Restaurants in Memphis

Memphis chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman are on fire with their mix of Southern flavours and food honouring their Italian roots. Following their successful restaurants giving the traditional a twist, namely Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Porcellino's and Hog & Hominy, they launched Catherine & Mary's, turning out exquisite plates inspired by their grandmothers' cooking. Get a new take on Memphis pork, and make room for irresistible Tuscan and Sicilian desserts.

Designed like a Speakeasy above B B King's Blues Club, with access through a secret passage, Itta Bena is Memphis' best kept dining secret, and named after the town where B B King was born. Exotic Mediterranean ambiance is created with carved wooden panels and wrought iron from Afghanistan, and archways and candlelight suffused with blue light reflected through tall windows from Beale Street. She-Crab soup and jumbo shrimp and grits are not to be missed.

Modelled after a French country inn, complete with antiques, dim lighting and traditional European paintings, this restaurant features live piano music at weekends and during the popular Sunday brunch. The menu of French and Continental dishes such as mouth-watering southern Low Country crab cakes, juicy angus filet mignon, or Duroc pork chop, are accompanied with their famous popovers with strawberry butter.

This is a local favourite, and consistently tops the polls when the city is asked about its favourite eating spots. Pacific Rim cuisine is the order of the day, with owner/chef Ben Smith bringing no small amount of creativity to his menus. Colourful décor complements the playful dishes that include shrimp satay and roasted sea bass.

A Memphis tradition, this sumptuous feast takes place at the elegant Peabody Hotel's Capriccio Grill. Artistic displays of salads, seafood, pasta, fresh-baked breads and pastries, exotic pâtés and smoked fish, omelettes, waffles and Eggs Benedict are cooked to order, while chefs carve from roast beef, lamb and pork. Desserts are a decadent work of art. Musicians even play requests while servers pour unlimited mimosas and champagne.

A 1960s style beauty shop turned into a trendy restaurant in the Cooper-Young Historic District is the brainchild of artist and culinary entrepreneur Karen Blockman Carrier. Patrons can dine in refurbished hair-dryer chairs, enjoy the privacy of original booths enclosed by glass block walls, or sit on stools at the raw bar. Global cuisine with a Mediterranean touch offers mouth-watering selections such as the crispy duck, pecan encrusted trout and grilled Romaine salad. Delicious daily desserts include red velvet cake and crepes. Food is tasty and innovative.

Cooper-Young's first coffeehouse, now owned by former employee and welcoming barista Mary Burns, is a wonderfully eccentric place to stop. A comfortable, odd collection of easy chairs blends with the 1950s décor, inviting patrons to sip on a gourmet cup of java or snack on tasty sandwiches or desserts while reading a good book. Local and regional art for sale adorns the walls.

Memphis' oldest restaurant sits opposite Central Station in the revitalised South Main Historic Arts District. Owner Harry Speros continues his grandfather's tradition begun in 1919, charming his customers with his friendly, personal attention. The restaurant features home-style breakfasts, plate lunch specials, Mediterranean-style fresh salads and hand-tossed pizzas. A daily special is the fried peanut butter and banana sandwich, a favourite of Elvis, who was a regular customer.

Just a few minutes' walk from Sun Studio and Beale Street, this characterful indoor market is ideal for casual lunch dining on the cheap. Opened in 2010, it's owned and run by local farmers. All produce comes from local and Mid-Southern farms, billed as "tractor to trolley". There's plenty of choice for vegans and vegetarians and for everyone else, a range from catfish hoagies to gourmet pizzas, brats and burgers. The market has live music on Friday nights, an unbeatable brunch deal on Saturdays plus artisan gifts on sale.