
The city dining listings published every month in the back of our magazine offer more than 340 options for anyone seeking an excellent meal in the Memphis area. With so many choices, that can be a challenge when anyone is trying to decide if they want steak, seafood, ribs, chicken, or prefer vegetarian/vegan. So, let us offer some assistance. For more than 35 years now, we’ve been asking readers to participate in our annual Readers’ Restaurant Poll, naming their favorite establishments around town, in 50 different categories.
The result is a handy list, highlighting both popular and under-the-radar restaurants. Some are classic places that have served gen- erations; others are new to the dining scene. If there’s a beloved diner, bakery, or bar, expect to find it here. You may even find your favorite bartender or server here; readers offered their opinions on those as well.
Restaurants work hard to keep diners full, happy, and healthy. Chefs continue to pour all their creativity into each dish, and restau- rateurs push boundaries as they open new enterprises. It’s all in the service of keeping us fed, so the least we can do is order a few meals, and don’t forget to leave a generous tip for our servers.
The following list details the best places to dine, as chosen by you, our readers. To ensure the poll results were accurate, we installed online safeguards to ensure only one ballot per person, making this the definitive resource for Memphis restaurant-goers.
We’ve named the top three restaurants in most categories, with the first-place winner in bold type. Ties are indicated when they occurred.
Whether you’re new in town or a longtime resident, the restaurants here should meet your needs. We also cover the best places where you can grab a drink, relax and partake in some people-watching, enjoy the game, discover out-of-town spots that are worth the drive. We even include a remembrance of some old favorites that are no longer around. Unsure where to grab dinner next? Let your fellow readers help with the winners of our 2025 Readers’ Restaurant Poll.
ALL ILLUSTRATIONS COURTESY OF DREAMSTIME.
BEST RESTAURANT
◗ Folk’s Folly
River Oaks
Erling Jensen the Restaurant
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
◗ Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint
Kinfolk Country Kitchen
Evergreen Grill
BEST CHEF
◗ Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen the Restaurant
Jose Gutierrez, River Oaks
Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen / Hog & Hominy / Catherine & Mary’s
BEST ASIAN FUSION
◗ Good Fortune Co.
Mulan
TIE: Mosa Asian Bistro / Red Koi
BEST BAR
◗ Huey’s
Tavern 018
Amelia Gene’s
BEST BARBECUE RIBS
◗ Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous
Central BBQ
The Bar-B-Q Shop
BEST BARTENDER
◗ Hunter Coleman, Bari Ristorante
Alexis Wilson, Ciao Bella
Jasmaine Jarman, Huey’s
BEST BEER SELECTION
◗ Flying Saucer
Young Avenue Deli
Bog & Barley
BEST BREAKFAST
◗ Brother Juniper’s
Sunrise Memphis
Bryant’s Breakfast
BEST BRUNCH
◗ The Beauty Shop
Owen Brennan’s
TIE: Brother Juniper’s / Sunrise Memphis
BEST BURGER
◗ Huey’s
Top’s Bar-B-Q
Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint
BEST CAJUN / CREOLE
◗ The Second Line
Owen Brennan’s
Bayou Bar & Grill
BEST CHAIN RESTAURANT
◗ Seasons 52
Capital Grille
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
BEST CHINESE
◗ Mulan
Wang’s Mandarin House
Mosa Asian Bistro
BEST COFFEEHOUSE (NON-CHAIN)
◗ Cafe Eclectic
Otherlands Coffee Bar
Belltower Coffeehouse & Studio
BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS
◗ Peabody Lobby Bar
Alchemy
Restaurant Iris
BEST DATE NIGHT
◗ Coastal Fish Company
Ecco on Overton Park
River Oaks
BEST DELI
◗ Elwood’s Shack
Bogie’s Delicatessen
Young Avenue Deli
BEST DESSERT SHOP
◗ Muddy’s Bake Shop
Frost Bake Shop
La Baguette
BEST DIVE BAR
◗ Alex’s Tavern
Earnestine & Hazel’s
The Cove
BEST FOOD TRUCK
◗ El Mero
Chile Verde
Taco ’n’ Ganas
BEST FRIED CHICKEN
◗ Gus’s Fried Chicken
Superlo Foods
Uncle Lou’s
BEST FROZEN TREAT
◗ MemPops
La Michoacana
Sugar Ghost
BEST HAPPY HOUR
◗ Huey’s
Alchemy
Brookhaven Pub
BEST INDIAN
◗ India Palace
Bombay House
Golden India
BEST ITALIAN
◗ Pete & Sam’s
Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen
Amerigo Italian Restaurant
BEST JAPANESE
◗ Red Koi
Sakura
Sekisui
BEST KID-FRIENDLY
◗ Huey’s
Memphis Pizza Cafe
TIE: Belly Acres / Railgarten Diner
BEST LOCAL BREWERY
◗ Wiseacre Brewing Company
Ghost River Brewery & Tap Room
Memphis Made Brewing Co.
BEST MEDITERRANEAN
◗ Casablanca Restaurant
Taziki Mediterranean Cafe
Petra Cafe
BEST MEXICAN
◗ Las Delicias
Los Comales
TIE: Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana / Maciel's Tortas & Tacos
BEST OUTDOOR DINING
◗ Coastal Fish Company
Slider Inn
Loflin Yard
BEST PEOPLE-WATCHING
◗ Peabody Lobby Bar
Lafayette’s Music Room
Flying Saucer
BEST PIZZA
◗ Memphis Pizza Cafe
Hog & Hominy
Aldo’s Pizza Pies
BEST PLACE TO IMPRESS OUT-OF-TOWNERS
◗ Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous
Itta Bena
Folk’s Folly
BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE GAME
◗ Brookhaven Pub
Huey’s
Celtic Crossing
BEST PLATE LUNCH
◗ Soul Fish Cafe
Patrick’s
Cupboard Restaurant
BEST SEAFOOD (NON-FAST FOOD)
◗ Coastal Fish Company
Tsunami
Soul Fish Cafe
BEST SERVER
◗ Christian Culver, Moondance Grill
Becca Heard, Huey’s Cordova
Calvin Bell, Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous
BEST SHARED PLATES
◗ Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Catherine & Mary’s
Tsunami
BEST STEAK
◗ Folk’s Folly
Porch and Parlor
Side Porch Steak House
BEST TACO
◗ Taco ’n ’Ganas
Maciel’s Tortas & Tacos
Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana
BEST THAI
◗ Bangkok Alley
Pho Binh
Thai Bistro
BEST VEGETARIAN / VEGAN
◗ City Silo Table + Pantry
RP Tracks
Global Cafe
BEST VIETNAMESE
◗ PhoSaigon
Lotus Vietnamese Restaurant
TIE: Pho Binh / Tuyen's Asian Bistro
BEST WINE LIST
◗ Flight Restaurant & Wine Bar
Folk’s Folly
Bari Ristorante
BEST WINGS
◗ Central BBQ
Ching’s Hot Wings
The Wing Guru
RESTAURANT WE MISS THE MOST
◗ Pancho’s
Bhan Thai
Justine’s
WORTH THE DRIVE
◗ Como Steakhouse (Como, MS)
City Grocery (Oxford, MS)
Wilson Cafe (Wilson, AR)