and Hernando — formerly the site of a public market — to Handy Park. But when he passed away in 1957, we searched for a more impressive memorial.
at didn’t take long. At a special “Pageant of the Blues” concert held at Crump Stadium that year, Frank Ahlgren, editor of e Commercial Appeal, suggested an imposing statue of the famous composer and started a public fundraising drive to pay for it. He managed to raise $15,000 that night alone. Credit should also go to Lt. George W. Lee, a truly remarkable gentleman. at rank wasn’t honorary; he earned it as a World War I hero, wrote novels and essays, became the unofficial historian of Beale Street, and served as president of one of this city’s largest Black-owned insurance companies.
A lifelong friend of Handy (whom he called “Bill”), with all of his connections Lt. Lee persuaded local and national celebrities, musicians, school bands, and others to take part in a day-long celebration when the statue was unveiled.
Ahlgren’s fundraising met its goal within a few months, and the commission went to Leone Tomassi, an acclaimed water colorist and sculptor in Pietrasanta, Italy. Once the clay model was fi nished, it was transported to the Marinelli Bell Foundry in Florence, a family-owned firm established in 1339. Yes, you read that date correctly; for more than 600 years, the foundry enjoyed a worldwide reputation for casting cathedral bells, while taking on other civic projects.
Once finished, the two-ton likeness of Handy, holding a trumpet, was shipped to the McNeel Marble Company in Marietta, Georgia, which carved the four-foot base of red Missouri granite, with a pair of matching benches. Lee provided the lengthy inscription on the base,
including this observation: “Enshrined forever in the hearts of the nation are his immortal songs, ‘Memphis Blues,’ ‘Beale Street Blues,’ and ‘They That Sow in Tears Shall Reap in Joy.’ With his golden trumpet he gave everlasting voice to these and folk songs of his people in the Southland. His music is known and beloved throughout the world as an inspiration to youth and as an enduring gift to America’s treasure of songs.”
May 1, 1960, became W.C. Handy Day in Memphis, and news organizations around the country covered the event. Ed Sullivan, “the newspaper columnist and television showman,” mentioned the Handy celebration in his popular New York Daily News column. Movietone News (the company that produced those short broadcasts during movie intermissions) filmed the events, and national publications — Variety, Ebony, Newsweek, and Time — sent reporters. The president of ASCAP flew from New York to attend, joining other stars of stage and screen who would perform at Handy Park that day. Among them were Juanita Hall, acclaimed star of the Broadway touring production of South Pacific; Eubie Blake, the famed composer, singer, and pianist; and Damita Jo, hailed as “a dynamic singing personality and the nation’s newest singing sensation.”
Perhaps the biggest star that day was Mahalia Jackson, traveling here from New Orleans. Described by the newspaper as “the world’s greatest gospel singer, whose unusual talent has baffled musicologists, while her gospel singing has stirred millions around the world,” Jackson had been involved with the Handy statue project from the beginning, as one of the stars of the “Pageant of the Blues” show that kickstarted the funding for it.
WMC-TV covered the events live, and WLOK broadcast everything over the radio. The Commercial Appeal reported, “Ceremonies will open with the 65-member Handy Memorial Choir, representing a cross-section of the Mid-South’s best voices, rendering Handy’s favorite spiritual, ‘They That Sow in Tears Shall Reap in Joy.’” Other local groups adding to the festivities were the WDIA Teen Town Singers and the marching bands from Booker T. Washington, Hamilton, Manassas, and Douglass high schools.
knew it was something new in American music, and it might not catch on. But he was going to do it anyway.”
Louise Handy later told reporters that her husband “never changed a note in his songs.” Other composers were always rearranging their compositions, but Handy “played it as he wrote it.” The song he liked the most, she said, was “St. Louis Blues.” “‘Memphis Blues’ was the first hit,” she said, “but ‘St. Louis’ was the money-maker. Still is today.”
As the keynote speaker, Lt. Lee said this about his old friend: “Today Handy returns to the street that God gave him, never to leave again. He will stand here against the resistless stroke of time holding watch over his beloved Beale, as it rambles for a crooked mile through the busy heart of Memphis.”
“With his golden trumpet he gave everlasting voice to the folk songs of his people in the Southland.
W.C. Handy’s music is known and beloved throughout the world as an inspiration to youth and as an enduring gift to America’s treasure of songs.”
“Professor Handy’s immortal songs — his blues and spirituals — will resound again over the park that bears his name,” reported The Commercial Appeal. “And the program, built mainly of melody with only a framework of speeches, will blend the best talent of Broadway, where Handy’s genius lifted him, and Beale Street, where it all began.”
— Lt. George W. Lee
When the festivities finally came to a close, that didn’t mark the end of our city’s remembrances for W.C. Handy. After his death in 1958, the old Domino Lounge on Beale Street was renamed Club Handy. In 1961, the annual Blues Bowl Game, a matchup pitting two of the city’s top Black high-school football teams, was dedicated to Handy, with his music featured in the halftime show. In 1969, the U.S. Postal Service unveiled a commemorative stamp featuring the “Father of the Blues.” In 1985, the Blues Foundation moved his old house from Jeanette Place to 352 Beale Street and restored it; Heritage Tours now operates it as a museum.
opposite page: Mahalia Jackson sings at the unveiling of the Handy statue on May 1, 1960, while Lt. George W. Lee (holding papers) looks on. above: The sheet music for some of W.C. Handy’s biggest hits certainly had eye-catching covers.
The crowds had to wait for the dramatic moment when the white cloth covering the statue (“giving the impression that Handy’s ghost was here for his own tribute,” according to one reporter) was finally lifted by the composer’s widow and son, Louise and Bill Handy, who had traveled here from their home in Tuckahoe, New York.
Another family member declared the statue “a very good likeness” of his brother. Charles E. Handy of New York said the event “stirred old memories. W.C. knew what he was doing when he birthed the blues. He
Over the years, Handy Park has been reimagined as a “performance center,” but though Beale Street has seen many changes, the composer’s statue still gazes over the historic district just as when it was unveiled more than 65 years ago. Handy is buried in the family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery in Brooklyn, and it’s a lovely place, I’m sure, but it’s too bad he didn’t express a desire to be laid to rest in Memphis. In 1917, in his classic “Beale Street Blues,” Handy wrote, “I’d rather be there than any place I know.” I wonder if he ever dreamed he’d be so fondly remembered by the hometown he adopted.
Adam David’s Memphis showcases the photographer’s love for his adopted home.
BY JESSE DAVIS
He fell in love with writing first, in kindergarten; photography next, as an adult; and Memphis last, when a series of trips culminated in the realization that the Bluff City was where Adam David wanted to stay. ough his love for Memphis, its culture, and its people, bloomed last, it might be the strongest of his affections, as evidenced by the care with which he captures the scenes of his adopted city in his new photography collection, Memphis: Juke Joints, Civil Rights, and Soulful Nights (Fonthill).
e book is a flâneur’s guide to the Bluff City, glimpsed through street photography and portraiture; the images are threaded together by essays by David. e result is a collection made stronger by the diversity of its components — but that wasn’t entirely the plan. As often happens, a series of accidents and surprises led David to his current style.
“I was in New York, where
I’m from, and going through a breakup,” the photographer says. “I started taking pictures of couples walking down the street holding hands, or sitting on a bench sharing a moment.”
David now feels that his photography at the time tended toward the maudlin and saccharine; in the brief flashes of love he saw between strangers, he found reflections of his own recently ended relationship.
ough he found no answer to what makes love work out, or not, he came to a realization about the power of photography as a means for storytelling.
“I noticed, ‘Oh, I’m telling an entire story. It’s encompassed in this picture,’” he says. “I just kept taking pictures and kept taking pictures and kept taking pictures, and that’s been my thing ever since.”
After his breakup, David remembers, “I floundered around New York for a couple more years, then I moved to D.C.” David visited Memphis off and on between longer stints in Baltimore and Phoenix. None of the other cities felt quite right to him, and, with Covid and the sudden abundance of remote work opportunities, David began to think more expansively about his next location.
“I visited Memphis over Labor Day weekend and realized, ‘I think I want to move here. is is great,’” David says. at trip to the Bluff City happened in 2020, and the advent of remote work meant he could live in the city full-time. “ e people are a little eccentric. It reminded me a little bit of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in the early ’90s when the artists’ community started to move there.”
Memphis is home to an inspiring group of photographers, David says, noting that he felt welcomed from the start into the local scene.
David works in advertising as a writer, so when he clocks out for the day, he likes to get out from behind the keyboard and stretch his legs. Maybe that’s another reason photography holds such an appeal for him. rumming with pent-up energy, David often finds himself combining two of his favorite activities — walking and photography.
“I always try to walk someplace new,” he says. “Memphis has a lot of history, and it loves its history,” he says; he often finds that he’s been strolling past a historic landmark for weeks without even knowing it. He says that here, the historic is often pressed right up against the cutting-edge. He likes that — the way history stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the vibrant now and the promise of tomorrow.
e book also pays special attention to the city’s wealth of unique signage, a glorious mishmash of artistic and advertising images, of the commonplace and the rare. From paintings by Lamar Sorrento and the bright neon of Beale Street to murals and famous storefronts — like Joe’s Liquors’ “Sputnik” sign or the quirky spelling on the Krosstown Kleaners building, David’s camera documents a Memphis that is unapologetically itself.
Earl “The Pearl” Banks performs at Blues City Cafe.
Adam David
When PILOTS
Fly Off-Course
Are tax breaks for businesses helping or hurting the local economy?
BY TOM JONES
Nothing is certain but death and taxes, so says the proverb. Here in Memphis, it is just as accurate to say nothing is certain but death and tax freezes. Here, tax breaks for businesses, real estate developers, and housing seem as immutable as taxes themselves.
Critics complain that PILOTs — Payments in lieu of taxes — are taking taxes away from schools and vital public services. Boosters insist they are essential for the Memphis regional economy, which is fighting to keep pace with places it once outflanked. Few government policies elicit more questions, which is unsurprising, considering PILOTs waive about $700 million in taxes every 10 years and are powerful tools to influence economic growth and opportunity if strategically aimed at the right businesses and at increasing incomes. ‘Strategic’ is the key word since numerous studies conclude at least 75 percent of the companies receiving tax breaks would have located even without them.
Although tax breaks are ubiquitous, with about 95 percent of all cities providing them, other places are fine-tuning them by using inclusive incentive scorecards and equity indicators. Pittsburgh and Indianapolis report the tools have made it clearer to evaluate tax breaks in light of tax policies and fiscal choices. Both require a wage of $18 an hour (here, the Economic Development Growth Engine — EDGE — requires $15 an hour). Indianapolis also requires companies to invest 5 percent of their tax savings into transit, workforce training, or childcare for employees. Philadelphia limits some tax breaks to 10 years and reduces the breaks by 10 percent each year. Here, over the past 25 years, city and county governments have appointed multiple committees to evaluate and improve PILOT programs. ere’s another assess-
ment underway now in a Shelby County Board of Commissioners committee. Past experiences have taught that when changes are made, they were routinely abandoned after pushback from business and real-estate interests. Committees tend to concentrate on EDGE because its PILOTs garner the most headlines. However, EDGE is only one of nine public boards with the power to approve PILOTs, and
While every dollar given in an unnecessary or excessive PILOT is a dollar that can’t be spent on education, workforce development, quality of life, and other drivers of economic success, PILOTs more directly affect school funding.
the amount of EDGE’s tax breaks only accounts for about half of the taxes that are waived. Its 266 PILOT agreements — more than Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga combined — waived $19.4 million in county taxes in 2024 and an estimated $14 million in Memphis taxes (city government doesn’t report lost revenue from PILOTs, so estimates are necessary — but the county trustee’s report on PILOTs is definitive).
Meanwhile, 98 PILOTs approved by the Downtown Memphis Commission and 127 by the lesser-known Memphis Health, Educational, and Housing Facility Board totaled $17 million in county taxes alone in 2024. en, too, Industrial Development Boards in Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Germantown, and Millington
and Shelby County Health, Educational and Housing Facility Board also approve PILOTs. ey follow a rule set by city council and county commissioners: A company receiving a PILOT pays only 25 percent of its tax bill and the other 75 percent is waived for up to 20 years. ere is also the retention PILOT that gives new PILOTs of 15 years to companies with previous tax breaks — think FedEx and International Paper — which sends the message that the companies that know us best still need PILOTs to value us.
Most smaller municipalities waive minor amounts of taxes — except for the Industrial Development Board of Collierville, whose 10 PILOT agreements for $3.1 million regularly reward the recruiting of businesses from Memphis. Like every board that approves PILOTs, each one waives that city’s taxes, but also Shelby County’s — which means that Memphians pay the bulk of the county tax break that encouraged the company to move from their city.
A recent example is a six-year PILOT of $1.5 million approved for a medical clinic although it bought its property 11 months earlier and Collierville had already approved building plans and the development contract. As former County Mayor Jim Rout once reasonably asked: “What is the benefit to Shelby County Government when a company is only changing its ZIP code in Shelby County, but county government is losing taxes?”
Cities’ ability to waive county taxes for companies moving inside Shelby County is but one peculiarity of PILOT rules. Most glaring is the fact that every PILOT is also giving away money that would otherwise go to schools. While every dollar given in an unnecessary or excessive PILOT is a dollar that can’t be spent on
education, workforce development, quality of life, and other drivers of economic success, PILOTs more directly affect school funding. Some places like Hamilton County (Chattanooga) safeguard funding for schools by backing that money out of any incentives they approve.
PILOT terms long ago were reduced from 100 percent to 75 percent with the intention that the money from the reduction went to schools; however, schools are still shortchanged because 60 percent — not 25 percent — of the county’s property taxes is spent on education. A reasonable estimate of the amount schools loses from PILOTs every 10 years is about $175 million.
Meanwhile, the obscure Memphis Health, Educational, and Housing Board, which provides tax breaks and tax-exempt bonds for low-income housing, is known for its resistance to transparency and is connected to some high-profile evictions and disturbing complaints from residents. And Downtown Memphis Commission issues PILOTs for apartments although occupancy rates have been 95 percent since 2018, raising questions about the market need for the incentives. City council and county Board of Commissioners delegated their authority to waive taxes to the PILOT-granting boards. PILOTs are not even discussed during stressful budget hearings where they are scratching for new revenues. e local legislators don’t even ask for regular reports on the impact of the PILOTs. at’s arguably the greatest peculiarity of all.
Tom Jones is the principal of Smart City Consulting, which specializes in strategic communications, public policy development, and strategic planning. He tends the 20-year-old Smart City Memphis blog and is an author with experience in local government. He can be reached at tjones@ smartcityconsulting.com
At CodeCrew, Something Is Clicking
Meka Egwuekwe is working to ensure that Memphis happens to tech, not the other way around.
BY DAVID WATERS
I n 1983, inside a small house in South Memphis near the former defense depot, a 10-year-old boy named Nnaemeka Egwuekwe saw a TV commercial for a home computer.
Nnaemeka, or “Meka,” the son of a man from Nigeria and a woman from Memphis, already had a video game, an Atari 2600 that connected to a TV screen. But he had to share it with his younger brother, Chi, and he soon was bored with the game.
The home computer he saw on TV looked more complicated, more interesting. It was a Texas Instruments TI-99/4, the first 16-bit home computer. His mother, the first member of her family to earn a college degree, gave it to him for Christmas.
Something clicked.
Meka and his brother lived with their mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in the
house built by his grandfather, an Army veteran.
Meka’s grandmother, a nurse at the Millington Naval Air Station, taught the boy how to fold his clothes and make his bed and treat his elders.
“That’s how things are done in the military,” his grandmother would say.
Meka liked order. He also liked to figure out how things work. He built model airplanes and took apart old TVs and radios and cigarettes.
He didn’t have to take apart his new computer. He read the instruction manual and figured out how to make his name crawl across the screen. Then he started making his own games.
“They were very unplayable games,” he says, “but I learned a lot from the process, how to get around some of the technical limitations of what was the TI computer back then.”
Meka’s fascination with computers led him to East High School and a new program in Science,
above: Since 2015, Meka Egwuekwe, a former software engineer, and his CodeCrew colleagues have introduced more than 15,000 Memphis-area students to computer coding. opposite page, left: Trakeisha Howard, who majored in computer science at LeMoyne-Owen College, is one of CodeCrew’s K-12 instructors. opposite page, right: Kimberly Bryant (left) and Stephanie Wade hope to launch Black Innovation Labs.
Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM.
“I was that kid walking around the halls with boxes of floppy discs,” he says.
One day at school, Meka attended a presentation about Phillips Academy, a prestigious boarding school in Andover, Massachusetts. Meka and his brother both applied and were accepted, thanks to a strong recommendation from a Phillips alum, the late Peter Formanek, a co-founder of AutoZone. Meka spent three years in Andover, his brother four.
At Phillips, Meka attended a visiting professor’s presentation on the African origins of the mathematical sciences. Africans, the professor explained to the Nigerian’s son, developed the earliest forms of counting, algebra, and geometry.
“I felt emboldened and empowered from that moment on,” Meka says. “If not for that moment, there would be no CodeCrew in Memphis.”
T here is a CodeCrew in Memphis. The 10-yearold nonprofit organization has helped more than 15,000 Memphis-area middle and high school students, most of them Black and brown, learn how to program computers and develop apps, games, and other software.
CodeCrew helped lobby Tennessee legislators to require all high school students to take a year of computer science, and all middle school students to receive at least one course in computer science education, beginning with the Class of 2028.
CodeCrew is seeding a growing generation of tech-savvy, computer-literate high school and college graduates of color who are helping to transform Memphis into the capital of the Digital Delta.
“Tech firms go and grow where the talent is, and CodeCrew’s vision and tenacity has made it a critical piece to Memphis continuing to lead the nation in the percentage of people of color working in IT,” says Ted Townsend, president and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber.
The Digital Delta has become more than a phrase coined a couple of years ago by FedEx Founder Fred Smith. Since 2019, Memphis is first among 10 peer cities in the share of IT jobs held by people of color (43 percent) and tied for second among 10 peer cities in overall growth in IT jobs (16 percent).
That growth has been driven by local
tech-hungry corporations such as FedEx, AutoZone, International Paper, First Horizon, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
That growth is generating new investments from multinational tech-heavy companies such as xAI, Google, Ford’s BlueOval City, SuperMicro, Nvidia, and Dell.
That growth will be sustained by local tech entrepreneurs such as Meka Egwuekwe, the emboldened and empowered young man from South Memphis who earned computer sci-
CodeCrew is seeding a growing generation of tech-savvy, computer-literate high school and college graduates of color who are helping to transform Memphis into the capital of the Digital Delta.
ence degrees from Morehouse and Duke, won internships with NASA and Hewlett-Packard, and spent 19 years as a software engineer in Atlanta and Memphis.
“Instead of letting emerging technology like AI happen to us, which is what all too often has been the history of places like Memphis,” Egwuekwe says, “how do we make sure we’re in a position to shape and guide emerging technology in responsible ways that benefit all of us? This is how.”
I n 2012, Egwuekwe and his wife, Pam, went looking for a way to introduce their two young daughters to computer science.
They found Black Girls Code, a California-based after-school program designed to introduce teenage girls of color to computer programming. Egwuekwe reached out to Kimberly Bryant, a Bay Area tech industry manager who established the program in 2011. They traded tweets.
“She asked me if there was anything going on with technology in Memphis,” Egwuekwe says. “I told her about Emerge Memphis and Memphis Bioworks. She said, ‘Oh, that’s great. I had no idea. By the way, I grew up in Memphis.’
I said, ‘What?’”
Bryant, the founder of the nonprofit that has more than 30,000 school-age girls of color in computer science and technology, was born and raised in Memphis. She lived with her divorced mother, older brother, and younger sister in several parts of North Memphis.
Her mother, who worked at Regional One Health, enrolled her kids in the optional programs at Snowden School and Central High School. “I was not interested in computers or video games,” Bryant says. “If I had anything in my hand then, it was a book.”
Bryant thought she would become an attorney, but her guidance counselor noticed how well she was doing in math and science
CodeCrew has hosted more than 1,800 Hour of Code events that provide young students with their first exposure to computer coding.
Bryant’s long-term goal is to turn the historic Vance Avenue neighborhood — once the home of Robert Church, the South’s first Black millionaire, as well as such iconic Black-owned businesses as Tri-State Bank and Universal Life Insurance — into a Black Innovation District.
and encouraged her to consider a career in engineering.
She did. “Girls didn’t become engineers back then,” Bryant says. “But I thought, why not?”
Junior Achievement gave Bryant a full academic scholarship to Vanderbilt University, where she majored in electrical engineering and minored in math and computer science. Bryant worked for companies in Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, and New Jersey before moving to California to work for Genentech.
“I was usually the only woman in the lab, the only woman of color on the factory floor or in the corporate office,” she says. “It was lonely and difficult. When my daughter became interested in technology, I knew what she would be facing. I wanted her to have an easier path.”
Since 2011, Black Girls Code has introduced Bryant’s daughter, Egwuekwe’s daughters, and tens of thousands of girls of color to computer programming in workshops, summer camps, after-school programs and other events in dozens of cities including Memphis. The organization has attracted major donors such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, the Gates Foundation, and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
Bryant’s tenure with Black Girls Code ended badly. In 2021, the nonprofit’s board of directors removed Bryant as CEO. Bryant sued the board for wrongful termination. The two sides reached a confidential settlement in 2023.
That year, Bryant founded Ascend Venture Tech, an investment firm that supports “high-impact startups led by underrepresented founders.” The venture has led her to a new tech adventure back in Memphis.
“We helped create a pipeline of women of color with tech skills,” Bryant says. “Now we want to help them find ways to own the pipeline.”
I n 2022, Bryant read something on social media about the Griggs Legacy Project in Memphis. She learned that three women in Memphis were working to renovate and repurpose the downtown home of the former Griggs Business and Practical Arts College.
The school was chartered in 1944 by Emma Griggs, an educator who moved to Memphis with her Baptist preacher husband in 1913. More than 1,000 Black men and women received their education at Griggs, including the late state Senator Kathryn Bowers.
The white, square, two-story Italianate structure at the northeast corner of Vance and Danny Thomas, has been empty since the school was closed in 1971. Stephanie Wade, a Memphis developer, bought the property in 2020 just before it was scheduled to be demolished. Wade worked with Carrie Tippet-Herron, a Griggs alumna, and Sheryl Wallace, president of Property, Power, and Preservation (P3). They got the building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
“I just felt a responsibility to pay homage to Emma Griggs and find a way to continue her legacy of educating the next generation of leaders,” Wade says. “I was not sure how that was going to happen.”
Bryant contacted her.
“The first time I walked into that building, I felt this sense of being drawn back in time and coming back home full circle after all these years,” Bryant says. “I knew this was what was next for me.”
What’s next is this: Bryant and Wade are working to raise funds to turn the old Griggs College building into the headquarters of a national network of Black Innovation Labs. Bryant is launching a pilot lab this fall in Oakland, California, where she lives. If all goes well, she plans to open a Memphis lab in 2026. She’s also creating a special venture capital fund that would provide seed funding for startups developed in the lab.
Her long-term goal is to turn the historic Vance Avenue neighborhood — once the home of Robert Church, the South’s first Black millionaire, as well as such iconic Black-owned businesses as Tri-State Bank and Universal Life Insurance — into a Black Innovation District.
“A new Black Wall Street,” says Bryant.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS
DESIGN PEOPLE PLACES
CodeCrew has helped students like Zoey Stanley write their first line of code.
I n 2015, at a board meeting for the National Civil Rights Museum, Egwuekwe’s friend and fellow board member, Elliot Perry, pulled him aside.
Perry, the Memphis basketball legend, also was board chairman for the Memphis Grizzlies Foundation, which had funded a new computer lab at the Lester Community Center in Bing-
“This work is vital. We’re not just teaching coding. We’re building a resilient, homegrown tech workforce.” — Audrey Willis
hampton. He knew Egwuekwe was working as a volunteer instructor with Black Girls Code.
“Elliot said, ‘It’s great what you’re doing for the girls with coding, but what about something for boys and girls?’”Egwuekwe recalls.
Something clicked, and CodeCrew was born.
On May 4, 2015, with funding from the Grizzlies Foundation, Egwuekwe and two other Black Girls Code instructors, Audrey Willis and Petya Grady, attended a meeting at Startco, a Memphis accelerator for tech startups.
That summer, they conducted a six-week Grizzlies Code Camp at Lester Community Center. The camp ended with the first of what would become an annual CodeCrew Hackathon, a three-day challenge that helps young coders develop their own apps.
“That was one wild summer, but we came out of it with a mission,” says Willis, now chief innovation and programming officer with CodeCrew and host of the new radio show and podcast called AI (Actual Intelligence).
Willis grew up in South Memphis playing video games and creating and selling MySpace layouts. Over the years, she has worked in IT for FedEx, AutoZone, St. Jude, and Shelby County government.
“I wish there had been a CodeCrew when I was growing up,” Willis says. “This work is vital. We’re not just teaching coding. We’re building a resilient, homegrown tech workforce.”
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Leshundra Robinson attended a recent CodeCrew AI workshop at the FedEx Institute of Technology in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis.
A few years ago, Kennedi Stewart told her mother she wanted to create a video game. She was in middle school.
“It was an odd obsession,” says Stewart. “I just liked the feeling of being on a computer.”
Stewart’s mother signed her daughter up for a Cloud901 computer class at the Memphis Public Library. CodeCrew partners with Cloud901 to teach computer coding.
Something clicked.
The next summer, Stewart participated in her first CodeCrew Hackathon. The next summer, she and three other CodeCrew students won the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for EcoTrace, an AI-powered app that helps users find recycling locations for various consumer products.
Now, Stewart, a graduate of the online Tennessee Connections Academy, is majoring in computer science and engineering at the University of Memphis. She’s focusing on cybersecurity.
“I love my city. I want AI for my city, but I also want to protect the under-represented community from AI,” Stewart says. “Technology should be for all and protect all.”
A few years ago, Joshua Moore told his grandmother he wanted to make a video game. He was in middle school. His grandmother signed him up for a CodeCrew summer camp.
Something clicked.
“At the time I was getting bullied in school. I was treated like a nerd. I did not have many friends,” Moore says. “At CodeCrew I found some of my best friends. It gave me a whole new lease on life.”
Moore is now working as a teaching assistant for CodeCrew. He plans to return soon to the University of Memphis and major in English. He wants to write science fiction and fantasy stories. “As much as I love computers, I love creative writing even more,” says Moore, who graduated from Soulsville Charter School. “CodeCrew gave me the idea that I could make something of my life.”
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L ike the universe and digital technology, CodeCrew is expanding.
In addition to summer coding camps for students, the nonprofit offers after-school programs and weekend workshops, and trains K-12 teachers to provide computer science in classrooms.
In 2021, CodeCrew was awarded a $1 million, three-year National Science Foundation grant to help Tennessee school districts add a computer science curriculum. The nonprofit also runs Code School for adults seeking software and AI careers. Last year, CodeCrew received a $1 million state grant to provide subsidized internships with partner employers.
CodeCrew has outgrown its space at the University of Memphis Research Foundation (UMRF) Research Park at the old Highland branch public library. Earlier this year, the nonprofit launched a $7 million capital campaign to help it move to larger space at Northside Square, a new multi-use community hub rising in the renovated old Northside High School.
Meanwhile, CodeCrew is working to adapt and adjust to the rise of artificial intelligence, or AI. The nonprofit has incorporated AI into its curriculum for students and adults. It has refocused its annual summer Hackathons on ways to use AI to improve the community.
In recent months, it led workshops for the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis and the Junior League of Memphis on the practical and ethical uses of AI.
“We didn’t have to jump into AI, we had to triple-jump,” says Willis. “We’re building AI engineers. If we don’t stay on top of it, the digital divide will become a digital canyon.”
CodeCrew also is working to address concerns about AI, and in particular xAI, Elon Musk’s controversial multi-billion-dollar supercomputer south of downtown.
“AI is a huge opportunity but it’s also a little scary, right?” says Egwuekwe. “There are major issues with respect to ethics, bias, privacy, security, the use of resources. We are concerned about water use and power use and air quality. We want to start offering the entire community more guidance on AI.”
Egwuekwe’s mother, Helen, still lives in the house her father built in the Castalia Heights neighborhood just north of the old defense depot, a contaminated Superfund site.
The neighborhood also is just a few miles east of Sterilization Services of Tennessee, which was forced to close in 2024 for emitting ethylene oxide, a cancer-causing gas.
“All those things hit home with me,” Egwuekwe says, “but AI is not going away. We have to make sure we’re in a position to help shape and guide AI to be what it ought to be for our people and our community.”
David Waters, a longtime Memphis journalist, is associate director of the Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis.
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BY JON W.
ABlueprintfor Generational Wealth BUILDING MUCH MORE THAN NEW HOMES.MINORITYCONTRACTORSINMEMPHISARE
SPARKS
or all its grit and promise, memphis still contends with economic disparities that often cast shadows over opportunity. is is familiar territory for minority contractors in the construction business, who strive to make inroads into the industry above and beyond showing their skills and successes.
Among the players in the local community are organizations and individual contractors who constantly deal with the issues and challenges that home builders face.
One organization, the Memphis Area Minority Contractors Association (MAMCA) is an important resource for minority- and women-owned construction businesses. Since its founding in 1974, MAMCA has advocated for contractors facing systemic barriers, working to transform enterprises — many of them first-generation endeavors — into engines of generational wealth. Under the leadership of Executive Director Aynsley Clark, who assumed the role in 2023, MAMCA is tackling a complex landscape of challenges to empower minority contractors through education, business development, advocacy, and access to bid opportunities.
Clark’s journey to MAMCA was somewhat unexpected. After nearly three decades at Trust Marketing, where she rose from receptionist to director of operations, she wasn’t seeking a leadership role.
“I was perfectly fine being behind the scenes,” she says, recalling her initial reluctance when MAMCA board member Octavius Nickson approached her about the executive director position. But a conversation about the organization’s vision sparked something within her. “I wrote four pages of notes about opportunities and ideas,” she says. When she met the board, their shared goals aligned so neatly that she knew the role had found her. “It was a natural synergy,” she reflects.
MAMCA’s ambitious vision aims to break the cycle of poverty by fostering wealth creation in the construction industry, one of the fastest paths to economic mobility for dedicated entrepreneurs.
“Construction can change the trajectory of families,” Clark says. Most MAMCA members are fi rst-generation contractors, often juggling every role — receptionist, bookkeeper, laborer — while working on-site. e organization seeks to build their capacity through targeted programs that address practical and systemic needs.
Education is a cornerstone of MAMCA’s work. It offers free monthly classes on essential skills like blueprint reading, estimating, and construction math, tools that can make or break a business. “A bad estimate could bankrupt a company,” Clark says. MAMCA also hosts the only in-person Limited Residential Contractor’s Licensing Course in Tennessee outside Chattanooga State Community College, a critical step for aspiring general contractors.
ese in-person sessions, enriched by guest professionals like bankers, accountants, and lawyers, provide more than technical knowledge; they build networks vital for first-generation contractors. “ ere’s nothing like the human interaction,” Clark says, contrasting it with the disconnect of online learning.
County projects, and by connecting members with corporations like FedEx or government agencies via partnerships with the City of Memphis’ Office of Business Diversity & Compliance and the Memphis Minority Business Council Continuum.
Recent legislative changes have added complexity. e rollback of federal and state minority participation programs, including Tennessee’s 2022 legislation (SB 2440/HB 2569), has led to rescinded contracts and widespread fear.
“Even before the laws passed, companies were pulling back,” Clark says. While she opposes these changes — “we had those programs for a reason” — she’s pragmatic about moving forward.
“How do we navigate this new climate?” she asks. MAMCA is exploring alternatives like Shelby County’s Locally Owned Small Business (LOSB) program, which focuses on business size rather than race, though legal hurdles complicate implementation. Clark is also attending the National Association of Minority Contractors’ conference to learn how other cities are adapting, emphasizing the need for collaboration. “ ere’s strength in numbers,” she says.
Business development and advocacy are equally critical. MAMCA’s $300 annual membership offers discounts on classes, mentorship through job site shadowing, and alerts on code or policy changes. But Clark emphasizes the intangible value of networking. “You’re in a room with like-minded individuals, from startups to the city’s only minority prime contractors,” she says.
AYNSLEY CLARK
ese connections spark collaborations — joint bids, subcontracting partnerships — that embody what MAMCA’s founders envisioned. Back then, just six years after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, minority contractors faced deliberate exclusion from opportunities. “ ey were closed out,” Clark says bluntly. “It was purposed to keep minorities out.” e founders formed MAMCA to share job leads and support each other, a spirit Clark is committed to preserve.
e challenges are formidable, and systemic disparities persist. Many members, especially in residential construction, lack the capital to hire staff, stifling growth. “ ey’re in the field, doing everything themselves,” Clark says.
Access to bids is crucial, but opportunities are scarce without revenue to scale operations. MAMCA addresses this through MidSouth Planroom, offering current listings of publicly funded Shelby
The broader construction industry faces a labor crisis. Clark says that with half the workforce projected to retire by 2030, compounded by Covid-era losses, “It isn’t a color issue; it’s an industry issue.” Yet, she says, racism persists, undermining progress.
“Let’s not pretend it doesn’t exist,” she says, advocating for merit-based opportunities.
“Everybody’s favorite color is green. There’s enough business for everyone.”
MAMCA’s pre-apprenticeship program, launching its first cohort in June 2025, aims to bridge this gap, particularly for young people. Partnering with organizations like the Tennessee Builders Education Foundation, MAMCA has engaged students at Trezevant High School, showing them that construction offers viable careers. “You can come out of high school making $50,000 with a little training,” Clark says. “ at same hustle they have on the streets can translate into a different kind of hustle.”
Clark’s challenge is daunting, navigating a landscape where policy setbacks threaten progress and systemic inequities linger. “Can’t I get the easy job?” she jokes, but her resolve is unwavering. “ is is my purpose right now.” By fostering education, networks, and opportunities, MAMCA continues to assist minority contractors grow their businesses and is reshaping Memphis’ economic future, one contract at a time. As Clark puts it, “If we come together as a community, Memphis can be a better city.”
FORGING A PATH: JEREMY HOFFMAN’S JOURNEY AS A MINORITY CONTRACTOR IN MEMPHIS
In the gritty, cyclical world of Memphis construction, Jeremy Hoff man has carved a niche as a minority general contractor, building homes and dreams one project at a time. Since founding his business in 2007, Hoff man, a tradesman with roots in New York’s union halls, has navigated the steep challenges of a competitive industry where name recognition and networks often outweigh raw skill. His story, shared alongside his wife, Ravin, is one of perseverance, sacrifice, and a relentless drive to provide for their family while overcoming the systemic hurdles that defi ne the life of a small businessman in a city like Memphis.
Hoffman’s entry into construction was humble, sparked by small repair jobs — painting, patching fascia boards, and minor fi xes. “I started with little things,” he says. A trade school graduate who bypassed college, he progressed to decks, trim work, and eventually kitchens and bathrooms, each job pushing him to expand his skills. By 2021, after a grueling process to earn his general contractor’s license, he was ready for bigger challenges: additions, full renovations, and small home builds. The licensing exam required not only knowledge of the trade, but the ability to master test-taking. He passed the test, which was a milestone, but not a golden ticket. “People think you’ve made it once you pass the test,” Hoff man says. “ at’s just the beginning.”
Hoff man’s business is predominantly residential, with commercial work comprising just one or two projects annually. Even as a general contractor, he often works as a subcontractor on commercial jobs, a reflection of the industry’s reliance on name recognition.
“ e networking and connections aren’t there,” he says, noting that bigger fi rms with decades of local ties dominate. Gaining customer trust has been a slow grind. Only in the last four years, bolstered by positive Google reviews and word-of-mouth referrals, has his reputation begun to open doors. “People are just starting to say, ‘I’ve heard good things,’” he says, a small but hard-won victory.
e reality of running a small construction business in Memphis hit hard. Estimating for larger projects was a steep learning curve. “I didn’t know how to estimate at that level,” he says. “If I hadn’t learned quick, I could’ve lost everything.” Generating leads and securing financing were equally daunting. “Customers don’t just show up because you’re a general contractor,” Hoff man says. Without established connections, he remained doing smaller residential jobs like kitchens, repairs, and the occasional deck despite his license’s potential for more.
Financing remains his greatest hurdle. As a minority contractor, Hoff man has struggled to access fair credit lines or loans. “I’m basically self-fi nanced,” he says. Banks he’s worked with since high school haven’t always come through, raising requirements after he met their initial demands. “I paid down debt, got my credit score up, and they’d say, ‘We don’t offer that anymore,’ or, ‘Now you need this,’” he says. High-interest offers from predatory lenders are tempting but risky, with repayment terms as short as three months. “If we’re going to struggle, we’d rather struggle with ourselves than owe someone else,” he says. is self-reliance forces constant financial juggling. “If I make $10, I can only spend $5 because I need the rest for the next job’s materials,” he says. Building a reserve to sustain operations while supporting his family is a delicate balancing act. Memphis’ insular business culture adds another layer of difficulty. Ravin, a lifelong Memphian, describes the city as a “big town” where connections hinge on questions like “Where’d you go to high school?” or “What church do you attend?” As an outsider from Connecticut and New York, Hoff man doesn’t have the advantage of these social ties. “He’s outside of all that,” Ravin says. “Every connection has to be on purpose.”
eir membership in the West Tennessee Home Builders Association, spanning nearly a decade, offers networking potential, but events like golf outings or pricey luncheons are often out of reach. “It’s hard to play golf when we’ve got an estimate at five,” Ravin points out. “You can’t pay $500 for a seat when you’re doing the work.”
JEREMY HOFFMAN
e Office of Business Diversity and Compliance has been a lifeline, guiding Hoff man toward certifications like Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) and helping him access city project bid lists. Early on, they connected him with firms like Montgomery Martin Contractors, where he met project managers and learned what makes a competitive bid.
“ at was a big help,” he says. “I had no idea how to even find those lists.” Yet, as a small operation, he struggles to compete for larger contracts. “We were too small for state- or city-level jobs,” Ravin notes, highlighting the catch-22: ey need capital to grow, but growth requires capital.
Recent legislative shifts, such as Tennessee’s rollback of support for minority- and women-owned businesses, haven’t directly impacted Hoff man yet. “I’ve felt the same support, or lack thereof, consistently,” he says. “I take one day at a time, do my best, and hope for a referral,” he says. But Ravin points to an indirect effect: economic fear. PostCovid optimism, when homeowners invested in remodels, has waned amid concerns over tariffs and tightening budgets. “People are holding onto their purse strings,” she says.
TAMMIE ROSS: BUILDING SUCCESS AGAINST THE ODDS IN MEMPHIS CONSTRUCTION
A“ ey’re not worried about a third bathroom; they’re worried about food and bills.” is caution translates to fewer calls for Hoff man’s services.
Looking ahead, Hoffman’s goals are clear: transition from subcontracting to being the prime contractor on both residential and commercial projects, and continue building homes.
“ at’s where I see myself in two to five years,” he says. His drive, once fueled by dreams of wealth, has shifted to family. “I just want to provide for them,” he says, crediting Ravin’s support and sacrifices. Operating lean, with no full-time employees, allows flexibility but underscores the precariousness of his position. “You either have time or money,” he says. “I’m trying to balance both.”
Hoff man’s journey reflects the broader struggles of minority contractors in Memphis: a lack of access to financing, limited networks, and the slow climb to recognition in a city where who you know often matters more than what you can do. But he and Ravin are resilient. And they are counting on their tenacity and adaptability to prevail in a competitive business that has its share of frustration, but also great satisfaction when it all comes together.
s the owner of Residence by Ross, the Memphisbased construction company she launched in 2022, Tammie Ross knows how to turn adversity into opportunity. She has navigated the male-dominated world of residential contracting with grit, expertise, and ambition. A minority woman in an industry where women and minorities remain underrepresented, her journey from automotive finance to construction entrepreneur is a testament to her skills as an entrepreneur. Yet, as a small businesswoman, Ross faces persistent challenges that underscore the broader struggles of minority women contractors in Memphis.
Ross’ entry into construction was born of necessity, not ambition. In 1999, she and her husband, Roderick, bought their first home, and they got a crash course is home ownership. “We didn’t know anything about home inspections,” she says. They made the necessary fi xes and later bought another home that needed further improvements. But they were active in making it happen, devising their own custom plan. And they made careful notes. In fact, the experience ignited a passion. “We sold 58 houses for a builder,” Ross says. “I told my husband, ‘We’re pretty good at this.’”
By 2003, Ross dove into real estate, learning the intricacies of construction. In 2007, she and her husband built their first custom home, a source of pride that led to a pattern of building, living in, and selling homes to avoid capital-gains taxes. e Covid-19 pandemic, however, shifted her trajectory. She enrolled in a master’s program in project management, choosing a construction-focused path. “All my courses leaned toward real estate and construction,” she says. She also earned a Six Sigma Green Belt certification, applying its principles to construction processes. Convinced of her calling, she told her husband, “It’s time to take a leap of faith.” In 2022, Residence by Ross was born.
Ross’ expertise extends beyond the job site. Her journey inspired
TAMMIE ROSS
a book (Breaking Ground, Breaking Glass Ceilings: A Guide to Finding Success in Male-Dominated Industries), submitted to the National Association of Home Builders, which earned a three-book deal. e first, published in 2023, explores success for women in male-dominated industries, drawing on her automotive fi nance career, where she forged partnerships with dealerships, and her transition to construction. “It speaks to men, too,” she says, citing a reader in Australia who found it transformative.
Her second book, forthcoming, will introduce newcomers to construction, addressing the industry’s labor shortage as the average worker age hits 55. e third will focus on leadership and business management, offering insights from her entrepreneurial path.
As a minority woman contractor, Ross faces unique challenges. Imposter syndrome was an early hurdle, despite her credentials: a bachelor’s in marketing, a master’s in project management, Six Sigma certification, and a general contractor’s license. “I’d think I wasn’t good enough,” she admits. To combat this, she records her accomplishments and recites positive affirmations, fostering confidence in male-dominated spaces. “I remind myself who I am and what I’m capable of,” she says.
Access to capital is another persistent barrier. “I don’t come from money,” she says. “Everything is built on hard work.” Even with excellent credit, securing loans creates bills that strain growth. “Capital constraints slow me down,” she says, echoing a common refrain among entrepreneurs who wish they’d prioritized
Networking is Ross’ lifeline. She leverages industry summits, the International Builders Show, and memberships in the West Tennessee Home Builders Association and the Memphis Area Minority Contractors Association. “ e law of reciprocity works,” she says. “If you give, you receive.” By sharing her expertise, she builds alliances that fuel her business.
Unlike some minority contractors, Ross has never relied on government programs for minority- or women-owned businesses, a stance shaped by her desire to be chosen for merit. “I don’t want to be picked because I’m a minority woman,” she says. “I want to be chosen because I’m great at what I do.” Recent state-level rollbacks of such programs, like Tennessee’s 2022 legislation, don’t faze her, though she acknowledges their impact on others. “For those who relied on them, it’s time to prove our worth through our work,” she says, emphasizing the power of reputation and past performance.
Ross’ business remains lean, focused on residential projects like remodels and custom homes. Her challenges reflect broader industry dynamics: an aging workforce, labor shortages, and the need for sustainable growth. Yet, her story is one of transformation in which turning “losses into lessons” have proven profitable. As she writes books and builds homes, Ross is not just constructing houses but paving pathways for others, proving that with determination and strategic networking, minority women can thrive in even the toughest industries.
MAD FOR MIDCENTURY MODERN
BY JANE SCHNEIDER ■ PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN PICKLE
Hunting for a house that would match their vision, the Wogomans fell head-over-heels for this stylish stunner.
S cott and Edna Wogoman’s passion for all things midcentury modern started innocently enough. After moving to Memphis from El Paso, Texas, in 2017, Scott found himself roaming an antique mall during a visit with his brother, Mitch, in Denver. There he spied a stylish teak breakfast tray and something about the design — its rich color; its sleek, simple lines — spoke to him. Scott hesitated momentar-
ily, but Mitch cheered him on.
“So I bought it, and had the tray shipped back to Memphis,” he says.
From that humble beginning, a fascination for all things midcentury took root.
“I started going to estate sales and antique stores looking for midcentury-modern items,” says Scott. “The agreement was that Edna could decide what stayed and what moved on.”
The couple had been drawn to contemporary furniture over the course of their marriage, but gradually, their tastes began to shift. The bold colors and clean lines of midcentury-modern decor, which emphasizes craftsmanship, natural materials, and functionality, “really spoke to us as a couple,” says Scott. “The colors are better. They’re warmer, more vibrant.” It also felt like coming home. As a child growing up in Juarez,
Finding a Fit
S o when Scott and Edna met Marx-Bensdorf realtor Margaret Mikkelsen, their one pressing question was quite simple: “Can you find us a house to match our furnishings?” she remembers with a laugh. It turned out Mikkelsen shared an affinity for the midcentury vibe, an architectural style that’s become one of her specialties. “It’s what I live in and what I love,” she says.
Mexico, Edna’s mother had been an early fan of the movement, which began in the late ’40s and continued into the ’60s, furnishing their home with bright, bold decor. Edna would frequently tell Scott, “My mother had this chair or that glassware.” Slowly, the couple amassed an eclectic assortment of their own: molded chairs by Herman Miller, quirky ceramic lamps, period tumblers, and of course, the ubiquitous fondue set.
Mikkelsen has familiarized herself with the Midtown and East Memphis neighborhoods where these architectural jewels were built. For two years, the Wogomans did much the same. Mikkelsen had even approached the previous owners of their now-home, which is nestled in the Yorkshire subdivision, about selling several years earlier, but that couple had politely declined. So, when the house unexpectedly came up for sale in the spring of 2023, Mikkelsen immediately called her buyers.
The Wogomans already knew the house, which was custom-built in 1956 (its architect remains unknown). “I would buy that house without even seeing it!” was Scott’s comment. Edna agreed. They walked through it that weekend and what they saw left them impressed.
The house telegraphs a stylish presence, sitting as it does atop
the hill of the half-acre lot. When you step into the foyer, crystal sconces glisten on the entry wall above a floating credenza, and terrazzo flooring leads you into the great room. Its beautiful paneling and gracious size are highlighted by a soaring vaulted ceiling ribbed with wooden beams. The back wall of the room features stacked brick laid in crisp, vertical columns. Look across the room and a wall of glass beckons you outdoors to the inviting patio space and private backyard complete with a decorative pond.
For Scott, the house contained plenty of “wow” factor. “From the height of the ceilings to the floorto-ceiling windows, this house just checked a lot of boxes for me.”
But Edna’s response was more muted. During their visit, “I pulled her aside and said, ‘Do you want this?’” She held her poker face. “Yes, if we can make some changes,” came her reply. “I was concerned because the house appeared very dark.”
“But that’s because all the natural light was being hidden by the heavy window treatments,” notes Scott. “What I saw was the beauty of all this wood.”
Indeed, the plentiful use of natural wood here is breathtaking. From the great room to the bathrooms, the bedrooms to the kitchen, you’ll find tongue-andgroove Paraná pine paneling,
top left: The handsome great room, with its soaring ribbed ceiling, Paraná pine paneling, and stacked brick fireplace.
The couple’s midcentury decor includes a pair of original Herman Miller chairs in burnt orange. top right: The updated kitchen with new cabinet doors. above: Scott and Edna Wogoman. “We were looking for a special house — and we found it,” says Edna.
top: The foyer features terrazzo flooring and a glass wall, which allows diffused light into the den. The floating credenza is flanked with mod crystal sconces.
Bottom left: The house telegraphs a stylish presence, its entry accented by a beach ball-sized bola or globe light.
Bottom right: The master bath’s floating vanity was created using two vintage Knoll credenzas.
a softwood found in southern Brazil. Its buttery warmth gives the house a rich, sophisticated feel. In the front of the home, the architect elected to have the paneling laid vertically, which draws the eye upward to the vaulted ceiling of the great room. In the back, it’s laid horizontally in places, creating a more restful sensibility for the bedroom and bath. The vaulted ceiling is also done in two tiers. The first reaches 11 feet over the den, which lies between the kitchen and
great room. And though subtle, it adds to the visual excitement of the additional height of the great room, where the ceiling soars to 12-and-a-half feet.
Common among midcentury modern homes are banks of windows in each room which bring the outdoors in. Here, textured glass walls in the hallway and den invite diffused light to brighten the space. Scott also appreciates how much recessed lighting is used throughout the house, which casts a softer, ambient glow. Another handsome appointment is the foyer’s floating credenza, a section of which extends through the wall into the master bedroom where it functions as a shelf above the bed.
Decisions, Decisions
A fter a brief discussion over the weekend, the couple decided to tender an offer. Though they had to walk a financial tightrope for several months, their other properties eventually sold, which enabled them to begin tackling the repair to-do list.
The house had been fairly well
maintained over the years — with only two owners prior to the Wogomans — but it definitely needed some TLC. First on the list was repainting the great room’s ceiling, as the acoustic tiles had yellowed with age. The job was neither easy nor inexpensive, given the ceiling’s height — but the results make the space feel more stately and light. The second job required removing the great room’s cork flooring. The couple had noticed a musty odor that lingered in the house
but didn’t know its source. As it turned out, it was the cork, which had absorbed moisture and odor over the years. Thankfully, pulling it up proved relatively straightforward, and once removed — voila! — the musty odor disappeared. Today, the great room’s floor features oversized ceramic tiles in soft dove gray, echoing the terrazzo and flowing graciously into the back of the house.
The decision-making process that takes place when you’re doing renovations requires patience and compromise, particularly when you’re trying to honor the design of distinctive home such as this.
“Scott is a fast decision-maker. For me, it takes more time,” says Edna. “And he doesn’t always have that much patience.”
But the couple have worked together, ultimately arriving at decisions both can live with. One change Edna insisted upon was removing the master bathroom’s original turquoise tile, some of which had degraded over the years. They opted instead for a clean white subway tile, stacked verti-
cally to echo the brick of the great room. They also snapped up two original Knoll credenzas at Flashback, the Midtown vintage shop, and hired Ernie Donati, the owner of The Counter-Fitters, to pull it all together. By removing the cabinet’s legs and placing the credenzas side-by-side, he created a fabulous floating vanity. Topped with a sleek slab of white quartz, it gives the entire space a feeling of serenity.
“I knew we could do it!” Scott happily observes. “When we decide together, we don’t miss.”
One of Edna’s favorite elements of the house is its bola, a beachball-sized light fixture that hangs playfully at the front entry of their home, nodding to its hip origins. For Scott, it’s been tapping his woodworking skills, a talent he developed learning how to build furniture with his father. In fact, it was his dad who introduced him to the work of architect Fay Jones, the famous Arkansan modernist. He borrowed inspiration from Jones when refurbishing a closet in the great room. One side featured a home
bar, and Scott retrofitted the other cabinet to match. Taking off the Formica countertop drove home the house’s craftsmanship, “The countertops fit so well, they weren’t even caulked,” he says. So what does the couple consider the best feature of their home? “That we live in every single room,” says Edna. “Before, we tended to be in the living room or bedroom. But here, it’s every room. We were looking for a special house — and we found it.”
top: The master bedroom, bright with sunlight. Cleverly, the shelf above the bed extends through the wall from the foyer. above: The couple loves the privacy of their backyard, complete with an elegant pond that Scott restored.
MROBERT A.
ROBERT A.
HE’S NOT THE ONE WHO SOLD HIS SOUL AT THE CROSSROADS, BUT THE “FRAYSER FLASH” HAS WORKED WITH MUSIC LEGENDS IN AMERICA AND ABROAD.
ost people have heard of a singer and phenomenal guitarist named Robert Johnson, but not necessarily the one featured in this story. Google the name and you’ll be overwhelmed with links to the virtuosic bluesman of the 1930s; traces of any other guitar-slinging Robert Johnsons are harder to find. And while Spotify does carry the punchy 1978 debut album, Close Personal Friend, by the modern rock singer of the same name, that too is incongruously listed under the classic bluesman’s discography — and you can’t even play the tracks. It’s the curse, perhaps, of having a moniker identical to that of an American musical icon.
Not that this guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, Robert Alan Johnson, a.k.a. e Frayser Flash, has had a particularly cursed life, having collaborated with some true legends of rock and soul music over his career of 60 years and counting.
BY ALEX GREENE
FRAYSER: CENTER OF THE MUSICAL UNIVERSE?
Johnson was surrounded by musical giants even before he picked up a guitar, simply by virtue of growing up in Frayser. It was in the heyday of that North Memphis neighborhood, when major employers like Firestone, International Harvester, and other industries enabled working- and middle-class families to own homes and pursue the American dream.
e young man’s home life attested to Frayser’s relative prosperity at the time. Father Robert E. Johnson worked at Humko, located on omas Street and known for its vegetable shortenings, while his mother, Darthy, worked at Sears Crosstown. Meanwhile, their neighborhood was abuzz with pivotal figures in local and national music.
Bill Black, Elvis Presley’s erstwhile bassist and bandleader for Hi Records, lived there with his wife, Evelyn. Roland Janes, the Sun Records, Phillips Recording, and Sonic Studio engineer and guitarist, was also a neighbor, as was Sam Phillips’ nephew, Johnny, whose father had founded the Select-O-Hits record distribution company. Other Frayser residents, Malcolm Yelvington and Edwin Bruce, were Sun recording artists, even as neighbors B.J. omas, Ace Cannon, and Dan Penn were forging a new Memphis sound at other studios. In the Frayser of the late ’50s and ’60s, music was everywhere.
“Right behind our school was Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland,” Johnson recalls today. “We would just go over to his house, take our guitars, and he would sing and play and show us stuff. And then Bill Black was my fondest memory, because he was just so energetic and such a great
ROBERT
JOHNSON
JOHNSON
musician. He had Lyn-Lou Studios right on the outskirts of Frayser, at Watkins and Chelsea, and that building is still there.”
Bill Black died from a brain-tumor operation in October 1965. “ at previous summer, I was at his house a lot, because I was playing with the Miller brothers, who had a band called e Castels, and Bill was producing us,” says Johnson. “ e Bill Black Combo was the number-one instrumental combo in America for two or three years, and so he had three different Bill Black Combos that he would send out on tour. He had tons of equipment in his house.”
Johnson first picked up the guitar at around age 8, taking to it with such intensity that he earned his union card at 14. And he was not only playing, he was getting out into the world, working in the mail room at Stax Records, not to mention “Warren Radio, where you could get tape machines and recording equipment,” he says. “It was across the street from Sam Phillips Recording, and I used to work there after school. ey had Neuman microphones and Fairchild compressors — it was just like a big mountain of candy, you know?”
Already playing gigs as a teenager, he was also getting comfortable working in studios. Memphis was a hive of music-industry activity at the time. Players were in demand, and Johnson was steeped in the cutting-edge sounds of the city’s hottest guitarists. His uncle, drummer Barry Johnson, with whom he eventually formed a band, had even gone to Messick High School with Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn. And all of the above, from Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland to Bill Black and beyond, had deeply influenced Johnson’s playing.
I WANT THIS GUY IN MY BAND
One day, as fate would have it, Isaac Hayes was looking for a guitarist. “I worked down at Stax and cut some demo sessions with the songwriters,” recalls Johnson, referring to the backroom, informal recordings composers made to document new songs in order to pitch them to artists. “So I’d been in and out of Stax, and I knew my way around. Isaac heard me playing in there one day, and said, ‘I want this guy in my band.’ And so Jerry [Norris], Isaac’s bandleader and drummer, said, ‘Well, we’re ready to play right now!’ One rehearsal and that was it!”
Hayes’ Hot Buttered Soul, which featured heavy rock guitar mixed into its languid soul grooves, had been released in June of that year
and had become a surprise hit album. Now, just like that, Johnson’s first performance with Hayes’ band was opening for Led Zeppelin at Bill Graham’s Winterland in San Francisco on November 6, 1969, followed by playing Elvis Presley’s 1969 New Year’s Eve party at TJ’s Club in Memphis. Heady times for a 17-year-old.
Meanwhile, Johnson continued doing session work in the crackling music economy of Memphis, doing stints in such bands as Country Funk, the Hot Dogs, and others. And he was expanding his skill set beyond simply playing music.
“I got my recording engineer degree because Ardent taught recording classes for a brief period in ’72,” says Johnson. “I think the first group I did was Wishbone Ash from England. Another one I did was me and Richard Roseborough engineering Lynyrd Skynyrd, doing it live. You had to have four hands [mixing] to make it work back then with Skynyrd.” is was a legendary set the band played at Ardent Studios in 1973, broadcast in real time on WMC-FM, which included the first-ever recorded version of “Sweet Home Alabama.”
His skills with tape machines also occasionally took him to Steve Cropper’s studio, Trans Maximus, Inc. (TMI), where he happened to be when British guitar legend Jeff Beck came to town, in preparation for recording “ e Orange Album,” aka Jeff Beck Group. “I was the tape operator for two days because the other guy was sick,” Johnson recalls. “ at’s when I connected with Jeff.”
THE OXBLOOD
Not long after, a 1953 Les Paul Goldtop guitar Johnson had modified struck a nerve with Beck — and would go on to make history. “It was an old Les Paul. It was kind of beat up, and I had the thing stripped and wanted to paint it oxblood, like my oxblood penny loafers. I took one of my shoes down to Strings & ings, and I told Tom Keckler to match the paint. Of course, over the years, it just naturally turned darker because the lacquer yellows. But the neck was too thin once they sanded it all down and I said, ‘ is thing sucks!’ So I hung it on the wall for sale.” at’s where it was when Johnson encountered Beck again. Billy Gibbons (of ZZ Top) was opening up for Beck, Bogert & Appice (a group Beck had formed with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer
Carmine Appice) in Little Rock. “I was already tight with Gibbons,” says Johnson. “We’d known each other for at least a year and a half, and we just hit it off immediately. So I was following them around like a cat looking for food, just hanging out with them. ey liked me being around. About that time, Beck walks into the dressing room and says, ‘Man, you know, I really need a Les Paul.’ And Gibbons goes, ‘Well, I’ve got one in Texas, but I’m not going to be there.’ And then I said, ‘Well, I’ve got one on the wall at Strings & ings, and you’re going to be there tomorrow.’”
e rest was history, once Beck shelled out for the axe. “I guess he loved the sound of it,” says Johnson. “He kept using it all those years. It’s on the cover of [Beck’s 1975 album] Blow By Blow. It had all the mojo.” Indeed, it’s been called “the most significant modified Goldtop in history” in the book Goldtop Believers: e Les Paul Golden Years, and that was only confirmed after Beck’s death in 2023, when “ e Oxblood,” as it was known, sold at a Christie’s auction of Beck’s gear for $1,315,708.
LONDON CALLING
Only a few years later, Johnson would see e Oxblood and Beck once again, in some very auspicious company. But before that could happen, he had to cross an ocean.
“I first went to England in January of 1972, to do some sessions,” Johnson recalls. “While I was there, a friend of Jeff Beck’s told Marc Bolan about me. He was big in ’72.” Indeed, Bolan’s group T. Rex was in the middle of a three-year run of 11 Top 10 singles at the time. But even a star of his caliber was curious to hear some of that Frayser magic.
Johnson remembers every detail: “He sent his driver over in a Rolls-Royce, who took me to his apartment on Clarendon Place. e driver stepped out and pushed the button that said ‘Feld,’ which was his real last name. I went on up with my guitars, a couple of Les Pauls. And there he was, at one o’clock in the afternoon, all dressed up in a glam outfit. He would wake up and dress up for the day. He had the glitter jacket on. Clothes were laying all around on the floor. He didn’t have a bed, just a mattress on the floor. And there must have been 200 kids in the street, just hanging out, trying to get to him.”
Johnson and Bolan jammed and cut some demos at Trident Studios, but not much came of it. Still, Johnson’s reputation across the pond was growing. In September
of 1974, he was asked to audition for bassist John Entwistle’s solo project when “ e Ox” wasn’t playing with e Who. At the appointed hour, the rehearsal hall had several other guitarists vying for the spot. Johnson walked in and addressed them, saying, “Guys, y’all better go home, because I’m getting this job.” He did.
“I ended up playing on three tracks and the single “Cell Number 7“ [from 1975’s Mad Dog],” says Johnson. “By December, we were on the road, going everywhere in England, all the town halls, selling them out, getting great reviews. en we started the American tour, did some more dates and more recordings.”
But as all that was brewing, something else was afoot. At a recording studio in December, Johnson happened to be working with Nicky Hopkins, the legendary session keyboardist who played on classic tracks by the Beatles, the Kinks, and countless others. During a break in recording, Hopkins approached Johnson. “He says, ‘Hey, Robert, Mick Taylor just quit the Rolling Stones. I gave your phone number to Mick Jagger — do you mind?’”
Johnson gave his blessing, but nothing seemed to come of it. Meanwhile, says Johnson, “All you saw every day in the newspapers, all the trades, New Musical Express, Melody Maker, and Sounds, was, ‘Who’s going to be in the Stones?’”
Finally, while he was in London, the phone rang and the voice on the line said, “Hey, Robby, it’s Mick. We want to know if you want to come over and have a play with us.”
As Johnson recalls, “I was going, ‘Who is this?’ I thought somebody was playing a joke on me.”
But, as it turned out, it really was Mick Jagger, and by the next morning Johnson was on the first flight to Rotterdam, Holland, where the Stones were holding their auditions. “I get to the hotel,” Johnson explains, “it’s about 8:30 in the morning, and I buzz the room, and Jagger answers and says, ‘Hey, did you make it okay? How’s your room? Did you bring your guitar?’ Yeah, yeah, of course I brought my guitar. And then he says, ‘Okay, so we’re going to bed now. I’ll call you about five or six o’clock in the afternoon.’” at evening, Johnson, the band, and their entourage headed to the city auditorium. “ ey had rented this sort of side room off this huge auditorium, like a banquet room,” he says. “And it took me about an hour to find an amp that worked. Of course, they were, you know, ‘partaking’ a little bit. Finally, we got down to a little bit of jamming, and then I look at the back of the room and there’s Jeff Beck standing with a road guy holding two guitars. He’s got a big cigar in his mouth.”
One of those guitars was e Oxblood, and, as the evening wore on, all of them jammed. Some tracks were recorded with a mobile studio run by Glyn Johns, the famed producer/engineer who worked with the biggest names in England, and then everyone “went back to the hotel and proceeded to take over the bar and drink till the wee hours of the morning,” Johnson recalls. “I was told that night that they’d already chosen Ronnie Wood. ey were just trying to get tracks cut, play the field, and play with the newspapers and spread rumors, but really they were just trying to get Ronnie out of his contract with the Faces.”
While nothing that Johnson played on ended up on the Stones’ Black and Blue album, he’s seen and heard tapes of
BOTTOM: ROBERT A. JOHNSON with THE ISAAC HAYES GROUP (1970), ANN WILSON (2024), BILLY GIBBONS (2024), TANYA TUCKER (2024).
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the outtakes from those sessions, and they’re reportedly available on bootlegs. At any rate, it was more of a detour for Johnson: He was still committed to playing with e Ox, and went on to continue touring with that group.
“I JUST GOT DOWN TO BUSINESS”
As career detours go, it wasn’t bad. Yet all of these true adventures have been but signposts on a road that, for Johnson, leads ever onward. More than chasing any celebrity, he’s remained committed to the work, fueling his creativity and continuing to produce great music. at’s especially apparent on his solo debut album, Close Personal Friend, released in 1978 and still considered a milestone in the “power pop” genre, re-released by Burger Records in 2018. To Johnson’s credit, it bears little resemblance to the classic rock gods with whom he worked in the early part of that decade, instead offering up short, sharp songwriting and riffs that are harbingers of what came to be called New Wave. Since then, all of his time in the big leagues, as a sideman or a bandleader, has added up to a formidable career that has included some notable work as a producer and as a musical director for high-profile events. He’s the CEO of Regent Sound Records, originally founded in New York by Bob Liftin, now based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and divides his time among there, New York, London, and Memphis. His latest passion project is fi nalizing work on the 1971 masters of an unfinished album by Albert King, recorded with the legendary Swampers band of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, then stored away for decades. Stepping up to fill the blank tracks that King never got to? None other than Johnson’s old friend, Billy Gibbons, playing King’s own Flying V guitar. When we spoke recently, he also mentioned his recent productions of Ann Wilson of Heart and Tanya Tucker, adding that he would soon be catching a flight to London. “I want to go back to Abbey Road and tweak the mixes of the Albert King/Billy Gibbons record.” And he’s still working on his own material, having released another solo album, I’m Alive, in 2019. In a full-circle moment, one of the guest players on the album was none other than Mick Taylor, whose Rolling Stones slot Johnson once sought to fi ll. And Johnson’s chops are still formidable, though he finds his local handle, “ e Frayser Flash,” a bit hard to fathom. “I was never a flash monster at all,” he says. “I just got down to business.”
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REALTOR®, CRS, SRS, SRES, RPAC Major Investor MARISSA HERTZOG
REALTOR®, CRS, ABR, PSA, MRP
THE CAPTAIN GROUP is a top-producing Memphis real estate team specializing in residential, commercial, and investment properties. Led by Fara Captain — American Dream TV host, MMDC Lifetime Member, and top 2% REALTOR® nationwide — we bring 25+ years of expertise, strategy, market insight, a strong network, and a client-first approach to exceed expectations. Marissa Hertzog, a MMDC Lifetime Member, adds depth with certifications in military relocation, Accredited Buyer Representative and Pricing Strategy Advisor. The Captain Group has a 98% list-to-sale price ratio. Our referral-based business is built on integrity, communication, and lifelong relationships. Whether buying, selling, or investing, trust The Captain Group to guide you home — and beyond. We’re more than REALTORS®; we’re partners in building your future.
HUGH IS A LIFELONG MEMPHIAN and a member of the MultiMillion Dollar Club.
He is a certified Seller Representative Specialist, a Senior Real Estate Specialist, Pricing Strategy Advisor, and holds the Graduate Real Estate Institute designation.
Hugh is extremely proud of his involvement in the betterment of our community and has served as a leader in numerous non-profit organizations. He has most recently served as the President of Carnival Memphis as well as the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, a supporter of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Hugh is equally proud of his considerate, energetic, and highly professional representation of buyers and sellers from Germantown to East Memphis and from Midtown to Fayette County. He will manage the arduous process of either buying or selling your home. Hugh provides genuine peace of mind navigating today’s challenging real estate market.
FRANCES ANDERSON has 24 years of experience in real estate. A member of the Women’s Council of Realtors and past state president 2023, Welcome Home Memphis, RPAC Major Investor President’s Circle, Lifetime MAAR MMDC member and past president 2019, & NAREB. Has been a licensed realtor since 2000. Frances was inducted in Washington, DC to the RPAC Hall of Fame on May 7, 2024. In December 2023, she was recognized as the number 1 agent for 20+ years at the Crye-Leike Southeast Office. Frances takes the stress out of listing, selling, & buying homes. Call Frances today!
WILLIAM HAYNES is with Crye-Leike Realtors in Memphis, TN, known for his dedication, market knowledge, and client-first approach. Serving firsttime buyers, investors, and established sellers throughout all parts of Shelby County. He is a Multi-Million Dollar Club recipient with consistent 5-star reviews for his clear communication, expert negotiation, and strategic guidance. Whether marketing a long-held family home, sourcing an income property, or helping a client buy for the first time, he brings energy, integrity, and deep local insight to every transaction.
865.454.1124
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JORDAN UPTON SCHIEFFLER
Affiliate Broker
GOING BEYOND TRADITIONAL REAL ESTATE, Anna blends deep local expertise — being licensed in both Tennessee and Mississippi — with a comprehensive understanding of global residency solutions. Her impressive list of designations and certifications (ABR, SRS, PSA, AHWD, RENE, Fairhaven, LRS, GRI) reinforces her reputation as a multi-million dollar producer.
Fluent in Russian, Ukrainian, and English, Anna is uniquely positioned to serve both local and international clients, providing personalized guidance and clear communication every step of the way. Call ANNA today!
AS A NATIVE MEMPHIAN, Jordan utilizes her Southern roots (graduate of St. Mary’s Episcopal School and University of Arkansas and former Director of Sales & Marketing for family business Aromatique), to truly prioritize relationships and integrity in her Real Estate career. “It is my passion to listen and care for my clients as we navigate the home-buying and selling processes successfully, minimizing stress and maximizing fun!”
WITH A PASSION for helping clients find their dream homes, Melvin Guy brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the real estate market. As the Managing Broker at Reid Realtors in the Greater Memphis area, he is committed to providing exceptional service and expertise to all of his clients. Melvin’s involvement in the MMDC showcases his dedication and leadership in the industry.
LISA THOMAS is a full-time Real Estate Broker/ REALTOR, with over 18 years of experience. She is licensed in Tennessee & Mississippi. Lisa has a five-star rating with over 100 reviews on Zillow and a Preferred Buyer’s Agent on Realtor.com. She has been ranked among the 32 best agents in Memphis. She is a Lifetime member of both the Memphis Area Association Multi-Million Dollar Club (MMDC) and the National Association of Real Estate Brokers Multi Million Dollar Club (NAREB). As your Real Estate Broker/REALTOR, Lisa will assist you with buying or selling a home. Whether you are a first-time homebuyer, purchased multiple properties, looking for a fixer-upper or a mansion or anything in between, Lisa Thomas has a very thorough knowledge of the real estate market.
BEST REAL ESTATE COMPANY
901.679.2984 | lisa@lisathomas.net
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MELODY A. MARTIN
AHWD, LHS, MRP, RENE, SRS Affiliate Broker
PROUD MOM AND GRANDMA, I’m a licensed Realtor in Tennessee and Mississippi with a passion for helping families and investors. I hold designations including Residential Real Estate Divorce Specialist, and serve on Diversity, Equity Inclusion committee. A Life Member Multi-Million Dollar Club at Memphis Area Association and NAREB, I bring dedication, experience, and results to every transaction — whether buying, selling, or investing.
AMY WOODS, your trusted Realtor “From the WOODS to the City,” has been helping clients find the perfect home since 2007. From condos to luxury estates, farms, and recreational land, she is known for her expertise in real estate across Memphis and North MS. A recipient of Crye-Leike’s Circle of Excellence Award and a Lifetime Member of the Memphis Area Association of Realtors and Crye-Leike Multi-Million Dollar Clubs, she is recognized as “The Best of the Best” within her company.
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS OFFER THEIR PERSPECTIVES ON BUYING AND SELLING.
BY CHRIS MCCOY
Whether or not you’re moving, so many people are online, clicking on Zillow or Realtor. com all the time,” says Eleanore Maynard of Hobson Realtors. “People are fascinated with real estate.”
For the bored web surfer, guessing the current state of the Memphis real estate market is an idle pastime. But for those who are looking to buy or sell property, or for professionals like Maynard, it’s more than a curiosity. Maynard has nine years of experience as a realtor, but she says her life experience gives her a much broader perspective.
“I’m the daughter of a residential realtor, the granddaughter of one, and even my great-grandmother was a residential Memphis realtor,” she says. “So even though I just got my license in 2016, I feel like my whole learning curve looks a little different from most people that do this business,” she says.
en Covid arrived, “and our whole world changed. e rates dropped, and it was such a seller’s market. Sellers were getting top dollar. We would list houses; we would follow comps. We put them on the market thinking it was a fair list price, and they’d go sometimes up to $50,000 over the list price. It was very crazy!”
“The rates are actually pretty normal and healthy, but to everybody who got their mortgage during that time — 2020 to 2022 — they don’t want to leave. … So now what we’re seeing is [interest rates] of 6 to 6.25 percent, and people think that’s high, when historically, it really isn’t.”
When she started in 2016, everything seemed fairly normal. “Houses would go on the market,” she says. “ ey didn’t sell overnight; they would sit for a little while. Brokers would hold open houses. e interest rates were pretty normal and healthy.”
— Eleanore Maynard
So, how’s the real estate market faring, five years later? “ e rates are actually pretty normal and healthy, but to everybody who got their mortgage during that time — 2020 to 2022 — they don’t want to leave,” says Maynard. “ ey’re so comfortable with it, and many people, even if they didn’t move during that time period, they refinanced. So now what we’re seeing is [interest rates] of 6 to 6.25 percent, and people think that’s high, when historically, it really isn’t.”
While Maynard says she doesn’t have a crystal ball, she speculates, “I think if the rates dip to a little under 6, we’ll see a surge in buyers again.”
Nevertheless, she says, there is action in the residential market. “ ose sales that we’re seeing, at least at Hobson Realtors, are some big sales, even up to the $2 million range. And those people are paying cash.”
Greg Renfrow of NextHome Cornerstone Realty agrees that mortgage rates line up with historical norms. “ e Memphis housing market is currently leaning in favor of buyers, with rising inventory and extended days on market, creating more opportunities and negotiating power,” he says. “ e average home sales price is approximately $260,000 in Shelby, Fayette, and Tipton Counties, and while mortgage rates remain reasonable, buyers should carefully consider the mortgage rates when making a decision in regards to their purchasing power.”
Year over year, sales are trending slightly higher, says Sheryl Wells of Crye-Leike. “Home sales were up 1.6 percent this May, compared to last May. e market is active. ere is enough inventory for buyers to have some selection. People are just being appropriately cautious, given the overall economy. Homeownership remains both a dream and an investment for many people.”
“In my office, the mood is balanced. Some agents are navigating challenges, but others are thriving. Buyer mortgage applications are up nationwide in 2025, which is a good sign that people are still engaging, just a bit more cautiously.” — Tim O’Hare
Tim O’Hare, principal broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, McLemore & Co. Realty, says, “ e Memphis residential market is healthy — sales and inventory are both up. Compared to the past few years, we’re seeing a return to seasonal trends, with more activity and fewer days on market in spring and summer. Buyers have more options now, which has brought more caution on both sides — requests for repairs are up, and sellers are watching pre-approvals and earnest money more closely.
“In my office, the mood is balanced,” O’Hare continues. “Some agents are navigating challenges, but others are thriving. Buyer mortgage applications are up nationwide in 2025, which is a good sign that people are still engaging, just a bit more cautiously.”
New construction projects are bearing the brunt of recent inflation, Wells says. “New homes are priced higher, because of the rising cost of labor, land, and materials, so it pushes them out of reach for some first-time homebuyers or budget-conscious buyers.”
“One of the biggest challenges is affordability, especially with rising costs in the new construction market,” says O’Hare. “ ere’s also a general lack of
Freaking the %#$@ out?
awareness about available loan programs and grants — something realtors can help bridge. It’s more important than ever for listings to be market-ready and priced strategically. Sometimes a rate buy-down makes more sense than a price cut.”
“First-time buyers need to be sure to check out assistance programs,” says Wells. “ is can include assistance with closing costs and rate buy-downs, which are becoming popular.”
If anybody is in the residential market, either as a buyer or seller, Maynard says, “Be wary of Zillow. e estimate’s not always accurate. We’re still a very affordable town compared to a lot of neighboring cities, and that’s a huge advantage. We have some very nice homes that, in Nashville or Birmingham, would go for maybe even triple the amount. I think people need to give Memphis more of a chance because you can get a good bang for your buck here.”
ose relatively lower prices attract attention from money outside the metro, says Cathy Anderson, vice president of Crye-Leike Commercial. “ e Memphis market continues to be a target market for investment, both from local and out-of-state investors, due to the income potential and stability of the area. We hear day in and day out that investors can get a better return here than they can in their home state.”
If you’re not ready to buy, but instead looking to rent an apartment, there’s good news, says Anderson. “ e multi-family segment has seen a good amount of product enter the market, which has pushed their vacancy rate to about 14 percent as the market adjusts. Rents are relatively stable while this excess product remains. With new opportunities on the horizon for the Greater Memphis area, we look forward to new business entering our market, which should decrease vacancy rates in all segments.”
Anderson says the balance of transactions has changed in the Memphis market, favoring one segment. “Out of the four major segments of our market — retail, industrial, office, and multi-family — the retail market has become the recent front-runner, with vacancies at around 3.7 percent. It seems that as soon as one
business closes, multiple retail entrepreneurs line up to compete for the space. Our team has worked with a large variety of clients recently, both on the leasing side and sales side. We recently completed a 1031 Exchange transaction for a client who purchased a fully leased retail property in Bartlett, near Bartlett’s first mixed-used development project, Union Depot. The buyer selected this property for three reasons: positive locations, future income potential, and strength of the tenant. All three of these factors are specific to our market.”
Office space rentals took a major beating during the pandemic, and rates have been
“The multi-family segment has seen a good amount of product enter the market, which has pushed their vacancy rate to about 14 percent as the market adjusts. Rents are relatively stable while this excess product remains.” — Cathy Anderson
slow to recover. But that may be changing, says Anderson. “The office market has been rebounding since Covid, with us seeing more activity in the office leasing segment. Vacancy rates have continued to trend downwards to about 10 percent, far below where they were post-Covid. More workers are returning to their offices, which has contributed to this positive trend. In addition, rents have increased slightly, showing positive signs for this segment. We recently brought a newly vacated data center to the market hoping to attract a new business locating here since the completion of the xAI supercomputer. Many predict that the Memphis area will see phenomenal growth in the tech industry within the next ten years, which should continue to improve vacancy and rental rates for the office segment.”
Anderson says Memphis’ major structural advantage — location, location, location, as the saying goes — means the final segment of the market has a bright future. Our central location puts us only a few hours away from 80 percent of the American population. “Memphis offers instant access to the Mississippi River, railroad crossroads, and major interstate systems to transport goods. And a strong blue-collar workforce, with TVA’s stable and cheap electricity, is attractive to heavy industry.”
The industrial market is holding steady, he says. “We anticipate more demand for space in the near future. With vacancy rates at about 9.3 percent at present, and with the entry of Ford’s BlueOval facility in Brownsville, we can expect those rates to fall as new suppliers enter the market near Ford’s facility.”
MEET the MEMBERS of the MULTI MILLION DOLLAR CLUB
The Multi Million Dollar Club is an honor society created to give recognition to REALTOR® and REALTOR®-Associate members of the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS®, who have achieved outstanding sales performance during any one calendar year.
In line with its objective of encouraging cooperation and goodwill within the real estate industry, the club hosts several social events and networking opportunities throughout the year, including its annual holiday party, awards gala, and an election celebration.
e club has hosted educational events to provide club members with free CE credit from nationally renowned speakers in recent years. e MAAR Multi Million Dollar Club has also contributed to the MAAR Benevolent Fund.
e chapter is governed by the MMDC Bylaws, as approved by the MAAR Board of Directors.
Membership in the Multi Million Dollar Club is open to MAAR members in good standing who meet MMDC’s eligibility requirements. To qualify for membership, an applicant must be a REALTOR® or REALTOR®-Associate member of MAAR and meet one of the following criteria for sales volume in the previous calendar year:
◗ A minimum of $5 million in accumulative total gross sales or leases.
◗ A minimum of 30 sales units.
Multi Million Dollar Club | BOARD OF GOVERNORS
President Robin Fauser
Eleanore Maynard
Sissy Vaughan Assistant Treasurer Kaylee Oaks
Two-Year Director Melvin Guy
Two-Year Director Tracy Duggan
Recording Secretary Ginny Tibbels
Corresponding Secretary Monica Bynum
Fourth-Year Director Renee Victory
Third-Year Director Kendra Bell
Second-Year Director Mary Grayson Caradine
First-Year Director Brittan Robbins Director Lexie Hicks Johnston
Multi Million Dollar Club
LIFE MEMBERS
Ric Bowman, Weichert, REALTORS-BenchMark
Steve Boysen, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Marina Brinkley, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Jeffrey Britt, REMAX Experts
Barbara Acree, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Todd Adams, Keller Williams
Helen Akin, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Stephen Akindona, Kairos Realty
Fontaine Albritton, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Linda Allad, Fast Track Realty
Frances Anderson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Kent Anderson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Stephen Anderson, Emmett Baird Realty
Tammy Anderson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Tina Andrade, Fast Track Realty
Jennifer Anthony, Keller Williams
David Apperson, McWaters & Associates
Jennifer Arendale, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Paige Arnold, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Mia Atkinson, eXp Realty
Sarah Aylward, The Firm
Lynda Baddour, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Patti Baggett, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Erin Baker, Grant & Co., REALTORS
Lisa Ballard-Martin, D R Horton Memphis
Sarah Bard, Oak Grove Realty
Jeff Bronze, Premier Realty
Deborah Brooks, Main Street, REALTORS
Juan Brooks, Process Realty Services
Alexis Brown, Emmett Baird Realty
Jennifer Brown, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jessica Brown, REMAX Experts
Mary Brown, Oak Grove Realty
Sharon Brown, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Steve Brown, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jeannie Bruce, KAIZEN Realty
April Bryan, Bryan Realty Group
Billye Bryan, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Michael Bryan, Bryan Realty Group
Tammy Bunnell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Kenneth Burden, New Home Realty
Vickie Burgess, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Danny Burke, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Julie Burke, Keller Williams Realty
Margaret Burke, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Carole Ann Burns, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Bill Bates, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Amy Batson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Pam Beall, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Amber Beard Bean, Groome & Co.
Barbara Becker, Adaro Realty
Sandra Beibers, Clearpoint, REALTORS
Linda Bell, KAIZEN Realty
Cassandra Bell-Warren, 4 Success Realty
Dustin Benetz, Emmett Baird Realty
Tracie Benetz, Emmett Baird Realty
Carrie Benitone, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Stacey Berry, Keller Williams
Ashleigh Bettis, Bluff City Realty Group
M. Scott Bettis, Crye-Leike Commercial
Jeanne Billings, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Anna Bishop, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Felix Bishop, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Cathleen Black, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Vicki Blackwell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Melanie Blakeney, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Ashley Bonds, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Melody Bourell, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Jeff Burress, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Shannon Byers, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Angela Cage, Harris & Harris Realty Group,
Lisa Cannon, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Lauren Cansler, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Carolina Capote, Hobson, REALTORS
Fara Captain, Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty
Julianne Carney, Keller Williams
William Carr, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Nancy Carroll, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jen Carstensen, Real Estate Agency
Betty Carter, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jeanette Carter, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Chase Chasteen, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Joyce Chasteen, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jean Childress, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Lisa Chou, Adaro Realty
Alli Clark, Keller Williams
Kevin Clark, Keller Williams
Laura Clark, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Jessica Collier, Collier REALTORS
Doug Collins, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Abby Cook, Keller Williams
Angela Correale, Correale Builders and Realtors
Violetta Couture, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Barbara Cowles, Hobson, REALTORS
Lisa Cox, Groome & Co.
Cyndi Craft, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Michelle Creamer, Groome & Co.
John Criswell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Lauren Criswell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Tommie Criswell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Melinda Crosslin, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
William Crosslin, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Michele Crump, Hobson, REALTORS
Harold Crye, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Suzanne Culpepper, The Murphy Company, REALTORS
Nancy Cunningham, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Mary Currie, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
David Da Ponte, Sowell, Realtors
Doug Damico, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Barbie Dan, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Jaron Darnell, Real Estate Agency
Katie Davidson, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Lisa Davis Wills, Adaro Realty
Curt Davis, KAIZEN Realty
Tammy Davis, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Cindy Diaz, MidSouth Residential
Jon Dickens, The Firm
Clarence Dickson, BEST Real Estate Company
Tracy Dougan Lombardo, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Joseph Doughton, KAIZEN Realty
Rhea Douglas, BHHS McLemore & Co., Realty
Tracy Duggan, BHHS McLemore & Co., Realty
Elizabeth Duke, The Firm
Jim Duke, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Mark Duke, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Heather Durham, Groome & Co.
Loura Edmondson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Rebecca Edwards, Keller Williams
Susan Edwards, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Griffin Elkington, River City Land Co.
Cindy Elliott, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Sharon Ellis, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Kelly Erb, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Stephanie Evans Taylor, Sowell, Realtors
Patty Everitt, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Rosemarie Fair, One Source Commercial
Robin Fauser, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Karla Fayne, Keller Williams
Lisa Fields, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Scott Fields, Fields of Dream Homes
Jimmie Finch, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Lisa Fitzgerald, Main Street, REALTORS
Barbara Fletcher, Adaro Realty
Marsha Fletcher, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Steven Ford, The Carter Group, REALTORS
Trey Foster, Emmett Baird Realty
Susan Fouse, Groome & Co.
Lana Fowler, Real Estate Agency
Maureen Fraser, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Danny Freeman, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jason Gaia, BHHS McLemore & Co., Realty
Vicki Gandee, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
J. Gary Garland, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Kathryn Garland, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Ken Garland, Ken Garland Co., REALTORS
Abbey Garner Miesse, Oak Grove Realty
Jodi Gibbs, Keller Williams
Katy Gillespie, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Rachel Gilliam, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Ashley Gillihan, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Beth Glosson, Fast Track Realty
Greg Glosson, Fast Track Realty
Patrecia Goldstein, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jan Gordon, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Robert Gorman, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Misty Gossett, Crye-Leike of MS
Karen Gray, REMAX Experts
Allen Green, John Green & Co., REALTORS
John Green, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Michael Green, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Michael Greenberg, Makowsky Ringel Greenberg
Carolyn Gregory, Adaro Realty
Billy Groome, Groome & Co.
Jeanna Groome, Groome & Co.
Melvin Guy, Reid, REALTORS
Kim Hairrell, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Lisa Haley, Keystone Realty
Rita Hallum, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Kesha Hamilton, Keller Williams
Kendall Haney, 901 Real Estate Services
Rip Haney, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Sherry Harbur, Harbur Realty
Lauren Harkins Wiuff, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Tamara Harrald, Epique Realty
Kenneth Harris, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Reginald Harris, Harris Realty Services
Shirley Harris, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Gary Harte, KAIZEN Realty
James Harvey, Keller Williams
Whitney Harvey, Oak Grove Realty
Janis Hasen, Hobson, REALTORS
Michelle Hayes Thomas, Hayes Homes and Realty, Inc
Marissa Hertzog, Zeitlin Sotheby’s International Realty
Leana Holcomb, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Jeffrey Howard, Bluff City Realty Group
Tracy Jefferson, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
James Jones, 1 Percent Lists Midsouth
Tiffany Jones, Tiffany Jones Realty Group
Hart Burke Kelman, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Tara King, Tiffany Jones Realty Group
Varma Kosuri, The Buyer’s Agent
KC Lam, Cordova Realty
Daniel Lane, KAIZEN Realty
Cindy Leavell, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Crystal Mitchell, Renshaw Company, REALTORS
Paul Morris, Morris and Morris
Caleb Parr, Renshaw Company, REALTORS
Amber Poe, D R Horton Memphis
Andre Pruitt, TRG Real Estate Services
Kristi Ryan, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Lorna Skelton, Crews Realty
Alan Stricklin Crensha, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Adam Underwood, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Randall Weatherall, Memphis Metro Realty
Justin Wilburn, Fayette Realty
Myles Wilson, Keller Williams Realty
Ashley Wisch, eXp Realty
Multi Million Dollar Club
MULTI-YEAR THROUGH FIRST-YEAR MMDC MEMBERS
MMDC MULTI YEAR
Victoria Brown, 4 Success Realty
Brahim Lamghari, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Cooper Turner, River City Land Co.
MMDC FOURTH YEAR
Anna Acosta Snyder, Centric Realty
Jeff Bennett, Hobson, REALTORS
Hallie Biggs, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Robin Black, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Tyler Bowman, Weichert, REALTORS-BenchMark
Curtis Braden, Braden, Braden & Braden
Seth Bryan, Bryan Realty Group
Marq Cobb, Myers Cobb Realtors
Julie Cook, REMAX Experts
Alli Echlin, Bluff City Realty Group
Cynthia Edwards, Grand Point Realty
Lorraine Fields, Fields of Dream Homes
David Fraser, John Green & Co., REALTORS
Gary Garrison, BHHS McLemore & Co. Realty
William Haynes, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Katie Hughes, Tiffany Jones Realty Group
Luke Jackson, Realty
Keri Jayroe, Epique Realty
Julie Jenkins, REMAX Experts
Dawn Kinard, Welch Realty
Kelly Leonard, Real Estate Agency
Brian Maclin, Unique Properties
Catrell Maclin, KAIZEN Realty
Hugh Mallory, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Ashlyn Randall, Keller Williams Realty
Rollin Rosatti, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Sherri Schmid, Groome & Co.
Venytra Stephens, Keller Williams Realty
Mallely Tackett, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jenny Vergos, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Renee Victory, Oak Grove Realty
Patrice Williams-Wooten, Keller Williams Realty
MMDC THIRD YEAR
Amparan Cristian, The Home Partners Realty
Bell Kendra, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Bran Elizabeth, The Firm
Brawley Hattie, 2 Rivers Realty
Brown Kevin, eXp Realty
Campbell Michelle, Keller Williams Realty
Colvett Frank, REMAX Experts
Cook Carson, Keller Williams Realty
Crosslin Corey, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Cushenberry Mandy, Fast Track Realty
Edmondson Hayden, Epique Realty
Holly James, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Elizabeth Jones, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Emanuel Martinez, KAIZEN Realty
LaTonya McGowen, C21 Patterson & Associates Real Estate
Mark Nichols, Fast Track Realty
Austin Randall, Keller Williams Realty
Rebecca Reid, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Rene Sanchez Bustamant, Keller Williams Realty
Julie Szurpicki, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Juan Torres, Fast Track Realty
Sandra Villamil, Keller Williams Realty
Saundra Whiteside, Lankford Realty Co.
Gardner Palmer, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Ethan Whitley, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Gathwright Valencia, Keller Williams Realty
Goss Rachel, Reid, REALTORS
Herrin Danielle, D R Horton Memphis
Johnson Dylan, 901, REALTORS
Kalmon Emily, Collier REALTORS
Lakes Devarrio, Keller Williams Realty
Leake Candace, Keller Williams Realty
Marie Gena, Keller Williams Realty
McDowell Tonya, The Stamps Real Estate Company
Mikkelsen Margaret, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Ramey Sarah, Epique Realty
Simpson Emma, Unique Properties
Sundin Sharleen, Groome & Co.
Tibbels Ginny, REMAX Experts
Tinker Ashley, Reid, REALTORS
Tulley Carlye, eXp Realty
Wellford Peterson, The Firm
Williams Ginia, Centric Realty
Williams Stacy, KAIZEN Realty
Wood Mary, TRG Real Estate Services
Woods Kenneth, eXp Realty
MMDC SECOND YEAR
Stephanie Arender, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Richie Averill, D R Horton Memphis
Nicholas Aylward, The Firm
Niki Berry, BHHS McLemore & Co. Realty
Mary Grayson Caradine, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Stacy Cardwell, Keller Williams Realty
Brittany Cobb, Myers Cobb Realtors
David De La Paz, Keller Williams Realty
Kayla Delk, Epique Realty
Vivian Denogean, Fast Track Realty
Cecilia Fernandez, The Home Partners Realty
Alisha Finley, Keller Williams Realty
Molly Flynn, Keller Williams Realty
Charles Harris, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
MMDC FIRST YEAR
Sandra Barkley, Keller Williams Realty
Olena Chambers, KAIZEN Realty
Jessica Clark, Keller Williams Realty
Kate Duke Echols, The Firm
Alissa Dunn, Coldwell Banker Collins-Maury
Evett Furr, D. C. A. Realty
Gaby Harsanyi, Adaro Realty
Jacob Herring, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Marquis Jones, KAIZEN Realty
Leigh Lamb, The Firm
Allen Nason, Keller Williams Realty
Anna Palazola, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Jordan Ray, eXp Realty
Brittan Robbins, Real Broker
Martha Robertson, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Samantha Sagely, UC River City Realty
Jeffery Sample, eXp Realty
Jordan Schieffler, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Elizabeth Smith, Reid, REALTORS
Alicia Taylor, The Home Partners Realty
Lauren Waites, Real Estate Agency
Ward Walthal IV, Marx-Bensdorf, REALTORS
Brandon Whobrey, Chamberwood Realty Group
Kristina Wilson, eXp Realty
Lela Yates, Ware Jones, REALTORS
Victoria Brown, 4 Success Realty
Brahim Lamghari, Crye-Leike, REALTORS
Cooper Turner, River City Land Co.
The Memphis Area Association of REALTORS® 2025-26 MULTI MILLION DOLLAR
CLUB BOARD OF GOVERNORS
The Multi Million Dollar Club is an honor society created to give recognition of REALTOR® and REALTOR®-ASSOCIATE members of the Memphis Area Association of REALTORS® who have achieved outstanding sales performace during any one calendar year.
In line with its objective of encouraging cooperation and goodwill within the real estate industry, the club hosts educational classes, several social events and networking opportunities throughout the year including its annual Holiday Party, Awards Ceremony and an Election Celebration.
The Return of Felicia Suzanne’s
A new location downtown offers the classics that made this chef’s restaurant so popular in years past.
BY MICHAEL DONAHUE
Like countless other food-lovers, I waited three long years to dine on cuisine from Felicia Suzanne’s. I finally got my chance the other night, when I visited her new location at 383 South Main.
e food and atmosphere were sublime. Unlike the sprawling former location on North Main Street, the new Felicia Suzanne’s is intimate and elegant. But not “intimate” as in tiny. Instead, it’s a comfortable restaurant with lots of seating in the bar area, which is where we enjoyed our meal, and in the adjoining dining room.
e restaurant also includes seating on side and back porches. But it does have a “bistro feel,” which Felicia Willett-Schuchardt says she and her husband/co-owner, Clay Schuchardt, were going for.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Clay Schuchardt and Felicia Willett-Schuchardt
e old one-story brick building at South Main and Talbot had been home to many businesses over the years, most recently Spindini restaurant.
When I think of quintessential Felicia Suzanne cuisine, deviled eggs and a dish called “Sunday Sugo” immediately come to mind. ey’re both on the menu, long with many of her Low Country and Creole classics. (She honed her professional skills in Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans kitchen.) Felicia says she wanted to include items
diners had been craving for three years. I was late, so I asked my fellow diners to order a cocktail and some deviled eggs as
If you’ve never had a Felicia Willett deviled egg, you’ve never had a deviled egg. These are over-the-top good. The caviar blends perfectly with the eggs.
an appetizer. ree types are listed: housesmoked salmon and caviar, hot sauce-bacon, and chow-chow. I could make a meal out
of all three, but I asked for the salmon and caviar. If you’ve never had a Felicia Willett deviled egg, you’ve never had a deviled egg. ese are over-the-top good. e caviar blends perfectly with the eggs.
We also ordered oysters, which are always great to find on any restaurant menu. e chargrilled oysters, which include white wine, chilies, garlic, and parmesan cheese, were exceptional. I’m anxious to try all the others, including “Oysters of Love,” which the menu says are “drizzled
Chris Hewitt with the “Sunday Sugo”
Cedric Gardner has been the kitchen manager for 20 years.
Justine Reid and deviled eggs
Decree Wallace with drinks
The main dining room is intimate and elegant.
with New Orleans bbq.” ey also have hot-sauced oysters with a “hot sauce butter sauce and blue cheese fondue” (that sounds amazing) and raw Gulf oysters with cocktail sauce, saltines (of course), and a balsamic mignonette.
My salad choice was a Felicia Suzanne classic: “BLFGT,” which consists of bacon, cream remoulade dressing, Flo’s (the chef’s nickname from when she lived and worked in New Orleans) pimento cheese, and fried green tomatoes. I loved the touch of sweetness to it, which Clay told me came from brown sugar.
Choosing an entree was difficult. I wanted the Gulf fish, a black grouper with cornbread crust, fresh lump crab meat, and lemon butter sauce. But I also wanted the Sunday Sugo, which is my favorite Felicia Suzanne’s classic. I consider it the ultimate comfort food. It’s beef and pork from Home Place Pastures in Como, Mississippi, with parmesan risotto in a red gravy, which is suitably rich. is is such a fabulous dish that my table-mates and I compromised, splitting both entrees.
Fans of Felicia’s shrimp and grits will be happy to know this dish also is included on the menu, along with Scottish salmon and filet of beef tenderloin.
We ordered the fried green tomatoes (with Creole remoulade sauce and Flo’s chow-chow) and the decadently good mac and cheese with smoked provolone cheese. ey also have “BBB” (bacon, beer, and brown sugar) Southern cooked greens, and a spinach Madeline, with Manchego cheese and Flo’s pickled jalapeños.
We concluded this feast with a strawberry trifle (sponge cake layered with mascarpone cream and strawberries) and the “Peppermint Patty,” (fudge and warm chocolate sauce on peppermint gelato).
I think the latter was my favorite, but, then again, I really loved that trifle — and several dessert items still beckon, like the “Milk & Cookies” (the “milk” is sweetened cream spiked with bourbon and brandy).
Felicia tells me this is her opening menu, but it will evolve into more bistro-type fare, including house-made pastas. In addition to dishes from her library of recipes
collected over 23 years, she says new items will include steak frites and a chilled seafood platter.
She also plans to add a West Indies crab salad, a dish that Clay’s mother is known for.
More items will be available when Flo’s, her grab-and-go establishment, opens in the bay on the south side of the restaurant. It’s slated to start serving in time for the holidays, and I’ll certainly be back for more.
Grace Climey with two desserts
Inga Theeke with the “BLFGT” salad and crepes
Felicia Suzanne’s has found a new home on South Main.
Felicia Suzanne’s, 383 South Main
Like Family
Upholding tradition at Memphis’
oldest Mexican restaurant.
BY BRUCE VANWYNGARDEN
Bartender Dana Sutherland with a ”Top Shelf Margarita.“
Molly’s La Casita has a history in Memphis that goes back 50 years. Originally opened by Molly Gonzalez in 1974 in a tiny building on Lamar Avenue, it stands today as the oldest Mexican restaurant in Memphis, though the location and ownership have changed.
In 1982, Gonzalez confided to one of her regular customers that she was going to have to close her restaurant. at diner, Robert Chapman, bought the place and moved it to its current location on Madison Avenue near Overton Square, where it has flourished ever since — though ownership has changed again in recent years. More on that later.
Bartender Dana Sutherland has her own decades-long
history with Molly’s. “When we were kids, my parents used to take my sister Kelly and me to the original Molly’s on Lamar,” she says. “And then, two years after Robert moved to this location, Kelly started working here. She was general manager for a long time, and just retired three years ago.”
Like her sister, Sutherland is no stranger to the restaurant business; her career began at RP Tracks in 1988. “I was the
first manager and only employee there for a while,” she says with a smile. “But then it caught on.”
After RP Tracks, Sutherland worked at Zinnie’s and Brontë for several years, before starting to work at Molly’s — for the first time. “I spent four or five years here in the 1990s,” she says, “then I left, and then I came back. at was 20 years ago. I’ve been here ever since. Lots of the staff have been here longer than I have. We don’t get a lot of turnover.”
So, what is it about Molly’s that keeps staff and customers coming back year after year? Sutherland has an answer:
“Our margarita mix is proprietary; no one else has it and no one else ever will, because it’s patented. And we purée our own strawberries and mangos.” — Dana Sutherland
“Everybody says this, but we really are like family — employees and customers. If you look at my phone contacts, half of them are regular customers, and they know that if they’re not here when they usually are, one of us is going to be texting them to make sure they’re okay. We try to keep tabs on each other and support each other. And Jessica and Kevin have kept that kind of spirit going.”
Sutherland is speaking about Jessica and Kevin Carnell, the couple who bought Molly’s from Robert Chapman’s widow, Janie Chapman, about three-anda-half years ago. “ ey’d been coming in for years,” Sutherland says, “and when my sister sort of jokingly asked them if they wanted to buy the restaurant, they said yes. ey’ve kept all the traditional things about this place alive, but Jessica has added some really nice design and decor improvements to the restaurant, like the patio.
ey’re a perfect fit for Molly’s.” And Sutherland seems to be a perfect fit behind the tiny U-shaped bar that is the heart of the restaurant. “ e bartenders get all the glory,” she says, “but the people in the back are the real stars. Our menu is huge, and they create it all back in that tiny kitchen. It’s like a dance, watching them work around each other.”
“Speaking of menus … how about your drink menu?” I ask.
“We can make any cocktail you want,” Sutherland says, handing me the menu, “but margaritas are obviously our bread and butter. Our margarita mix is proprietary; no one else has it and no one else ever will, because it’s patented. And we purée our own strawberries and mangos.” ere are eight margaritas on the drink menu. “What’s your favorite?” I ask.
“I’d have to go with our ‘Top Shelf Margarita.’ It’s Molly’s mix topped with a shot of Jimador Silver Tequila and Grand Marnier.”
“ at sounds really potent.”
“Well, it’s not the kind of margarita you’d want to drink a pitcher of,” she says, setting the lime-colored concoction on the bar in front of me, “but it’s a really good drink.”
And it is — very good and obviously potent. I ask Sutherland for some chips and salsa and a glass of water, and she is quickly on it. “I’ll think I’ll need to take my time and sip this one for a bit,” I say.
“ ere’s no hurry,” she says. “I’m not going anywhere.”
And neither am I, at least not anytime soon. at seems to be how it goes at Molly’s — once you’re there, you tend to stay awhile.
Molly’s La Casita, 2006 Madison Avenue
Memphis Dining Guide
A Curated Guide to Eating Out
Memphis Magazine offers this curated restaurant listing as a service to our readers. Broken down alphabetically by neighborhoods, this directory does not list every restaurant in town. It does, however, include the magazine’s “Top 50” choices of must-try restaurants in Memphis, a group that is updated every August. Establishments open less than a year are not eligible for “Top 50” but are noted as “New.” is guide also includes a representative sampling of other Bluff City eating establishments. No fast-food facilities or cafeterias are listed. Restaurants are included regardless of whether they advertise in Memphis Magazine; those that operate in multiple locations are listed under the neighborhood of their original location. is guide is updated regularly, but we recommend that you call ahead to check on hours, prices, or other details. Suggestions from readers are welcome: dining@memphismagazine.com.
DOWNTOWN
ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including Mr. T Rex — salads, and more. Also 30 beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. 725-7437. L, D, $-$$
AMELIA GENE’S—Globally inspired fine-dining cuisine at the One Beale project, including Rohan duck, Wagyu filet, and an extensive cheese cart. 255 S. Front. 686-5051. D, $$-$$$
THE ARCADE—Memphis’ oldest cafe. Specialties include sweet potato pancakes, a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, and breakfast served all day. 540 S. Main. 526-5757. B, L, MRA, $ ARNOLD’S SMOKEHOUSE—A classic smokehouse with vegan and nonvegan options seasoned to perfection. Closed Mon. 2019 E. Person Ave. 922-5950. L, D, SB, $-$$$
AUTOMATIC SLIM’S—Longtime downtown favorite specializes in contemporary American cuisine emphasizing local ingredients; also extensive martini list. 83 S. Second. 525-7948. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$ BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian influence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$
BELLE TAVERN—Serving elevated bar food, including a butcher board with a variety of meats and cheeses, as well as daily specials. 117 Barboro Alley. 249-6580. L (Sun.), D, MRA, $ BEN YAY’S GUMBO SHOP—Spiritual successor to DejaVu, offering fresh and authentic Creole staples. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 779-4125. L, D, $-$$
BISCUITS & JAMS—Offering sweet and savory brunch with a Cajun flare. Specialties include smoked sausage or spicy fried chicken on biscuits, lemon blueberry waffles, and rum custard French toast. No walk-ins on weekends. 24 N. B.B. King Blvd. 672-7905. B, L, WB, $-$$
BRASS DOOR IRISH PUB—Irish and New-American cuisine includes such entrees as fish and chips, burgers, shepherd’s pie, all-day Irish breakfast, and more. 152 Madison. 572-1813. L, D, SB, $-$$ BY THE BREWERY—Breakfast and lunch café, with a focus on Southern-style biscuits, salads, and soups. 496 Tennessee St. 310-4341. B, L, $
CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE
Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several Northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$$
CAROLINA WATERSHED—This indoor/outdoor eatery, set around silos, features reimagined down-home classics, including fried green tomatoes with smoked catfish, a buttermilk fried chicken sandwich, burgers, and more. Closed Mon.-Thurs. 141 E. Carolina. 321-5553. L, D, WB, $-$$
CATHERINE & MARY’S—A variety of pastas, grilled quail, pâté, razor clams, and monkfish are among the dishes served at this Italian restaurant in the Chisca. 272 S. Main. 254-8600. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
COCOZZA AMERICAN ITALIAN—”The red sauce joint of your dreams” serves up classic Italian-American fare from the owners of Majestic Grille. Closed Sun. 110 Harbor Town Sq. 609-1111. D, $-$$
COZY CORNER—Serving up ribs, pork sandwiches, chicken, spaghetti, and more; also homemade banana pudding. Closed Mon. 735 N. Parkway. 527-9158. L, D, $
CURFEW—An elevated sports bar/American tavern concept by Top Chef contestant Fabio Viviani at the Canopy Memphis Downtown hotel. 164 Union Ave. B, L, D, $-$$
DOS HERMANOS KITCHEN—Breakfast and lunch concept by Eli Townsend in the Cossitt Library. 33 S. Front. 286-2399. B, L, $ ESCO RESTAURANT AND TAPAS—Shareable dishes, turkey ribs, and seafood mac’n’cheese at this 2 Chainz franchise. 156 Lt. George W. Lee Ave. 808-3726. L, D, $$-$$$
FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Elevated down-home farmhouse food, using locally sourced ingredients, served in an atmoshere of classic Southern charm. 383 S. Main. 623-7883. L, D, $$$-$$$$.
FERRARO’S CHEESY CORNER & PIZZERIA—Plenty of pizzas, along with a whole new cheese-inspired menu (fancy grilled cheeses and buildyour-own mac and cheese bowls). 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, $
FISHBOWL AT THE PYRAMID—Burgers, fish dishes, sandwiches, and more served in a unique “underwater” setting. Bass Pro, 1 Bass Pro Drive, 291-8000. B, L, D, $-$$
FLAME RAMEN—Traditional Japanese ramen restaurant serving up bowls of noodles. 61 S. Second St. 441-6686. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$
FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR—Steaks and seafood, with such specialties as bison ribeye and Muscovy duck, all matched with appropriate wines. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, fish tacos, and catfish; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, $-$$
GARDEN BRUNCH CAFÉ—Fish and grits, steak and eggs, and other upscale takes on Southern brunch classics. 492 S. Main St. 249-7450. B, L, $$
GOOD FORTUNE CO.—Authentic handcrafted noodles, ramen, and dumplings. 361 S. Main. 561-306-4711. L, D, $-$$
THE GENRE—Burgers, tenders, catfish, and plenty of vegan options made to order at this music-themed restaurant/lounge. 200 Poplar, Suite 105. 410-8169. B, L, D, $-$$
THE GOURMET GALLERY—A variety of elevated comfort dishes, like fried ribs and waffles, shrimp and grits, grilled salmon, and more. Closed Mon. 412 S. Main St. 848-4691. L, D, $-$$$
GROOVY GRATITUDE—Offers a vibrant selection of cold-pressed juices, handcrafted smoothies, and healthy eats like paninis and acai bowls. Closed Sun. 605 N. Second St. 417-8007. B, L, WB, $
GUS’S WORLD FAMOUS FRIED CHICKEN—Serves chicken with signature spicy batter, along with homemade beans, slaw, and pies. 310 S. Front. 527-4877; 3100 Forest Hill Irene (Germantown). 8536005; 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 373-9111; 730 S. Mendenhall. 767-2323; 505 Highway 70 W., Mason, TN. 901-294-2028. L, D, MRA, $
DINING SYMBOLS
B — breakfast
L — lunch
D — dinner
SB — Sunday brunch
WB — weekend brunch
MRA — member, Memphis Restaurant Association
$ — under $15 per person without drinks or desserts
$$ — under $25
$$$ — $26-$50
CHEZ PHILIPPE—Classical/contemporary French cuisine with Asian and Nordic influences, presented in a luxurious atmosphere with seasonal tasting menus from chef Keith Clinton. Afternoon tea served Thu.-Sun., noon-3:30 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.-Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, MRA, $$$$
$$$$ — over $50
CIMAS—It’s breakfast tacos, shrimp and grits, chilaquiles verdes, and plenty of other Southern and Latin-American twists at the Hyatt Centric. 33 Beale St. 444-3232. B, L, D, $-$$$
HIVE BAGEL & DELI Bagels, bagels, and more bagels at this new downtown deli offering baked goods, sandwiches, and salads. Closed Mon./Tue. 276 S. Front St. 509-2946. B, L, $
HU. ROOF—Rooftop cocktail bar serves toasts with a variety of toppings including beef tartare with cured egg, cognac, and capers or riced cauliflower with yellow curry, currants, and almonds. Also salads, fish tacos, and boiled peanut hummus. 79 Madison. 333-1229. D, $
HUSTLE & DOUGH BAKERY & CAFE—Flaky, baked breakfast goodness every day with fresh pastries, sandwiches, and more at Arrive Hotel. 477 S. Main St., 701-7577. B, L, $
ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here, located above B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale St.; specialties are duck and waffles and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, MRA, $$-$$$
JEM DINING—Chef Josh Mutchnick offers a dining experience that’s memorable, refined, unpretentious, and welcoming with dishes from around the world. Closed Sun./Mon./Tue. 644 Madison Ave. 2861635. D, $$-$$$
KINFOLK—Breakfast with a side of nostalgia in Harbor Town. Specialties include biscuit sandwiches, steak and omelet plate, and brown butter mushrooms with jammy egg over grits. 111 Harbor Town Square. 457-5463. B, L, SB, WB, $-$$
KING & UNION BAR GROCERY—Classic Southern favorites including catfish plate, pimento cheese, po-boys, chicken & waffles. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with cocktails served with flair and favorite Memphis beers. Locally made confections available in the grocery. 185 Union Ave. 523-8500. B, L, D, $-$$
KOOKY CANUCK—Home of the four-pound Kookamonga Burger (no charge to anyone who can eat it in less than 60 minutes), plus other (smaller) burgers, sandwiches, wings, soups, and salads. 57 S. Second, 901-578-9800. L,D, MRA, $-$$
LITTLE BETTIE—New Haven-style pizzas and snacks from the Andrew-Michael team at Wiseacre’s Downtown location. 398 S. B.B. King Blvd. 334-9411. L, D, $-$$
THE LOBBYIST AT THE CHISCA—Chef Jimmy Gentry brings his farm-to-table ideas downtown, with seasonal, and sometimes weekly, new menus, and an emphasis on creative vegetable dishes. Closed Sun. 272 S. Main St., Suite 101. 249-2170. D, $$-$$$$
LOFLIN YARD—Beer garden and restaurant serves vegetarian fare and smoked-meat dishes, including beef brisket and pork tenderloin, cooked on a custom-made grill. Closed Mon.-Tues. 7 W. Carolina. 249-3046. L (Sat. and Sun.), D, MRA, $-$$
THE LOOKOUT AT THE PYRAMID—Serves seafood and Southern fare, including cornmeal-fried oysters, sweet tea brined chicken, and elk chops. 1 Bass Pro Dr. 620-4600/291-8200. L, D, $-$$$
LUNA RESTAURANT & LOUNGE—Serving a limited menu of breakfast and lunch items. Dinner entrees include citrus glaze salmon and Cajun stuffed chicken. 179 Madison (Hotel Napoleon). 526-0002. B, D (Mon.-Sat.), $-$$$
MACIEL’S—Entrees include tortas, fried taco plates, quesadillas, chorizo and pastor soft tacos, salads, and more. Closed Sun. 45 S. Main. 526-0037, MRA, $ MAHOGANY RIVER TERRACE—Upscale Southern restaurant offers such dishes as coffee-rubbed lamb chops and baked Cajun Cornish hen. Closed for dinner Sun. and all day Mon.-Tues. 280 Island Drive, 901-249-9774. L, D, SB, $-$$$
THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theater menu and classic cocktails. Well-stocked bar. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$
McEWEN’S—Southern/American cuisine with international flavors; specialties include steak and seafood, sweet potato-crusted catfish with macaroni and cheese, and more. Closed Sun., Monroe location. 120 Monroe. 527-7085; 1110 Van Buren (Oxford). 662-234-7003. L, D, SB (Oxford only), MRA, $$-$$$ MESQUITE CHOP HOUSE—The focus here is on steaks, including prime fillet, rib-eyes, and prime-aged New York strip; also, some seafood options. 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-890-2467; 88 Union. 527-5337. 249-5661. D, SB, $$-$$$
MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, MRA, $
MOMMA’S ROADHOUSE—This diner and dive at Highway 55 serves up smoked wings, burgers, and beer, among other solid barfood options 855 Kentucky. 207-5111. L, D, MRA, $
PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter cream sauce and crabmeat and spinach crepes; also changing daily specials and great views. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$
PRETTY TACO Fast casual tacos with a Memphis twist, like the Soul Burger tacos. Closed Sun./Mon. 265 S. Front St. 509-8120. L, D, $-$$
PROMISE South Main soul food restaurant (think turkey necks, meatloaf, fried catfish) using old family recipes. Closed Sun./Mon. 412 S. Main. L, D, $-$$
RENDEZVOUS, CHARLES VERGOS’—Menu items include barbecued ribs, cheese plates, skillet shrimp, red beans and rice, and Greek salads. Closed Sun.-Mon. 52 S. Second. 523-2746. L (Fri.-Sat.), D, $-$$
ROCK’N DOUGH—A blend of Italian and American foods like artisan pizza, salads, pasta, burgers, and house-brewed beers. 704 Madison Ave. 587-6256. L, D, $-$$
SABOR CARIBE—Serving up “Caribbean flavors” with dishes from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Closed Sunday. 662 Madison. 949-8100. L, D, $
SAGE—Restaurant and lounge features daily lunch specials and tapas with such dishes as braised short ribs, teriyaki pulled pork, and the Sage burger made with Angus beef, avocado mash, fried egg, and flash-fried sage. 94 S. Main. 672-7902. L, D, WB, $-$$
SILLY GOOSE LOUNGE—Gourmet, wood-fired pizzas and handcrafted cocktails at this downtown restaurant and lounge. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 435-6915. L, D, $
SMURFEY’S SMOKEHOUSE—The beloved food truck has found a permanent home for their famous loaded nachos and fries with plans of adding breakfast soon. Closed Sun. and Mon. 149 Madison Ave. 337-7966. L, D, $-$$
SOUTH MAIN SUSHI & GRILL—Serving sushi, nigiri, and more. 520 S. Main. 249-2194. L, D, $
SOB—Elevated gastropub that serves favorites like general Tso’s cauliflower or duck fried rice. 345 S. Main. 526-0388; 5040 Sanderlin (East Memphis). 818-0821; 1329 W. Poplar Ave. 286-1360. L, D, WB, $-$$
SOUTH POINT GROCERY—Fresh and delicious sandwiches made to order at Downtown’s new grocery market. 136 Webster Ave. B, L, D, $
SUGAR GRITS—Who said breakfast has to be in the morning? The Westmorelands offer grits and other breakfast goodness all day long, in addition to other Southern-style lunch and dinner options. 150 Peabody Pl., Suite 111. 249-5206. B, L, D, $-$$
SUNRISE MEMPHIS—Serves breakfast all day, including house-made biscuits, frittatas, kielbasa or boudin plates, and breakfast platters. 670 Jefferson. 552-3144; 5469 Poplar Ave. (East Memphis). 844-6117. B, L, MRA, $
TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such dishes as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, chicken satay, and mushroom pizzetta. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, MRA, $$
TEXAS DE BRAZIL—Serves beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes, and Brazilian sausage; also a salad bar with extensive toppings. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 103. 526-7600. L (Wed.-Fri.), D, WB, $$-$$$
TUG’S—Famous for New Orleans gumbo, fabulous burgers, fried thin catfish, and specialty pancakes. Now serving Grisanti Crafted Pizza. 51 Harbor Town Square. 260-3344. B, L, D, WB, $$-$$$
WAHLBURGERS WILD—Wahlburgers brings its classic menu, but with a few gamey twists at the Bass Pro Pyramid. 1 Bass Pro Drive. B, L, D, $-$$
WESTY’S—Extensive menu includes a variety of wild rice dishes, sandwiches, plate lunches, and hot fudge pie. 346 N. Main. 543-3278. L, D, $
WINGMAN—Downtown lounge and hookah bar offering wings galore with ten signature sauces, and plenty of other goodies. 143 Madison Ave. L, D, WB, $-$$
MIDTOWN (INCLUDES THE MEDICAL CENTER)
ABNER’S FAMOUS CHICKEN—Fried chicken tenders and dipping sauces galore at this Mid-South staple. 1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 137. 425-2597; (East Memphis) 1591 Poplar Ave. 509-3351; (Cordova) 1100 N. Germantown Pkwy. 754-5355. L, D, $-$$
ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, $-$$
ALCHEMY / SALT|SOY—Handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers with the Asian fusion dining concept from Salt|Soy. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, $-$$
ART BAR—Inventive cocktails feature locally foraged ingredients; snacks include house-cured salt & vinegar potato chips and herb-roasted olives. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #280. 507-8030. D, $ ASHTAR GARDEN—Southern twists on classic brunch dishes, and plenty of cocktails. Closed Mon.-Wed. 898 Cooper St. 4431514. L, D, $-$$
BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274-0100; 6450 Poplar, 410-8909. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$
BAIN BARBECUE & BAKERY—Brian Bain’s popular Texas-style barbecue is back, alongside an assortment of baked goods. 993 S. Cooper. 310-4141. B, L, $-$$
BAR DKDC—Features an ever-changing menu of international “street food,” from Thai to Mexican, Israeli to Indian, along with specialty cocktails. 964 S. Cooper. 272-0830. D, MRA, $
BAR KEOUGH—It’s old-school eats and cocktails at the new CooperYoung neighborhood corner bar by Kevin Keough. 247 Cooper St. D, $
BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, bologna, other classics. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, MRA, $-$$
BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the day. 524 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
BARKSDALE RESTAURANT—Old-school diner serving breakfast and Southern plate lunches. 237 S. Cooper. 722-2193. B, L, D, $ (Temporarily closed.)
BAYOU BAR & GRILL—New Orleans fare at this Overton Square eatery includes jambalaya, gumbo, catfish Acadian, shrimp dishes, red beans and rice, and muffalettas. 2094 Madison. 278-8626. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$
BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks, salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea bass. Perennial “Best Brunch” winner. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
BOSCOS—Tennessee’s first craft brewery serves a variety of freshly brewed beers as well as wood-fired oven pizzas, pasta, seafood, steaks, and sandwiches. 2120 Madison. 432-2222. L, D, SB (with live jazz), MRA, $-$$
BROADWAY PIZZA—Serving a variety of pizzas, including the Broadway Special, as well as sandwiches, salads, wings, and soul-food specials. 2581 Broad. 454-7930; 627 S. Mendenhall. 207-1546. L, D, $-$$
CAFE 1912—French/American bistro owned by culinary pioneer Glenn Hays serving such seafood entrees as seared sea scallops with charred cauliflower purée and chorizo cumin sauce; also crepes, salads, and onion soup gratinée. 243 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
CAFE ECLECTIC—Omelets and chicken and waffles are among menu items, along with quesadillas, sandwiches, wraps, and burgers. Menu varies by location. 603 N. McLean. 725-1718; 111 Harbor Town Square. 590-4645. B, L, D, SB, MRA, $
CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, $
CAMEO—Three longtime Memphis bartenders join forces for creative cocktails, cheese boards, snacks, and Sunday brunch. 1835 Union Ave., Suite 3. 305-6511. D, SB, $-$$
CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$
CENTRAL BBQ—Serves ribs, smoked hot wings, pulled pork sandwiches, chicken, turkey, nachos, and portobello sandwiches. Offers both pork and beef barbecue. 2249 Central Ave. 272-9377; 4375 Summer Ave. 767-4672; 147 E. Butler. 672-7760 ; 6201 Poplar. 4177962. L, D, MRA, $-$$
COMPLICATED PILGRIM—Quick-serve coffee shop, bar, and restaurant all in one at The Memphian hotel. 21 S. Cooper St. 538-7309. B, L, D, $-$$
THE COVE—Nautical-themed restaurant and bar serving oysters, pizzas, and more. The Stoner Pie, with tamales and fritos, is a popular dish. 2559 Broad. 730-0719. L, D, $
THE CRAZY NOODLE—Korean noodle dishes range from bibam beef noodle with cabbage, carrots, and other vegetables, to curry chicken noodle; also rice cakes served in a flavorful sauce. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 2015 Madison. 272-0928. L, D, $
ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops to housemade pastas and a grilled vegetable plate; also a Saturday brunch. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. B, L, D, $-$$
EVERGREEN GRILL—Serving classic American cuisine like patty melts, burgers, phillies, and more to bring you the comforting taste of home. Closed Mon./Tue. 212 N. Evergreen St. 779-7065. L, D, X,$$-$$$
FARM BURGER—Serves grass-fed, freshly ground, locally sourced burgers; also available with chicken, pork, or veggie quinoa patties, with such toppings as aged white cheddar, kale coleslaw, and roasted beets. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 175. 800-1851. L, D, $
THE FARMER AT RAILGARTEN—Farmer classics include panseared catfish, gulf shrimp and grits, or a Gibson donut bread pudding. Closed Mon./Tue. 2166 Central. 313-0087. D, $-$$
FEAST & GRAZE—Whipped goat toast, open-faced grilled cheese, and other local pantry snacks and charcuterie boards. Closed Sun./Mon. Inside Brooks Museum, 1934 Poplar. 654-5926. L, $
FINO’S FROM THE HILL—Italian deli offers old favorites such as the Acquisto as well as a new breakfast menu. Germantown location paired
FLAME RAMEN—Traditional Japanese ramen restaurant serving up bowls of noodles in Midtown. 1838 Union Ave. 779-8666; 61 S. Second St., Suite 160 (downtown). D, $-$$
FLIP SIDE—Pinball meets pub in the Crosstown neighborhood, with plenty of games alongside a Caribbean- and Latin-inspired menu. Closed Mon. 1349 Autumn Ave. 207-6193. L, D, $-$$
FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, $-$$
GLOBAL CAFÉ—This international food hall hosts three immigrant/ refugee food entrepreneurs serving Venezuelan, Sudanese, and Syrian cuisines. Samosas, shawarma, and kabobs are among the menu items. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue, Suite 157. L, D, MRA, $
GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, $-$$
GOOD GROCERIES MARKET & CAFÉ—Providing fresh, healthy, cruelty-free meals, Good Groceries offers a classic American menu with a twist: instead of pork, they use duck for their BBQ. They also sell quesadillas, mac-and-cheese, sandwiches, and more. Closed Sun. 585 S. Cooper St. 325-1269. B, L, D, $
GROWLERS—Sports bar and eatery serves standard bar fare in addition to pasta, tacos, chicken and waffles, and light options. 1911 Poplar. 244-7904. L, D, $-$$
GUAC FRESH MEX—Authentic Mexican cuisine and four types of guacamole. Closed Sun. 782 Washington Ave. 587-4100. L, D, $
HATTIE B’S—Fried chicken spot features “hot chicken” with a variety of heat levels; from no heat to “shut the cluck up” sauce. Sides include greens, pimento mac-and-cheese, and black-eyed pea salad. 596 S. Cooper. 424-5900. L, D, $
HUEY’S—This family-friendly restaurant offers 13 different burgers, a variety of sandwiches, and delicious soups and salads. 1927 Madison. 726-4372; 1771 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 754-3885; 77 S. Second (downtown). 527-2700; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-4455; 7090 Malco Blvd. (Southaven). 662-349-7097; 7825 Winchester. 624-8911; 4872 Poplar. 682-7729; 7677 Farmington Blvd. (Germantown). 318-3030; 8570 Highway 51 N. (Millington). 873-5025. L, D, MRA, $
IMAGINE VEGAN CAFE—Dishes at this fully vegan restaurant range from salads and sandwiches to full dinners, including eggplant parmesan and “beef” tips and rice; breakfast all day Sat. and Sun. 2158 Young. 654-3455. L, D, WB, $
INDIA PALACE—Tandoori chicken, lamb shish kabobs, and chicken tikka masala are among the entrees; also, vegetarian options and a daily all-you-can-eat lunch buffet. 1720 Poplar. 278-1199. L, D, $-$$
INSPIRE COMMUNITY CAFE—Serving breakfast all day, in addition to quesadillas, rice bowls, and more for lunch and dinner. 510 Tillman, Suite 110. 509-8640. B, L, D, $
JACK BROWN’S BEER AND BURGER JOINT—Another spot to satisfy your burger craving, this time with 100% American Wagyu beef. 2197 Central Ave. 512-6957. L, D, $-$$$
LAFAYETTE’S MUSIC ROOM—Serves such Southern cuisine as po’boys, shrimp and grits, and wood-fired pizzas. 2119 Madison. 207-5097. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$
LOS COMALES—Authentic Mexican cuisine, daily specials, and strong margaritas. 1322 Madison. 440-8393; 345 Madison Ave. (downtown). 5904524; 2860 S. Perkins (East Memphis). 369-0528. L, D, $-$$
THE LIQUOR STORE—Renovated liquor store turned diner serves all-day breakfast, sandwiches, and entrees such as Salisbury steak and smothered pork chops. 2655 Broad. 405-5477; 669 S. Mendenhall Rd. (East Memphis). B, L, D, $-$$
LOUIS CONNELLY’S BAR FOR FUN TIMES & FRIENDSHIP
An upgraded dive bar with a neighborhood feel and a rockin’ SMASH burger. Closed Sun. and Mon. 322 S. Cleveland St. 433-9582. L, D, $-$$
MADISON TAVERN—Indoor and outdoor seating available, plus a full menu with a range of comfort foods and drinks on tap. 2126 Madison Ave. 417-8029. L, D, $-$$$
MARY’S B.O.T.E.—This bar of tropical escapism offers over 30 specialty drinks, pizzas, bar snacks, and a cozy interior that transports customers to the beach. 21+ only. Closed Mon. 588 S. Cooper St. No phone number. D, wheelchair accessible, $
MEMPHIS JAMAICAN KITCHEN—Authentic Jamaican specialties, including jerk chicken and oxtails. 1354 Madison Ave. L, D, $$
MEMPHIS PIZZA CAFE—Homemade pizzas are specialties; also serves sandwiches, calzones, and salads. 2087 Madison. 726-5343; 5061 Park Ave. 684-1306; 7604 W. Farmington (Germantown). 753-2218; 797 W.
MEMPHIS TOAST—Provides authentic Memphian breakfast cuisine and features themed rooms to honor iconic Memphis figures. Specialties include French toast, shrimp and grits, and their little Lucille breakfast burrito. 954 Jackson Ave. 417-7817. B, L, WB, $-$$
MEMPHIS WHISTLE—Cocktails, cocktails, and even more delicious cocktails alongside burgers, sandwiches, and other tasty snacks. 2299 Young Ave. Closed Mon.-Tue. 236-7136. D, $-$$
MOLLY’S LA CASITA—Homemade tamales, fish tacos, a vegetarian combo, and bacon-wrapped shrimp are a few of the specialties. 2006 Madison. 726-1873. L, D, MRA, $-$$
PAYNE’S BAR-B-QUE—Opened in 1972, this family-owned barbecue joint serves ribs, smoked sausage, and chopped pork sandwiches with a standout mustard slaw and homemade sauce. About as down-to-earth as it gets. 1762 Lamar. 272-1523. L, D, $-$$
PETALS OF A PEONY—Authentic Chinese restaurant serving chicken, fish, tofu, and more, smothered in spicy sauces. 2110 Madison Ave. 207-6680. L, D, $-$$$
THE PUBLIC BISTRO—Knifebird owners’ full-service American bistro with a menu by chef Gannon Hamilton. 937 S. Cooper St. Closed Sun. 509-2113. D, $-$$
SALTWATER CRAB—Offers an array of seafood dishes including boils with blue crab, crab legs, lobster tails, and more, and specialty sushi like the Dynamite or Royal King rolls, in addition to signature sangrias and cocktails. 2059 Madison Ave. 922-5202. L, D, $$
THE SECOND LINE—Kelly English brings “relaxed Creole cuisine” to his newest eatery; serves a variety of po’boys and such specialties as barbecue shrimp, andouille shrimp, and pimento cheese fries. 2144 Monroe. 590-2829. L, D, WB, $-$$
SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 25 Belvedere. 725-0005; 1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar. 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-0622; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, $-$$$
SEN TRANG—Serving a wide variety of Chinese and Vietnamese soups, stir-fries, and noodles. 1615 Madison Ave. 276-0006. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$
SHROOMLICIOUS MEALS—Vegan eatery with a heavy blend of (as the name implies) mushrooms. Closed Mon. and Tues. 394 N. Watkins St. 205-8413. L, D, $
SLICE MIDTOWN—Serving New York-style pizza as well as subs and pasta dishes (formerly known as Little Italy). 1495 Union. 725-0280; L, D, $-$$
SMOKY CITY BBQ—Serving authentic Memphis barbeque, including burgers, ribs, wings, and daily specials. Closed Sun. 1023 Jackson Ave. 425-3115. L, D, $-$$$
SOUL FISH CAFE—Serving Southern-style soul food, tacos, and po’boys, including catfish, crawfish, oyster, shrimp, chicken, and smoked pork tenderloin. 862 S. Cooper. 725-0722; 3160 Village Shops Dr. (Germantown). 755-6988; 4720 Poplar. 590-0323. L, D, MRA, $-$$
STICKEM—Brick-and-mortar location for the popular food truck, which offers grilled meat on a stick. 1788 Madison. Closed Sunday. 474-7214. L, D, $ TEKILA MEXICAN CUISINE—Mexican cuisine with a modern twist. Specialties include chicken mole, enchiladas verde, and the trio special. 1433 Union Ave. 510-5734. L, D, WB, wheelchair accessible, $-$$$
TAMBOLI’S PASTA & PIZZA—Pasta-maker Miles Tamboli whips up Italian soul food with seasonal menus featuring dishes like crispy fried chicken or creamy bucatini with pecorino cheese. Serves dinner Tues.-Sat. 1761 Madison. 410-8866. D, $-$$
TAKASHI BISTRO—Fusion restaurant with an open kitchen that lets customers watch chefs prepare a variety of Japanese and Thai cuisine. 1680 Union Ave., Suite 109. 800-2936. L, D, $-$$.
TJ MULLIGAN’S—Cold drinks, comfort food, and plenty of live entertainment. 2021 Madison. 725-0770; 1817 Kirby Pkwy. (East Memphis). 755-2481; 8070 Trinity Rd. Suite 1 (Cordova). 756-4480; 2821 N. Houston Levee Rd. (Lakeland). 377-9997. L, D, $-$$
TONICA—Paella and other Spanish-inspired dishes with an Italian touch, alongside an extensive list of gin and tonics. 1545 Overton Park. Closed Mon.-Wed. D, $-$$
TSUNAMI—Features Pacific Rim cuisine (Asia, Australia, South Pacific, etc.); also a changing “small plate” menu. Chef Ben Smith is a Cooper-Young pioneer. Specialties include Asian nachos and roasted sea bass. Closed Sunday. 928 S. Cooper. 274-2556. D, MRA, $$-$$$
TUYEN’S ASIAN BISTRO—A variety of Asian dishes from the minds and chefs behind Saigon Le. Closed Sun. 288 N. Cleveland. L, D, $-$$
VIBE FOODS—By way of Colorado, superfood bar serves up clean and delicious meals and juices. Closed Sun. 1350 Concourse Ave. 572-1127; 3139 Poplar Ave. (East Memphis). 207-2535. B, L, $-$$
ZINNIE’S—Dive bar classic reopens with a makeover and signature Zinnaloni sandwich. 1688 Madison. 726-5004. L, D, $ SOUTH MEMPHIS (INCLUDES PARKWAY VILLAGE, FOX MEADOWS, SOUTH MEMPHIS, WINCHESTER, AND WHITEHAVEN)
BALA’S BISTRO—Authentic West African cuisine available to order or by the pound, alongside traditional American dishes and an extensive vegan menu. 4571 Elvis Presley Blvd. 509-3024. L, D, $-$$
CACHE 42 KITCHEN & COCKTAILS—Elevated fine dining (think golden rack of lamb or lobster queso) and cocktail lounge at MoneyBagg Yo’s restaurant; menu by chef Daris Leatherwood. Brunch and lunch options coming soon. 4202 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 121. 494-5458. D, $-$$
COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652; 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122. L, D, $-$$
CURRY BOWL—Specializes in Southern Indian cuisine, serving Tandoori chicken, biryani, tikka masala, and more. Weekend buffet. 4141 Hacks Cross Rd. 207-6051. L, D, $
DELTA’S KITCHEN—The premier restaurant at The Guest House at Graceland serves Elvis-inspired dishes — like Nutella and Peanut Butter Crepes for breakfast — and upscale Southern cuisine — including lamb chops and shrimp and grits — for dinner. 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd. 443-3000. B, D, $-$$$
DWJ KOREAN BARBECUE—This authentic Korean eatery serves kimbap, barbecued beef short ribs, rice and noodles dishes, and hot pots and stews. 3750 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 101. 746-8057; 2156 Young. 207-6204. L, D, $-$$
FABULOUS FLAVORS & FRIENDS ”The Candy Lady” Precious Thompson Jones comes up with a little bit of everything: omelettes, quesadillas, t-bones and waffles, and plenty of soul food. 2063 E. Brooks Rd. 314-0735. L, D, $
THE FOUR WAY—Legendary soul-food establishment dishing up such entrees as fried and baked catfish, chicken, and turkey and dressing, along with a host of vegetables and desserts. Around the corner from the legendary Stax Studio. Closed Mon. 998 Mississippi Blvd. 507-1519. L, D, $
HERNANDO’S HIDEAWAY No one cares how late it gets; not at Hernando’s Hideaway. Live music, killer happy hour, and plenty of bar fare at this South Memphis hang. 3210 Old Hernando Rd. 917-982-1829. L, D, $ INTERSTATE BAR-B-Q—Specialties include chopped pork-shoulder sandwiches, ribs, hot wings, spaghetti, chicken, and turkey. 2265 S. Third. 775-2304; 150 W. Stateline Rd. (Southaven). 662-393-5699. L, D, $-$$
JIM & SAMELLA’S—It’s a revolving menu of soul food delight from Chef Talbert Fleming, with anything from Southern ribs to fried tamales. 841 Bullington Ave. 265-8761. L, D, $
LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, catfish, homemade onion rings, and lemon icebox pie; also a lunch buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, $-$$
MARLOWE’S—In addition to its signature barbecue and ribs, Marlowe’s serves Southern-style steaks, chops, lasagna, and more. 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd. 332-4159. D, MRA, $-$$
UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason: fried chicken (mild, hot, or home-style); jumbo burgers four patties high; strawberry shortcake, and assorted fruit pies. 3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. L, D, MRA, $ SUMMER / BERCLAIR / RALEIGH / BARTLETT
BISCUITS & JAMS—Biscuits, waffles, French toast, and plenty of sharables at this Bartlett breakfast spot. Closed Mon./Tue. 5806 Stage Rd. 672-7905. B, L, $
BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Possibly the best biscuits in town. Closed Mon. and Tues. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, $ CEVICHERIA AND GRILL CHILEMON—Ceviche, of course, but also plenty of other postres, aperitivos, and mixed grilled meat and seafood feasts. Closed Sun. 4509 Summer Ave. 672-7905. L, D, $ CHEF FLAVAS AND BARTLETT BREAKFAST FACTORY ”Flavaful” sandwiches, soups, pastas, and more from the makers of the popular local spinach artichoke dip. Traditional breakfast options
served by Bartlett Breakfast Factory. Closed Sun./Mon. 6301 Stage Rd. 779-2200. B, L, D, $-$$
DIM SUM KING—All the best from a selection of authentic Chinese dishes: roasted duck, sizzling hot plate, Cantonese BBQ, and plenty more. 5266 Summer Ave. Suite 65. 766-0831. L, D, $-$$
ELWOOD’S SHACK—Casual comfort food includes tacos, pizza, and sandwiches. Specialties include meats smoked in-house (chicken, turkey, brisket, pork), barbecue pizza, and steelhead trout tacos. 4523 Summer. 7619898. B, L, D, $
EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 6250 Stage Rd. 382-3433; 2935 Austin Peay. 388-4711; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 754-0202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd. (Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-342-4544. L, D, MRA, $
HABANA CLUB RESTAURANT, BAR & GRILLE—Offering authentic Cuban fare. 6110 Macon Rd. 480-8173. L, D, $-$$
LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. A bona-fide Memphis institution. 4818 Summer. 685-6857; 5848 Winchester. 3654992. L, D, $
LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemon-grass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 682-1151. D, $
MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/nightly specials. A Memphis landmark since the Knickerbocker closed. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 7619321. L, D, $-$$
NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 454-0320. D, $$
NAM KING—General Tso’s chicken, hot and sour soup, and homemade chicken wings are back at the longtime Raleigh Chinese eatery. 3624 Austin Peay Highway, Suite 3. 373-4411. L, D, $-$$
PANCAKE SHOP—Classic breakfast items plus meat-and-three lunches, sandwiches, soups, salads. Open 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every day except Wednesday. 4838 Summer. 767-0206. B, L, $
ÓRALE TACOS & BAKERY—Tacos, enchiladas, and other traditional Southern Mexican dishes alongside baked pan dulces. 2204 Whitten Rd. 571-1786. B, L, D, $-$$
PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 323-4819. L, D, $-$$
QUEEN OF SHEBA—Featuring Middle Eastern favorites and Yemeni dishes such as lamb haneeth and saltah. 4792 Summer. 207-4174. L, D, $
SIDE PORCH STEAK HOUSE—In addition to steak, the menu includes chicken, pork chops, and fish entrees; homemade rolls are a specialty. Closed Sun./Mon. 5689 Stage Rd. 377-2484. D, $-$$
TORTILLERIA LA UNICA—Individual helping of Mexican street food, including hefty tamales, burritos, tortas, and sopes. 5015 Summer Ave. 685-0097. B, L, D, $
UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORHOOD DISTRICT (INCLUDES CHICKASAW GARDENS AND HIGHLAND STRIP)
A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, $-$$$
BROTHER JUNIPER’S—This little cottage is a breakfast mecca, offering specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 324-0144. B, $
CHAR RESTAURANT—Specializing in modern Southern cuisine, this eatery offers homestyle sides, charbroiled steaks, and fresh seafood. 431 S. Highland, Suite 120. 249-3533. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$
EL PORTON—Fajitas, quesadillas, and steak ranchero are just a few of the menu items. 2095 Merchants Row (Germantown). 754-4268; 8361 Highway 64. 380-7877; 3448 Poplar (Poplar Plaza). 452-7330; 1805 N. Germantown Parkway (Cordova). 624-9358; 1016 W. Poplar (Collierville). 854-5770. L, D, MRA, $-$$
PLANT BASED HEAT All of your favorite Southern-style recipes, but deliciously transformed into a vegan format. Specialties include the spicy fye junt burger, or the chopped ‘n’ smoked BBQ jackfruit sandwich. Closed Sun. 669 S. Highland St.; 363 S. Front St. (downtown). L, D, $ SAM’S DELI—Everything from sandwiches to bibimbap bowls at this local favorite. Closed Mon./Tue. 643 S. Highland St. 454-5582. L, D, $
EAST MEMPHIS (INCLUDES POPLAR / I-240)
ACRE—Features seasonal modern American cuisine in an avantegarde setting using locally sourced products; also small plates and enclosed garden patio. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 690 S. Perkins. 818-2273. L, D, $$-$$$
AGAVOS COCINA & TEQUILA—Camaron de Tequila, tamales, kabobs, and burgers made with a blend of beef and chorizo are among the offerings at this tequila-centric restaurant and bar. 2924 Walnut Grove. 433-9345. L, D, $-$$
AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted fish. 1239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
ANDALUSIA— Authentic Moroccan cuisine, including tagines, brochettes, and briouates. 5101 Sanderlin Ave., Suite 103. 236-7784. L, D, $-$$
ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN—Traditional Italian cuisine with a menu from two of the city’s top chefs that changes seasonally with such entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 712 W. Brookhaven Circle. 347-3569. D, MRA, $$-$$$
ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs Benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and other breakfast fare; also burgers, sandwiches, and salads. 6063 Park Ave. 729-7020; 65 S. Highland. 623-7122. B, L, WB, $
ANTIGUA MEXICAN BAR & GRILL—Tortas, tacos, and other authentic Mexican cuisine alongside freshly-made salsa, guacamole, and white queso dip. 717 N. White Station Rd. 761-1374. L, D, $-$$
BANGKOK ALLEY—Thai fusion cuisine includes noodle and curry dishes, chef-specialty sushi rolls, coconut soup, and duck and seafood entrees. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. at Brookhaven location; call for hours. 715 W. Brookhaven Circle. 590-2585; 2150 W. Poplar at Houston Levee (Collierville). 854-8748. L, D, $-$$
BELLE MEADE SOCIAL—Upscale Americana cuisine including lamb lollipops, spicy tuna stack, and steak & noodle salad. 518 Perkins Extd. 480-7054. L, D, $-$$$
BELMONT GRILL—Burgers, steak sandwiches, and other classic American fare at one of Memphis’ longstanding bars. 4970 Poplar. 767-0305. L, D, $-$$
BENIHANA—This Japanese steakhouse serves beef, chicken, and seafood grilled at the table; some menu items change monthly; sushi bar also featured. 912 Ridge Lake Blvd. 767-8980. L, D, $$-$$$
BIG BAD BREAKFAST—Fresh biscuits, house-made cured meats, jams, jellies, and more for the most important meal of the day. 6450 Poplar. 881-3346. B, L, $-$$
BOG & BARLEY—An all-Irish fine dining experience by the owners of Celtic Crossing, and a full bar with plenty of beer and 25-year-old Macallan. 6150 Poplar, Suite 124. 805-2262. L, D, WB, $-$$ BROOKLYN BRIDGE ITALIAN RESTAURANT—Specializing in such homemade entrees as spinach lasagna and lobster ravioli; a seafood specialty is horseradish-crusted salmon. Closed Sun. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 755-7413. D, $-$$$
CAPITAL GRILLE—Known for its dry-aged, hand-carved steaks; among the specialties are bone-in sirloin, and porcini-rubbed Delmonico; also seafood entrees and seasonal lunch plates. Closed for lunch Sat.Sun. Crescent Center, 6065 Poplar. 683-9291. L, D, $$$-$$$$
CASABLANCA—Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 5030 Poplar. 725-8557; 1707 Madison. 421-6949. L, D, $-$$
CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. 5101 Sanderlin Ave. 205-2500. D, MRA, $-$$$
CITY SILO TABLE + PANTRY—With a focus on clean eating, this establishment offers fresh juices, as well as comfort foods re-imagined with wholesome ingredients. 5101 Sanderlin. 729-7687. Germantown: 7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Suite 2. 236-7223. B, L, D, $ COASTAL FISH COMPANY—Upscale offerings of international fish varieties utilizing styles ranging from the Carribbean, East Coast, West Coast, China, Philippines, and more. 415 Great View Dr. E., Suite 101. 266-9000. D, $$-$$$
CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662-893-3663. L, D, MRA, $-$$
DAN MCGUINNESS PUB—Serves fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, and other Irish and American fare; also lunch and dinner specials. 4694 Spottswood. 761-3711; 3964 Goodman Rd. 662-8907611. L, D, $
ERLING JENSEN—For decades, Chef Erling has presented “globally inspired” cuisine to die for. Specialties are rack of lamb, big-game entrees, and fresh fish dishes. 1044 S. Yates. 763-3700. D, MRA, $$-$$$
ERLING JENSEN SMALL BITES—Enjoy Erling Jensen’s specialty dishes in a sharable, small-plate format alongside TopGolf Swing suites. 5069 Sanderlin Ave. 587-9464. L, D, $-$$$
FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wet-aged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, MRA, $$$-$$$$
FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE
Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, MRA, $$$-$$$$
FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hotand-sour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Mon. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, $-$$
FOX RIDGE PIZZA & GRILL—Pizzas, calzones, sub sandwiches, burgers, and meat-and-two plate lunches are among the dishes served at this eatery, which opened in 1979. 711 W. Brookhaven Circle. 758-6500. L, D, $
FRATELLI’S—Serves hot and cold sandwiches, salads, soups, and desserts, all with an Italian/Mediterranean flair. Closed Sun. 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis Botanic Garden. 766-9900. L, $
HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as king crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, and a ”voodoo menu.” 688 S. Mendenhall. 682-3966; 9091 Poplar, Germantown. 590-4304. L, D, WB, MRA, $-$$$
HEN HOUSE—Hybrid wine/cocktail bar and tasting room with plenty of cosmopolitan eats. Closed Sun. 679 S. Mendenhall. 499-5436. D, $-$$$
HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves a variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Mon. A neighborhood fixture. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, $-$$
HOG & HOMINY—The casual sister to Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen serves brick-oven-baked pizzas, including the Red-Eye with pork belly, and small plates with everything from meatballs to beef and cheddar hot dogs; and local veggies. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cir. 207-7396. L, D, SB, MRA. $-$$$
LA BAGUETTE—An almond croissant and chicken salad are among specialties at this French-style bistro. Closed for dinner Sun. 3088 Poplar. 458-0900. B, L, D (closes at 7), MRA, $ LAS DELICIAS—Popular for its guacamole, house-made tortilla chips, and margaritas, this restaurant draws diners with its chicken enchiladas, meat-stuffed flautas, and Cuban torta with spicy pork. Closed Sun. 4002 Park Ave. 458-9264; 5689 Quince. 800-2873. L, D, $
LIBRO AT LAURELWOOD—Bookstore eatery features a variety of sandwiches, salads, and homemade pasta dishes, with Italian-inspired options such as carbonara and potato gnocchi. Closed for dinner Sun. 387 Perkins Ext. (inside Novel). 800-2656. B, L, D, SB, $-$$ LITTLE ITALY EAST—New York-style pizzas galore and homemade pasta. Closed Sun. 6300 Poplar Ave., Ste. 113. 729-7432. L, $-$$
MAGNOLIA & MAY—Southern-inspired, family-owned, casual dining restaurant serving up a variety of sandwiches, chef-inspired dishes, and craft cocktails. Popular items include shrimp and grits and the double cheeseburger. Closed Mon. 718 Mt. Moriah Rd. 676-8100. L, D, WB, MRA. $$-$$$
MANDE DIBI WEST AFRICAN BBQ GRILL—Pairs traditional West African BBQ with Memphis BBQ for a menu that offers a wide variety of flavors, including daily specials and vegan-friendly options. 6825 Winchester Rd. 672-8995. L, D, $-$$$
MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Veal Saltimbocca with angel-hair pasta and white wine sauce is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. 780 E. Brookhaven Cir. 682-1660. D, $-$$
MAYURI INDIAN CUISINE—Serves tandoori chicken, masala dosa, tikka masala, as well as lamb and shrimp entrees; also a daily lunch buffet, and dinner buffet on Fri.-Sat. 6524 Quince Rd. 753-8755. L, D, $-$$
MOSA ASIAN BISTRO—Specialties include sesame chicken, Thai calamari, rainbow panang curry with grouper fish, and other Pan Asian/
fusion entrees. Closed Mon. 850 S. White Station Rd. 683-8889. L, D, MRA, $
NAM KING—Offers luncheon and dinner buffets, dim sum, and such specialties as fried dumplings, pepper steak, and orange chicken. 4594 Yale. 373-4411. L, D, $
NAPA CAFE—Among the specialties are miso-marinated salmon over black rice with garlic spinach and shiitake mushrooms. Closed Sun. 5101 Sanderlin, Suite 122. 683-0441. L, D, MRA, $$-$$$
ONE & ONLY BBQ—On the menu are pork barbecue sandwiches, platters, wet and dry ribs, smoked chicken and turkey platters, a smoked meat salad, barbecue quesadillas, Brunswick Stew, and Millie’s homemade desserts. 1779 Kirby Pkwy. 751-3615; 567 Perkins Extd. 249-4227. L, D, $ ONO POKÉ—This eatery specializes in poké — a Hawaiian dish of fresh fish salad served over rice. Menu includes a variety of poké bowls, like the Kimchi Tuna bowl, or customers can build their own by choosing a base, protein, veggies, and toppings. 3145 Poplar. 618-2955. L, D, $
OWEN BRENNAN’S—New Orleans-style menu of beef, chicken, pasta, and seafood; jambalaya, shrimp and grits, and crawfish etouffee are specialties. Closed for dinner Sun. The Regalia, 6150 Poplar. 761-0990. L, D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
PARK + CHERRY—The Dixon offers casual dining within the museum. Seasonal menu features sandwiches, like rustic chicken salad on croissant, as well as salads, snacks, and sweets. Closed for breakfast Sun. and all day Mon. 4339 Park (Dixon Gallery and Gardens). 761-5250. L, $
PATRICK’S—Serves barbecue nachos, burgers, and entrees such as fish and chips; also plate lunches and daily specials. 4972 Park. 682-2852. L, D, MRA, $
PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, $-$$$
PF CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO—Specialties are orange peel shrimp, Mongolian beef, and chicken in lettuce wraps; also vegetarian dishes, including spicy eggplant. 1181 Ridgeway Rd., Park Place Centre. 818-3889. L, D, $-$$
PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $
PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven, wide choice of toppings, and large local and craft beer selection. 1199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 207-1198; 3592 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 221-8109. L, D, MRA, $
THE READY ROOM—Duck wontons, bananas “Oscar,” and plenty of other bar snacks and entrees at Hook Point Brewing Co.’s taproom. Closed Mon./Tues. 715 W. Brookhaven Cir. 487-6931. L, D, WB, $-$$
RED HOOK CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Cajun-style array of seafood including shrimp, mussels, clams, crawfish, and oysters. 3295 Poplar. 207-1960. L, D, $-$$
RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, $-$$
RED PIER CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Owners of Red Hook bring more Cajun-style seafood dishes. 5901 Poplar Ave. 512-5923. L, D, $-$$$ RESTAURANT IRIS—French Creole-inspired classics, such as Gulf shrimp and rice grits congee served with lap chong sausage and boiled peanuts, are served at this newly remodeled restaurant owned by Chef Kelly English, a Food and Wine “Top Ten.” 4550 Poplar. 590-2828. L, D, $$-$$$
RIVER OAKS—Chef Jose Gutierrez’s French-style bistro serves seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, $$$
RONNIE GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT— This Memphis institution serves some family classics such as Elfo’s Special and handmade ravioli, along with house-made pizza and fresh oysters. Closed Sun. 6150 Poplar, Suite 122. 850-0191. D, $-$$$
ROTOLO’S CRAFT & CRUST—Louisiana-based pizza company’s first Memphis location, whipping up pizza pies with homemade sauces and fresh ingredients, pasta, wings, and other shareables. 681 S. White Station. 454-3352. L, D, $-$$
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE—Offers prime steaks cut and aged in-house, as well as lamb, chicken, and fresh seafood, including lobster. 6120 Poplar. 761-0055. D, $$$-$$$$
SALSA COCINA MEXICANA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood
dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, $-$$
SEASONS 52—This elegant fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu using fresh ingredients, wood-fire grilling, and brick-oven cooking; also a large international wine list and nightly piano bar. Crescent Center, 6085 Poplar. 682-9952. L, D, $$-$$$
STAKS—Offering pancakes, including birthday cake and lemon ricotta. Menu includes other breakfast items such as beignets and French toast, as well as soups and sandwiches for lunch. 4615 Poplar. 509-2367; 3660 S. Houston Levee Road, Suite 104 (Collierville). 286-4335; 7704 Poplar (Germantown). 800-1951; 2902 May Blvd. (Southaven). B, L, WB, $
SWANKY’S TACO SHOP—Taco-centric eatery offers tortas, flatbreads, quesadillas, chimichangas, burgers, and more. 4770 Poplar. 730-0763; 6641 Poplar (Germantown). 737-2088; 272 S. Main. 779-3499. L, D, $
THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made coleslaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, $
TOPS BAR-B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527; 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 323-9865; 6130 Macon. 371-0580. For more locations, go online. L, D, $
TORCHY’S TACOS—Plenty of Tex-Mex variety, with creative monthly special tacos. 719 S. Mendenhall. 343-8880. B, L, D, $
VENICE KITCHEN—Specializes in “eclectic Italian” and Southern Creole, from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 50 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, $-$$
WANG’S MANDARIN HOUSE—Offers Mandarin, Cantonese, Szechuan, and spicy Hunan entrees, including the golden-sesame chicken; next door is East Tapas, serving small plates with an Asian twist. 6065 Park Ave., Park Place Mall. 763-0676. L, D, $-$$
WASABI—Serving traditional Japanese offerings, hibachi, sashimi, and sushi. The Sweet Heart roll, wrapped — in the shape of a heart — with tuna and filled with spicy salmon, yellowtail, and avocado, is a specialty. 5101 Sanderlin Rd., Suite 105. 421-6399. L, D, $-$$
THE WING GURU—A staple of the Memphis wing scene, featuring everything from classic buffalo to exquisite lemon pepper. 5699 Mt. Moriah Rd. 5092405; 875 W. Poplar Ave., Suite 6 (Collierville). 221-7488; 8253 Highway 51 North, Suite 103 (Millington). 872-0849; 4130 Elvis Presley Blvd (Whitehaven) 791-4726; 5224 Airline Rd., Suite 107 (Arlington). 209-0349. L, D, $-$$
THE BLUE ROOM RESTAURANT—An elevated take on traditional Southern recipes, located in the U of M Kemmons Wilson Culinary Institute. Closed Mon. 1245 N. Germantown Pkwy., Suite 101. 249-7512. D, SB, $$-$$$
BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4114. L, D, $-$$
THE BUTCHER SHOP—Serves steaks ranging from 8-oz. filets to a 20-oz. porterhouse; also chicken, pork chops, fresh seafood. 107 S. Germantown Rd. 757-4244. L (Fri. and Sun.), D, $$-$$$
GREEN BAMBOO—Pineapple tilapia, pork vermicelli, and the soft egg noodle combo are Vietnamese specialties here. 990 N. Germantown Parkway, Suite 104. 753-5488. L, D, $-$$
JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, $-$$
EL MERO TACO—This food truck turned restaurant serves up Mexican and Southern-style fusion dishes, including fried chicken tacos, chorizo con papas tacos, and brisket quesadillas. 8100 Macon Station, Suite 102. 308-1661. Closed Sun.-Mon. L, D, WB, $
OPTIONS Burgers, wings, philly cheesesteaks, and more comfort food options. Closed Mon.-Thu. 7940 Fischer Steel Rd. 245-6048. D, SB, $-$$
POKÉ WORLD—Serves up Hawaiian poké bowls filled with rice and diced, raw fish. Also offers Taiwanese bubble tea and rolled ice cream for dessert. 1605 N. Germantown Pkwy., Suite 111. 623-7986. East Memphis: 575 Erin Dr. 779-4971. L, D, $
PETALS OF A PEONY—Authentic Sichuan cuisine, from crispy duck to peony fried chicken. Be prepared for spice! 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 787-8886. L, D, $-$$
SHOGUN JAPANESE RESTAURANT—Entrees include tempura, teriyaki, and sushi, as well as grilled fish and chicken entrees. 2324 N. Germantown Pkwy. 384-4122. L, D, $-$$
TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, $-$$$
VILLA CASTRIOTI—From traditional pasta dishes and family concoctions to hand-tossed brick oven NY pizza. 714 N. Germantown Pkwy #15 in Cordova. L, D, $$$
GERMANTOWN
901 HOT POT & KOREAN BBQ—All-you-can-eat hot pot and Korean BBQ, from short ribs to garlic shrimp. 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. 512-4963. L, D, $$-$$$
BLUE HONEY BISTRO—Entrees at this upscale eatery include brown butter scallops served with Mississippi blue rice and herbcrusted beef tenderloin with vegetables and truffle butter. Closed Sun. 9155 Poplar, Suite 17. 552-3041. D, $-$$$
THE CRAZY COOP—Plenty of hot wings and sauces, plus sandwiches and other dinner plates. 1315 Ridgeway Rd. 748-5325; 7199 Stage Rd. (Bartlett). 433-9212. L, D, $-$$
DIMSUM MEM—Traditional Chinese food truck takes over the New Asia space. 2075 Exeter Rd., Suite 90. L, D, $-$$ GERMANTOWN COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches; Mon.-night all-you-can-eat ribs. 2290 S. Germantown Rd. S. 754-5540. L, D, MRA, $-$$
LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA—Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such powerfully popular fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas, tostados. Closed Sun. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 751-1200; 6300 Poplar. 623-3882. L, D, $-$$
LIMELIGHT—Wolf River Hospitality Group brings Wagyu beef, duck gnocchi, and other fine dining dishes on a rotating seasonal menu. Closed Mon./Tue. 7724 Poplar Pike. 791-2328. D, $-$$$
LOCAL LIME—Tacos and margaritas in a casual environment, plus other goodies like the Mexican caramel apple crisp skillet. Closed Mon. 7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Suite 1. 224-2204. L, D, $-$$$
MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 9155 Poplar, Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243. L, D, $-$$
MOONDANCE GRILL—From the owners of Itta Bena and Lafayette’s. Serves steak cooked sous vide and seafood dishes including Abita-barbecued shrimp and pan-seared sand dab, in addition to an extensive wine and cocktail list. 1730 S. Germantown Road, Suite 117. 755-1471. L, D, $$-$$$
NOODLES ASIAN BISTRO—Serves a variety of traditional Asian cuisine, with emphasis on noodle dishes, such as Singapore Street Noodles and Hong Kong Chow Fun. 7850 Poplar, Suite 12. 755-1117. L, D, $
PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar. 754-4440; 547 S. Highland. 323-3050. L, D, $-$$
ROCK’N DOUGH PIZZA CO.—Specialty and custom pizzas made from fresh ingredients; wide variety of toppings. 7850 Poplar, Suite 6. 779-2008. L, D, SB, MRA, $$
ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. 756-9697. L, D, $-$$
SAKURA—Sushi, tempura, and teriyaki are Japanese specialties here. 2060 West St. 758-8181; 4840 Poplar. 572-1002; 255 New Byhalia Rd. 316-5638. L, D, $-$$
SOUTHERN SOCIAL—Shrimp and grits, stuffed quail, and Aunt Thelma’s Fried Chicken are among the dishes served at this upscale Southern establishment. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 754-5555. D, SB, MRA, $-$$$
STONEY RIVER STEAKHOUSE AND GRILL—Specializes in hand-cut steaks, a fresh seafood selection, and plenty of house specials. 7515 Poplar Ave., Suite 101. 207-1100. L, D, $$-$$$$
SUFI’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & BAR—Offers authentic Mediterranean and Persian cuisine, from hummus shawarma to traditional moussaka. Closed Mon. 7609 Poplar Pike. 779-2200. L, D, $-$$$
TAZIKI’S—Mediterranean-inspired dishes all made from scratch. 7850 Poplar Ave., Suite 26. 612-2713. East Memphis: 540 S. Mendenhall Rd. 290-1091. Bartlett: 7974 US-64. 203-0083. L, D, $
THE TOASTED YOLK CAFE—Churro donuts, signature Eggs Benedict, and plenty other boozy brunch options at this franchise’s first Tennessee location. 9087 Poplar Ave., Ste. 11. B, L, $-$$
UNCLE GOYO’S—More than 30 dishes with a focus on authentic Mexican cuisine, from the brains behind TacoNganas. 1730 S. Germantown Rd. L, D, $-$$
WEST STREET DINER—This home-style eatery offers breakfast, burgers, po’boys, and more. 2076 West St. 757-2191. B, L, D (Mon.-Fri.), $
ZEN JAPANESE FINE CUISINE—A full sushi bar and plenty of authentic Japanese dishes, like Hibachi or Wagyu beef. 1730 S. Germantown Rd. 779-2796. L, D, X, $-$$$
COLLIERVILLE
CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. 861-1999. L, D, $-$$
CIAO BABY—Specializing in Neapolitan-style pizza made in a woodfired oven. Also serves house-made mozzarella, pasta, appetizers, and salads. 890 W. Poplar, Suite 1. 457-7457. L, D, $
COLLIERVILLE COMMISSARY—Serves barbecue sandwiches, sliders, ribs, shrimp, and nachos, as well as smoked barbecued bologna sandwiches. 3573 S. Houston Levee Rd. 979-5540. L, D, MRA, $-$$ DAVID GRISANTI’S ON MAIN—Serving Northern Italian cuisine and traditional Grisanti family recipes. Closed Sun./Mon. 148 N. Main. 861-1777. L, D, $-$$$
DYER’S CAFE—Juicy hamburgers, split dogs, and milkshakes at the historic Collierville restaurant. 101 N. Center St. 850-7750. L, D, $-$$
CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY / 662-357-1225
FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711
IGNITE STEAKHOUSE AT SOUTHLAND CASINO HOTEL—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182
JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE
LUCKY 8 ASIAN BISTRO AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE
SOUTHLAND CASINO HOTEL'S THE KITCHENS—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182
THE STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ—711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, Ext. 8213
TWAIN’S STEAKHOUSE AT SAM’S TOWN TUNICA—1477 Casino Strip Resorts Boulevard, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-456-0711
EL MEZCAL—Serves burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and other Mexican cuisine, as well as shrimp dinners and steak. 9947 Wolf River, 853-7922; 402 Perkins Extd. 761-7710; 694 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 755-1447; 1492 Union. 274-4264; 11615 Airline Rd. (Arlington). 8671883; 9045 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 383-4219; 7164 Hacks Cross Rd. (Olive Branch). 662-890-3337; 8834 Hwy. 51 N. (Millington). 872-3220; 7424 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 417-6026. L, D, $
EMERALD THAI RESTAURANT—Spicy shrimp, pad khing, lemongrass chicken, and several noodle, rice, and vegetarian dishes are offered at this family restaurant. Closed Sunday. 8950 Highway 64 (Lakeland, TN). 384-0540. L, D, $-$$
FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing. 850-1637; 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300. L, D, $-$$$
JIM’S PLACE GRILLE—Features American, Greek, and Continental cuisine. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 3660 Houston Levee. 861-5000. L, D, MRA, $-$$$
MAROON BREW CO.—Family-friendly restaurant serving up gourmet hot dogs, smash burgers, chicken, and shareables, all made to pair with beers brewed on-site. Closed Mon. 642 W. Poplar Ave., Collierville. 799-0354. L, D, $-$$
MULAN ASIAN BISTRO—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; sushi and Thai food, too. 2059 Houston Levee. 8505288; 2149 Young. 347-3965; 4698 Spottswood. 609-8680. L, D, $-$$
NASHOBA—Offers live music, sports games, and pub classics. Specialties are hot honey flatbread pizza, brisket fried rice, and the Nashoba burger. 4600 Merchants Park Circle, Suite 111, Collierville. 630-4683. L, D, wheelchair accessible, $-$$
OSAKA JAPANESE CUISINE—Featuring an extensive sushi menu as well as traditional Japanese and hibachi dining. Hours vary for lunch; call. 3670 Houston Levee. 861-4309; 3402 Poplar. 249-4690; 7164 Hacks Cross (Olive Branch). 662-890-9312; 2200 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 425-4901. L, D, $-$$$
RAVEN & LILY—Eatery offers innovative Southern-inspired cuisine with such dishes as crispy shrimp and cauliflower salad, spiced lamb sausage and parmesan risotto, and bananas foster pain perdu. Closed Mon. 120 E. Mulberry. 286-4575. L, D, SB, $-$$
STIX—Hibachi steakhouse with Asian cuisine features steak, chicken, and a fillet and lobster combination, also sushi. A specialty is Dynamite Chicken with fried rice. 4680 Merchants Park Circle, Avenue Carriage Crossing. 854-3399. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 115 (Downtown). 207-7638 L, D, $-$$
WOLF RIVER BRISKET CO.—From the owners of Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza, highlights include house-smoked meats: prime beef brisket, chicken, and salmon. Closed Sun. 9947 Wolf River Boulevard, Suite 101. 316-5590; 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 165. 791-4389 L, D, $-$$
ZOPITA’S ON THE SQUARE—Cafe offers sandwiches, including smoked salmon and pork tenderloin, as well as salads and desserts. Closed Sun. 114 N. Main. 457-7526. L, D, $
KITCHEN TABLE—“Crafted comfort food that makes you feel right at home.” Steaks, seafood, catfish, chicken, chops, soups, salad, even hand-spun cotton candy. 12062 Forrest St., Arlington. 317-6402. L,D, SB. $-$$
VILLA CASTRIOTI—From traditional family dishes and pasta concoctions to hand-tossed brick-oven NY pizza. 9861 Lake District Dr., Lakeland. 466-8288. W., L,D, MRA, $$$
OUT-OF-TOWN
BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q—Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Highway 70 (Mason, TN). 901-294-3400. L, D, $-$$
CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sun. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, $$-$$$
COMO STEAKHOUSE—Steaks cooked on a hickory charcoal grill are a specialty here. Upstairs is an oyster bar. Closed Sun. 203 Main St. (Como, MS). 662-526-9529. D, $-$$$
ELFO GRISANTI’S NORTHERN ITALIAN CUISINE—Grisanti family classics like lasagna, homemade ravioli, garlic bread, and Northern Italian pizza. Closed Sun. 5627 Getwell Rd. (Southaven, MS). 662-4704497. L, D, $-$$
HARRY’S ITALIAN—Authentic Italian dishes using traditional recipes made from scratch, plus steaks and other entrees. 8472 U.S. Highway 51, Millington, TN. 872-0056. L, D, $-$$$
MANILA FILIPINO RESTAURANT—Entrees include pork belly cutlet with lechon sauce, and shrimp and vegetables in tamarind broth; also daily combos, rice dishes, and chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7849 Rockford (Millington, TN). 209-8525. L, D, $
MARSHALL STEAKHOUSE—Rustic steakhouse serves premium Angus beef steaks, seafood dishes, rack of lamb, and more. 2379 Highway 178 (Holly Springs, MS). 628-3556. B, L, D, $-$$$
MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket. 709 Desoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662-536-3762. L, D, $-$$
SAINT LEO—Offering sophisticated pizzas, pastas, sandwiches, and salads. A James Beard nominee for Best New Restaurant in 2017. 1101 Jackson (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, L, WB, $-$$
SIMON’S—A unique dining experience situated on Court Square in a charming small town, offering Angus steaks, catfish, BBQ brisket. Closed Mon./Tue. 201 N. Main St. (Bolivar, TN). 731-403-3474. L, D, $$-$$$
SNACKBAR—An intriguing mix of “French Bistro with North Mississippi Cafe.” Serving a confit duck Croque Monsieur, watermelon-cucumber chaat, pan-fried quail, plus a daily plate special and a raw bar. 721 N. Lamar (Oxford, MS). 662-236-6363. D, $-$$$
TEKILA MODERN MEXICAN—Modern interpretations of classic dishes from all over Mexico. 6343 Getwell Rd. (Southaven, MS). 662-510-5734. B, L, D, $-$$
WILSON CAFE—An impressive culinary destination in the heart of the Arkansas Delta. Serving jambalaya, Waygu flatiron, butternut ravioli, swordfish & shrimp kabobs, burgers. 2 N. Jefferson (Wilson, AR). 870655-0222. L, D, WB, $-$$$
A few thoughts on the delicate art of shedding regret.
BY FRANK MURTAUGH
My sister has an expression she likes to throw my way when I start griping about a decision I made or step I took that I’d like to reconsider: “Stop shoulding on yourself, Frank.” It’s an abrupt, slightly blue admonishment that happens to be very wise. I recently discovered that the third Saturday in July has been dubbed “Toss Away the Could Haves and Should Haves Day.” Seriously. Visit nationaldaycalendar.com and you’ll find it between National Nude Day (July 14) and National Cousins Day (July 24). It’s an event I now intend to properly acknowledge. As I consider decorations, I’ll share the value of “tossing” in three primary areas where we all tend to “should” on ourselves with regularity.
CAREER
If you’ve held a job for as long as 12 months without a regret, you need to find a new job. The best careers require decisions on at least a daily basis, often multiple choices on the same day, one of which might erase the impact of an earlier call. Human beings don’t ace such tests, not every day. Matter of fact, we get better at making decisions with the experience of having survived poor ones.
I’ve been blessed in this area, having worked with the same small business for 33 years. I’ve explored options, though, once actually certain that another industry might be a better fit. As Al Green would put it, here I am. And the best work of my career in journalism has come after that mid-career fork in the road. Sometimes not getting what you want is the best thing that can happen to you. Those closest to me, for the record, exhaled the loudest when I chose to carry forward as a journalist. Trust your instincts with those myriad decisions, and importantly, allow the input of colleagues (and potential employers) to help in paving your path. But it’s your path.
FAMILY
This is dangerous territory. Let me tell you, as a relatively new empty-nester, the “should haves” in raising children are enough to require an extra layer of padding in that proverbial madhouse. Maintaining a healthy marriage — never mind growing a marriage — over at least two decades of parenting would intimidate Hercules. But it can be done.
Your children and, later, grandchildren aren’t following a script. Matter of fact, they’re ripping yours in two behind your back. But that is precisely the magic of raising children. Will my daughter be able to navigate this world? Yes, but only when you surrender the captain’s deck and let her lead. (Ignore those dark clouds ahead and remember: All is temporary.)
One of my daughters graduated from high school and entered college in 2020, during the depths of a pandemic unlike any human alive had experienced before. My
sister would cringe at the “should haves” and “could haves” that still dance in my head on sleepless nights or long plane flights. How does a father steer, alongside his daughter, through clouds so sinister? Well, we made it. Most significantly, Elena made it. She has suffered trials and errors over the last half-decade, but she’s emerging as a bright, compassionate force, almost entirely her own doing. More decisions to make, more corners to turn. But whatever mistakes I choose to unearth from Elena’s pandemic pivot are only keeping me awake. I did the best I could, and I relish now seeing her do the same.
PERSONAL
This one comes down to kindness. Don’t hurt someone else. Don’t hurt animals. But most importantly, don’t hurt yourself. Similar to navigating a job, if you’ve lived as few as 10 years, you’ve crossed someone the wrong way. It’s part of being human, with interests different from others in your home, on the playground, at work. I could itemize people I’ve crossed (or those who’ve crossed me), but then what? This isn’t to say a well-timed apology can’t go a long way. If that kind of opportunity surfaces, take it. But limit the damage of conflicts now well under the dust of history.
Here in 2025, I’ve made it an objective to lift someone’s spirits every day. Can be intentional: a family member I’d like to see smile or a friend I’d like to hear laugh. It can also be random: complimenting someone’s handsome dog, or a hat worn just the right way. This makes me feel better in a time and place where kindness seems to be at a premium. I’ve also never — not once — suffered “could have” or “should have” after one of these little exchanges.
Being you is enough. Always. Decisions you’d like to reconsider. Forks in the road where you’d now rather have gone left than right. Those are mini-bombs to your gray matter that need to be silenced, and permanently. Allow regrets to be buried, to rest in peace. You’ll be better prepared for National Talk in an Elevator Day (last Friday in July). You’ve saved that compliment long enough.
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