Hope you are hungry! The Memphis restaurant scene has been cooking up a storm. Since last summer, talented chefs and entrepreneurs have brought some delicious new dining spots to town. From coffee shops to fine dining and everything in between, here are 11 new restaurants you need to check out ASAP!
11 New Memphis Restaurants
The Gray Canary
301 S. Front St., Memphis TN 38103 • (901) 249-2932
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Weekend brunch coming soon
Located in the Old Dominick Distillery in the South Main Arts District of downtown Memphis, The Gray Canary is the latest endeavor of Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. This is the duo’s sixth restaurant and the fifth restaurant here in Memphis. “The Gray Canary marks where Andy and I are as both cooks and diners,” explains Michael. “Our obsession with techniques and the influence various ways of cooking has on flavor — especially with live fire, coals and in the hearth — drives the menu.” In addition to dishes prepared on their custom wood-fired grill, The Gray Canary also has a raw bar that features oysters from around the country. Dishes are meant to be shared and savored. “The menu reflects how we like to eat right now,” adds Andy. “We love oysters and sparkling wine. We love to share and to order a bunch of different things to taste for dinner. So that inspired the format.” SB TIP: Request a booth along the wall of 100-year-old warehouse windows for a stunning view of the Mississippi River.
Read our full feature on The Gray Canary.
Here is a view of the dining room at The Gray Canary. This new downtown spot located in Old Dominick Distillery is the sixth restaurant from the James Beard Award-nominated duo of Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman. Image: The Gray Canary
The Gray Canary’s spin on the classic Swiss dish called Raclette is a butterball potato covered with melted Raclette cheese, lemon, garlic and parsley. Image: The Gray Canary
The South Main Market
409 S. Main St., Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 341-3838
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Individual vendor hours may vary.
The South Main Market is really five spots in one! “As Memphis’ first food hall, we bring a variety of culinary options under one roof so that the downtown community — its neighbors, commuters, tourists and Grizz enthusiasts alike — can all visit, with any number of persons, without having to choose just one ‘style’ of food,” explains Kim Dyer, who opened The South Main Market with her husband Justin. Java Cabana serves fair-trade coffee drinks and yummy sweets. Kinfolk is offering elevated but familiar country-inspired cooking with a twist. By the same owner as Kinfolk, Magnolia serves up Asian-inspired fare. Known for its freshly made bagels and traditional Jewish deli offerings, City East Bagel & Grille at The South Main Market is the second location for the popular East Memphis institution. Serving handcrafted cocktails, wine and beer, Civil Pour is the place to meet and greet after work or before the game or a show. Coco, a juice and salad bar, is in the works to be the sixth addition to the culinary offerings at The South Main Market.
The South Main Market is a food hall located downtown on South Main Street. Image: The South Main Market
The South Main Market is home to several different dining concepts and a flower shop. Image: The South Main Market
Carolina Watershed
141 E. Carolina Ave., Memphis, TN 38126 • (901) 321-5553
Hours: Monday and Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Located in the south end of downtown on East Carolina Avenue, Carolina Watershed is probably one of the coolest uniquely constructed restaurants in town — it’s constructed from metal grain silos! But it’s so much more than the one-of-a-kind architecture. “It all boils down to the atmosphere, the handcrafted cocktails and the locally sourced food,” explains owner Mac Hopper. Mac partnered with talented local chef Andy Knight to create a spot that has tasty dishes, craft beers and fun cocktails with a Southern spin. “Our food at Carolina Watershed is based on a Southern deli to which all of our sandwiches come with a Southern side — turnip greens, fried okra, black eyed peas, cornbread, etc.,” explains Andy of the menu. Now that the weather is warm, plan to spend some time with your girlfriends in their backyard, which is home to waterfalls and a big outdoor bar!
Read our full feature on Carolina Watershed.
Housed in metal grain silos, Carolina Watershed probably has the most interesting restaurant architecture in town. Image: Carolina Watershed
Sunrise Memphis
670 Jefferson Ave., Memphis, TN 38105 • (901) 552-3144
Hours: Breakfast is served all day, Monday through Sunday, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Lunch is served Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Brunch is served on Saturday, Sunday and Monday starting at 9 a.m.
Sunrise is the brainchild of Craig Blondis, Roger Sapp and Ryan Trimm. You may recognize those names as each is already a successful restaurateur here in Memphis. Craig and Roger are the duo behind Central BBQ, and Ryan is the chef and owner of Sweet Grass. “We wanted to serve the best breakfast in town while also reminding our guests what Sunday morning at Grandma’s house tastes like,” says Ryan when asked about their new concept. Served all day, breakfast is the centerpiece of the menu at this Medical District restaurant. Be sure to also check out their lunch menu, which is full of some delicious sandwich and salad offerings.
Read our full feature on Sunrise Memphis.
Serving breakfast all day, Sunrise Memphis is located in the Medical District on Jefferson Avenue.
The Rooster Biscuit at Sunrise Memphis is a crispy piece of fried chicken, house-made pickles and Tabasco honey served on a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit. Add an egg for a “Mother and Child Reunion”! Image: Sunrise Memphis
Edge Alley
600 Monroe Ave., #101, Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 425-2605
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Located in the Edge District near Sun Studios, Edge Alley is a hybrid spot that is part café, part coffee shop and part retail store. “The primary concept of Edge Alley is to create an environment in which co-located businesses could share resources, work together and thrive,” explains owner Tim Barker. “Edge Alley offers wholesome food, craft cocktails, house-roasted specialty grade coffee and curated retail — all within a single, beautifully designed space.” For breakfast or lunch, you will love their big biscuit sandwiches or shrimp and grits. They also offer salads if you’re looking for a little lighter fare. In the evening, stop by for one of their coffee cocktails.
The avocado toast big biscuit sandwich at Edge Alley is a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit topped with avocado, herb vinaigrette, olive oil and local bacon, served with house chips and aioli. Image: Edge Alley
RELATED: 9 Healthy Memphis Restaurants + 1 Food Truck with Guilt-Free Eats
Next Door American Eatery
1350 Concourse Ave., Ste. 165, Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 779-1512
Hours: Monday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to close; Happy Hour daily, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Located in the southeast corner of the Crosstown Concourse, Next Door has quickly become a Midtown favorite. “Next Door is an urban, casual American eatery serving real food sourced from American farmers out of a scratch kitchen,” explains Colin Ness, Director of Operations at Next Door. “It is a gathering place for family, friends and coworkers to grab a quick bite together or stay a while and play one of our many games.” The menu features a variety of shared plates (their kale chips and garlic & Parmesan smashers are both famous in Colorado), fresh salads, bowls, sandwiches and local dry-aged burgers.
Read our full features on Next Door American Eatery and Crosstown Concourse.
When you walk in the front door of Next Door American Eatery, you realize this is a laid-back place with a relaxed urban vibe.
Next Door American Eatery in Crosstown Concourse is a gathering place for family, friends and coworkers to grab a quick bite together. Image: Next Door American Eatery
Café Brooks by City & State
1934 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 544-6200
Hours: Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Just this month, City & State has taken over the café at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. “In November, the Brooks entered into partnership with Lisa Toro of City & State for our relaunched museum store. It has been a success, so we decided to expand our partnership so that Lisa and her team could provide excellent, innovative and well-priced food and beverages to our visitors,” explains Brooks Executive Director Emily Ballew Neff. At Café Brooks by City & State, Lisa Toro and her team will be serving up the artisan coffee beverages we have fallen in love with at the original City & State. They will also be serving lunch and snacks. The selection of sandwiches and pasta salads may be small, but each option has a tasty twist. We predict the Tuscan turkey with basil pesto dressing, sun-dried tomatoes and provolone is sure to be a favorite.
Café Brooks by City & State’s Lavender Latte can be ordered either hot or iced. We recommend enjoying it with a yummy scratch-made pastry. Image: Brooks Museum
Indian Pass Raw Bar
2059 Madison Ave., Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 207-7397
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, noon to midnight
If you have ever traveled down to Apalachicola Bay, chances are you have eaten at the Indian Pass Raw Bar. Focused on the principle of “simple but good,” the McNeill family built their popular Florida-based business by providing fresh and delicious seafood. Luckily for us Memphians, the McNeills have brought their fresh Gulf seafood to Overton Square. The menu features oysters raw, baked and chargrilled, as well as fresh Gulf shrimp and steamed crab legs. Burgers and grilled chicken sandwiches are available for non-seafood eaters.
The light and airy interiors at the new Indian Pass Raw Bar at Overton Square will make you feel like you are at the beach! Image: Indian Pass Raw Bar
A dozen fresh raw oysters — yum! Image: Indian Pass Raw Bar
Maciel’s Taco Shop
525 S. Highland St., Memphis, TN 38111 • (901) 504-4584
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
In February, Maciel’s Taco Shop opened a second location on Highland. “Maciel’s Highland is the same high-quality, authentic regional Mexican food that people have grown to love downtown but presented in a funky new atmosphere on Highland, complete with a larger kitchen, brunch on the weekends and a giant semi-covered patio on which to sip fantastic cocktails,” explains Taylor Berger, who partnered with chef and owner Manuel Martinez for this new location. From tacos to tortas, all the favorites from the original location are on the menu. Check out their craft cocktail menu to find just the right libation to wash it all down.
Tacos and tortas at Maciel’s Taco Shop on South Highland Street | Image: Maciel’s
RELATED: Memphis’ Top Tacos: 7 Restaurants + One Food Truck
Maciel’s has opened a second location of its popular downtown taco shop on the Highland Strip. Image: Maciel’s
The Liquor Store
2655 Broad Ave., Memphis, TN 38112 • (901) 405-5477
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This past November, Lisa and Luis Toro transformed the closed liquor store down the street from their popular coffee and gifts shop City & State into a hip and hoppin’ new diner aptly named The Liquor Store. The Liquor Store is a spot like no other in town. It’s both a diner and a bar — offering breakfast all day, diner classics and Latin-inspired dishes alongside craft cocktails, beer and wine. “We knew we wanted to do a diner inspired by retro-classics such as Salisbury steak and shrimp cocktail. We also saw the opportunity to embrace Luis’s cultural heritage with the addition of Latin flavors,” Lisa explains of their eclectic menu. “We worked with Chef Danial Johnson to bring it all to life.” And save room for dessert! Head baker Ali Rohrbacher is creating some of the best pies and cakes in town.
Read our full feature on The Liquor Store.
An old liquor store on Broad Street has been transformed into a hip and hoppin’ new diner aptly named The Liquor Store. Image: Joram Mondie
The Liquor Store serves up craft cocktails alongside classic diner fare with a nostalgic and Latin twist. Image: Joram Mondie
Libro
387 Perkins Ext., Memphis, TN 38117 • (901) 800-2656
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Libro at Laurelwood, which means “book” in Italian, is Novel Bookstore’s in-house café. Local restaurateur Sabine Bachmann has created an upscale bistro that she says is “for people who enjoy good food, good wine and good books.” Whereas only minor changes were made to the actual restaurant space, the menu and atmosphere have been significantly upgraded. “Italian-inspired and Southern-rooted … every dish we create comes with intentional ingredients, authenticity and a deep love of beautiful food,” explains Sabine. Both the menu and the space now have an upscale and modern feel, making it a dining destination of note within this popular East Memphis bookstore.
Read our full feature on beloved local bookstore Novel and its resident eatery, Libro at Laurelwood.
All the pastas at Libro are made in-house. “Our mushroom ravioli dish is so popular, we need to make a big batch every day,” says owner Sabine Bachmann.
Located in Novel Bookstore, the dining room at Libro is a casual and comfortable spot. The windows help keep the spot light and airy.
Now, head out to try one of these fabulous new culinary gems!
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