W ay back in July 1983, when we conducted our first readers’ restaurant poll, it only took half a column to report the results. With just 18 categories focusing on the most basic specialties — pizza, steak, seafood — readers probably finished the survey in 10 minutes. The poll, and the city’s dining infrastructure, has certainly expanded in the past three decades. This year’s results present the winning restaurants in more than 40 categories, and judging from the number of entries submitted, it’s obvious that current readers took quite a bit more time to ponder the best places in town, including categories that might have stumped our 1983 subscribers, such as Best Food Truck, Best Craft Cocktails, and Best Local Brew.
With online voting and safeguards to prevent multiple entries, this can rightfully be considered our city’s most definitive and accurate dining poll. The winner in each category is listed in bold type, followed by other contenders in the order of votes received. To be declared a winner, that establishment had to receive at least 10 percent of the total votes. We’re happy to report that our readers had clear opinions about their favorites in every category but one; for “Most Happening Happy Hour” there were so many contenders that we listed the top vote-getters.
We’re also pleased to welcome back so many establishments here, in a wide range of categories, who didn’t make an appearance in last year’s poll. Congratulations to all our winners and finalists, and thanks to all our readers who voted.
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›››Best Pizza
Memphis Pizza Cafe Aldo’s Pizza Pies Rock ’N Dough Pizza Hog & Hominy High Point Pizza
›››Best Mexican
Las Delicias Las Tortugas Molly’s La Casita El Mezcal Guadalupana/El Porton (tie)
›››Best Italian
Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen Pete & Sam’s Bari Ristorante Ciao Bella Frank Grisanti’s
›››Best Chinese
A-Tan/Wang’s Mandarin House (tie) Mulan Formosa Royal Panda Asian Palace
›››Best Japanese
Sekisui Sekisui Pacific Rim Sakura Osaka Bluefin
›››Best Indian
India Palace Golden India Bombay House Mayuri
›››Best Vietnamese
Pho Saigon Saigon Le Pho Binh Lotus Jasmine
›››Best Thai
Bhan Thai Bangkok Alley Jasmine Pho Saigon Mosa Asian Bistro
›››Best Food Truck
Fuel Cafe Central BBQ Rock ’N Dough Pizza Tacos Los Jarochos Fresh Gulf Shrimp
›››Best Cajun/Creole
Bayou Bar & Grill Owen Brennan’s Dejavu The Second Line Restaurant Iris
›››Best Deli
Bogie’s Delicatessen/Elwood’s Shack (tie) Fino’s Young Avenue Deli Lucchesi’s
›››Best Burger
Huey’s Belmont Grill Alex’s Tavern Earnestine & Hazel’s Kooky Canuck
›››Best Fries
Huey’s Young Avenue Deli Houston’s River Oaks Kooky Canuck
›››Best Steak
Folk’s Folly Ruth’s Chris Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Butcher Shop The Capital Grille
›››Best Seafood
Tsunami Half Shell Bonefish Grill Restaurant Iris Flight/Flying Fish (tie)
›››Best Oysters
Pearl’s Oyster House Half Shell The Cove Restaurant Iris Mortimer’s
›››Best BBQ Sandwich
Central BBQ Bar-B-Q Shop Germantown Commissary Corky’s Top’s Bar-B-Q
›››Best BBQ Ribs
Central BBQ Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous Corky’s Bar-B-Q Shop Germantown Commissary
›››Best Fried Chicken
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken Jack Pirtle’s Uncle Lou’s The Cupboard Felicia Suzanne’s
›››Best Brunch
Owen Brennan’s The Beauty Shop The Majestic Grille Paulette’s Half Shell
›››Best Breakfast
Brother Juniper’s Bryant’s Breakfast Blue Plate Café Café Eclectic The Arcade
›››Best Coffeehouse
Café Eclectic Muddy’s Grind House Republic Coffee Otherlands Tamp & Tap
›››Best Dessert
Muddy’s Bake Shop Cheesecake Corner La Baguette Jerry’s Sno-Cones Frost Bake Shop
›››Best People Watching
Peabody Lobby Bar Flying Saucer Lafayette’s Music Room Babalu B.B. King’s
›››Worth the Drive
City Grocery (Oxford, MS) Bozo’s (Mason, TN) Ajax Diner (Oxford, MS) Jack Binion’s Steakhouse (Tunica, MS) The Blue and White Café (Tunica, MS)
›››Best Late Night Dining (after 10 p.m.)
Huey’s Hog & Hominy Bardog Tavern Belmont Grill Kooky Canuck
›››Best Patio Dining
Bhan Thai Lafayette’s Music Room The Second Line Babalu Felicia Suzanne’s
›››Best Ambience
Restaurant Iris Flight Itta Bena Paulette’s Folk’s Folly
›››Best Place to Impress Out-of-Towners
Restaurant Iris Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous Folk’s Folly Paulette’s Hog & Hominy
›››Restaurant We Miss the Most
Anderton’s Justine’s Jarrett’s Ronnie Grisanti’s/Midtown Steak and Ale
›››Best Chain Restaurant
Houston’s Bonefish Grill Panera Bread Texas de Brazil The Capital Grille
›››Best New Restaurant
The Second Line Babalu Lafayette’s Music Room The Capital Grille Seasons 52
›››Best Restaurant
Restaurant Iris Paulette’s Flight Folk’s Folly Erling Jensen/River Oaks (tie)
›››Hippest Bar Setting
Mollie Fontaine Lounge The Cove Peabody Lobby Bar Babalu The Second Line
›››Most Happening Happy Hour
contenders include: Bardog Tavern, Peabody Lobby Bar, Boscos Squared, Blue Monkey, and Flying Saucer
›››Best Place to Watch the Game
Fox and Hound Sweet Grass Next Door Brookhaven Pub Bayou Bar and Grill Alex’s Tavern
›››Best Dive Bar
Earnestine & Hazel’s Alex’s Tavern The Cove High Point Pub Silky O’Sullivan’s
›››Best Craft Cocktails
Alchemy Peabody Lobby Bar Sweet Grass Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen Folk’s Folly
›››Best Wine List
Flight Folk’s Folly Le Chardonnay Paulette’s River Oaks/Erling Jensen (tie)
›››Best Beer Selection
Flying Saucer Boscos Squared Young Avenue Deli Fox and Hound Dan McGuinness Pub
›››Best Local Brew
Ghost River Wiseacre Boscos Squared High Cotton Memphis Made
