Justin Fox Burks
There is something undeniably romantic about a no-nonsense Southern diner. Maybe that’s because they’re at their best in the early hours of the morning, when the only patrons are third-shifters and insomniacs. Or maybe it is that they recall a kind of Bruce Springsteen-ish sense of American possibility. Or perhaps it’s just because a place like the Pancake Shop always reminds us that an expensive sandwich does not a good meal make.
Though we live in a time and place where fancy food and ingredients are more readily accessible than ever before, I have lived most of my adult life on the working theory that you can eat well for around $15 a day. You just have to know where to look.
With this in mind, I compiled a list of some of my current favorite spots for excellent, economical dining. I chose the restaurants not only for the quality of their food, but for their top-notch service and ambiance. Most of them can be found along the Sunset Strip of budget dining in Memphis — a five-mile stretch that starts around the Crosstown area and extends all the way out Summer Avenue. These are by no means the only good eats on that circuit, but they all get high marks, and most ring in for around five dollars.
Justin Fox Burks
Pancake Shop
Justin Fox Burks
A 24/7 Tradition
A friend and I have a kind of unofficial tradition, in which he calls me to ask where he should take out-of-town friends to eat, and I tell him the same thing every time: He should take them to the Pancake Shop. This Summer Avenue diner is nothing fancy, but it is about as Memphis as it gets — a 24/7 operation featuring the usual staples. It is a place where you can get a hot cup of coffee and a warm meal no matter when you get off work, or how much money you have to spend. The most recent time I ate there, before a late movie, I ordered coffee and a piece of their chocolate pie. My friend ordered a grilled cheese and fries. The total tab? About $10. Another perk is conversation with the crew of regulars — what a cousin of mine refers to as “old men drinking coffee and discussing politics.”
Five-dollar short list:
Biscuits and gravy, a stack of banana pancakes, or a generously sized omelette.
4838 Summer Avenue, 901-767-0206
Justin Fox Burks
Tacos Los Jarochos
Hot Tacos and Cold Ice Cream
Is there anything better than hot tacos and Mexican ice cream? This Mexican food truck, which has been around Memphis in various incarnations for the past five years, now has a permanent home next to an ice cream shop, Los Jarochos Paleteria y Neveria. A covered wooden deck connects the two, or if it is cold outside, eating inside the shop is also an option.
Tacos Los Jarochos gets points not only for the quality of its food, but for the laid-back atmosphere. The food truck is a perfect place to eat solo, if you are grabbing lunch, or to swing by with friends when you want to eat quickly. Service is friendly and efficient, and you may find yourself wanting to linger over a second order of tacos or one of their signature ice cream-filled pineapples.
The tacos at Tacos Los Jarochos would be something to write home about, if they weren’t so close to home. They are at least something to text home about. The Summer Avenue food truck is the kind of place where you could eat every day and never get bored. The pastor, chorizo, and asada tacos (among others) come in perfectly prepared corn tortillas, served on a paper plate, with a spate of accompanying sauces and toppings. Also available are giant tortillas, Mexican hamburgers, tortas, burritos, and plenty of other generously sized meals for under $10.
Five-dollar short list:
Three tacos of your choice, but we recommend the pastor.
4900 Summer Avenue, 901-314-5735
Justin Fox Burks
Asian Palace
Dim Sum and More
Dim sum is a Chinese tradition in which food such as dumplings, vegetables, hot buns, and meats are served family-style. The original dim sum style is for the food to be served off carts — literally a la carte. Located near the iconic Summer Twin Drive-In, Asian Palace is one of Memphis’ few dim sum restaurants, but their menu is not limited to dim sum. Although there also is no cart service at Asian Palace, the food is classic: Pot stickers, short ribs, and stir-fried broccoli are all available for around $5 apiece.
I’m a fan of the shrimp and chive dumplings, which, paired with rice or soup, make for a light (and economical) meal. Asian Palace is a spacious restaurant, which contributes to a semi-private feel when you want to have a good conversation in addition to good food. But the best way to approach it may be to invite a bunch of friends out and order liberally from the dim sum menu. And that way, everyone can try a bit of everything, and no one leaves with wallets any worse for the wear.
Five-dollar short list:
Shrimp and chive dumplings paired with white rice.
5266 Summer Avenue, 901-766-0831
Jerusalem Market & Restaurant
Middle Eastern-Meets-Mid-Southern Dining
As soul singer Sam Cooke once crooned, “Darling, you send me. You honestly do.” It is this exact sentiment that comes to mind any time I walk into the Jerusalem Market & Restaurant when they have put out their fresh-baked pita bread. That bread, sold in the mart and used to make the sandwiches in the neighboring deli, is otherworldly. I do some weekly shopping at the mart (if you’ve never tried the deliciousness that is Middle Eastern pickles, this is a great place to get them) but the real attraction is the deli.
The falafel sandwich from Jerusalem Restaurant is perfect in every way: amazing tahini, crispy falafel, and the signature pita bread. Even better, it is just over $5. The sandwich is a complete meal, but for a couple more dollars, we also recommend the gyro platter. The eggplant-based baba ghanoush is also a winner. Pro tip: Don’t go between one and two in the afternoon, when the restaurant and market are closed for a prayer hour.
Five-dollar short list:
The falafel sandwich.
4794 Summer Avenue, 901-767-6960
Justin Fox Burks
Phuong Long
Your New Favorite Vietnamese Restaurant
Memphis has so many good Vietnamese restaurants that it can sometimes be easy to develop loyalty to one and never try out any of the others. Since I was in high school, I had been an unwavering patron of one Vietnamese restaurant. So deep was my commitment that when a friend told me that Phuong Long was well worth paying a visit, I brushed off the advice. “Why try to fix what is not broken?”
What — or, rather, who — got me to Phuong Long was Michael Roy, i.e. Birdcap, whose art you may have noticed around Memphis and in the pages of this magazine. Roy painted a large mural for the walls of Phuong Long and now is a regular at the restaurant. When we met for lunch one day, he recommended the jalapeno tofu. It was game-changing. The tofu is just the right balance of crispy and spicy on the outside, and melt-in-your-mouth soft on the inside.
With the new Crosstown Concourse and the always-busy Crosstown Arts just a block away, Phuong Long is the ideal place to get dinner before heading to a show at the Hi-Tone, a storytelling night at Amurica, or an art opening in Crosstown’s gallery space. Did I mention the restaurant has bubble tea?
Five-dollar short list:
The Vietnamese sandwich, called Bahn Mi, or the wonton soup with pork.
306 N. Cleveland Street,901-552-3652
Justin Fox Burks
Midtown Crossing
A Foothold in Crosstown
The building where Midtown Crossing Bar & Grill is located, on the corner of Watkins and Overton Park, has been through a lot of incarnations. It was a coffee shop and a bar, both under different ownership, before it became its current self. But it seems as if the past identity flux was all for the best, because Midtown Crossing is really killing it these days. I am personally partial to their wide range of vegetarian and vegan options, including a Vietnamese-style sandwich named after local vegan food writer Bianca Phillips.
Full disclosure: Most of Midtown Crossing’s menu is in the $10 range. But they regularly have lunch specials that ring in closer to $5, such as one they offered recently that included two slices of pizza and a soda. There are also some delicious appetizers, such as the garlic knots, which could easily be paired with a beer for five-o’clock snacks.
Justin Fox Burks
On warm days, this is a great place to eat lunch and sit out on the deck, which overlooks a quiet street. Or you could visit for one of the restaurant’s regular art events, which add to the new business’s growing foothold in the Crosstown community.
Five-dollar short list:
Get the lunch special!
394 N. Watkins Street, 901-443-0502
Little Italy
Back to Basics
For years, Memphis was not the kind of place where you could get a great slice of pizza. The scene has improved somewhat in the recent past, but let us not forget the good deeds of Little Italy. The New York-style pizzeria used to be the only decent and readily accessible slice in town. They are still the standard-bearer for generously portioned, simple pepperoni pizza, available for $2.89 per slice.
When I think of Little Italy, I imagine Nicolas Cage in the famous bakery scene from the quintessential Italian-American movie, Moonstruck. (If you haven’t seen this, watch it.) Cage yells, “What is life? They say bread is life!” as Cher looks on, confused. Basically, Little Italy isn’t the sort of place that is going to brag about its “artisanal qualities,” or tell you the mushrooms are organic. They are just going to serve you a slice of pizza and not overcharge you for it. They are going to give it to you straight. And if you are smart, you’re going to take it.
Five-dollar short list:
A slice and a soda.
1495 Union Avenue, 901-725-0280
Justin Fox Burks
Tops B-B-Q
Because, Obviously
Chef Kelly English, the man behind Restaurant Iris and The Second Line, has been known to say that his favorite cheeseburger in town is from Tops B-B-Q. He is a smart man. The Tops cheeseburger is everything you want from a fast-food patty: a thin, salty patty and a by-the-book white bread bun. But the Tops burger is way better and far more authentic than anything you might find at big chain restaurants. I don’t exaggerate when I say that it is the best-known cure for a hangover or a break-up. It is most likely not going to help you keep to your diet, but at $4.05, at least it won’t break the bank. Plus, with more than a dozen locations, a Tops is pretty much on every corner in Memphis, and you can’t walk into one without feeling like someone rewound the clock 50 years. Pro tip: Check their website for deals.
Five-dollar short list:
The cheeseburger and fries.
Various locations, topsbbq.com
