David Yurman
Mednikow Diamonds
Mikimoto
John Hardy
Gurhan
Elizabeth Locke
Monica Rich Kosann
Charles Krypell
Roberto Coin
Michael Bondanza
Bremont Watches
Shown: From our collection of 19 karat gold Elizabeth Locke Jewels
South Walton’s 26 miles of sugar-white sand beaches in Northwest Florida offer an all-natural escape, yet perfectly blend modern amenities, worldclass cuisine and small town charm into an unforgettable experience.
The days move a bit slower here, and it’s this simplicity – a day spent creating memories at the beach – that draws generations of families back to South Walton.
From resorts to boutique hotels, South Walton is home to unique architecture, breathtaking views and accommodations to suit any style.
The premier provider of beach cottages and luxury homes and condos in South Walton. With nearly 40 years in the local market, Cottage Rental Agency offers exclusive amenities and exceptional guest experiences
The memories you make at Hotel Effie are personal to us. Join us and experience Southern elegance, thoughtful design and exquisite detail. Vibrant and elegant, comfortable and refined with a fresh take on luxury, we can’t wait to welcome you.
Opening Summer 2023, the Camp Creek Inn SM experience is one of laid-back luxury. Guests can enjoy the exclusive Watersound Club SM lifestyle – including access to the area’s private golf courses, beach club, and other amenities.
Spread love, not germs by having your rugs disinfected.
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.
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CONTRIBUTORS michael donahue, alex greene, vance lauderdale, chris mccoy, toby sells
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may 2023
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR | BY ANNA TRAVERSE FOGLE
I’m writing to you from Reagan National Airport, where I’ve commandeered a wobbly café table on a sunny Sunday morning to catch up on emails and, well, this column. In an hour or thereabouts (assuming the travel gods smile upon me today), I’ll board a jet home to Memphis, where yet another wall-to-wall week awaits me. From my perch here, I’ve been watching other weary travelers wheel their luggage from gate to gate; their downcast eyes and springless steps reminders that we are, most of us, traveling home after days packed with conferences or competitions, meetings or family milestones.
The weekend has been a good one: I traveled here because a law school moot-court team my husband coaches achieved a coveted spot in the international round of their competition. Groups of law students from 138 countries converged on Washington for the occasion — a notable honor for all involved, and a genuinely inspiring spectacle to behold, even for the more cynical among us. The four team members argue both sides of an invented international-law case, two of them prepared to make a strong argument for one side, the other two for the opposing side. And there’s an analogy there to how I feel about the weekend that’s ending now and the weekend prior, which we spent at home, enjoying adventures in our own city. I can make an argument for either choice.
This weekend, we ended up with a couple of days’ relative freedom to kick around one of our favorite cities in the country, and my husband’s former hometown. In addition to the legal arguments and group celebrations, we managed to squeeze in an impressive amount of memorably fun activities. We attended a Washington Nationals baseball game, a particular treat for my spouse, who has been a Nats fan since the franchise’s inception. We visited the National Portrait Gallery — somehow, despite the quantity of time both of us have spent in D.C., our first time exploring that space, which it turns out boasts a lot more than just stodgy old portraits. And we strolled along the waterfront, which has been transformed in recent years from a small dock and fish market to a shining mini-metropolis lined with restaurants and entertainment. All in all, it was a delightful, bustling weekend.
But as I sit here at my wobbly café table, peering from beneath a ballcap at faces that mirror the exhaustion I feel, I admit that I
might consider trading this Sunday for a fun, full day that nevertheless begins and ends in my own bed. That’s the sort of day we relished just last weekend, serendipitously. With my uncle Paul and his wife Michele visiting us for a few days, we planned an active but unhurried itinerary, filled with the sorts of activities that we love but often lack motivation to undertake, or sideline in the interest of a to-do list. We did absolutely no cooking, all weekend long, and largely neglected our weekly litany of household chores. Instead, we clambered into a canoe and paddled across the Mississippi River — a novel and beautiful way to introduce or reintroduce the city and region to anyone, locals and visitors alike. The next morning, we walked across the same water, on Big River Crossing, and marveled at the scale of it all, and at our own adventure. It was a beautiful weekend, and a reminder for myself that one need not leave town in order to start Monday morning refreshed, reawakened to a sense of adventure. We were motivated that weekend by out-of-town visitors, but it helped me to remember that choosing a little more fun and a little less laundry and vacuuming is always possible, visitors or none.
Our cover story this month spotlights local adventures — or what we have sometimes called “staycations,” a portmanteau I don’t love. Whatever you choose to call it, we hope to encourage you to spend some time, this late spring and early summer, putting aside your to-do list for a few days and discovering or rediscovering a fun, invigorating activity or two. As an added bonus, you won’t even have to sit bleary-eyed in any airports, or arrange pet- or childcare, or watch the highway roll like a treadmill before you. You can just … enjoy.
This popular Collierville lunch spot offers Southern comfort food, a vintage soda fountain, and even a mechanical train for kids.
BY MICHAEL DONAHUE
It’s almost like entering a vintage railroad dining car when you step inside the Silver Caboose, located on Collierville’s historic town square. Model trains adorn the shelves, photographs of trains hang on the walls, and a toy locomotive pulls cars along a track near the ceiling. You expect to hear a train whistle, but instead you hear the clatter of dishes and the hum of animated voices in the bustling restaurant.
e Silver Caboose is the brainchild of owner Mary Jean Smith. “One day I had a folly and decided to open a restaurant,” she says. In 1996, Smith opened the business in the town where she was born. She is a fourth-generation resident of Collierville and a third-generation business owner on the old town square. Her grandmother once owned a dry-goods store and her father ran a grocery store on the square.
Smith’s restaurant expertise began in East Memphis when she was for 10 years the administrative assistant for the late restaurateur Vernon Bell at the since-closed Knickerbocker.
“I learned the restaurant business there,” she says. “Vernon was such a great mentor. After I left, I thought, ‘One day I’d like to replicate that.’”
She first went into the real estate business, but she still liked the idea of owning her
own restaurant. “I got a lot of recipes from there [the Knickerbocker], because a lot of them were in my head.”
When the space on the square became available, Smith leased 132 East Mulberry, where part of the restaurant is still located. Her husband, Bob, renovated the building, which had been a drugstore that dated to the late 1800s, she says. e location had a family connection. Many years earlier, her father, Ralph Hall, had worked as a soda jerk at the drugstore, Smith says.
She came up with the train theme because Collierville was “a train town” at one time. “So many trains — eighteen a day — went through here before they built the intermodal at Rossville and Piperton.”
Smith expanded the restaurant after she bought the building next door. She chose “Silver Caboose” for the name. “Every-
body knows a red caboose. We named it the ‘Silver Caboose’ because our ceiling is sheet metal. It’s not actually silver, but it looks like silver. It’s steel.”
And instead of a “blue plate special,” the Silver Caboose features a “silver plate special,” their lunch special of meat and two sides. e menu also includes many of the Knickerbocker’s specials, including tomato aspic, frozen fruit balls, shrimp salad, pimento cheese, egg salad, and chicken salad But, she adds, “Most of our recipes are our mother’s and grandmother’s recipes. And our own.” Turnip greens are their most popular item. “We pick them, wash them, cook them.”
General manager Julie Felton, one of Smith’s 10 children (three daughters and seven sons), has “taken some recipes and just made them her own.”
e restaurant closes at 2 p.m., but the Side Car Market, which is inside the restaurant, stays open until 4 p.m. Customers can buy packaged menu items ranging from chicken asparagus casserole to old-fashioned chess pie.
real estate office, which is near the Collierville square.
Many customers ask to sit in “ e Rose Room,” Smith says. Framed photos of roses from her rose garden adorn the walls in that part of the restaurant. “We have 1,200 rose bushes in our garden. And I’ll bring them in five-gallon buckets from our garden all through the growing season.”
e soda fountain, which was part of the old drug store, offers banana splits, ice cream sodas, cherry lemonades, and more.
A vintage coin-operated kiddie locomotive stands outside the entrance.
“Put a quarter in there to get a ride,” she tells customers. Smith bought the train, which didn’t work, at a flea market in New Orleans. Her husband brought it back to Collierville in his pickup truck and Felton’s husband repaired it. “It’s been working every day. e little bell rings. And I can hear that bell ringing over at my real estate office. So, I know when somebody is riding the train.”
e Silver Caboose doesn’t advertise, but it still draws crowds of hungry diners. “We just keep our nose to the grindstone,” says the owner, “and just roll along.”
Smith, who is at the restaurant every day, updates the menu on Facebook, maintains their inventory, and keeps the books. She also works at her PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL DONAHUE;
e Silver Caboose is located at 132 East Mulberry Street in Collierville.
Our history expert solves local mysteries: who, what, when, where, why, and why not. Well, sometimes.
BY VANCE LAUDERDALEDEAR VANCE: When I was young, my mother would take me shopping Downtown, and one of the big stores on Main Street had a side entrance for the grocery department. Can you help me remember where this was?
— R.L., MEMPHISDEAR R.L.: Shoppers had their choice of four major department stores on Main Street in the early 1900s. Goldsmith’s bragged that it was “Memphis’ Greatest Store” and just blocks away were Lowenstein’s and John Gerber. The fourth store was Bry’s — pronounced “breeze” — at Main and Jefferson. It was the only Downtown department store that not only offered the usual selection of clothing and accessories, but also groceries, appliances, hardware, automobile parts, and airplanes.
Yes, I said airplanes
The old photos you see here, presumably taken by an insurance company in the mid-1930s, show the impressive front entrance as well as a rather cluttery rear entrance at Front and Jefferson where shoppers would find the Food Market, offering groceries and meats. Note the painted signs, proclaiming, “ WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD” and “YOU MUST BE SATISIFED OR YOUR MONEY BACK.” Is this the place you remember, R.L.?
As you can tell from the images, the Bry-Block Mercantile Company, which was its official name, despite what all the ads and signs said, was a rambling establishment, sharing the block at Main and Adams with the Claridge Hotel.
The business started in 1902, when three businessmen — I.D. “Ike” Block and brothers Nathan and
Louis Bry — opened a small dry-goods store at the southeast corner of Main and Adams. In 1905, they moved across the street into the Appeal Building at Main and Jefferson, so-named because it had previously housed the Memphis Appeal newspaper.
And what a store it was! Roaming through the Lauderdale Library, I came across a June 1933 bound volume of the Memphis Press-Scimitar that was just packed with Bry’s ads. I’ll wait here while you fetch your copy, and we can read along.
The annual “Memphis Day” sale described more than 200 items, with “drastically reduced prices” ranging from 17-cent “men’s Swiss-ribbed cotton knit shirts” to “a complete showing of all that’s new in smart footwear” that included 800 pairs of women’s “Klever-Mode fall shoes” for just $3.60.
I was especially pleased that customers could purchase “Dazzy Vance” baseball gloves — a bargain at $8.50. I don’t recall endorsing this product, but if it meant money in the Lauderdale coffers, I didn’t mind.
In this world of smartphones and artificial intelligence, the copywriters of the day were determined to point out the brainpower of the merchandise.
Bry’s sold “smartly made pajamas” (66 cents) and “women’s smart new undies” ($1.59). If it wasn’t smart, it was clever in other ways: “cunning chinchilla coat sets” ($7.98) and even “cunning medium-size baby dolls” ($1.59).
Frankly, I would never want a doll that was cunning. That just seems like something you’d encounter in The Twilight Zone.
But Bry’s offered just about everything else you could possibly desire: “famous Southern Flyer bicycles” ($27.88), “well-constructed single-barrel guns” ($5.88), Colonial Compact radios (“the newest sensation!” — $17.50), and White electric console sewing machines ($57.50).
The sporting goods department sold Spalding golf clubs, Narragansett tennis rackets, Louisville Slugger bats, Shakespeare automatic fishing reels … the list goes on and on. I was especially pleased that customers could purchase “Dazzy Vance” baseball gloves — a bargain at $8.50. I don’t recall endorsing this product, but if it meant money in the Lauderdale coffers, I didn’t mind.
Their complete garden department offered boxwoods for 39 cents, Japanese hollies for 49 cents, and nandina bushes for 79 cents, along with tulips, hyacinths, and even fresh-cut roses ($1 for a dozen).
The “South’s Largest and Most Complete Optical Department” provided “Comfort-Frame eyeglasses ($4.85), the Winner Frame (“strong, attractive, and becoming”) for $3.85, and “the finest double-vision lenses ever made, starting at $6.50.”
Bry’s jewelry department was a showcase for everything from $9.45 wristwatches to considerably more luxurious items, such as a one-carat blue-white diamond ring in a platinum setting for $229.50 — an astonishing sum in those days.
For more domestic needs, how about a new gas range, coal-burning stove, or gas heater? Customers would find those at Bry’s, along with electric irons, heating pads, chicken fryers, sandwich toasters, and even something called an Enterprise Coal Circulator,
complete with “walnut-porcelain finish and floorboard,” for $26.50.
In the automobile department, Bry’s didn’t actually sell cars, but they offered parts for them, including Kelly tires in all sizes, batteries, “famous A.C. sparkplugs,” gallon cans of Penn-Champ motor oil, and so much more.
And how about the selection in the Bry’s Food Market? Looking through that 1933 Press-Scimita r, I found myself wanting a time machine for my grocery shopping. Consider this selection (and the prices) from a weekend advertisement: a pound of cabbage for 3 cents, a pound of home-grown spinach for a nickel; a dozen eggs, a dozen oranges, a can of peas, or a pound of Wisconsin cheese for a dime; and a pound of ham or lamb for precisely 17-and-onehalf-cents. Pork shoulders, salt meat, veal chops, liver, or ground beef sold for only 5 cents a pound. Finish up that meal with a chocolate angel food cake for a dime.
You could easily buy a day’s worth of food for less than a dollar in 1933. Of course, let’s keep things in perspective. Today, thanks to inflation, your one-dollar meal would cost more than $24! And that $229 diamond ring mentioned earlier, already expensive in the 1930s, would set you back more than $5,000 — almost a day’s wages for a Lauderdale.
Okay, so Bry’s wasn’t always a bargain, but they offered items that customers would never find at Goldsmith’s or Lowenstein’s. They might walk out of those stores with shopping bags stuffed with nice clothing, but they wouldn’t be wheeling carts stacked with car tires or gas stoves.
And yes, they sold airplanes. In 1927, Bry’s announced the opening of “the first department store airplane department in the South” and displayed a model called the Alexander Eagle Rock on the second floor. Newspaper ads didn’t give the price (or explain how customers would get the plane out of the store) but urged everyone to “Follow the Airline from the Men’s Department to the Airplane Department!”
For that matter, Bry’s had its own airport. City maps from the late 1920s show a single-runway “Bry’s Airport” located on the west side of Warford, just north of Jackson. In his Memphis Sketches, historian Paul Coppock noted that the 65-acre “aviation unit was financed and operated by H.T. Dawkins, who operated the Bry’s department that sold automobile supplies and tires. He incorporated the Tri-State Aviation Corporation, the dealer for Stinson, Travelair, and Eagle Rock planes.”
Unfortunately, the airport didn’t last long. According to Coppock, “It opened while thousands watched on May 8, 1927. It was closed on April Fool’s Day of 1932 by a windstorm that destroyed the hangar and damaged six planes.” It never reopened, because by this time construction was underway on the much larger Memphis Municipal Airport on Winchester Road.
By the way, I have to tell you that anyone — anyone like me, I mean — could get confused researching this store because sometimes newspapers called it Bry’s and then “New Bry’s.” Were these two different stores? Well, no.
In 1926, the company announced a complete remodeling and reorganization. This was a major event for Memphis shoppers. On the morning of April 8th, The Commercial Appeal reported, “Mrs. Eldran Rogers, president of the Parent-Teacher Association, turned a golden key at the main entrance to open the new store.” This was followed by “nine Girl Scouts [who] raised the curtains shrouding the windows of the store, which have been specially prepared for the opening sale.”
After that, most ads called the store “New Bry’s” — even though the owners never bothered to change the signs outside. Whether you called it Bry’s or New Bry’s, the establishment certainly offered unique services. John Mench, president of the company, told reporters, “Our policy is what you want, when you want it, and always at fair prices.” And if you wanted it, but didn’t have time or energy to visit the store, Bry’s offered personal shoppers.
“If a customer finds it impossible to come to New Bry’s,” said Mench, “all that is necessary is to telephone our personal shopper and give her your order and instructions. She will spend her entire time attending to your wishes, and will see that it is promptly delivered.”
Bry’s offered a wonderful shopping experience, but places like Sears lured away customers searching for appliances and auto parts, and they never opened other locations away from Downtown. In 1956 Lowenstein’s purchased the old building, demolishing it a few years later to make way for an ultra-modern store on Main Street, topped with an apartment tower. That store closed in 1981, though the apartments have survived. Nothing remains of the big store you see here, and — here’s the worst part — I don’t get a penny any more from the sales of “Dazzy Vance” baseball gloves.
Got a question for Vance?
EMAIL: askvance@memphismagazine.com
MAIL: Vance Lauderdale, Memphis Magazine, P.O. Box 1738, Memphis, TN 38101
ONLINE: memphismagazine.com/ ask-vance
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We travel for all kinds of reasons, from work to family, pleasure to pilgrimage; in its most basic form, travel is simply about moving from one point to another. But the journeys that we remember most vividly are the ones that change us in some way — whether by shifting our perspective on something we thought we knew, or by making the foreign more familiar, or even by reintroducing us to the home where we return at the end of the road. In this section, we offer ideas for local adventures — experiences that might just reposition your mindset, no highways or runways required. From a canoe trip across the Mississippi River to a vertical excursion in Soulsville, a stroll through a tranquil garden to a reimagined music festival, Memphis offers a wealth of ways to depart the everyday without ever leaving town. Read on for our suggestions, and let us know which adventure you choose.
G rowing up in Memphis, I was taught to fear the Mississippi River, that most majestic and mighty feature of our natural landscape. From what I pieced together as a kid, the undertow was so strong that to submerge even a single toe in the water proved a death wish. Years ago, when my father bought a kayak and began to take it out on Saturday floats, I worried he would be sucked up by a barge, pulled under by the current, or perhaps beaten up by an angry catfish.
And yet, when I heard last year about a local guide who escorts groups on the river in long canoes, I immediately wanted to get out on the water myself. Fear and curiosity are close cousins, turns out.
Which is how I found myself strapped into a bright blue life vest on a recent Saturday morning, climbing into a ten-person canoe steered by Matthew Burdine, who runs Mississippi River Expeditions, and accompanied by several adventuresome colleagues and one husband (mine). After a quick safety talk (“I’ll keep you alive if you keep me alive”), we pushed off, into the river wilderness that defines our city. Burdine is a character: He’s a Delta native who earned an MBA from Ole Miss, spent time on the Colorado River of the Grand Canyon’s “vertically grand world,” and now introduces Memphians and visitors to the “horizontally grand world” of the Mississippi; his company is an outpost of Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi. With his mane of sunbleached hair and shaggy beard, he fits the part of the river raconteur; as we climbed into the vessel, he slyly warned to watch out for “river mer” (think mermaids and mermen, but “not as pretty”) and “river fairies.”
On that day, the wind was high, a remnant of strong storms the night before, and the river was forceful, so we paddled a ways up the gentler Wolf, instead, beginning where it empties into the Mississippi. After only a few minutes, the noise of the city receded and I could have been convinced we had traveled back hundreds of years, to a time when canoes were the sole mode of river voyage. A catfish leapt out of the water, startling us (or was it a river mer?).
The experience was so entrancing that the very next weekend, I arranged to paddle out with Burdine once more, this time with visiting family. The conditions more serene, Burdine guided us clear across the river to a sandbar wilderness lush with river willows and bright with birdsong. We picnicked there on ‘river charcuterie,’ and picked through driftwood for souvenirs of the day. When eventually we paddled back to the city, only a few hours after we had left, the Downtown skyline shimmered like an apparition.
We didn’t leave Memphis either morning, but I promise you we traveled. If that’s not a ‘staycation,’ I’m not sure what is. — Anna
Traverse Fogle■ canoememphis.com
I grew up reading Spider-Man comic books, so when my wife recently suggested we give wall-crawling (okay, rock-climbing) a try, I was game. And the first time we walked into Memphis Rox — across the street from the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Soulsville — we felt like superheroes on a playground. But a playground with a heartfelt mission.
Founded in 2018, this one-of-akind gym opened with a belief that “climbing is simply a metaphor for overcoming life’s obstacles, and we believe we climb higher when we climb together.” There are areas for yoga and meditation, and more conventional exercise like free weights and treadmills.
But we go for the climbing. It’s important to have a partner, as scaling a 45-foot wall harnessed to a rope requires someone to belay from ground level. And let me tell you, belaying is as much a workout as climbing. Properly pulling that rope as your partner gains height will fire muscles in your arms and back you haven’t felt in years. And when your partner taps the top of the wall, it’s a victory for two.
Again, Spidey’s my guy. So I channel the web-slinger as I navigate one course or another (I’m still very much a novice). There’s a palm-sweating anxiety to not quite knowing where to place a hand next, but with the confidence that the rope (and your belayer) will hold, you can find that grip. A chalk bag attached to your harness can help with the sweaty palms.
The reward of a strenuous climb completed? You get to let go. Descending gradually, at the pace your belayer allows, feels, yep, like swinging on a web. You’re not flying, and you’re not weightless, but for a few moments, you and terra firma are distant cousins. Kinda feels like you’re in a comic book.
— Frank Murtaugh■ memphisrox.org
With a lifetime’s worth of music available at the click of a phone these days, the art of listening closely to any recording seems, paradoxically, to be vanishing. But not entirely, and Memphis, being a vinyl-loving town, has options for those who still love taking deep dives into the audio arts.
For starters, The Central Station Memphis, part of Hilton’s Curio Collection, has built exquisite listening into its very design, thanks to its collaboration with loudspeaker manufacturer EgglestonWorks. The local boutique audiophile company has installed custom speakers throughout the lobby and guest rooms, but it’s in the 8 & Sand bar and lounge that they really shine. Amid a huge vinyl collection of Memphis-centric records sits a special DJ console made from a vintage organ, and a customized set of speakers tuned to the room’s specifications. Behind the bar, there’s even a smaller listening lounge for those who wish to tune out distractions.
More EgglestonWorks speakers can be found in the one-of-a-kind Memphis Listening Lab (MLL), a non-profit listening library that opened in 2021 on the strength of an extensive vinyl, CD, and book collection amassed by Ardent Studios co-founder John King. “We call it the collection, but I call it his life’s work,” notes MLL board member Sherman Wilmott, reflecting on King’s six decades in the music business. The wide-ranging collection, Wilmott says, is “as if Dr. Demento grew up in Memphis and was into soul and psych[edelic music]. It’s very eclectic.”
Beyond their own collection, MLL’s space within Crosstown Concourse also plays host to listening events, where bands can debut their latest LP, or writers can host discussions of pivotal recordings, as when the Memphis Flyer celebrated Al Green’s two albums from 1972 with a public talk that included producer Boo Mitchell and organist Rev. Charles Hodges. Such events are filled with miraculous moments where the conversation falls to a hush and those in the room focus on one thing: listening. — Alex Greene
■ centralstationmemphis.com
■ crosstownconcourse.com
Paddling a canoe down the Mississippi River is about as wild a natural experience as one can have without leaving town. Strolling the crisply manicured walkways of Memphis Botanic Garden, by contrast, offers nature at her most refined. I’ve been visiting the gardens for as long as I can remember — documented through a third-grade drawing I made, of the arching red bridge and duck pond, that was published in The Commercial Appeal. (The crowning achievement of my career as a visual artist, thank you very much.)
Today, my family and I are members and frequent visitors. We like to track the seasons’ progress by watching what’s springing into bloom, and what’s fading into fall, from sweet magnolia and cherry blossom to blazing red maple. We have a favorite duck (he has a broken wing, and yes, we fret about him, though he seems to thrive), and a favorite koi (the bone-white one with a big red splotch between her shoulder blades, if fish had shoulder blades). When the world demands frenetic attention, there’s much to be said for retreating into the gardens for temporary respite. Kids can explore the whimsy of My Big Backyard or the prehistoric plant area with its elevated lookouts; grownups might find culinary inspiration in the herb garden, or drift into a meditative moment in the moongazing pavilion.
The botanic garden is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, having grown exponentially since its beginnings when the iris garden — centered around a statue of the Greek goddess, Iris — was the full extent of the operation. Other facets of the jewel were added piece by piece: the arboretum, the rose garden (transplanted from Overton Park), the magnolia grove, the woodland teeming with native plants.
The garden does, of course, host events throughout the year, from art installations (on view now through fall: 29 sculptures, created by artist Kristine Mays, that seem to dance with the greenery) to plant sales to holiday lights. But my preferred time to visit is when nothing in particular is happening, the weather’s fine, and I realize I need to pay more attention to the ever-shifting seasons — and maybe say hello to a certain broken-winged duck. ATF ■
T his month, after years of sniping at each other, there is about to come a true reckoning for Memphis, and for the two organizations — the Memphis River Parks Partnership (MRPP) and Memphis in May (MIM) — who’ve been wrangling over the fate of the 30 acres of land along Memphis’ Mississippi waterfront that comprise Tom Lee Park.
That’s good news, to be honest. It’s time to give the competing theories about the future of the park a reality check. And the even better news is that you, dear reader, can take part in what is likely to be a serious test of what future Memphis in Mays will look and feel like. All you have to do is show up for Music Fest (May 5-7) and/or the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (May 17-20) to witness — and participate in — a clash of competing visions of the future.
MRPP says the park is 80 percent completed. So how will the greatly redesigned landscape, partially completed shelters and playgrounds, and new trails and natural areas stand up against 30,000 music fans whose minds will be on music, not landscape design? And, two weeks later, how will the new hills and moguls, trees, shrubs, and paths withstand a second onslaught of four days of BBQ contest partying and temporary construction?
And let’s not forget that Memphis in May almost always has a couple of rain days. In the past, after MIM’s two major events, the park was a disaster area, a muddy, gross morass littered with discarded tennis shoes, boots, and clothing, food and drink detritus, and ever-aromatic porta-potties.
How will it go this year? Will MIM be able to make enough money to cover its expenses? And how much will it cost to put the park back in shape to repair and finish MRPP’s vision of a “world-class riverfront.” Those are the key questions, and you have the opportunity to experience the real-world experiment first-hand.
T he “cation” part of any staycation is a getaway, of course. A place where one can feel — literally feel — the weight of everyday stresses lift from one’s shoulders. For 24 years now, AutoZone Park has been that getaway for me. It took a worldwide plague to keep me from the stadium in 2020 and even then, it was more the lack of baseball than the presence of a deadly contagion that prevented me from grab-
bing a seat down the third-base line.
Baseball is the rare sport that can be as pleasant for those of us who read box scores as it is for those who don’t know the difference between the top and bottom of an inning. To begin with, it’s outside. (Or should be. Domed ballparks are an abomination.) Every medical professional on the planet will advise you of the benefits fresh air provides. The pace of a baseball game cannot be described as frenetic, like those of basketball or football. While not exactly leisurely — every pitch is potential excitement — the game allows for conversation, for strolls along the concourse in search of a snack, for (get this) thinking.
As the Triple-A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, our Memphis Redbirds are the big-league
stars of tomorrow. You may have heard Albert Pujols became the fourth player to hit 700 home runs last September. Well, in September 2000, Pujols hit a home run at AutoZone Park to win a Pacific Coast League championship for Memphis. Today you can sit in the red seat where that baseball landed.
And there are fireworks at AutoZone Park. Virtually every Saturday night and certainly on or near the Fourth of July, Downtown lights up with postgame rockets and flares. It’s like the climactic scene of The Natural, just no Robert Redford and the explosions aren’t the actual stadium lights. It’s a getaway like no other. — FM
■ memphisredbirds.com
If you’ve seen Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS, we know you’re all shook up about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll - and there is no better place to live his legacy than at Graceland.
Now, visitors to Graceland can go behind-the-scenes of the celebrated film at the new Making of ELVIS Movie Exhibition. The Exhibition looks at the beginning of the creative process for the film and follows it through its journey to the big screen. Highlights include behind-the-scenes videos, drafts of scripts, storyboards, film props, set pieces, and costumes and accessories worn by Austin Butler (Elvis), Tom Hanks (Colonel Tom Parker), and more.
ou can tell a lot about humans by how we treat animals: Rescue stories often involve both the very worst of humanity (abuse, neglect) and our very best (empathy, altruism). The South is home to far too many abandoned animals, but so too is it home to individuals and groups seeking to address the problem. And as the world evolves, the ways we rescue pets do, too: We’ve spotlighted folks whose rescue operations involve airplanes, TikTok, and even a novel use for local print media (!). Four paws up to these big-hearted individuals — and the pets they save.
Before there was a local animal-rescue nonprofit called the Savior Foundation, there was Savior the dog. In December 2009, Mario Chiozza was driving on I-40 when he saw an object thrown from a pickup truck ahead of him. at “object” was a severely sick and injured pit bull terrier.
Chiozza stopped his car and managed to direct the interstate traffic around the wounded dog long enough to carefully pick her up, place her in his car, and drive to a vet. e first recommended euthanasia, but Chiozza was determined and found the necessary care to keep the horribly neglected dog alive. at dog would be named Savior, and she lived 11 happy, healthy years under Chiozza’s care.
e trauma of that event 14 years ago inspired Chiozza to found the Savior Foundation. Alongside since the beginning has been Elise Salvia, president of the organization for four years now (since Chiozza retired from the Memphis Fire Department). With the help of three trusted volunteers, Salvia coordinates fund-raising, outreach, veterinary care, and placement for dogs and cats that desperately need a second chance.
“We’re a small organization,” emphasizes Salvia. “A lot of rescue organizations can raise $30,000 at one event. We just don’t have that presence or following. We don’t take in animals. But we partner with other small rescue teams and individuals to cover medical costs. ese partners have good foster homes and good adoption programs. ey just don’t have funding.”
Salvia estimates an average cost between $1,500 and $2,000 for a single dog rescue. Treatment for heartworms, alone, can mean a four-figure hit, beyond the reach of many otherwise capable dog owners.
“So many dogs are being left at Memphis Animal Services, severely abused and injured,” says Salvia.
“ ey don’t have much time [before they’re euthanized].”
e Savior Foundation serves as a bridge — for crucial medical care — between a rescue organization (that identifies a dog for foster
placement after a background check) and a foster family that will nurture the recovering animal.
e Savior Foundation hosts two annual fund-raising events at Neil’s Music Room (5725 Quince). e School of Rock will perform on June 11th and a Halloween theme becomes part of the fun on October 22nd. “All donations go directly to the animals,” notes Salvia, who covers the cost of operational supplies herself. e aim is to help — save is the better word, really — between 15 and 20 dogs a year. “We have to turn people away,” acknowledges Salvia. “We can’t afford to take it all on.”
Salvia’s heart has long been tugged in the right direction, and she’s grateful to be at a place in life where she can provide time and resources for a cause with profound impact. “Animals don’t have a voice,” she notes. “And I don’t have children, so this is my extended family.”
e Savior Foundation has a presence on Facebook and donations are welcome on its website. Salvia relishes every hour spent as a rescue worker, especially during quiet times with her own two dogs, Nika and Brownie. Her family also includes a cat, it should be noted, with the most appropriate of names: Lucky.
— Frank Murtaugh
For more information: thesaviorfoundation.org
Last June, while on her way to a job interview, Marcy Merritt stopped at Starbucks. She didn’t realize that, in addition to her order, she’d be picking up her next foster dog, who was wandering around in the parking lot’s summer heat. “I couldn’t leave her,” she says. And so, she opened her car door and Cindy, as the dog is now named, hopped into the car and headed to the interview with her.
Cindy’s not the first foster Merritt has picked up on the street, and she certainly won’t be the last. In the five years she has lived in Memphis, Merritt has fostered around 30 dogs and nearly 60 puppies, finding them as strays or pulling them from various local rescues. At any given time, in addition to caring for her two personal dogs, Hallow and Margo, plus two rescue cats, Merritt usually fosters at least one healthy adult and a hospice case; in the summer, she’ll also take on a litter or two of puppies.
To draw attention to her cause, Merritt, who works full-time at a dental clinic and hopes to attend dentistry school in the fall, also runs a TikTok account (with over 200,000 followers and 7 million likes on her
videos) all about her fosters — the good, the bad, and the ugly. “ e way we kind of pick out the dogs is that first you have to accept that you’re not going to help them all,” she says. “ ere’s too many; it’s absolutely not going to happen.”
And so, she takes on some of the most heartbreaking cases who otherwise would not be given the chance, from an aggressive pitbull with an amputated leg who has since been adopted, to her current hospice case, Ruebin, a “spiteful” teenage chihuahua who came to her as a hospice case with his teeth rotted out, severely underweight, and unable to walk. Now, though, after surgery for herniated discs in his neck, Merritt says, “[Ruebin]’s going to outlive everyone.”
No matter the case, Merritt says, “ e ones we pick, we do to the fullest of our ability. … We just make sure that whoever comes in, they get the full nine yards.” anks to donations raised from her TikTok audience and from fellow Memphians, that level of care, including the expensive surgeries, is possible, with donations covering around 80 percent of the finances. “Over the past couple years, TikTok brought in close to $20,000,” she says. “It’s an insane amount of donations. … Whenever we do puppies, we have a couple people on TikTok who always provide their collars, their vaccines, their food, their puppy pads, so it’s much easier to take care of them.”
Even after they are adopted, Merritt keeps up with the dogs’ well-being, with their adopters often sending updates and pictures. It makes all the heartbreak worthwhile, knowing that she had them in their worst days and that they now have their best days ahead.
Follow Marcy Merritt on TikTok @marcymeowwwThe sole passenger on Jim Carney’s private plane that August day in 2019 had no name. At the time he was going by Bruce Wayne. Letting such formalities pass, the pilot noted that Mr. Wayne would not be napping during the flight — he was too full of good-natured enthusiasm. And once buckled snugly in his seat, Bruce Wayne panted contentedly throughout the journey, his attention fixed squarely on any squirrel-shaped clouds floating past the window. Upon his arrival, Bruce’s greeters with the Pilots N Paws animal rescue and transport program commended him on being a very good boy. is isn’t typical of every rescue dog’s experience, of course, and most foster dogs being relocated are carried by car or van. Yet to Kristyn Adair, who’s
been fostering dogs for the past 15 years, Bruce Wayne’s trip captured something she often feels when her fosters find their forever homes.
“People get really worried about how hard it will be to let them go,” she reflects on the typical fostering experience. “But generally they go to homes that are better than mine! Homes where they’re the center of the world. I love that. I mean, there are some homes that I wish would adopt me, too. I love seeing the dogs go from rags to riches, from broken to whole.” Adair knows something about the latter, having a tendency to take in dogs with special needs. “I focus on the harder-to-place animals. e senior ones, the ones with medical conditions, the ones with behavioral baggage.” Noting the importance of working with rescue groups who will pay for food, medical attention, and transportation, she adds that the hardto-place dogs can also bring the greatest joy — as when she recently took in a golden retriever named Journey.
“He’s a young dog,” says Adair, “found on the side of the road with both of his back legs broken. He’d been hit by a car.” Amanda Harris, president of Friends of the Tipton County Animal Shelter and active in local rescue groups, reached out to Adair. “She knew I had a ramp.” Adair adds. “ ey figured he would probably be an amputee, and I had experience with that. So he came here, and they were actually able to save his legs, which could not have been done without a rescue group, because it was ridiculously expensive.”
Adair says the dog is doing great. “I catch him digging holes in the yard all the time, and I can’t get mad! I’m like, ‘Holy crap, you have the use of both back legs now!’ He’s tearing stuff up and just so excited to be here.” — Alex Greene
Beth Aversa was born and raised in Memphis, but she and her husband, Patrick, moved to Chicago in 2002 and spent 10 years there, before moving back to her hometown in 2012. at was when Beth began volunteering at Memphis Animal Services and came to realize the full extent of the
problem of unwanted dogs in Memphis.
“I’d just moved back from Chicago,” Aversa recalls, “and I saw that the euthanasia list at MAS was out of control. I wanted to try and save them all, of course, and at one point I had 14 dogs at my home. I had to find an outlet to figure out what to do with all these dogs.”
It was then that Aversa was inspired to found Blues City Animal Rescue.
“We started by posting dogs on two websites, Adopt-A-Pet and Pet Finder,” she says. “We initially adopted out a lot of dogs to Chicago. Now we have expanded to the northeastern United States, and here in Memphis, as well, of course.”
Blues City depends on a loyal and hard-working cadre of around 25 volunteers who foster dogs, transport them for vet visits, and take food and other supplies to foster homes if needed.
“We couldn’t do any of this without them,” says Aversa. “In order to continue pulling dogs from overcrowded shelters and rescuing abandoned and neglected dogs off of the streets, we rely solely on fosters volunteering their loving homes and time.”
Aversa says the number of volunteers fluctuates. “We recognize that everyone needs a break now and then, so sometimes
we have more people than we need, and sometimes not enough.”
Blues City doesn’t pull animals from MAS anymore, but the flow of dogs is constant. “We get them mostly from people dumping them,” says Aversa. “People find dogs abandoned on the street, living under houses — often, moms and litters. We also pull dogs from the Forrest City Area Humane Society and Tipton County Shelter.”
Aversa says Blues City finds homes for 250 to 350 dogs each year. “We’re a nonprofit, and we’re funded by adoption fees and donations that cover the costs of heart-worm treatment, spays and neuters, community outreach programs, and medical care for those who can’t afford it. We know that saving them all is an impossible task,” says Aversa, “and knowing that, we invest our hearts and souls into saving as many dogs as we can.” — Bruce
VanWyngarden
For more information: bluescityanimalrescue.org
When Alix Harte sees a kitten in need, she always wants to help. And Memphis Animal Services’ found foster program has made it easy for her to help stray cats find a home. “I’ve been doing found foster
UTHSC is proud to send the Class of 2023 into the workforce to help improve the health of all who call Tennessee home. Our students, along with our researchers working on the cures of tomorrow, and faculty who staff major hospitals across the state, are all a part of our mission for a healthy Tennessee.
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programs with MAS for a while now, and we were just able to rehome our latest foster cat,” she says. “I don’t do as much with MAS now that I have kids, but I still like to help with their quarterly big adoption events, or donate to their Amazon wish list for supplies.”
Harte’s husband, NAME?, found a cat in a box in a parking lot during 2022’s Christmas Eve big freeze, and they were able to procure the necessary supplies from MAS: food, litter, and a neuter appointment. “They also provided us with a kennel,” says Harte, “so that it would have a place to rest while we gauged its temperament.”
Harte initially connected with MAS thanks to her involvement with Pet Compassion Centers, a regional organization that works with local and rural municipal shelters to provide programmatic support. She quickly realized that MAS had a very specific need: newspapers. “They line the kennels with old newspapers between each dog and cat,” says Harte. “It’s an effective and low-cost way to keep them sanitary and cut down on the spread of communicable diseases.”
Harte reached out to Memphis Magazine ’s sister publication, the Memphis Flyer, to see if there were any old newspapers that she could donate to MAS. “I talked to leadership and they immediately said they would donate old copies of the Flyer that were pulled out of circulation. So about once a month, early on a Wednesday morning, I drive out to their warehouse and pick up several stacks of old papers, then drop them off at MAS at noon. I just load up my car, and we keep them pretty well stocked. It’s only a small thing, but it’s another great way to help fill a need.” – Samuel
X. Cicci
left: The 1919 farmhouse was renovated in the 2000s to look like an old house but live like a new house. Designer Hope Wilkinson took advantage of the home’s copious natural light architect Charles Shipp’s changes provided. right: The kitchen provides the homeowner with an ideal layout and room to maneuver. The cable lighting on the vaulted ceiling was inspired by Wilkinson’s visit to European castles.
When the farmhouse was built on Walnut Grove Road circa 1919, “East Memphis” stopped at East Parkway. “It was probably on a much bigger piece of property at that time,” says architect Charles Shipp, who is in charge of the renovation.
Over the next century, as families came and went, and the land its inhabitants farmed was sold off and subdivided, newer developments surrounded the house. By the time the current owner, who asked to remain anonymous, first visited in 2004, it wasn’t in the best shape. “Somebody else would’ve torn this house down,” she says. “Many people would say it should have been torn down. But I didn’t want to tear it down.”
Coming from a home in Central Gardens, which was built around the same time, the homeowner and her family were familiar with the challenges ahead. “We wanted to move to East Memphis for the kids’ schools, a bigger yard, and just more space,” she says. “But we didn’t want eight-foot ceilings. In East Memphis, that rules out a lot of houses… So we started looking
at older homes. I mean, we love, love, love older homes. I would drive past this house when it was for sale every day when I took my daughter to school. I just kept looking over at it. We have a house in Maine that’s an old, white clapboard. This house appealed to me, because it reminded me of New England.”
The homeowner enlisted architect Charles Shipp to spearhead the renovations. “Updating homes from that era used to be probably 90 percent of what I did,” Shipp says. “Now it’s probably a little more than half of what I do, and the rest is new houses.”
Shipp had designed updates for the homeowner’s previous domicile, so she trusted him with this much larger project. “Here was the checklist: Walk-in pantry, laundry room, conveniently located large master bath, and large master closet,” she says. “All the things that we did not ever have in any of our older homes in Central Garden. Here was our chance to have those things, and that’s largely what the new part of the house is.”
The architect recalls, “It looked like a fairly unassuming farm-
A century-old East Memphis home blends features from the past with present-day renovations.
clockwise from top left: Visitors to the home are greeted in the living room by a baby grand piano. Antique rugs provide splashes of color against the neutral hues of the drapery. Shipp’s renovation plans tore out the back of the home and rebuilt it around this brick courtyard. The screened-in porch provides a welcome respite during the summer months.
house, nicely done. It is set farther back from the road than some of the others in the neighborhood, and it’s not that visible from the street. When we started to add on to it to make it function the way that they wanted to, we tried to keep that character intact. That’s what led to some of the layout, as well as how it was detailed.”
It wasn’t immediately obvious from the street that the farmhouse had been renovated before. The dining room was unusually large for a house of this era, and a previous inhabitant had installed a large, curved bank of windows along the room’s back wall. “I really wanted to keep it a glass room, but Charles said it was not very workable,” says the homeowner. “It was in terrible shape. So we basically tore the back out of the house, and then built an addition.”
Shipp added a more conventional set of windows to preserve the natural light in what became the family room. When they asked for a screened porch, Shipp found the perfect spot. “Should the porch go here? Or should the porch go there?”, the homeowner remembers wondering. “Charles came over one day, and said, ‘We’re going to add a door here, and we’re going to put the porch here. He liked the idea of it not being right up against that part of the house, because it would have been dark.”
Shipp recalls, “The client was very easy to work with and amenable to what we discussed. We were trying to keep the character intact, and do it in a way that lived like a new house, but didn’t look like a new house.”
“I like a good house. I don’t like to just fill up a house with stuff,” says Hope Wilkinson.
The designer has handled big commercial projects, small residential projects, and everything in between. The best results, she says, come from establishing longterm relationships with a client. “I worked for an architecture firm that was all about the photo op. Once you get out of that, you’re like, ‘People. That’s why I like houses, because people live there, and
they’re invested in it … I feel like once you get in someone’s brain with what their house should be, it starts telling you what to do.”
Wilkinson had done previous work for the homeowner’s Central Gardens dwelling, and was tapped to decorate the new space. “Since it was a renovation, the house already was what the house needed to be,” she says. “So we were just trying to make the old part look like it’s been here forever — which Charles is great at. I think he’s the best in town.”
It’s important to set the mood at the entrance to a home, so the living room, which runs along the front of the house, was the first priority. “[They] like antiques, so we like to source old and unusual kinds of things and then mix in a little bit of contemporary stuff,” says Wilkinson.
Visitors are greeted by an antique piano, which the busy homeowner says she doesn’t get to play as often as she would like. The elegant curves of a Swedish Mora clock catch the eye on the far wall.
The clocks are “like artwork; it’s almost sculpture,” says the designer.
The Mora was not part of the first wave of accoutrements, says Wilkinson. The homeowner requested one after her mother passed away, as a kind of memorial. Wilkinson sourced the piece from a Texas broker who travels to Europe every year to find the rare clocks.
Not only did the clock fulfill the homeowner’s needs, but it also solved a persistent design problem. The two doors that lead from the living room to the family
room are offset slightly, creating an asymmetry. “You have a center line on the far end, but not really down here,” says Wilkinson. “This was a great kind of vertical to make it feel a little more like a foyer, without having to hang a bunch of stuff.”
Like any good farmhouse, this one was built with a welcoming fireplace. It wasn’t being used when she bought the house, but the homeowner made sure it was renovated to host fires safely once again. “I feel like this is kind of the winter room, where it’s warm and
cozy and there’s a fireplace,” says Wilkinson. The adjacent family room, with its big windows, “is more like the summer room.”
An eye-catching painting above the fireplace is by Memphis artist Anne Siems. In the wintertime, the homeowner can be found lounging by the fire, book in hand. “There are books all over this house — and she reads the books!” says Wilkinson. “We were laughing earlier, because I said, ‘I’m not color-coding your books!’”
Compared to many contemporary kitchens, the farmhouse’s kitchen is not big. But the homeowner doesn’t mind, saying, “The layout is fabulous.”
Wilkinson says the homeowner, who is an avid and serious cook, was quite specific about her needs. “She’s not into name brands. She didn’t want the range that looks the prettiest. She wanted the one with the most fire.”
The kitchen’s central island is not marble, like most kitchen islands in new construction, but wood. “The wood top was a big deal for me, because I wanted it to feel more like furniture, and not so built-in,” says Wilkinson. “The good thing about a wood top is that it can always be refinished. If it was white marble and it got stained, it’d be harder to do. But I like it just for the warmth. When she’s cooking, that’s where she works. I always like a kitchen where kids aren’t running through your space. This gives her a triangle where nobody else has to be where she needs to be. It’s very tight and efficient compared to a lot of new houses I’ve worked on where the kitchen islands are 12 feet long.”
Over the island is a vaulted ceiling which Shipp added during the design phase. “The vaulted ceiling — that was super fun!” laughs Wilkinson.
It’s a striking effect for the room, but installing the vault introduced a lot of unexpected challenges. “Kitchens need a lot of light,” says Shipp. “But you don’t want 20 can lights in a vaulted ceiling, because you can’t use can lights on an angle. You’ll end up looking straight into them, and they’re not shining where you want them to be shining.”
Wilkinson came up with an unorthodox solution that proved to be effective in many awkward lighting situations. Taut silver cables crisscross the ceiling below the vault, with small, directional lights suspended from them. “I had been to Europe, and these cable lights are how they light up old castles,” Wilkinson says. “They’re very flexible and adjustable. We could add to them. But when we did these [around 2007], you didn’t see them in houses.
The electricians didn’t know
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how to install them. They were a bit ahead of their time. It’s counterintuitive to put something super-modern in a really old house. But they still work, and they still look good.”
In the nearby dining room, the eight-seat table is simple, rustic, and unusually slender. “This isn’t a formal house,” says Wilkinson. “So the dining room is comfortable, not stuffy. I prefer a skinny table. They’re very hard to find, but old French tables are usually long and skinny.”
Wilkinson says the practice of serving meals family-style, which involves setting out serving plates down the middle of the table, is not as prominent anymore. “People are going to be in the kitchen anyway. We usually don’t have a bunch of stuff down the middle of the table. You get to see the person you’re talking to, and you’re not reaching way across the table. And if people are sitting here, it’s just so much nicer to have more room to move around the table instead of having to shimmy behind chairs.”
clockwise from top: An expanded master suite was at the top of the list for the homeowner. Bookshelf space is at a premium for this home of avid readers. The “bathtub gin” drawing was found in the attic. Wilkinson located a claw-foot tub to match it.
Like the rest of the house, the dining room’s dominant shades are light and neutral, with splashes of color from art on the walls and rugs on the floor. “When I meet people, I feel like there’s a color that they should be in,” says Wilkinson. For this client, “it’s like a Tiffany, or kind of a light aqua … All the walls are almost the same, neutral color. She has great art, great stuff. I don’t need a paint color to make it feel like a house. We recent-
ly repainted, and did everything close to the same colors. The walls and trim should not be the thing that you look in and see.”
The wooden floors are broken up with vintage floor coverings. “We love the authenticity of an old rug,” says Wilkinson. “The most colorful rugs are probably the newest thing that we’ve done. They’re like art on the floor. It’s a lot easier to live on a patterned rug than a solid tan rug, because they hide things. She doesn’t mind wear and tear, which I think is also nice for a house to have. Not everything’s new and crisp.”
On one side of the table is a vintage bar cart made of brass and glass. The piece was inherited by the homeowner. “It’s so cool that, instead of shoving it in the corner, we wanted to make it the thing you see.”
Wilkinson says for her, an ideal client starts with a base of favorite furniture and furnishings that she can build upon. “It’s the stuff that makes a house comfortable,” she says. “Things that have some age and some patina, you know? That’s what makes it feel like you can exist in there and not mess it up. I especially like when they have a base of things that are interesting — because sometimes it’s hard to find interesting things.”
Wilkinson says this is just one example of how a long-term relationship with a designer can help keep a home looking fresh. “Every now and then, we’ll check in and [the homeowner] will be like, ‘I just need you to walk through my house.’ So we’ll walk through, and I’ll say, ‘That looks tired.’ When you bring something in, it doesn’t stay fresh forever … It’s fun to revisit a house. We haven’t changed the drapery since day one. It was good from the start. But we’ve moved things around. I like that kind of longterm, making a house a home kind of thing — not just making a house good on day one.”
Summer is more fun at Oaklawn. First up, massages and facials at the Astral Spa. Then, relaxing poolside with cold drinks in a cabana. Head to the suite to freshen up for drinks and dinner at The Bugler, then we hit the Blackjack table. This is our Oaklawn.
What’s yours?
The Dixon welcomes French-Chinese artist Zao Wou-Ki’s never-before-seen work in an exhibition of watercolors and ceramics.
BY ABIGAIL MORICI
In 2018, Zao Wou-Ki became the world’s third best-selling artist, after Picasso and Monet, with auctions of the late FrenchChinese painter’s work generating $327 million, according to Forbes. Now, he sits at a comfortable 23rd ranking, above names as recognizable as Botticelli, Degas, Renoir, Banksy, O’Keeffe, Manet, Pollock, and Matisse, among others. Yet, as Julie Pierotti, a curator at e Dixon Gallery and Gardens, says, he’s not a household name in the United States. Even so, with its latest exhibit, “Zao Wou-Ki: Watercolors and Ceramics,” the Dixon is hoping to change that, with an impressive display of 80 works in watercolor and on ceramics, all drawn exclusively from European private collections.
Zao Wou-Ki (Chinese-French, 1920-2013), Untitled (Paris), 2008;Watercolor on paper; Private collection, Switzerland
© Zao Wou-Ki – ProLitteris
above left:
Zao Wou-Ki (ChineseFrench, 1920-2013), Firestone Plate, 2004; Bernardaud Manufactory, Limoges Porcelain with lithograph after a watercolor by the artist; Private collection, Switzerland © Zao Wou-Ki – ProLitteris
above right:
Zao Wou-Ki (ChineseFrench, 1920-2013), Untitled (Saint-Tropez), 2007; Watercolor on paper; Private collection, Switzerland © Zao Wou-Ki – ProLitteris
Born in 1920 in Beijing, Zao drew and painted from a young age, eventually studying at the prestigious School of Fine Arts in Hangzhou, where the founders advocated for the blending of Chinese and modern Western art. ough this sentiment would later become a part of Zao’s legacy, he initially leaned more heavily on Western modernism for inspiration, his early oil paintings revealing his admiration for post-impressionist Cézanne, Fauvist Matisse, and cubist Picasso. He rejected the classical conventions of Chinese landscape paintings and calligraphy, the tradition his grandfather tried to instill in him by teaching him how to draw the characters of the Chinese alphabet. He didn’t want to be stereotyped as a Chinese artist, unable to break into the sphere of Western culture.
And so, by the 1940s, with the hopes of immersing himself in the European art tradition he so admired, Zao moved to France, where he would call home for the rest of his life. Once there, in the aftermath of World War II he discovered his contemporaries had turned to abstract expressionism, a movement begun in New York that upheld spontaneity and improvisation in rendering reflections of emotions. He absorbed this new style easily, the quick, fluid gestures reminiscent of the calligraphy his grandfather once taught him, and soon, as he embraced abstract expressionism, he found himself saying, “Calligraphy is the original source and only guide for my painting.”
“Although the influence of Paris is undeniable in all my training as an artist, I also wish to say that I have gradually rediscovered China,” Zao said in a 1962 interview with the French magazine Preuves. “Paradoxically, perhaps, it is to Paris that I owe this return to my deepest origins.”
In fact, Pierotti says, “With abstract expressionism, several artists would say Chinese calligraphy is an in-
spiration for them.” For Zao, though, this calligraphy was more than an inspiration, more than a jumping-off point unlike other abstract expressionists of his time; it was innate, almost irresistible in its persistence to take over the canvas.
“I think I can say that painting with marks is a Chinese invention, but Chinese painters have never taken it seriously,” he once said, “and for a long time I was mistrustful of the facility that came to me from my long apprenticeship in calligraphy. It had remained an exercise in style, a kind of virtuoso demonstration that I mistrusted. But, despite this feeling to which I became increasingly indifferent, I went on. I saw spaces come into being, made or unmade according to my whim, in an invasive impression of lightness: lightness of brush and color, the lightness of the moment, of time passing. And as I arranged those marks, the living of life became lighter and the pleasure of those gestures prevailed over the traces in my memory.” roughout his prolific career, Zao employed these calligraphic marks in oil on canvas, ink on paper, lithography, and engraving, and watercolor, and through it all, he found success. Indeed, his work was lauded by critics in his time as much as it is today. He continues to sell in international markets, he’s had books written about him, and his work, particularly his oils and prints, has been displayed in museums and galleries around the world, both in his lifetime and after. However, for the first time, his watercolors will be taking center stage in a museum setting at the Dixon.
“For an artist who worked in a variety of media but has this kind of little-known dedication to watercolor, we feel like we’re showing, for those people who knew Zao Wou-Ki before, a different side to his career,” Pierotti says, “and for those who didn’t know him, it’s a great time to get to know him.”
The Dixon’s exhibition features watercolors from throughout Zao’s career, but many of the works are from his later years preceding his death in 2013. “Watercolor is a kind of a constant medium for him,” Pierotti says. “He explored watercolor throughout his career, but with a lot of vigor in the last years of his life. He was known really for his oil painting, but these works really are authentic to who he was and what his artistic vision was.”
More so than other media, Pierotti says, watercolor translates well from the tradition of calligraphy. It allows one to see the hand of the artist, where the artist guides the brushstrokes, where he lets the paint take over, and where he shows restraint in negative space. “That fluidity, that comfortability, that kind of natural ability to work with fluid pigment is so different from oil paint,” she says. “You’re in control, but you’re also not in control. … Zao has the confidence to let the pigment do what it’s going to do, let the watercolor pool in certain ways, and that’s where the real beauty of the work shines through.“Yet there’s a certain understanding that the whole page doesn’t have to be filled, that you can let the color kind of speak for itself,” Pierotti continues. “That comfortability with negative space is a theme that comes out of Asian art to begin with, not having to fill a whole sheet of paper, a whole canvas. In the case of the watercolors, it really lets the pigments take center stage.”
For the watercolors on display, Zao takes inspiration from nature as evidenced in the organic colors and forms he portrays. He painted by natural light, wanting to see colors in their truest, most natural form. “Although [the works are] not literal at all, they’re not representational works of art,” Pierottti says. “You see the inspiration from nature.
“The thing about abstraction is, there’s a tendency in all of us to look at these things and try to identify what we’re looking at,” she continues. “And sometimes you can do that kind of clearly. Sometimes you look at something and say, ‘Oh, that’s the edge of a lake,’ or, ‘We’re looking at some reeds.’ Well, sometimes you look at it and there’s nothing to discern from it. But you can just let it sort of wash over you and let yourself feel the work of art. And that’s a lot of what abstract expressionism is about — communicating emotion.”
To that point, Zao once said of his turn to abstraction, “No more still lifes or flowers, I am aiming for an imaginary and indecipherable new writing.” Later, he even compares painting and written poetry in his 1988 autobiography, Autoportrait. “In the Chinese tradition, painting and poetry are intimately connected,” he writes. “They both express the breath of life, the quivering of the brush on the canvas or of the hand on the paper as the character is formed. They evoke without representing, they reveal hidden meanings,
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those of the universe.
“Each word finds its place in a unified whole, it closes upon a whole in which anyone can casually stroll or stop, go backwards or pause for breath. One comes up against a full stop and there is a wonderful moment of silence, like a piece of emptiness in a painting.”
Within these wonderful moments of silence, these imaginary and indecipherable spaces, no confines exist, the interpretations are limitless, and what separates us from one another — time, geography, language — fade away. Perhaps, this vision was Zao’s destiny — his given name Wou-Ki means “no limits” in Chinese.
Truly, through his artwork, Zao never limited himself, especially as he pursued both Eastern and Western artistic traditions in his style, rather than one over the other. In blending the two, he has shown
how they are intrinsically connected — so that separating them is nearly impossible when looking at the gamut of art history. In a 1986 interview with the French radio station France Culture, Zao said, “I do not think we can still talk about Chinese and Western art: is frontier has been totally broken.”
So often mainstream thinking in the West pays little attention to the Eastern influences that pervade cultures worldwide, seeing the East and West as separate entities coexisting rather than commingling. “Zao knew that this separation between the East and the West was false,” Pierotti says. “ ese art forms are not as different as anyone thinks they are. ere is a connection between Chinese art, Chinese calligraphy, and abstract expressionism. ere’s a connection between Chinese porcelain painting and European porcelain painting.”
Pierotti references Zao’s ceramics, also on display at the Dixon, which feature Zao’s signature style of calligraphy-inspired
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abstraction. Commissioned in the late 1970s by Sèvres, France’s national porcelain manufacturer, these ceramics allowed Zao to merge his knowledge of traditional Chinese porcelain painting with the centuries-old legacy of the French factory.
“ e Dixon has such a big commitment to ceramics with our porcelain collection,” Pierotti says, “so we’re excited to have this kind of contemporary take on the centuries-old European tradition and even a tradition that goes back much further in Chinese culture.”
In a way, Zao brings new life to both traditions, while showcasing his own style. “ e really cool thing about [the ceramics] is that his brushwork is really energetic. ere’s a kind of energy in them and the movement in the paintings on porcelain really contrasts with the fragility of the porcelain, the immobility of porcelain. … ey’re really quiet but alive at the same time, and I feel like that with all of Zao Wou-Ki’s work, too.”
Ultimately, the Dixon sees this exhibition as a “rare opportunity,” made through the museum’s friendship with Gilles Chazal, former director of the Petit Palais, Paris. As Pierotti points out, these watercolors and ceramics never seen before in a public setting will offer Memphis a unique insight into the influential, boundary-pushing Zao, who bridged the East and the West within his art.
“Watercolors don’t really travel very much to begin with,” Pierotti says. “ ey’re a more fragile medium, more sensitive to light. But they’re more spontaneous too. ey’re really this kind of special medium that artists work in sometimes where you get to be up close and personal with them. You know that this isn’t a work of art that necessarily was labored over a lot; there is some immediacy to them. It’s like the artist puts the brush on the page and you see the mark, you see the pigment. ere’s no hiding in watercolor.”
Overall, through the exhibition, Pierotti hopes visitors will gain a new appreciation for the universality of abstraction and the intimacy of watercolors. “ e next time you’re looking at an abstract painting — if it’s by a Memphis contemporary artist [like Susan Maakestad, whose watercolors are also on display at the Dixon] or if you’re going to another museum and you see a Jackson Pollock — you might make that connection to what you saw at the Dixon, what you saw in Zao Wou-Ki’s work, and things might click a little bit more for you.”
“Zao Wou-Ki: Watercolors and Ceramics” is on display at e Dixon Gallery and Gardens through July 16th. Accompanying the exhibit is “Susan Maakestad: e Expansive Moment,” on display through July 9th. Admission to the museum is free.
To talk to a lawyer about divorce, call 901-526-6701.
Your family’s needs are our family’s business.
Major projects are luring residents and visitors to the heart of the city.
BY TOBY SELLS
Downtown Memphis has continued to evolve as we come out of the pandemic into curious fiscal times that seem, for now at least, to be stabilizing. Plenty of projects are underway from proposal to completion that are changing the face of the core Downtown area; we check in on several here.
The Downtown Memphis Commission (DMC) said in its 2022 “State of Downtown” report that restaurants and nightlife had returned, the Grizzlies had enjoyed a hot run, and live music was (and is) being played every day of the year.
According to the DMC, last year tourism rebounded and pedestrian counts returned to pre-pandemic levels. Memphis Tourism and the Greater Memphis Chamber said last year that the leisure and hospitality industries here made a “full recovery” from job losses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic after nearly two and a half years.
In addition to the rhythms of daily life, Downtown’s population is increasing. The DMC said the number of people living in the area rose by 6 percent in 2022, up to 26,086 residents.
The area is continuing to develop with growth and development on the rise despite occasional setbacks. Developer Chance Carlisle is heading up the One Beale project, but his plan to open a Grand Hyatt ran afoul of what Mayor Jim Strickland thought was prudent late last year and the project is on hold. And a Loews Hotel by the convention center stalled last year. But other hotel developments have been proceeding apace.
In the report, DMC president and CEO Paul Young paints a rosy picture of what’s been going on and what the agency hopes will come. The agency is tasked to attract and retain development Downtown, something largely done through tax abatements.
Last year, the DMC gave tax breaks to 38 projects that it says will bring 1,165 apartment units, 310 hotel rooms, 85,000 square feet of retail space, 5,500 square feet of office space, and 1,000 parking spaces.
◗ Tom Lee Park’s major renovation, on Riverside Drive, is adding spaces for sports and fitness, children’s play, outdoor education, community and private events, concerts, festivals, and more, including Memphis in May’s Beale Street Music Festival and the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
◗ The Mobility Center, a mixed-use building at Beale Street and Main Street, will have a 960-stall parking garage, an area for ride-share pickup and drop-off, and space for bicycle storage and electric scooter stalls.
◗ The Walk, a 29-acre area on Union Avenue that will have apartments,
hotels, retail, office, and open space, is a long-term, multi-phase project. The plan is to connect several Downtown neighborhoods including Uptown, South City, the Medical District, and the Downtown core.
◗ The Historic Snuff District, just north of Downtown’s core, is now headquarters for Varsity Spirit. The area also has office space, rental units, retail, and restaurant space.
◗ Construction has begun on the new Memphis Brooks Museum of Art at Union Avenue and Front Street. The museum is expected to be completed in 2025.
◗ The newly redone Cossitt Library, also on Front Street, opened in April after being shut down for five years. It offers 10,000 books as well as performance spaces, digital communications services, and a dining area.
◗ As part of its mission to boost Downtown, the DNC has various programs going on. The 2022 report says its Groove On Demand rideshare service expanded from an eight-mile area to 12. About 50,000 Groove On Demand rides were taken last year.
◗ The DMC is also focusing on safety and received a Shelby County grant to work with the University of Memphis to develop new safety strategies. It also plans to expand the Blue Suede Brigade hospitality team to include overnight shifts.
The agency also won an award from the International Downtown Association for its work on diversity, equity, and inclusion. On that front, the DMC took over the region’s Emerging Developer curriculum, which encourages a developer community that looks more like the Memphis community.
“Our stewardship of Downtown is critical to our entire community,” DMC president and CEO Paul Young says in the report. “Downtown is the Memphis the world recognizes: We are Beale Street, the Grizzlies, Sun Studio, and the National Civil Rights Museum. We are also the neighborhood of choice for AutoZone, St. Jude, and FedExLogistics, as well as six breweries, one world-class distillery, and countless innovators in the arts, music-tech, med-tech, and ag-tech space.”
“‘Downtown for everyone’ is more than a slogan,” Young continued. “It is the fight song for our entire community. We take it seriously. We are Downtown Memphis.”
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One of the most surprising and welcome announcements was the purchase by Stuart Harris of the historic Sterick Building at North B.B King Boulevard and Madison Avenue.
e 340,000-square-foot, 29-story skyscraper was built in 1929 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. However, the building has stood vacant since 1986. Previously, the idea of a purchase had been complicated, owing to a ground lease that had considered the building separate from the land it sits on. But the new agreement resolves that issue, allowing for future plans of a full redevelopment to begin taking shape.
Harris, principal of Constellation Properties, has acquired the property. Harris previously oversaw redevelopment of the Commonwealth building at 240 Madison Avenue. Constellation Properties also purchased parcels at 220 and 224 Madison Avenue, with an eye on further developing the corridor from the Commonwealth down to the Sterick.
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Meanwhile, new proposals for Downtown show a skybridge on Front Street, a boat dock at Greenbelt Park, and a new co-working space in the Edge District. AutoZone Inc. has proposed building a skybridge from the $42 million Downtown Mobility Center, currently under construction, and its Downtown headquarters on Front Street. The bridge would link the Mobility Center’s fifth level to AutoZone’s third level, spanning the intersection of Front Street and Peabody Place.
“ is skybridge will be an enclosed and secure connection for AutoZone employees and their visitors,” according to a description of the project. “ e exterior of the skybridge will extend the modern aesthetic of the Mobility Center using the same metal finishes and curtain wall glazing.” e DMC’s Design Review Board approved the proposal in February.
Greenbelt Park already has a boat ramp at its northern edge, but the city is proposing to dock more than boats: Cruising vessels, cruise ships, and riverboats could pull in at Greenbelt Park.
“With the growth of the number of cruising vessels on the Mississippi River, the city of Memphis needs to be able to accommodate
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multiple vessels docking Downtown,” reads a description of the project.
An enormous dock would jut into the river just north of the existing boat ramp. Two shade structures would be built nearby for passengers waiting land transportation. Another building would house golf carts for passengers. e parking lot would be patched and new lighting added.
Some Mud Island residents have expressed concern that the new dock’s additional traffic will be a problem for the neighborhood, but the DMC staff emphasizes the improvements: “The new pedestrian paths will help connect visitors to the park’s existing trail system, and the shade structures will provide a welcome amenity during warm weather,” reads the staff report. “The proposed structures blend well with the landscape of the park, and the use of the golf cart storage structure for signage and art near the entrance to the lot will assist with wayfinding.”
The Design Review Board also gave the go-ahead to a tucked-away and vacant space in the Edge District that could see two new storefronts, one an office for cnct. design + develop and the other offering studios, gallery space, and retail space for Ugly Art Co. e building at 635 Madison stands near Marshall and Madison with an alley connecting the two streets.
“Art will spill into the alley in the form of asphalt art and lighting,” reads a description. “ e alley will connect the site, strengthening access to a central courtyard and pedestrian traffic within the Edge District.”
Design renderings show the massive white walls of the building covered with a mural of koi. e application says the fish are only placeholders, but the koi theme is expected to carry through to the final design.
Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented, multiphase process involving peer nominations, peer evaluations and independent research. Only 5% of eligible attorneys are selected to the Super Lawyers list, and only 2.5% are selected to the Rising Stars list.
The attorneys featured here are included among the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars selectees. For a complete list of selected attorneys, including additional areas of practice, visit superlawyers.com . There you will also find information about the Super Lawyers patented selection process.
Child custody disputes present the most emotionally difficult issues in family law. Couples often clash over decisions like where their children will primarily reside and how parenting decisions will be made for them. Leigh-Taylor White has vast experience helping clients navigate all manner of custody disputes to a successful resolution, always keeping the children’s best interests at the forefront.
Leigh-Taylor is a seasoned and principled trial attorney, and her advocacy is vigorous and professional. She listens carefully to clients and focuses on setting and accomplishing child-centered goals in each case. Leigh-Taylor uses creative strategy, savvy communication skills and a strong work ethic to resolve challenging issues.
Leigh-Taylor helps clients resolve child custody conflicts in divorce, modification and relocation proceedings, and cases involving the parenting rights and responsibilities of unmarried parents. She represents clients in family law matters in the trial and appellate courts of Mississippi and Tennessee.
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668 Colonial Road, Suite 4 Memphis, TN 38117 (901) 527-2000 | mwwhlaw.com
How do you build a law firm with seven decades of family law experience? One generation at a time.
It’s a timeless tale. Young lawyer opens a law firm. Young lawyer has a son. Son steers the firm to specialize in divorce. Son has a son. Armed with generations of experience, grandson Nick Rice is driving the firm to new heights in the field of family law.
For over 70 years, the Rices have litigated family law matters across Tennessee. Headquartered in Memphis, Rice Law primarily serves Shelby, Fayette, Tipton and surrounding counties, including across North Mississippi. When clients outside their neck of the woods call on the Rices’ wealth of knowledge, they answer that call, handling family law cases from Memphis to Maryville; Covington to Crossville; Nashville to Knoxville; and anywhere in between. Clients call the Rices when their problems require expertise in family law.
If three generations of experience are not convincing enough, the Rices’ credentials are. Larry and Nick Rice co-author The Complete Guide to Divorce Practice, a how-to guide on practicing family law, published by the American Bar Association, and distributed to lawyers across the country. Both Larry and Nick are Certified Family Law Trial Advocates by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. There are less than
200 lawyers in the country who can say the same. To achieve this certification, the Rices had to litigate a minimum of 180 hours of contested divorce trials, be subjected to peer review by fellow lawyers and judicial review by the judges hearing the Rices’ cases, and undergo rigorous examination.
The Rices’ knowledge and expertise are an advantage to their clients. But that advantage would be squandered if the Rices did not also place such a high value on providing a tailored, client-centered approach to each case. Family law matters are some of the most difficult issues a client can deal with. When everything that their clients hold dear is at stake, the Rices and their 20-person team do all they can for each client. Whether it is a divorce, high-value asset division, custody battle, or another family law matter, Tennessee and North Mississippi rely on the Rices.
L-R: Nick Rice**, Larry Rice*
*Selected to Super Lawyers **Selected to Rising Stars
275 Jefferson Ave. Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 526-6701 | aboutdivorce.com
The attorneys at Taylor, Bean & Hamer bring more than 75 years of experience in family law to guide you through one of life’s most difficult events. As a boutique family law firm, we specialize in protecting your family, your finances, and your future. Our attorneys provide strategic planning and put our clients first. We work with you to develop a case plan to provide resolution most favorable to you, and we keep you informed every step of the way.
Divorce can be sensitive and emotional. At Taylor, Bean & Hamer, we believe in discretion and communication. You deserve an attorney who listens and truly hears you. You can count on us to stand with you as we work together to achieve the best possible results for you. Our reputation is built on years of success. Trust us to get you the results you deserve.
8066 Walnut Run Road, Suite 222 Cordova, TN 38018 (901) 818-8600
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L-R: Anne Hamer*, Daniel L. Taylor* *Selected to Super LawyersPatel brings a fresh perspective to the practice of federal criminal defense in Memphis. As a young Asian American woman and a child of immigrants, she is proud to represent a diverse intersection of clients. Her focus is on fairness, and her mission is to hold those in power to the promises of a just system.
Patel is a solo practitioner experienced in defending all types of federal criminal offenses, from organized crime to financial fraud. Always prepared, Patel is available to her clients by text or video, wherever they are, whenever they need her.
To stay ahead of developments in law and guidelines, Patel actively pursues training and continuing education. She is also on the cutting edge of technological advances in electronic discovery. She knows that defending a case requires tech mastery, not just competence—and Patel is masterful, skillfully utilizing all available technology to meet her clients’ needs.
100 Peabody Place, Suite 3453
Memphis, TN 38103 (901) 299-5222
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At MMF&B we bring something special to the table—the heart for the fight. In an adversarial system that pits the prosecution against the defense, we are in it to win it for you. Our goal is to prevent clients from being charged, but if that’s not possible, we know our way to the courtroom and what to do when we get there. Our team’s trial skills are honed in the adversarial arena and polished by professional advocacy training. It is our strong belief that the best negotiated settlements for our clients are obtained by being prepared for trial. MMF&B champions the defense of the accused, and we do it by bringing something special to the table—the heart for the fight.
Seated: Lauren Fuchs**
*Selected to Super Lawyers **Selected to Rising Stars
3074 East Street Memphis, TN 38128 (901) 384-4004 | masseymcclusky.com
Whether you’re throwing a simple birthday party for a few close friends or a large wedding ceremony and reception, we can serve your needs with ease. Member or non-member, our goal is to accommodate your event requests with as much efficiency as possible.
Contact Natalie Smith at events@windyke.com for more information on hosting your next event at Windyke Country Club.
The classic pizza joint is back to sauce up its corner of the Pinch District.
BY IZZY WOLLFARTHSandwiches bursting with dueling cheeses, a heaping bowl of piping-hot macaroni, crumbled feta scattered across a large pizza pie. After closing its doors in 2020 because of the pandemic, Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Cheesy Corner is back to reclaim its title as the ultimate comfort food spot, offering a take on New York-style pizza and Italian cuisine that many Memphians have been missing.
Although the Covid closure put an obvious strain on the restaurant, manager Ashton Few says that the time Ferraro’s spent closed gave the team an opportunity to “do some rebranding and bring the name ‘Cheesy Corner’ in. is name encompasses all our dishes like our pizza, grilled cheese, and mac and cheese, creating our new cheesy theme.”
e choice to go full cheese shines through across the entire menu. New items include a take on the humble grilled-cheese sandwich, filled with your choice
of two cheeses (options include mozzarella, smoked gouda, cheddar, pepperjack, Swiss, and American), melting between two thick slices of Texas toast. Another draw is Ferraro’s selection of specialty pizzas, specifically the Florentine, a spinach and artichoke dip-based pizza topped with grilled chicken, crisp sundried tomatoes, and a sprinkle of feta packed onto a chewy New York-style crust.
During the closure, Few and the team spent some time perfecting their classic dishes, too.
“A lot of people come in and just want our cheese pizza because that’s all they need,” he says. “Our cheese pizza is good.”
With everything made inhouse (even the chips that come with the sandwiches), Few explains that at Ferraro’s, “We definitely try to stick to keeping things authentic and putting our own little flair on it. We’re here to do our part to create authentic Italian cuisine and New Yorkstyle pizza, which a lot of people love, but is not found at many places in Memphis.”
While the new menu exudes authenticity and taste, it is matched by a dining experience that wraps visitors in a blanket of community and comfort. e open space and intimate dining set-up allows diners to chat with other cheese-loving Memphians or form a big group to watch the game.
e team sees the new Ferraro’s as a place to “hang out with your friends, drink some local beers, and get some good com-
far left: Manager Ashton Few helped rebrand Ferraro’s into a destination restaurant for cheese lovers.
left top: The Florentine pizza is made with spinachartichoke dip and topped with chicken, sundried tomatos, and feta cheese.
left bottom: A grilled cheese sandwich accompanied by house-made chips.
fort food.” Combine the $2 beer specials with large portions, perfectly designed for unfussy sharing with friends. “ at’s intentional,” says Few. “We want our guests to have the opportunity to have a little taste of everything.”
Aside from expanding the menu, Ferraro’s has also implemented new options to make their food more accessible for guests with dietary restrictions. “We decided to offer gluten-free [pizza] crust and bread for sandwiches, as well as dairy-free cheese for pizzas and other menu items,” says Few. ey also launched their own delivery service for those who “don’t want to get out but still want good food.” Looking towards the future of Ferraro’s, Few hopes to extend their dining hours to provide lunch service; for now, the restaurant only serves dinner. “As we get the name out more and start getting more people,” he adds, “we’ll definitely go back to having lunch.”
The opportunity to reopen and rebrand proved successful for Ferraro’s, yet their longtime legacy remains strong. Few and the rest of Ferraro’s staff continue to welcome familiar faces from a pre-Covid time. “Most people that come in are people that were here before and are really excited that we’re back open.”
Ferraro’s Pizzeria and Cheesy Corner is open Tuesday–Sunday, 4–10 p.m. 111 Jackson Avenue. 901-522-2033. ferraros-memphis.com
Sometimes, the trick is to keep things simple. Chef Jimmy Gentry has made his culinary career out of such an ethos, taking simple ideas and elevating them with a potent combination of flavors, flourishes, and garnishes that have diners lining up at the door to get a table. The owner of Paradox Catering hasn’t helmed a restaurant since 2019, but picked up right where he left off with The Lobbyist, which serves up his unique approach to creative dishes and shareable small plates.
His new establishment is located inside the former Chisca Hotel, recently converted to apartments. “I’m delighted with the new place,” says Gentry. “I think we fit in really well on the South Main corridor. ere aren’t a ton of upscale options in the area, and we’re doing something a little different with our focus on vegetables and fusion dishes.”
His focus on produce stretches back to Gentry’s original restaurant, P.O. Press Public House & Provisions in Collierville. “When we were setting up shop, we kept asking our base what they’d like to see, and they kept saying vegetables, since there aren’t a lot of fine dining options for that in Memphis,” he says.
Gentry has honed his skills
alongside top chefs around the country throughout his career (including Memphis’ Erling Jensen), but he also gets inspiration from some unexpected places.
“Two of our produce dishes, the carrots and corn mash, are two of our most popular items and holdovers from P.O. Press. But the idea for the corn mash basically came from my daughter,” he laughs. “She loved a type of grits I’d make for her, and I kept playing around with that idea, and I switched to corn and it became a mainstay for us.”
But the simple foundation belies both the artistry and complex construction that Gentry weaves into the dish. Indeed, the corn mash is a soft buttery dream,
beckoning diners to stick their spoon in and take just one more bite. Accentuated with savory bits of bacon jus and the earthy taste of roasted squash, Gentry’s decision to sprinkle the dish with sunflower seeds grounds it with a smattering of crunchy, salty bites. “It’s a dish that sustains you, makes you feel like home,” says Gentry. “It’s a dish that tastes good, but also adds that soulfulness.”
“ e Lobbyist is P.O. Press, but all dressed up,” Gentry continues. “It’s the same style of food, but we’re casual enough for a simple dinner, and also elevated
enough where you can come in for a date night.”
Keeping a large core of the P.O Press team made the transition to a new space that much easier. “Fifty percent of my kitchen staff is from P.O. Press,” he says. “Front of the house, most of those people kept working for me at the catering company and have stayed with me here, too.” Dawn Russell mixes up some signature cocktails as bar manager, Jessica Lambert’s influences can be seen all over the menu as chef de cuisine/pastry chef, while Alia Hogan is the restaurant’s new general manager.
The continuity means that Gentry is free to focus on making each dish special. His signature style really shines through with his okra, and it’s certainly unlike most other takes on the dish seen in the area. Rather than served up slimy or fried, Gentry prepares them charred, giving them a foundational smoky fl avor balanced by a tangy drizzle of crème fraîche But he kicks the heat up a bit too with pickled jalapeños, fresno chilies, and a dash of fried garlic and cilantro.
e fried cauliflower bowl is another popular order; the fusion elements came into play with what Gentry calls his cauliflower spice mix, a take on garam masala that’s accentuated with the house chili crisp that contains a little bit of Szechuan peppers. “We’ve got influences from India and China in there,” he says.
“Jimmy hates the word fusion,” says Lambert, “but that’s what it is. We incorporate a lot of styles into our dishes, so if you take a look through the menu, you’ll see those Asian and Eastern influences appear.”
To change it up, I also ordered a meatier option: I decided to order the coppa, or a cut of pork shoulder. Prepared with a mix of fish sauce and soy sauce that Gentry says gives it a “super umami feel,” the extensive preparation results in a cut that has a deliciously crispy exterior and a smooth, silky interior that packs in flavors of garlic and butter. It’s one of the best cuts I’ve tasted, and a perfect alternative for the designated carnivore in a group of diners.
Beyond a bevy of vegetables, entrees, and other small plates, Lambert has had free rein to whip up an alluring list of desserts. Some of her creations have been mainstays at P.O. Press and Paradox, like the Bomb, which is a lemon cake-based dessert that packs in a bit of savoriness.
“We’ve got the lemon curd with a coconut genoise, and we insert that into an almond cream and freeze it, which turns it into the bomb dessert,” she says. “ en we add a sesame tuile which gives it a little nuttiness, and brings it all together into a dessert that’s both sweet and savory. It’s a lighter dessert which won’t make you feel overwhelmed.”
“I can honestly say I could eat two or three of those and feel fine,” laughs Gentry.
Fans of Gentry’s vegetable-focused approach have already made themselves at home in e Lobbyist, especially after wait-
ing years to order his cuisine at a new sit-down restaurant. P.O. Press had to close in 2019 when an outbreak of mold was discovered in the building. Prioritizing the safety of his workers and customers, Gentry decided to shut the doors immediately and then bided his time to fi nd the right venue. After a bit of work, the Downtown spot has turned into a welcoming new home.
The Lobbyist’s space in the Chisca building had previously been a revolving door for other restaurants, with recent tenants including Swanky’s Taco Shop and Lyfe Kitchen. But to accom-
modate his style, Gentry needed to spruce up the interior. “ e colors in here originally were really blinding, and not appealing at all,” says Gentry. “It really had that fast-casual feel, which is something we wanted to get away from.”
Gentry kept much of the woodwork and added oversized moldings, all while darkening the overall color scheme. Small hanging lights dot the ceiling, providing an almost starry atmosphere when dining after dark, and touches of Memphis style are everywhere with blue suede chairs. Meanwhile, the bar is made of marble, “like the counter at an old hotel lobby,” he says.
Outside, Gentry plans to use the patio area to host a separate outdoor bar, along with a community table and small lounge. “ at will probably be open the first part of May, give or take,” he says. “We’re really excited about that.” e outdoor addition will double the restaurant’s capacity, from the 70 indoor seats to around 140 spaces total.
Despite scaling up the interior, the restaurant’s focus remains on the high-quality, upscale menu, which will soon be switching to its seasonal spring offerings. And expect plenty more locally sourced, fresh flavors to appear.
“Restaurants have been subbing out regular proteins for vegetables for a long time, but we always think about how we can have produce as the entrée,” says Lambert. “We’re always going to have a focus on small plates, of course, but this will be a place where you can walk in and see that a vegetable will be a meal in and of itself.”
e Lobbyist is open for dinner 5–10 p.m. Monday– ursday, 5–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 272 S. Main St. lobbyistatchisca.com
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; please contact Samuel X. Cicci at scicci@contemporary-media.com.
117 PRIME—Restaurateurs Craig Blondis and Roger Sapp team up with Chef Ryan Trimm to recreate the traditional American steakhouse. Serving oysters on the half shell and a variety of surf and turf options. 117 Union. 433-9851. L, D, WB, X, $-$$$
ALDO’S PIZZA PIES—Serving gourmet pizzas — including Mr. T Rex — salads, and more. Also 30 beers, bottled or on tap. 100 S. Main. 577-7743; 752 S. Cooper. 725-7437. L, D, X, $-$$
THE ARCADE—Possibly 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, D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, MRA, $
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, X, MRA, $-$$$
BACKLOT SANDWICH SHOP—Big sandwiches, breakfast bowls, and build-your-own-biscuits for breakfast, lunch, and an early supper. 265 S. Front St. 509-8612. B, L, D, $
BARDOG TAVERN—Classic American grill with Italian influence, Bardog offers pasta specialties such as Grandma’s NJ Meatballs, as well as salads, sliders, sandwiches, and daily specials. 73 Monroe. 275-8752. B (Mon.-Fri.), L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$
BEDROCK EATS & SWEETS—Memphis’ only Paleo-centric restaurant, offering such dishes as pot roast, waffles, enchiladas, chicken salad, omelets, and more. Closed for dinner Sun. 327 S. Main. 409-6433. B, L, D, X, $-$$
BELLE TAVERN—Serving elevated bar food, including a butcher board with a variety of meats and cheeses, as well as daily specials. 117 Barboro Alley. 249-6580. L (Sun.), D, MRA, $
BEN YAY’S GUMBO SHOP—Spiritual successor to DejaVu, offering fresh and authentic Creole staples. 51 S. Main St., 779-4125. L, D, X, $-$$
BISHOP—Ticer and Hudman’s newest venture at the Central Station Hotel features upscale dishes in a French brasserie style. 545 S. Main St., 524-5247. L, D, X, $$-$$$
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, $-$$
CATHERINE & MARY’S—A variety of pastas, grilled quail, pâté, razor clams, and monkfish are among the dishes served at this Italian restaurant in the Chisca. 272 S. Main. 254-8600. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
CHEF TAM’S UNDERGROUND CAFE—Serves Southern staples with a Cajun twist. Menu items include totchoes, jerk wings, fried chicken, and “muddy” mac and cheese. Closed Sun. and Mon. 668 Union Ave. 207-6182. L, D, X, $-$$
CHEZ PHILIPPE—Classical/contemporary French cuisine with Asian and Nordic influences, presented in a luxurious atmosphere with seasonal tasting menus. Afternoon tea served Thu-Sun., noon-3:30 p.m. (reservations required). Closed Sun.-Tues. The Peabody, 149 Union. 529-4188. D, X, MRA, $$$$
CIMAS—It’s breakfast tacos, shrimp and grits, chilaquiles verdes, and plenty of other Southern and Latin-American twists at the Hyatt Centric. 33 Beale St. 444-3232. B, L, D, X, $-$$$
THE CLOVER CLUB Southern fusion and internationally-inspired small plates at Hotel Indigo. 22 N. B.B. King. B, L, D, X, $-$$
Sun. and Mon. A Downtown staple at Brinkley Plaza, 383 S. Main. 523-0877. L (Fri. only), D, X, MRA, $$-$$$
FERRARO’S CHEESY CORNER & PIZZERIA—Plenty of pizzas, along with a whole new cheese-inspired menu (fancy grilled cheeses and buildyour-own mac and cheese bowls). 111 Jackson. 522-2033. L, D, X, $ FISHBOWL AT THE PYRAMID—Burgers, fish dishes, sandwiches, and more served in a unique “underwater” setting. Bass Pro, 1 Bass Pro Drive, 291-8000. B, L, D, X, $-$$
FLIGHT RESTAURANT & WINE BAR—Serves steaks and seafood, along with such specialties as bison ribeye and Muscovy duck, all matched with appropriate wines. 39 S. Main. 521-8005. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
FLYING FISH—Serves up fried and grilled versions of shrimp, crab, oysters, fish tacos, and catfish; also chicken and burgers. 105 S. Second. 522-8228. L, D, X, $-$$
GOOD FORTUNE CO.—Authentic handcrafted noodles, ramen, and dumplings. 361 S. Main. 561-306-4711. L, D, X, $-$$
THE GENRE—Burgers, tenders, catfish, and plenty of vegan options made to order at this music-themed restaurant/lounge. 200 Poplar, Suite 105. 410-8169. B, L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $ HAPPY MEXICAN—Serves quesadillas, burritos, chimichangas, vegetable and seafood dishes, and more. 385 S. Second. 529-9991; 6080 Primacy Pkwy. 683-0000; 7935 Winchester. 751-5353. L, D, X, $
HU. ROOF—Rooftop cocktail bar with superb city views 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, X, $
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, X, $
IBIS—Upscale cocktail bar serving sharable small plates, including lobster rolls, crab cakes, and lamb meatballs, alongside select larger entrees. Closed Mon.-Wed. 314 S. Main. 748-5187. D, X, $-$$
INKWELL—Unique craft concoctions, charcuterie plates, flatbreads, and sandwiches at this dope cocktail bar. Closed Mon.-Tue. 631 Madison Ave. 334-9411. D, X, $-$$
B — breakfast
L — lunch
D — dinner
SB — Sunday brunch
WB — weekend brunch
X— wheelchair accessible
MRA — member, Memphis Restaurant Association
$ — under $15 per person without drinks or desserts
$$ — under $25
$$$ — $26-$50
$$$$ — over $50
BLUEFIN RESTAURANT & SUSHI LOUNGE—Serves Japanese fusion cuisine featuring seafood and steak, with seasonally changing menu; also a sushi bar. 135 S. Main. 528-1010. L, D, X, $-$$
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, $-$$
BY THE BREWERY—Breakfast and lunch café, with a focus on Southern-style biscuits, salads, and soups. 496 Tennessee St. 310-4341. B, L, $
CAFE KEOUGH—European-style cafe serving quiche, paninis, salads, and more. 12 S. Main. 509-2469. B, L, D, X, $
CAPRICCIO GRILL ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE—Offers prime steaks, fresh seafood (lobster tails, grouper, mahi mahi), pasta, and several Northern Italian specialties. 149 Union, The Peabody. 529-4199. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$$
COCOZZA AMERICAN ITALIAN—”The red sauce joint of your dreams” serves up classic Italian-American fare from the owners of Majestic Grille. Closed Sun. 110 Harbor Town Sq. 609-1111. D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
ITTA BENA—Southern and Cajun-American cuisine served here, conveniently located above B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale St.; specialties are duck and waffles and shrimp and grits, along with steaks, chops, seafood, and pasta. 145 Beale St. 578-3031. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$
KING & UNION BAR GROCERY—Classic Southern favorites including catfish plate, pimento cheese, po-boys, chicken & waffles. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with cocktails served with flair and favorite Memphis beers. Locally made confections available in the grocery. 185 Union Ave. 523-8500. B, L, D, $-$$
KOOKY CANUCK—Offers prime rib, catfish, and burgers, including the 4-lb. “Kookamonga”; also late-night menu. 87 S. Second. 578-9800; 1250 N. Germantown Pkwy. 1-800-2453 L, D, X, MRA, $-$$$
LITTLE BETTIE—New Haven-style pizzas and snacks from the AndrewMichael team at Wiseacre’s Downtown location. 398 S. B.B. King Blvd. 334-9411. L, D, $-$$
EVELYN & OLIVE
—Jamaican/Southern fusion cuisine includes such dishes as Kingston stew fish, Rasta Pasta, and jerk rib-eye. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun.-Mon. 630 Madison. 748-5422. L, D, X , $
FAM—Casual Asian restaurant serves sushi rice bowls, noodle bowls, sushi rolls, and spring rolls. Closed Sun. 149 Madison. 701-6666; 521 S. Highland. 249-2636. L, D, X, $
FANCY’S FISH HOUSE—Serving chef-inspired favorites at One Beale, including fresh, daily-caught fish and seafood, a raw bar, and signature dishes from the grill, with fabulous river views from the dining room and patio. 1 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. #1. 589-3474. L, D, X, $$-$$$$
FEAST & GRAZE—Whipped goat toast, open faced grilled cheese, and other local pantry snacks and charcuterie boards. Closed Sun./Mon. 55 S. Main. 654-5926. L, X, $
FELICIA SUZANNE’S—Southern cuisine with low-country, Creole, and Delta influences, using regional fresh seafood, local beef, and locally grown foods. Entrees include shrimp and grits. Closed
THE LITTLE TEA SHOP—Downtown institution serves up Southern comfort cooking, including meatloaf and such veggies as turnip greens, yams, okra, and tomatoes. Closed until further notice. 69 Monroe. 525-6000, L, X, $
THE LOBBYIST AT THE CHISCA—Chef Jimmy Gentry brings his farm-to-table ideas Downtown, with seasonal, and sometimes weekly, new menus, and an emphasis on creative vegetable dishes. Closed Sun. 272 S. Main St., Suite 101. 249-2170. D, $$-$$$$
LOCAL—Entrees with a focus on locally sourced products include lobster mac-and-cheese and rib-eye patty melt; menu differs by location. 95 S. Main. 473-9573; 2126 Madison. 725-1845. L, D, WB, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
LONGSHOT—Chef David Todd has something for everyone with a wide variety of international fusion dishes, and a side of shuffleboard. 477 S. Main. D, $-$$
We celebrate our city’s community table and the people who grow, cook, and eat the best Memphis food at MEMPHISMAGAZINE.COM/FOOD
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, X, $-$$$
LUCY’S—Hu. Hotel’s downstairs diner serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Start your day with a Hu. breakfast burrito, or Lucy’s Burger for a late-night bite 3 S. Main. 333-1200. B, L, D, X, $-$$
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.), X, $-$$$
MACIEL’S—Entrees include tortas, fried taco plates, quesadillas, chorizo and pastor soft tacos, salads, and more. Downtown closed Sun. 45 S. Main. 526-0037, X, MRA, $
THE MAJESTIC GRILLE—Features aged steaks, fresh seafood, and such specialties as roasted chicken and grilled pork tenderloin; offers a pre-theater menu and classic cocktails. Well-stocked bar. 145 S. Main. 522-8555. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$
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), X, 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; 3165 Forest Hill-Irene (Germantown). 249-5661. D, SB (Germantown), X, $$-$$$
MOLLIE FONTAINE LOUNGE—Specializes in tapas (small plates) featuring global cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tues. 679 Adams Ave. 524-1886. D, X, MRA, $
MOMMA’S ROADHOUSE—This diner and dive at Highway 55 serves up hot and crispy fried chicken wings, among other solid bar food options. Temporarily closed. 855 Kentucky. 207-5111. L, D, MRA, $
NEW WING ORDER The award-winning food truck cooks up its signature hot wings at its first physical location, at Ghost River on Beale. Closed Mon/Tue. 341 Beale. L, D, $-$$
THE NINE THAI & SUSHI—Serving authentic Thai dishes, including curries, as well as a variety of sushi rolls. Closed for lunch Sat. and Sun. 121 Union. 208-8347. L, D, X, $-$$
THE PARAMOUNT—Fried green tomato and crab beignet small plates to grilled lamb loin, cowboy ribeye, and an extensive cocktail list. Closed Sun/Mon. 265 S. Front. 410-8169. D, $-$$$$
PAULETTE’S—Presents fine dining with a Continental flair, including such entrees as filet Paulette with butter cream sauce and crabmeat and spinach crepes; also changing daily specials and great views. River Inn. 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3300. B, L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$
PEARL’S OYSTER HOUSE—Downtown eatery serving seafood, including oysters, crawfish, and stuffed butterfly shrimp, as well as beef, chicken, and pasta dishes. 299 S. Main. 522-9070; 8106 Cordova Center Dr. (Cordova). 425-4797. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$
PENNY’S NITTY GRITTY—Coach Penny Hardaway brings plenty of Southern flavors and lots of customizable grits. 220 S. B.B. King Blvd. 334-5950. B, L, D, $$-$$$
RAW GIRLS—Raw and hot plant-based food alongside cold-pressed juices made from seasonal, locally grown sources. Closed Sun. 150 Peabody Pl., Suite 118. 207-5463. B, L, D, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
SABOR CARIBE—Serving up “Caribbean flavors” with dishes from Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. Closed Sunday. 662 Madison. 949-8100. L, D, X, $
SAGE—Restaurant and lounge features daily lunch specials and tapas with such dishes as braised short ribs, teriyaki pulled pork, and the Sage burger made with Angus beef, avocado mash, fried egg, and flash-fried sage. 94 S. Main. 672-7902. L, D, WB, X, $-$$
SILLY GOOSE LOUNGE—Gourmet, wood-fired pizzas and hand-crafted cocktails at this Downtown restaurant and lounge. 150 Peabody Place, Suite 111. 435-6915. L, D, X, $
SOUTH MAIN SUSHI & GRILL—Serving sushi, nigiri, and more. 520 S. Main. 249-2194. L, D, X, $
SOB—Elevated gastropub that serves favorites like general Tso’s cauliflower or duck fried rice. 345 S. Main. 526-0388. L, D, WB, X , $-$$
SOUTH POINT GROCERY—Fresh and delicious sandwiches made to order at Downtown’s new grocery market. 136 Webster Ave. B, L, D, X, $
SUGAR GRITS—Who said breakfast has to be in the morning? The Westmorelands offer grits and other breakfast goodness all day long, in addition to other Southern-style lunch and dinner options. 150 Peabody Pl., Suite 111. 249-5206. B, L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $
SUPPER CLUB ON 2ND—Fine dining and urban bistro styles collide at this snazzy, chic restaurant, featuring gold-encrusted tomahawk steaks, a deep sea lobster dawg, fancy cocktails, and plenty of other elevated goodies. 85 S. 2nd St. 453-6334. D, WB, X, $$-$$$
TALK SHOP—Southern-style cuisine, a breakfast bar, and plenty of other cool dishes and drinks at the Caption by Hyatt. 245 S. Front St. B, L, D, X, $-$$
TERRACE—Creative American and Continental cuisine includes such dishes as filet mignon, beef or lamb sliders, chicken satay, and mushroom pizzetta. Rooftop, River Inn of Harbor Town, 50 Harbor Town Square. 260-3366. D, X, MRA, $$
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, X, $$-$$$
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, X, $$-$$$
THE VAULT—Oysters, shrimp beignets, flatbreads, stuffed cornish hen, and Smash Burger featured on “Late Nite Eats” are among the dishes offered at this Creole/Italian fusion eatery. 124 G.E. Patterson. 591-8000. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$
WAHLBURGERS WILD—Wahlburgers brings its classic menu, but with a few gamey twists at the Bass Pro Pyramid. 1 Bass Pro Drive. B, L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
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, $-$$
ABYSSINIA RESTAURANT—Ethiopian/Mediterranean menu includes beef, chicken, lamb, fish entrees, and vegetarian dishes; also a lunch buffet. 2600 Poplar. 321-0082. L, D, X, $-$$
ALCHEMY—Southern fusion, locally grown cuisine features small and large plates; among the offerings are pan-seared hanger steak, quail, and lamb chops; also handcrafted cocktails and local craft beers. 940 S. Cooper. 726-4444. D, SB, X, $-$$
ART BAR—Inventive cocktails feature locally foraged ingredients; snacks include house-cured salt & vinegar potato chips and herb-roasted olives. Closed Mon. 1350 Concourse Avenue #280. 507-8030. D, X, $
BABALU TACOS & TAPAS—This eatery dishes up Spanish-style tapas with Southern flair; also taco and enchilada of the day; specials change daily. 2115 Madison. 274-0100; 6450 Poplar, 410-8909. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$
BACK DO / MI YARD—A revamped patio space behind The Beauty Shop features rotisserie meats and fishes via Brazilian-style outdoor grill. Dinner Wed.-Sat., weather permitting. 966 S. Cooper, 272-7111. D, X, $$
BAIN BARBECUE & BAKERY—Brian Bain’s popular Texasstyle barbecue is back, alongside an assortment of baked goods. 993 S. Cooper. 310-4141. B, L, X, $-$$
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, X , MRA, $
BAR KEOUGH—It’s old-school eats and cocktails at the new CooperYoung neighborhood corner bar by Kevin Keough. 247 Cooper St. D, X , $
BAR-B-Q SHOP—Dishes up barbecued ribs, spaghetti, bologna, other classics. Closed Sun. 1782 Madison. 272-1277. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$
BARI RISTORANTE ENOTECA—Authentic Southeastern Italian cuisine (Puglia) emphasizes lighter entrees. Serves fresh fish and beef dishes and a homemade soup of the day. 524 S. Cooper. 722-2244. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
BARKSDALE RESTAURANT—Old-school diner serving breakfast and Southern plate lunches. 237 S. Cooper. 722-2193. B, L, D, X, $
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, X, MRA, $-$$
BEAUTY SHOP—Modern American cuisine with international flair served in a former beauty shop. Serves steaks, salads, pasta, and seafood, including pecan-crusted golden sea bass. Perennial “Best Brunch” winner. Closed for dinner Sunday. 966 S. Cooper. 272-7111. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
BELLY ACRES—At this festive Overton Square eatery, milkshakes, floats, and burgers rule. Burgers are updated with contemporary toppings like grilled leeks, braised tomatoes, and sourdough or brioche buns. 2102 Trimble Pl. 529-7017. L, D, X, $ 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), X, MRA, $-$$
BOUNTY ON BROAD—Offering family-style dining, Bounty serves small plates and family-sized platters, with such specialties as chicken-fried quail and braised pork shank. 2519 Broad. 410-8131. L (Sat. and Sun.), D (Mon.-Sat.), SB, X, MRA, $-$$$ 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, X, $-$$
CAFE 1912—French/American bistro owned by culinary pioneer Glenn Hays serving such seafood entrees as seared sea scallops with charred cauliflower purée and chorizo cumin sauce; also crepes, salads, and onion soup gratinée. 243 S. Cooper. 722-2700. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
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, X, MRA, $ CAFE OLÉ—This eatery specializes in authentic Mexican cuisine; one specialty is the build-your-own quesadilla. 959 S. Cooper. 343-0103. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$
CAFE PALLADIO—Serves gourmet salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts in a tea room inside the antiques shop. Closed Sun. 2169 Central. 278-0129. L, X, $
CAFE SOCIETY—With Belgian and classic French influences, serves Wagyu beef, chicken, and seafood dishes, including bacon-wrapped shrimp, along with daily specials and vegetarian entrees. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 212 N. Evergreen. 722-2177. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$
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, $-$$
CELTIC CROSSING—Specializes in Irish and American pub fare. Entrees include shepherd’s pie, shrimp and sausage coddle, and fish and chips. 903 S. Cooper. 274-5151. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
COMPLICATED PILGRIM—Quick serve coffee shop, bar, and restaurant all in one at The Memphian hotel. 21 S. Cooper St. 601-9095820. B, L, D, $-$$
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, X, $
EAT AT BLACK LODGE—High-end breakfasts, like waffle grilled cheese sandwiches, nacho and tater-tot “tot-chos,” and other entrees like sweet spicy thai pork at the longtime video store. Closed Mon./Tue. 405 N. Cleveland. 672-7905. L, D, X, $-$$
ECCO—Mediterranean-inspired specialties range from rib-eye steak to seared scallops to housemade pastas and a grilled vegetable plate; also a Saturday brunch. Closed Sun.-Mon. 1585 Overton Park. 410-8200. B, L, D, X, $-$$
FABIOLA’S KITCHEN—Longtime caterer Fabiola Francis serves up burgers, tacos, fish, and much more. 1353 Jackson Ave. B, L, $ 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, X, $
THE FARMER AT RAILGARTEN—Mac Edwards comes out of retirement with classics including pan-seared catfish, gulf shrimp and
grits, or a Gibson donut bread pudding. Closed Mon./Tue. 2166 Central. 313-0087. D, X, $-$$
FINO’S ITALIAN DELI & CATERING—The newly revived Fino’s offers the old favorites such as the Acquisto as well as a new breakfast menu. 1853 Madison. 272-FINO. B, L, D, X, $
FLAME RAMEN—Traditional Japanese ramen restaurant serving up bowls of noodles in Midtown. 1838 Union Ave. 779-8666. D, $-$$
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. L, D, X, $-$$
FRIDA’S—Mexican cuisine and Tex-Mex standards, including chimichangas, enchiladas, and fajitas; seafood includes shrimp and tilapia. 1718 Madison. 244-6196. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $
GOLDEN INDIA—Northern Indian specialties include tandoori chicken as well as lamb, beef, shrimp, and vegetarian dishes. 2097 Madison. 728-5111. L, D, X, $-$$
GROWLERS—Sports bar and eatery serves standard bar fare in addition to pasta, tacos, chicken and waffles, and light options. 1911 Poplar. 244-7904. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
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, X, 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, X, $
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, X, $-$$
INSPIRE COMMUNITY CAFE—Serving breakfast all day, in addition to quesadillas, rice bowls, and more for lunch and dinner. 510 Tillman, Suite 110. 509-8640. B, L, D, X, $
KNIFEBIRD—Neighborhood wine bar boasts plenty of flights, cocktails, and mocktails alongside bruschetta and charcuterie boards. Closed Sun. 2155 Central Ave. 748-5425. D, $-$$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
LBOE—Gourmet burger joint serves locally sourced ground beef burgers, with options like the Mac-N-Cheese Burger and Caprese. Black bean and turkey patties available. 2021 Madison. 725-0770. L, D, X, $
THE LIQUOR STORE—Renovated liquor store turned diner serves all-day breakfast, sandwiches, and entrees such as Salisbury steak and smothered pork chops. Closed for dinner Sun.-Mon. 2655 Broad. 405-5477. B, L, D, X, $-$$
LITTLE ITALY—Serving New York-style pizza as well as subs and pasta dishes. 1495 Union. 725-0280; L, D, X, $-$$
LOAF—Former food truck owner Kale Carm’s take on modern Memphis and deep South cuisine. Closed Sun.-Tue. 1934 Poplar (Memphis Brooks Museum of Art). 300-0103. L, D, X, $
MAXIMO’S ON BROAD—Serving a tapas menu that features creative fusion cuisine; entrees include veggie paella and fish of the day. Closed Mon. 2617 Broad Ave. 452-1111. D, SB, X, $-$$
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. Poplar (Collierville). 861-7800; 5627 Getwell (Southaven). 662-536-1364. L, D, X, $-$$
MEMPHIS WHISTLE—Cocktails, cocktails, and even more delicious cocktails alongside burgers, sandwiches, and other tasty snacks. 2299 Young Ave. Closed Mon.-Tue. 236-7136. D, X, $-$$
MIDPOINTE FROM EDGE ALLEY—Edge Alley’s sister cafe at the Ballet Memphis headquarters focuses on freshness for its breakfast, lunch, and happy hour tapas. Closed Sun.-Mon. 2144 Madison Ave. 425-2605. B, L, X, $
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, X, MRA, $-$$
PANTÀ—Small, Catalan-inspired plates by Kelly English in the former Restaurant Iris space. 2146 Monroe Ave. Closed Mon.-Wed. 590-2828. L, D, X, $-$$.
PARISH GROCERY—Shrimp? Roast beef? Oysters? Whatever type of po’boy you want, the New Orleans-themed eatery has got it. Closed Monday. 916 S. Cooper St. 207-4347. L, D, X, $-$$
PAYNE’S BAR-B-QUE—Opened in 1972, this family-owned barbecue joint serves ribs, smoked sausage, and chopped pork sandwiches with a standout mustard slaw and homemade sauce. About as down-to-earth as it gets. 1762 Lamar. 272-1523. L, D, $-$$
PHO BINH—Vietnamese, vegetarian, and Cantonese specialties include lemon tofu and spring rolls. Closed Sunday. 1615 Madison. 276-0006. L, D, $
RED FISH ASIAN BISTRO—In the former Nineteenth Century Club building, serves sushi, teriyaki, and hibachi. Specialties include yuzu filet mignon and Chilean sea bass. 1433 Union. 454-3926; 9915 Highway 64 (Lakeland). 729-7581; 6518 Goodman (Olive Branch). 662-874-5254. L, D, X, $-$$$
ROBATA RAMEN & YAKITORI BAR—Serves ramen noodle bowls and Yakitori skewers as well as rice and noodle dishes. 2116 Madison. 410-8290. L, D, X, $
SABROSURA—Serves Mexican and Cuban fare, including arroz tapada de pollo and steak Mexican. Closed Sun. 782 Washington. 421-8180. L, D, X, $-$$
SALT|SOY—Nick Scott and Brac McCarley team up to provide Southern and Asian-inspired dishes at this Japanese Izakaya. Closed Sunday, Monday. 2583 Broad Ave. 726-4444. D, $$
SALTWATER CRAB—Offers an array of seafood dishes including boils with blue crab, crab legs, lobster tails, and more, and specialty sushi like the Dynamite or Royal King rolls, in addition to signature sangrias and cocktails. 2059 Madison Ave. 922-5202. L, D, X, $$
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, X, $-$$
SEKISUI—Japanese fusion cuisine, fresh sushi bar, grilled meats and seafood, California rolls, and vegetarian entrees. Poplar/Perkins location’s emphasis is on Pacific Rim cuisine. Menu and hours vary at each location. 25 Belvedere. 725-0005; 1884 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 309-8800; 4724 Poplar. 767-7770; 2130 W. Poplar (Collierville). 8540622; 2990 Kirby-Whitten (Bartlett). 377-2727; 6696 Poplar. 747-0001. L, D, X, $-$$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
STICKEM—Brick and mortar location for the popular food truck, which offers grilled meat on a stick. 1788 Madison. Closed Sunday. 474-7214. L, D, X, $
TAMBOLI’S PASTA & PIZZA—Pasta-maker Miles Tamboli whips up Italian soul food with seasonal menus featuring dishes like crispy fried chicken or creamy bucatini with pecorino cheese. Serves dinner Tues.-Sat. 1761 Madison. 410-8866. D, X, $-$$
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, $-$$.
TONICA—Paella and other Spanish-inspired dishes with an Italian touch, alongside an extensive list of gin and tonics. 1545 Overton Park. Closed Mon.-Wed. D, X, $-$$
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, X,, 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, X, $-$$
ZINNIE’S—Dive bar classic reopens with a makeover and signature Zinnaloni sandwich. 1688 Madison. 726-5004. L, D, X, $
SOUTH MEMPHIS (INCLUDES PARKWAY VILLAGE, FOX MEADOWS, SOUTH MEMPHIS, WINCHESTER, AND WHITEHAVEN)
BALA’S BISTRO—Authentic West African cuisine available to order or by the pound, alongside traditional American dishes and an extensive vegan menu. 4571 Elvis Presley Blvd. 509-3024. L, D, $-$$
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. 4945458. D, $-$$
COLETTA’S—Longtime eatery serves such specialties as homemade ravioli, lasagna, and pizza with barbecue or traditional toppings. 1063 S. Parkway E. 948-7652; 2850 Appling Rd. (Bartlett). 383-1122. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$$
DWJ KOREAN BARBECUE—This authentic Korean eatery serves kimbap, barbecued beef short ribs, rice and noodles dishes, and hot pots and stews. 3750 Hacks Cross Rd., Suite 101. 746-8057; 2156 Young. 207-6204. L, D, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
JIM & SAMELLA’S—It’s a revolving menu of soul food delight from Chef Talbert Fleming, with anything from Southern ribs to fried tamales. 841 Bullington Ave. 265-8761. L, D, X, $ LEONARD’S—Serves wet and dry ribs, barbecue sandwiches, spaghetti, catfish, homemade onion rings, and lemon icebox pie; also a lunch buffet. 5465 Fox Plaza. 360-1963. L, X, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
UNCLE LOU’S FRIED CHICKEN—Featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives for good reason: fried chicken (mild, hot, or home-style); jumbo burgers four patties high; strawberry shortcake, and assorted fruit pies. 3633 Millbranch. 332-2367. L, D, X, MRA, $ SUMMER/BERCLAIR/ RALEIGH/BARTLETT
901 HOT POT & KOREAN BBQ—All-you-can-eat hot pot and Korean BBQ, from short ribs to garlic shrimp. 2965 N. Germantown Pkwy. 512-4963. L, D, X, $$-$$$
BISCUITS & JAMS—Biscuits, waffles, French toast, and plenty of sharables at this Bartlett breakfast spot. Closed Mon./Tue. 5806 Stage Rd. 672-7905. B, L, X, $ BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Slingin’ famous biscuits, plate lunches, chicken fried steak, and other breakfast classics since 1968. 3965 Summer Ave. 324-7494. B, L, $
CEVICHERIA AND GRILL CHILEMON—Ceviche, of course, but also plenty of other postres, aperitivos, and mixed grilled meat and seafood feasts. Closed Sun. 4509 Summer Ave. 672-7905. L, D, $ CHEF FLAVAS AND BARTLETT BREAKFAST FACTORY ”Flavaful” sandwiches, soups, pastas, and more from the makers of the popular local spinach artichoke dip. Traditional breakfast options served by Bartlett Breakfast Factory. Closed Sun./Mon. 6301 Stage Rd. 779-2200. B, L, D, X, $-$$
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. #65. 766-0831. L, D, X, $-$$
ELWOOD’S SHACK—Casual comfort food includes tacos, pizza, and sandwiches. Specialties include meats smoked in-house (chicken, turkey, brisket, pork), barbecue pizza, and steelhead trout tacos. 4523 Summer. 761-9898. B, L, D, X, $
EXLINES’ BEST PIZZA—Serves pizza, Italian dinners, sandwiches, and salads. 6250 Stage Rd. 382-3433; 2935 Austin Peay. 388-4711; 2801 Kirby Parkway. 754-0202; 7730 Wolf River Blvd. (Germantown). 753-4545; 531 W. Stateline Rd. 662-342-4544. L, D, X , MRA, $
LA TAQUERIA GUADALUPANA—Fajitas and quesadillas are just a few of the authentic Mexican entrees offered here. A bonafide Memphis institution. 4818 Summer. 685-6857; 5848 Winchester. 365-4992. L, D, X, $
LOTUS—Authentic Vietnamese-Asian fare, including lemon-grass chicken and shrimp, egg rolls, Pho soup, and spicy Vietnamese vermicelli. 4970 Summer. 682-1151. D, X, $
MORTIMER’S—Contemporary American entrees include trout almondine, chicken dishes, and hand-cut steaks; also sandwiches, salads, and daily/nightly specials. A Memphis landmark since the Knickerbocker closed. Closed for lunch Sat.-Sun. 590 N. Perkins. 7619321. L, D, X, $-$$
NAGASAKI INN—Chicken, steak, and lobster are among the main courses; meal is cooked at your table. 3951 Summer. 454-0320. D, X, $$ NAM KING—General Tso’s chicken, hot and sour soup, and homemade chicken wings are back at the longtime Raleigh Chinese eatery. 3624 Austin Peay Highway, #3. 373-4411. L, D, $-$$
ÓRALE TACOS & BAKERY—Tacos, enchiladas, and other traditional Southern Mexican dishes alongside baked pan dulces. 2204 Whitten Rd. 571-1786. B, L, D, $-$$
PANDA GARDEN—Sesame chicken and broccoli beef are among the Mandarin and Cantonese entrees; also seafood specials and fried rice. Closed for lunch Saturday. 3735 Summer. 323-4819. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
TORTILLERIA LA UNICA—Individual helping of Mexican street food, including hefty tamales, burritos, tortas, and sopes. 5015 Summer Ave. 685-0097. B, L, D, X, $
A-TAN—Serves Chinese and Japanese hibachi cuisine, complete with sushi bar. A specialty is Four Treasures with garlic sauce. 3445 Poplar, Suite 17, University Center. 452-4477. L, D, X, $-$$$
THE BLUFF—New Orleans-inspired menu includes alligator bites, nachos topped with crawfish and andouille, gumbo, po’boys, and fried seafood platters. 535 S. Highland. 454-7771. L, D, X, $-$$
BROTHER JUNIPER’S—This little cottage is a breakfast mecca, offering specialty omelets, including the open-faced San Diegan omelet; also daily specials, and homemade breads and pastries. Closed Mon. 3519 Walker. 324-0144. B, X, $
CELEBRITY’S SOUL FOOD—Classic soul food dishes coupled with a Hollywood-esque VIP experience. 431 S. Highland St., Ste 105. L, D, X, $$
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, X, MRA, $-$$$
DERAE RESTAURANT Ethiopian and Mediterranean fare includes fuul, or fava beans in spices and yogurt, goat meat and rice, and garlic chicken over basmati rice with cilantro chutney; also salmon and tilapia. Closed Monday. 923 S. Highland. 552-3992. B, L, D, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
MEDALLION—Offers steaks, seafood, chicken, and pasta entrees. Closed for dinner Sunday. 3700 Central, Holiday Inn (Kemmons Wilson School of Hospitality). 678-1030. B, L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
OPEN FLAME—This authentic Persian and Mediterranean eatery specializes in shish kebabs as well as kosher and halal fare. 3445 Poplar. 207-4995. L, D, X, $
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. 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, X, $$-$$$
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, X, $-$$
AMERIGO—Traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine includes pasta, wood-fired pizza, steaks, and cedarwood-roasted fish. 1239 Ridgeway, Park Place Mall. 761-4000. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
ANDALUSIA— Authentic Moroccan cuisine, including tagines, brochettes, and briouates. 5101 Sanderlin Ave., Suite 103. 236-7784. L, D, $-$$
ANDREW MICHAEL ITALIAN KITCHEN—Traditional Italian cuisine with a menu from two of the city’s top chefs that changes seasonally with such entrees as Maw Maw’s ravioli. Closed Sun.-Mon. 712 W. Brookhaven Circle. 347-3569. D, X, MRA, $$-$$$
ANOTHER BROKEN EGG CAFE—Offering several varieties of eggs Benedict, waffles, omelets, pancakes, beignets, and other breakfast fare; also burgers, sandwiches, and salads. 6063 Park Ave. 729-7020; 65 S. Highland. 623-7122. B, L, WB, X, $
ANTIGUA MEXICAN BAR & GRILL—Tortas, tacos, and other authentic Mexican cuisine alongside freshly-made salsa, guacamole, and white queso dip. 717 N. White Station Rd. 761-1374. L, D, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
BELMONT GRILL—Burgers, steak sandwiches, and other classic American fare at one of Memphis’ longstanding bars. 4970 Poplar. 767-0305. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $$-$$$
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, X, $-$$
BOG & BARLEY—An all-Irish fine dining experience by the owners of Celtic Crossing, and a full bar with plenty of beer and 25-year-old Mccallan. 6150 Poplar, Suite 124. 805-2262. L, D, WB, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$$
BRYANT’S BREAKFAST—Three-egg omelets, pancakes, and The Sampler Platter are among the popular entrees here. Possibly the best biscuits in town. Closed Mon. and Tues. 3965 Summer. 324-7494. B, L, X, $
BUCKLEY’S FINE FILET GRILL—Specializes in steaks, seafood, and pasta. (Lunchbox serves entree salads, burgers, and more.) 5355 Poplar. 683-4538; 919 S. Yates (Buckley’s Lunchbox), 682-0570. L (Yates only, M-F), D, X, $-$$
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, X, $$$-$$$$
CASABLANCA—Lamb shawarma is one of the fresh, homemade specialties served at this Mediterranean/Moroccan restaurant; fish entrees and vegetarian options also available. 5030 Poplar. 725-8557; 1707 Madison. 421-6949. L, D, X, $-$$
CIAO BELLA—Among the Italian and Greek specialties are lasagna, seafood pasta, gourmet pizzas, and vegetarian options. Closed Mon. 5101 Sanderlin Ave. 205-2500. D, X, MRA, $-$$$
CITY SILO TABLE + PANTRY—With a focus on clean eating, this establishment offers fresh juices, as well as comfort foods re-imagined with wholesome ingredients. 5101 Sanderlin. 729-7687. Germantown: 7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Suite 2. 236-7223. B, L, D, X, $
COASTAL FISH COMPANY—Upscale offerings of international fish varieties utilizing styles ranging from Carribbean, East Coast, West Coast, Chinese, to Filipino, and more. 415 Great View Dr. E., Suite 101. 266-9000. D, X, $$-$$$
CORKY’S—Popular barbecue emporium offers both wet and dry ribs, plus a full menu of other barbecue entrees. Wed. lunch buffets, Cordova and Collierville. 5259 Poplar. 685-9744; 1740 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 737-1911; 743 W. Poplar (Collierville). 405-4999; 6434 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch. 662-893-3663. L, D, X, MRA, $-$$
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, X, $
DORY—Chef David Krog whips up Southern specialties with classic French techniques and locally sourced ingredients. Current specialties include pork tenderloin, beef bourguignon, or cocoa-dusted chocolate truffles, with new weekly additions. 716 W. Brookhaven Circle. 310-4290. L, D, X, $$-$$$
ERLING JENSEN—For decades, 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, X, 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, X, $-$$$
FLEMING’S PRIME STEAKHOUSE—Serves wet-aged and dry-aged steaks, prime beef, chops, and seafood, including salmon, Australian lobster tails, and a catch of the day. 6245 Poplar. 761-6200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$
FOLK’S FOLLY ORIGINAL PRIME STEAK HOUSE
Specializes in prime steaks, as well as lobster, grilled Scottish salmon, Alaskan king crab legs, rack of lamb, and weekly specials. 551 S. Mendenhall. 762-8200. D, X, MRA, $$$-$$$$
FORMOSA—Offers Mandarin cuisine, including broccoli beef, hot-andsour soup, and spring rolls. Closed Mon. 6685 Quince. 753-9898. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
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, X, $
FRANK GRISANTI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT—Northern Italian favorites include pasta with jumbo shrimp and mushrooms; also seafood, filet mignon, and daily lunch specials. Closed for lunch Sun. Embassy Suites Hotel, 1022 S. Shady Grove. 761-9462. L, D, X, $-$$$
HALF SHELL—Specializes in seafood, such as king crab legs; also serves steaks, chicken, pastas, salads, sandwiches, a ”voodoo menu”; oyster bar at Winchester location. 688 S. Mendenhall. 682-3966; 7825 Winchester. 737-6755. L, D, WB, X, MRA, $-$$$
HEN HOUSE—Hybrid wine/cocktail bar and tasting room with plenty of cosmopolitan eats. Closed Sun. 679 S. Mendenhall. 499-5436. D, $-$$$
HIGH POINT PIZZA—Serves a variety of pizzas, subs, salads, and sides. Closed Mon. A neighborhood fixture. 477 High Point Terrace. 452-3339. L, D, X, $-$$
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. And with a few surprises this time around. Closed for lunch Mon. 707 W. Brookhaven Cir. 207-7396. L, D, SB, X, MRA. $-$$$
HOUSTON’S—Serves steaks, seafood, pork chops, chicken dishes, sandwiches, salads, and Chicago-style spinach dip. Famous for first-class service. 5000 Poplar. 683-0915. L, D, X $-$$$
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), X, 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, X, $ 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. (Novel). 800-2656. B, L, D, SB, X, $-$$
LOST PIZZA—Offering pizzas (with dough made from scratch), pasta, salads, sandwiches, tamales, and more. 2855 Poplar. 572-1803; 5960 Getwell (Southaven). 662-892-8684. L, D, X, $-$$
MAGNOLIA & MAY—The family behind Grove Grill cooks up Southern-inspired casual dining at this country brasserie, with popular menu items like peach gazpacho, low country shrimp n’ grits, and plenty of weekend brunch options. Closed Mon. 718 Mt. Moriah Rd. 676-8100. L, D, SB, MRA. $$-$$$.
MAHOGANY MEMPHIS—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. 3092 Poplar, Suite 11. 623-7977. L, D, SB, X, $-$$$
MARCIANO MEDITERRANEAN AND ITALIAN CUISINE—Veal Saltimbocca with angel-hair pasta and white wine sauce is among the entrees; also steaks, seafood, and gourmet pizza. 780 E. Brookhaven Cir. 682-1660. D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
MELLOW MUSHROOM—Large menu includes assortment of pizzas, salads, calzones, hoagies, vegetarian options, and 50 beers on tap. 5138 Park Ave. 562-1211; 9155 Poplar, Shops of Forest Hill (Germantown). 907-0243. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, 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, X, $
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, X, MRA, $$-$$$
NEW HUNAN—Chinese eatery with more than 80 entrees; also lunch/dinner buffets. 5052 Park. 766-1622. L, D, X, $
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, X, $
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, X , $
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, X, MRA, $-$$$
PARK + CHERRY—The Dixon offers casual dining within the museum. Seasonal menu features sandwiches, like rustic chicken salad on croissant, as well as salads, snacks, and sweets. Closed for breakfast Sun. and all day Mon. 4339 Park (Dixon Gallery and Gardens). 761-5250. L, X, $
PATRICK’S—Serves barbecue nachos, burgers, and entrees such as fish and chips; also plate lunches and daily specials. 4972 Park. 682-2852. L, D, X, MRA, $
PETE & SAM’S—Serving Memphis for 60-plus years; offers steaks, seafood, and traditional Italian dishes, including homemade ravioli, lasagna, and chicken marsala. 3886 Park. 458-0694. D, X, $-$$$
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, X, $-$$
PHO SAIGON—Vietnamese fare includes beef teriyaki, roasted quail, curry ginger chicken, vegetarian options, and a variety of soups. 2946 Poplar. 458-1644. L, D, $
PIMENTO’S KITCHEN + MARKET—Fresh sandwiches, soups, salads, and plenty of pimento cheese at this family-owned restaurant. 6540 Poplar Ave. 602-5488 (Collierville: 3751 S. Houston Levee. 453-6283). L, D, X, $
PYRO’S FIRE-FRESH PIZZA—Serving gourmet pizzas cooked in an open-fire oven, wide choice of toppings, and large local and craft beer selection. 1199 Ridgeway. 379-8294; 2035 Union Ave. 208-8857; 2286 N. Germantown Pkwy. (Cordova). 207-1198; 3592 S. Houston Levee (Collierville). 221-8109. L, D, X, MRA, $
THE READY ROOM—Duck wontons, bananas “Oscar,” and plenty of other bar snacks and entrees at Hook Point Brewing Co.’s taproom. Closed Mon./Tues. 715 W. Brookhaven Cir. 487-6931. L, D, WB, X, $-$$
RED HOOK CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Cajun-style array of seafood including shrimp, mussels, clams, crawfish, and oysters. 3295 Poplar. 207-1960. L, D, X, $-$$
RED KOI—Classic Japanese cuisine offered at this family-run restaurant; hibachi steaks, sushi, seafood, chicken, and vegetables. 5847 Poplar. 767-3456. L, D, X $-$$
RED PIER CAJUN SEAFOOD & BAR—Owners of Red Hook bring more cajun-style seafood dishes. 5901 Poplar Ave. 512-5923. L, D, X, $-$$$
RESTAURANT IRIS—French Creole-inspired classics, such as Gulf shrimp and rice grits congee served with lap chong sausage and boiled peanuts, are served at this newly remodeled restaurant owned by Chef Kelly English, a Food and Wine “Top Ten.” 4550 Poplar. 590-2828. L, D, X, $$-$$$
RIVER OAKS—Chef Jose Gutierrez’s French-style bistro serves seafood and steaks, with an emphasis on fresh local ingredients. Closed for lunch Sat. and all day Sun. 5871 Poplar Ave. 683-9305. L, D, X, $$$
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, X, $-$$$
ROTOLO’S CRAFT & CRUST—Louisiana-based pizza company’s first Memphis location, whipping up pizza pies with homemade sauces and fresh ingredients, pasta, wings, and other shareables. 681 S. White Station. 454-3352. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $$$-$$$$
SALSA—Mexican-Southern California specialties include carnitas, enchiladas verde, and fajitas; also Southwestern seafood dishes such as snapper verde. Closed Sun. Regalia Shopping Center, 6150 Poplar, Suite 129. 683-6325. L, D, X, $-$$
SAUCY CHICKEN—Specializes in antibiotic-free chicken dishes with locally sourced ingredients, with such items as hot wings and the Crosstown Chicken Sandwich, and a variety of house-made dipping sauces; also, seafood, salads, and daily specials. Closed Sun. 4715 Poplar. 907-0741. 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, X, $$-$$$
SOBEAST—Eastern branch of the popular South of Beale, featuring the restaurant’s traditional staples, as well as rotating special menu items. 5040 Sanderlin. 818-0821. L, D, SB, X, $-$$.
STAKS—Offering pancakes, including birthday cake and lemon ricotta. Menu includes other breakfast items such as beignets and French toast, as well as soups and sandwiches for lunch. 4615 Poplar. 509-2367; 7704 Poplar (Germantown). 800-1951; 2902 May Blvd. (Southaven). B, L, WB, X, $
SWANKY’S TACO SHOP—Taco-centric eatery offers tortas, flatbreads, quesadillas, chimichangas, burgers, and more. 4770 Poplar. 730-0763; 6641 Poplar (Germantown). 737-2088; 272 S. Main. 7793499. L, D, X, $
THREE LITTLE PIGS—Pork-shoulder-style barbecue with tangy mild or hot sauce, freshly made coleslaw, and baked beans. 5145 Quince Rd. 685-7094. B, L, D, X, $
TOPS BAR-B-Q—Specializes in pork barbecue sandwiches and sandwich plates with beans and slaw; also serves ribs, beef brisket, and burgers. 1286 Union. 725-7527; 4183 Summer. 324-4325; 5391 Winchester. 794-7936; 3970 Rhodes. 323-9865; 6130 Macon. 3710580. For more locations, go online. L, D, X, $
TORCHY’S TACOS—Plenty of Tex-Mex variety, with creative monthly special tacos. 719 S. Mendenhall. 343-8880. B, L, D, X, $
VENICE KITCHEN—Specializes in “eclectic Italian” and Southern Creole, from pastas, including the “Godfather,” to hand-tossed pizzas, including the “John Wayne”; choose from 50 toppings. 368 Perkins Ext. 767-6872. L, D, SB, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
WASABI—Serving traditional Japanese offerings, hibachi, sashimi, and sushi. The Sweet Heart roll, wrapped — in the shape of a heart — with tuna and filled with spicy salmon, yellowtail, and avocado, is a specialty. 5101 Sanderlin Rd., Suite 105. 421-6399. L, D, X, $-$$
WOMAN’S EXCHANGE TEA ROOM—Chicken-salad plate, beef tenderloin, soups-and-sandwiches, vegetable plates, and homemade desserts are specialties; . Closed Sat.-Sun. 88 Racine. 327-5681. L, X, $
ZAYDE’S AT THE J—Kosher options at the Memphis Jewish Community Center cafe include traditional New York-style dishes and Israeli fusion. 6560 Poplar Ave. 208-3495. L, D, X, $-$$
BOMBAY HOUSE—Indian fare includes lamb korma and chicken tikka; also, a daily luncheon buffet. 1727 N. Germantown Pkwy. 755-4114. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $$-$$$
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, $-$$
JIM ’N NICK’S BAR-B-Q—Serves barbecued pork, ribs, chicken, brisket, and fish, along with other homemade Southern specialties. 2359 N. Germantown Pkwy. 388-0998. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $ 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, $
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, X, $-$$
TANNOOR GRILL—Brazilian-style steakhouse with skewers served tableside, along with Middle Eastern specialties; vegetarian options also available. 830 N. Germantown Pkwy. 443-5222. L, D, X, $-$$$
GERMANTOWN
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, X, $-$$$
FOREST HILL GRILL—A variety of standard pub fare and a selection of mac-and-cheese dishes are featured on the menu. Specialties include Chicken Newport and a barbecue salmon BLT. 9102 Poplar Pike. 6246001. L, D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$
LAS TORTUGAS DELI MEXICANA—Authentic Mexican food prepared from local food sources; specializes in tortugas — grilled bread scooped out to hold such powerfully popular fillings as brisket, pork, and shrimp; also tingas, tostados. Closed Sun. 1215 S. Germantown Rd. 751-1200; 6300 Poplar. 623-3882. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$$
MOONDANCE GRILL—From the owners of Itta Bena and Lafayette’s. Serves steak cooked sous vide and seafood dishes including Abita-barbecued shrimp and pan-seared sand dab, in addition to an extensive wine and cocktail list. 1730 S. Germantown Road, Suite 117. 755-1471. L, D, X, $$-$$$
NOODLES ASIAN BISTRO—Serves a variety of traditional Asian cuisine, with emphasis on noodle dishes, such as Singapore Street Noodles and Hong Kong Chow Fun. 7850 Poplar, Suite 12. 755-1117. L, D, X, $
PETRA CAFÉ—Serves Greek, Italian, and Middle Eastern sandwiches, gyros, and entrees. Hours vary; call. 6641 Poplar. 754-4440; 547 S. Highland. 323-3050. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, MRA, $$
ROYAL PANDA—Hunan fish, Peking duck, Royal Panda chicken and shrimp, and a seafood combo are among the specialties. 3120 Village Shops Dr. 756-9697. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$
SOUTHERN SOCIAL—Shrimp and grits, stuffed quail, and Aunt Thelma’s Fried Chicken are among the dishes served at this upscale Southern establishment. 2285 S. Germantown Rd. 754-5555. D, SB, X, MRA, $-$$$
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, X, $$-$$$$
SUFI’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL & BAR—Offers authentic Mediterranean and Persian cuisine, from hummus shawarma to traditional moussaka. Closed Mon.. 7609 Poplar Pike. 779-2200. L, D, X, $-$$$
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, X, $-$$
UNCLE GOYO’S—More than 30 dishes with a focus on authentic Mexican cuisine, from the brains behind TacoNganas. 1730 S. Germantown Rd. L, D, X, $-$$
WEST STREET DINER—This home-style eatery offers breakfast, burgers, po’boys, and more. 2076 West St. 757-2191. B, L, D (Mon.-Fri.), X, $
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, X, $-$$$
CAFE EUROPE—From Italian chef Michele D’oto, the French, Spanish, and Italian fusion cuisine includes a variety of dishes like Rosette al Forno, fish ceviche, and sole meuniere. Closed Sun. 4610 Merchants Park Circle, Suite 571. 286-4199. L, D, X, $$-$$$$
CAFE PIAZZA BY PAT LUCCHESI—Specializes in gourmet pizzas (including create-your-own), panini sandwiches, and pasta. Closed Sun. 139 S. Rowlett St. 861-1999. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
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, X, MRA, $-$$
COLLIERVILLE PIZZA COMPANY—Family-friendly and locally owned pizza company featuring live music and other events. 144 US 72. L, D, X, $-$$
DAVID GRISANTI’S—Serving Northern Italian cuisine and traditional family recipes, like the Elfo Special, shrimp sauteed in garlic and butter, tossed with white button mushrooms and white pepper, and served over vermicelli with Parmigiano-Reggiano. Closed Sun. 684 W. Poplar (Sheffield Antiques Mall). 861-1777. L, D (Thurs.-Sat.), X, $-$$$
DYER’S CAFE—Juicy hamburgers, split dogs, and milkshakes at the historic Collierville restaurant. 101 N. Center St. 850-7750. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
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, X, $-$$
FIREBIRDS—Specialties are hand-cut steaks, slow-roasted prime rib, and wood-grilled salmon and other seafood, as well as seasonal entrees. 4600 Merchants Circle, Carriage Crossing. 850-1637; 8470 Highway 64 (Bartlett). 379-1300. L, D, X, $-$$$
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, X, MRA, $-$$$
MULAN ASIAN BISTRO—Hunan Chicken, tofu dishes, and orange beef served here; sushi and Thai food, too. 2059 Houston Levee. 850-5288; 2149 Young. 347-3965; 4698 Spottswood. 609-8680. L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $-$$$
RAVEN & LILY—Eatery offers innovative Southern-inspired cuisine with such dishes as crispy shrimp and cauliflower salad, spiced lamb sausage and parmesan risotto, and bananas foster pain perdu. Closed Mon. 120 E. Mulberry. 286-4575. L, D, SB, X, $-$$
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). 2077638 L, D, X, $-$$
WOLF RIVER BRISKET CO.—From the owners of Pyro’s Fire Fresh Pizza, highlights include house-smoked meats: prime beef brisket, chicken, and salmon. Closed Sun. 9947 Wolf River Boulevard, Suite 101. 316-5590; 1350 Concourse Ave., Suite 165. 791-4389 L, D, X, $-$$
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, X, $
BOZO’S HOT PIT BAR-B-Q—Barbecue, burgers, sandwiches, and subs. 342 Highway 70 (Mason, TN). 901-294-3400. L, D, X, $-$$
CATFISH BLUES—Serving Delta-raised catfish and Cajun- and Southern-inspired dishes, including gumbo and fried green tomatoes. 210 E. Commerce (Hernando, MS). 662-298-3814. L, D, $
CITY GROCERY—Southern eclectic cuisine; shrimp and grits is a specialty. Closed for dinner Sun. 152 Courthouse Square (Oxford, MS). 662-232-8080. L, D, SB, X, $$-$$$
COMO STEAKHOUSE—Steaks cooked on a hickory charcoal grill are a specialty here. Upstairs is an oyster bar. Closed Sun. 203 Main St. (Como, MS). 662-526-9529. D, X, $-$$$
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, X, $-$$
LONG ROAD CIDER CO.—Specializes in hard apple ciders made with traditional methods. Cafe-style entrees include black-eyed peas with cornbread and greens, chicken Gorgonzola pockets, cider-steamed sausage, and housemade ice creams. Closed Sun.-Wed. 9053 Barret Road. (Barretville, TN). 352-0962. D, X, $
MANILA FILIPINO RESTAURANT—Entrees include pork belly cutlet with lechon sauce, and shrimp and vegetables in tamarind broth; also daily combos, rice dishes, and chef specials. Closed Sun.-Mon. 7849 Rockford (Millington, TN). 209-8525. L, D, X, $
CHICAGO STEAKHOUSE AT THE GOLDSTRIKE—1010 Casino Center Dr., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-24KSTAY /662-357-1225
FAIRBANKS AT THE HOLLYWOOD—1150 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-871-0711
IGNITE STEAKHOUSE AT SOUTHLAND CASINO RACING—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182
JACK BINION’S STEAK HOUSE AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE
LUCKY 8 ASIAN BISTRO AT HORSESHOE—1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-303-SHOE
SOUTHLAND CASINO HOTEL'S THE KITCHENS—1550 N. Ingram Blvd., West Memphis, AR, 1-800-467-6182
THE STEAKHOUSE AT THE FITZ—711 Lucky Ln., Robinsonville, MS, 1-888-766-LUCK, ext 8213
MARSHALL STEAKHOUSE—Rustic steakhouse serves premium Angus beef steaks, seafood dishes, rack of lamb, and more. 2379 Highway 178 (Holly Springs, MS). 628-3556. B, L, D, X, $-$$$
MEMPHIS BARBECUE COMPANY—Offers spare ribs, baby backs, and pulled pork and brisket. 709 Desoto Cove (Horn Lake, MS). 662536-3762. L, D, X, $-$$
NAGOYA—Offers traditional Japanese cuisine and sushi bar; specialties are teriyaki and tempura dishes. 7075 Malco Blvd., Suite 101 (Southaven, MS). 662-349-8788. L, D, X, $-$$$
PIG-N-WHISTLE—Offers pork shoulder sandwiches, wet and dry ribs, catfish, nachos, and stuffed barbecue potatoes. 6084 Kerr-Rosemark Rd. (Millington, TN). 872-2455. L, D, X, $
RAVINE—Serves contemporary Southern cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, locally grown foods and a menu that changes weekly. Closed Mon.-Tues. 53 Pea Ridge/County Rd. 321 (Oxford, MS). 662-234-4555. D, SB, X, $$-$$$
TWAIN’S STEAKHOUSE AT SAM’S TOWN TUNICA—1477 Casino Strip Resorts Boulevard, Robinsonville, MS, 1-800-456-0711 4
SAINT LEO’S—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, X, $-$$
SNACKBAR—An intriguing mix of “French Bistro with North Mississippi Cafe.” Serving a confit duck Croque Monsieur, watermelon-cucumber chaat, pan-fried quail, plus a daily plate special and a raw bar. 721 N. Lamar (Oxford, MS). 662-236-6363. D, X, $-$$$
TEKILA MODERN MEXICAN—Modern interpretations of classic dishes from all over Mexico. 6343 Getwell Rd. (Southaven, MS). 662-510-5734. B, L, D, X, $-$$
WILSON CAFE— An impressive culinary destination in the heart of the Arkansas Delta. Serving jambalaya, Waygu flatiron, butternut ravioli, swordfish & shrimp kabobs, burgers. 2 N. Jefferson (Wilson, AR). 870-655-0222. L, D, WB, $-$$$
Originally from Malaysia, the artist designed the official poster for this year’s Memphis in May festival.
BY CHRIS MCCOYEvery year, the Memphis in May International Festival salutes a different country whose culture and commerce has intersected with our city. For 2023, the national honoree is Malaysia.
Artist Kong Wee Pang came to Memphis from Malaysia in 2001 to study at the Memphis College of Art and has made the city her home ever since. Her work has been shown in galleries all over the world, and her design clients include Adobe software, the Hilton hotel chain, Planned Parenthood, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and FedEx. Her talents were a natural fit to create the 2023 Memphis in May fine art poster.
“ is piece of art I created for Memphis In May was inspired from Malaysia’s biodiverse rainforests,” she says. “I chose to use watercolor on an unprimed canvas. In Chinese we have an idiom which translates roughly to, ‘When you drink water, remember the spring where you originally come from.’ Malaysia has two regions: Peninsular Malaysia in the West and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo. Around 60 to 70 percent of the landmass is tropical rainforest,
so I used the hornbill, Sarawak state’s emblem, to symbolize a healthy, mega-diverse forest.” e blue shades, which represent the tropical rains which feed Borneo’s rainforest, form the shape of a traditional Malay kite known as a wau bulan, or “moon kite,” which the artist says “embodies the diversity of the country. e Wau represents our rich traditions, cultures, cuisines, and warm hospitality. ese are two of Malaysia’s most recognizable national symbols. I imagine the Wau and the hornabill flying across the Pacific to land in Memphis, sharing good luck and harmony to the USA.”
A hibiscus blossom, Malaysia’s national flower, provides a splash of scarlet in the lower right of the image. e two pillars rising from the center are the Petronas Towers, the tallest twin buildings in the world, which rise 1,483 above Kuala Lumpur.
e Malaysian capital is a river town, sitting at the intersection of two rivers, the Klang and the Gombak, and takes its name from the confluence of the muddy waters. Memphis can relate.
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