Memphis magazine's Top 10 New Restaurants for 2016

Over the holidays, I spent a week in Los Angeles, eating my way through menus as diverse as the city’s population. I discovered Ray Garcia’s new Mexican playbook at Broken Spanish, Jessica Koslow’s brioche toast with plum and thyme jam at Sqirl, and Roy Choi’s tempestuous Korean hot pots at his restaurant named POT. (I kid you not.)  

I also spent a small fortune there, a comparison I couldn’t help but make with Memphis magazine’s top 10 new restaurants, places where the food is often big-city good, but decidedly less expensive. In fact, it’s possible to eat at many of this year’s restaurants for under $20. Likely, you will spend more as you move from familiar comfort food for breakfast to hearty burgers topped with mac ’n cheese for lunch, to exquisite new American dishes for dinner, served family-style like the trendiest restaurants in LA. 

Speaking of trend-spotting, be on the watch for my New Year’s projection, reinventions of classic dishes from the 1960s, a la Julia Child only healthier. Already, dishes are popping up on Memphis menus, like the exceptional beef tartare at Bounty on Broad, this year’s top new restaurant, and the salmon Wellington at Maximo’s on Broad, a restaurant headed most certainly for next year’s list. — Pamela Denney

Bounty on Broad

On a post-holiday Saturday night with unrelenting rain, a seat at Bounty’s bar seemed like a safe bet. Who goes out the weekend after New Year’s? At Bounty on Broad, apparently everybody.

Customers of all ages, from millennials to baby boomers, filled tables or jostled one another at the bar, confirming Bounty’s pick by Memphis magazine readers as the city’s best new restaurant. Simply put, the place was rocking, energized by animated conversation and platters of fragrant and sharable food. 

Kudos for the restaurant’s success go to Chef Jackson Kramer, formerly of Interim in East Memphis, and his wife Carrie Kramer, who is Bounty’s general manager. The couple’s talents seem custom-made for the Broad Avenue Arts District and the restaurant’s beautiful renovation in a two-story brick building from the early 1900s.

Open for dinner and Sunday brunch, Bounty serves exceptionally good cocktails and inventive but relatable American cuisine, like mountain trout (Kramer’s favorite) stuffed with fennel, orange, and carrots. Updated seasonally, the menu also honors vegetables with unusual respect, offering dishes like fried green tomatoes with corn succotash and pickled shrimp, and cauliflower, an almost legendary customer favorite tossed with honey, chili, balsamic, and fresh herbs. — Pamela Denney

2519 Broad

901-410-8131 • $$-$$$

Porcellino’s Craft Butcher

The appealing dinner menu at Porcellino’s seems easy enough to navigate, offering 10 small plates, chef’s choice for three entrees, and shareable vegetable bowls, like green beans tossed with mint, toasted almonds, charred lemon, and Dijon vinaigrette. But here’s the catch: You will want everything, so start with a cocktail while you decide what to eat. Updated seasonally, the new selections for winter build around brandy and rum and drink like a well-crafted novel, memorable and captivating.

Move next to small plates. Try dumplings stuffed with collard greens and pork belly, salmon mouse topped with green apple jelly in a mini-Mason jar, or housemade charcuterie, a resplendent plate of cured meats and pickled garnishes. (Standout moment: a spicy and spreadable ‘nduja the color of Christmas tangerines.)

Diners with hearty appetites should keep on eating. Since opening Porcellino’s, chef/owners Michael Hudman and Andrew Ticer have added classic cuts for beef, pork, and veal to the small plate menu, a delicious yahoo moment that solidifies the restaurant’s triad of café, grab-and-go grocery, and butcher shop. Porcellino’s also serves a soup and sandwich menu at lunch and biscuits and coffee that are so good my recent millennial houseguests showed up for breakfast every day. — Pamela Denney

6711 W. Brookhaven Circle

901-762-6656 • $-$$

Aldo’s Pizza Pies (Midtown)

The pizzas at Aldo’s are so popular that one downtown location just wasn’t enough. Aldo’s Pizza Pies Midtown opened on Cooper Street in the former Two Way Inn space back in April. The fourth Memphis restaurant from Aldo Dean (in addition to Bardog, Slider Inn, and Aldo’s Pizza Pies downtown), this Midtown pizza joint offers classic concoctions (think pepperoni or Margherita), along with a few unique options. 

The Memphis pizza is a twist on a local favorite: Tender, smoky pulled pork, barbecue sauce, mozzarella, red onion, and coleslaw are piled onto a crispy yet still doughy crust. (This could easily become a new favorite way to eat a loaded barbecue sandwich.) Another delicious option, the Bring Out the Gump, is topped with grilled shrimp, poblano cream, sundried tomato pesto, mozzarella, red onion, and basil.

Other menu items are exclusive to the Midtown location, including a selection of grilled paninis. Another draw is the rooftop patio — the only one in Midtown — which is a charming setting to chow down with a local beer or two. Aldo’s always has an offering from Memphis Made — their neighbor — on one of its six beer taps. If it’s not patio weather, dine inside and watch the pizza makers work their magic in the restaurant’s open kitchen squeezed in behind the bar. — Shara Clark

752 S. Cooper

901-725-07437 • $-$$

LYFE Kitchen

There’s some hocus-pocus going on at LYFE Kitchen. No white flour, no refined sugar, nothing fried — all the good stuff — and, yet, LYFE (Love Your Food Everyday) pulls it off. Indeed, dining at this healthy alternative feels downright indulgent. 

Both an omnivore and vegan’s delight, there’s something for everyone here, from breakfast to dinner. The hearty Veggie Burger on ciabatta bread is oh-so-satisfying. The Banana Date Smoothie will change your concept of smoothies. Another favorite is the Ancient Grain bowl, which features grilled vegetables, Gardein beefless tips, quinoa, and black rice. (That fake meat has fooled more than one meat eater.) 

Art’s Unfried Chicken (named after consulting chef Art Smith) is famous for a reason. The vibe is airy contemporary. There’s an herb garden near the front, plus a water station offering chilled, sparkling, and ambient waters. The bar, the first for the LYFE Kitchen chain (that says something about Memphis, doesn’t it?), also skews healthy, with liquor pours being an ounce and a fourth instead of the standard one and a half.

At the opening of the East Memphis location, Smith said, “This is the future of food — whole, delicious, and affordable.” We believe him.   

The second LYFE Kitchen is due to open downtown just as this issue hits the stands. — Susan Ellis

6201 Poplar

901-305-5933 • $

Agave Maria Kitchen & Cantina

Does Jeff Johnson strut? He should. He’s quickly become one of the most interesting restaurateurs in Memphis. First, there was Local with its serious updated pub grub and then the imaginative Japanese-themed Oshi Burger Bar. Johnson hit another bull’s-eye with Agave Maria. The decor is ’70s Tijuana chic, the tequila menu 100-plus strong, and the menu expressive. What’s not to like? 

Let’s talk about the decor: pink and olive walls, black booths, padded bar, religious candles in honor of our saints, Elvis, Isaac Hayes, and Jerry Lawler. You’ll feel 10 degrees hipper just by entering. 

The menu is stellar as well. The Wild Mushroom and Poblano Enchilada, topped with meaty mushrooms, queso blanco, and goat cheese, is perfect in every way. The short rib barbacoa (available in both tacos and enchiladas) is the stuff of legends. The Tinga (also both in tacos and enchiladas) bursts with flavor, with shredded roasted chicken being only part of the story. The rest: a mole of pumpkin seeds and soy sauce and lime and chili paste. Adding to the wonder are the chips that come with the guacamole that are almost perfectly round.    

Agave Maria is a shared menu restaurant, but you won’t want to share. Not one bite. — Susan Ellis

83 Union

901- 341-2096 • $-$$

Five Spot 

Tucked behind Earnestine & Hazel’s downtown, the Five Spot feels a little like its dive-bar neighbor. And it’s no surprise since Five Spot was an original concept thought up by E&H’s longtime proprietor, Russell George, who passed away in 2013.

In an effort to carry out George’s dream for the space, owner Bud Chittom enlisted Kelly English, renowned chef and owner of Restaurant Iris and The Second Line, to create the restaurant’s menu — bar food, but better. 

The restaurant serves E&H’s iconic Soul Burger, plus a few Southern-style dishes like fried catfish and shrimp & grits. A menu standout is the Monsieur Jacques de Pirtle: an upgraded BLT that doubles the crunchy, meaty factor with the addition of Jack Pirtle’s fried chicken skins. Another customer favorite is the Smoked Chicken Bahn Mi, a po boy with tender smoked chicken, cilantro, and mushroom paté — a hint of lime and jalapeño give it just the right amount of kick. 

Adjacent to the restaurant’s small kitchen, the dining area is dimly lit, its walls dark brown and brick. Hints of the building’s history — it was once home to a pharmacy and a brothel — are reflected in its rustic interior design.

    There’s not much in the way of beer selection, but the cocktails — like the Dark & Stormy and the Moscow Mule — are well prepared and reasonably priced. — Shara Clark

84 W. G.E. Patterson

901-523-9754 • $

Staks Pancake Kitchen

There aren’t many things more inviting than the smell of warm pancakes and maple syrup. And that’s exactly what welcomes you at Staks Pancake Kitchen. (Hello, heaven!) Tressa and Bill Ogles, along with co-owners Brice and Stephanie Bailey, opened the restaurant in September, offering fluffy, slightly sweet flapjacks along with a mix of breakfast and lunch offerings. 

The World’s Greatest Sandwich is a fancified BLT with thick-cut bacon, Monterey Jack, butter lettuce, tomato, mayo, and an over-medium egg tucked between two slices of crunchy ciabatta bread. The Chicken ’n Biscuit features a hand-breaded chicken tenderloin inside a flaky, scratch-made buttermilk biscuit. The kicker here is the spicy-sweet Sriracha honey glaze that comes alongside. 

If you want to stick with the restaurant’s namesake, order the Birthday Cake, a short stack of pancakes decorated with an icing drizzle, rainbow sprinkles, and whipped cream and topped with a candle, birthday or not.

    For added fun, make your own pancakes on community griddles in the center of the table. They’ll provide you with a carafe of buttermilk batter and a squirt bottle of liquid butter, and you do the rest. Here’s the best part: eating an interactive pancake feast without

destroying your kitchen at home.

– Shara Clark

4615 Poplar

901 509-2367 • $-$$

Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen

In a culinary landscape littered by too much of everything, a platter of vegetables at Blue Nile, steam curling into the afternoon sunlight, sets cooking straight. Fragrant and a little musty, the plate is downright sexy thanks to scoops of savory stew called Mesir Wat, one made with green split peas, the other with spicy red lentils.

Other abundant dishes bring more flavor to the plate: spiced tea and fragrant coffee; collard greens; lamb burgers, fresh house salad; cabbage — fragrant, shredded, and steamed; and chunks of potatoes and carrots that taste much better than the ones you likely make at home.

Injera, a soft and spongy bread native to Ethiopia, also lines the plate. Tucked under a jalapeño and onion beet salad, the bread gets stained with beet juice and looks beautiful, like a sweet and colorful splash of boysenberry jam. 

For meat lovers, Blue Nile offers many wonderful options. Plump kabobs (chicken, steak, shrimp, and tofu) are mainstays on the menu, because Stick ‘Em food truck came before the restaurant’s permanent location on Madison Avenue. Add in respectful service, no corkage fees for wine, and a family-run operation helmed by Ermyias Shiberou, and Blue Nile Ethiopian Kitchen is a welcome addition to the international paradigm reshaping Memphis food. — Pamela Denney

1788 Madison Ave.

901-474-7214 • $-$$

Heritage Tavern & Kitchen

It’s election year, right? Time to elect a president and watch an inauguration parade. But while we like tradition as much as anyone, dare we suggest a culinary celebration instead? At Heritage Tavern & Kitchen, proud Americans can commemorate their favorite food, updated just enough by owner Mike Miller.

Organized by region, the menu at Heritage links ingredients to geography. For instance, the lump crab cake settles in the Southwest because they are made with roasted corn and peppers and served with ancho-chili remoulade. Regardless of region, most dishes at Heritage fall in the $10 to $15 range, but affordable doesn’t mean a sacrifice in quality. Everything at Heritage is made from scratch, including the restaurant’s salad dressings, exceptionally good baskets of cornbread, and desserts like strawberry shortcake topped with crème Anglaise.

Open for about six months in the Regalia Shopping Center, Heritage’s comfortable amenities include a separate bar and upstairs space for private events. Miller, who still owns and operates Patrick’s nearby, also seems to understand his customers, with promotions like $5 Martini Mondays and offering premium well drinks. Even better is Fried Chicken Friday, when a breast, leg, and two sides cost only $10. Can you get any more American than that? — Pamela Denney

6150 Poplar, Suite 122

901-761-8855 • $$

Mac’s Burgers

Hamburgers? Mac and cheese? Hamburgers topped with mac and cheese? Yes, yes, and yes! 

The menu at Mac’s Burgers reads like something from a burgerphile’s fun house. There’s the Southern Belle with pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes, and the Sunday with American cheese, a fried egg, and smoked bacon. The Casanova comes with ham — a hamburger topped with ham! — mushrooms, and Havarti cheese. The Grindhouse is a triple-decker with jalapeños, a trio of cheeses, and piles of bacon. Then there’s the Mac Daddy with fresh-roasted green chiles, bacon, roasted garlic cream cheese, and Fritos. Bless them. 

And while the burgers are great, the mac and cheese is the real star of the show. Big curly noodles and a cheese sauce so creamy and rich it hits you in your spine. But it doesn’t stop there. You can get your mac topped (and we suggest you do) with pulled pork (Memphis Mac), and fried chicken and white gravy (Southern Fried Mac), and steak, onions, peppers, and white cheddar (Mac and Cheesesteak), and blackened shrimp, chicken, and sausage (NOLA Mac). 

Then there are the cocktails. Try the Jameson Slush with Jameson whiskey, ginger beer, and lemonade. Does this all sound absurd? It is — in the best possible way. — Susan Ellis

4698 Spottswood

901-512-4604 • $