Memphis’ Best Food: Bucket List Eats

We may be the BBQ capital of the world, but there’s so much more than BBQ offered here in the Bluff City...

Want to know where to get Memphis’ best food? We’re gonna dish it out to you. These items have been hand-picked by us from experience and legend, and they are in no particular order. Print the list, and hit the town!

  1. Ching’s Honey Gold Wings
  2. Tacos and consome from Tacos Nganas 
  3. Bishop Burger from Bishop 
  4. GFC Wings from Good Fortune Co 
  5. The Dirty South from Sunrise Memphis 
  6. Mozzarella Sticks or Cheese Fries from Young Avenue Deli
  7. Bryant’s Ham Biscuit
  8. Farm Burger Fries and Sweet Potato Hush Puppies from Farm Burger
  9. Gus’ Fried Chicken IN the SAME bag as Gibson’s Donuts
  10. Slider Inn’s Chick-N-Fill-Ay sliders and a Jameson Slushie
  11. Jerry’s Supreme Sno Cone
  12. Bi Bim Bop from Kwik Check
  13. “Good Burger” from Roxie’s 
  14. “The Thunderbird” from Hog & Hominy’s
  15. Chicken Korma with Garlic Naan from Golden India
  16. Huey’s Cheese Fries with ranch and Bluff City Burger
  17. Bucatini & Marinara from Tamboli’s 
  18. Cornish hen from Cozy Corner
  19. Buffalo Chicken Pizza from Memphis Pizza Cafe
  20. Earnestine & Hazel’s Soul Burger
  21. Avocado Paleta from La Michoacana
  22. Sweet Potato Pancakes from The Arcade Restaurant
  23. Che’f Special from Pizzeria Trasimeno
  24. Sushi from Ryu
  25. Prozac Cupcake from Muddy’s
  26. Kookamonga Burger at Kooky Canuck
  27. Bologna Sandwich from Payne’s
  28. Brisket Tacos from Elwood’s Shack
  29. Corky’s Tamales
  30. Bacon waffle from Cafe Eclectic
  31. Blackened Chicken Tacos from Local Gastropub
  32. Chicken & Waffles from Alcenia’s 
  33. BBQ Nachos and Wings with ranch from Central BBQ
  34. Quesadilla Los Jarochos from a random taco truck on Summer Avenue
  35. The Memphis Mix popcorn from Sweet Noshings
  36. Chocolate Malt from A Schwab’s on Beale
  37. Bison Burger on a Waffle from Belly Acres
  38. Elvis French Toast at Lafayette’s
  39. BBQ Salad in a Mason Jar at Capriccio Grill
  40. Elvis Italiano Grilled Cheese sandwich from Say Cheese Food Truck
  41. Dyer’s Burger (fried in 100 year old grease) with a chocolate shake
  42. A sub on soft bread from the Chinese Sub Shop
  43. Caramel cake, warmed, with vanilla ice cream at Frost Bake Shop
  44. Cinnamon Roll Pancakes or San Diegan Open Face Omelet from Brother Juniper’s
  45. Breakfast Burrito from Fuel Food Truck
  46. Blackened Tilapia with Mac & Cheese from Soul Fish Cafe
  47. House Salad from Cheffie’s
  48. Birthday Pancakes from Staks
  49. The Verno at Second Line
  50. Cheeseburger pizza at Newby’s
  51. Cornbread stuffed quail with andouille sausage at Bounty on Broad
  52. Banana pudding and butter cookies from Makeda’s
  53. Chicken Pontalba at Char
  54. Lumache at Catherine & Mary’s
  55. Porkchops from Ms. Girlee’s 
  56. A 7 piece and a biscuit at Lou’s Fried Chicken
  57. Frites from Alchemy
  58. Vodka pie from Aldo’s Pizza
  59. Fried chicken tacos, guacamole salsa, and horchata from Maciel’s Tortas & Tacos
  60. Garlic sriracha wings at The Wing Guru (formerly Don Don Jr’s Hotwings)
  61. Honey gold and lemon pepper wings from Crumpy’s
  62. Veggie Tacos from Railgarten
  63. Gourmade Burger, BLT, and Cheese Fries from the Gourmade Food Truck
  64. Peach Cobbler Nachos from Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe
  65. Combination Vermicelli from Phuong Long
  66. Chicken Shawarma and Baklava from Global Cafe
  67. Foxy BBQ Sandwich and a Smoothie Bowl from City Silo
  68. Cuban sandwich with plantain chips from The Liquor Store
  69. Chicken Nashvillanese from Hog and Hominy 
  70. Ribs or BBQ Nachos from Rendezvous 
  71. Tortuga from Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana 
  72. Penn Station from Fino’s 
  73. Sea Bass from Tsunami 

Did we forget some of Memphis’ best food? Let us know in the comments!

Looking for other things to do in Memphis? Check out these cool volunteer opportunities. Need to work off some of that fine fare? Check out our Local Guide to the Great Outdoors!

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