Every town or city has its tourist hotspots for food and Memphis is no exception. Walk thru downtown Memphis and you can smell the BBQ ribs slowly cooking over at The Rendezvous. Stroll down Beale Street past BB Kings place and you can taste the gumbo. But what if you want to eat where the local Memphians eat downtown? Most of the places are not published in the tourist brochures, but ask any local on the street and they’ll point you in the right direction, or you could read on and I’ll give you the rundown on the “Top Five Places To Eat in Downtown Memphis”.
The Top Five Restaurants You Can’t Miss in Downtown Memphis
1. Front Street Deli – (77 South Front St.) This little place has been in business for 30 years. And if you don’t recognize the name, you’ll recognize the face of the building in the Tom Cruise movie, “The Firm”. Yep, 2 minutes of the film were shot there and there is even a bronze plaque next to the front door. The tuna sandwiches are to die for. Breakfast and lunch, you’ll find most of the local business persons piling in the door. Really reasonable prices too.
2. Erika’s Restaurant – (Second St) This restaurant is actually on the front side of the Rendezvous Restaurant. Just look for the black and white sign above the door. This is generally a lunch establishment and it’s always packed from about 11:30am – 1:00pm, so get there early or prepare to wait for a table. The good news is that the service is fast, the food hot, and the prices are cheap. The menu consists of primarily homemade German dishes with a little Southern flair. I have always enjoyed eating here, especially if I was a little light in the wallet. The daily specials are a bargain and you can usually get fed and out the door for a little under $6.
3. Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken – (310 S. Front St) Another Front Street landmark, this place has the best fried chicken I have ever tasted. If you’re looking for REAL southern food, you’ll find it here – Fried Pickles, Fried Green Tomatoes, and of course Fried Chicken.
4. The Little Tea Shop – (69 Monroe Ave) This historic restaurant has been around since 1918 and they only do lunch. I imagine that during the early years, the ladies of Memphis made this a frequent stop, but these days they serve a mean lunch. Affordable and the menu is creative. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going. Drive north on Front St until you see the old Customs House on the left, then turn right on Monroe Ave, the Little Tea Shop is on the right side of the street.
5. The Blues City Cafe – (138 Beale St) This restaurant is a little tourist trap, but they serve really good catfish. If you want to beat the out-of-towners, lunch is the best time to go. The concrete floors, stained lime green walls, and open grill behind the bar make it an interesting place to grab a bite to eat. The menu has a variety of different foods and is a little expensive, but worth a trip.
There’s a lot to do in Memphis. All of these restaurants are in walking distance of Beale Street and all are in the downtown area. I lived in downtown Memphis for a few years and ate at all five of these spots regularly.
