Top Restaurants in Memphis, Tennessee

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Cuisine: Southern
Price: $

The restaurant might not look like much, but for a taste of real Southern cooking, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken can't be beat. It's the fried chicken that makes this restaurant so famous, perfectly fried and spiced without being too greasy. Start off your meal with fried pickles and supplement your huge portions of chicken with coleslaw or fries, but make sure the meat is the highlight of your meal. As small and popular as the restaurant is, you're almost sure to have a long wait to cope with, but don't opt for second best when you're looking for authentic Southern cuisine.

Interstate Bar-B-Q

Cuisine: Barbecue
Price: $

Get a taste of Tennessee's famous take on barbecue at Interstate Bar-B-Q, where ribs covered in a sweet barbecue sauce and pulled pork sandwiches are the biggest draws. Try the sampler platter to get a taste of all sorts of barbecue delights, including the popular alternative to meat-only dishes: b-b-q spaghetti. Make your meal a Southern success by snacking on all the favorite regional sides: baked beans, coleslaw and potato salad. Set between downtown Memphis and Graceland, the restaurant is a great on-the-road stop but well worth the detour even if it's not on the path home.

Chez Philippe

Cuisine: French/Asian Fusion
Price: $$$$

Memphis might have great food, but it's not known for its fine cuisine. Fortunately, you can find an amazing upscale dining experience at Chez Philippe in the Peabody Hotel in downtown. Here, the French-Asian fusion menu easily lends itself to a multi-course experience, best served with appropriate wine pairings if you've got room in the budget. Set in the fancy dining room of the best hotel in Memphis, Chez Philippe is one of the few restaurants in the area with a dress code: this is definitely not a restaurant for jeans or baseball caps.

India Palace

Cuisine: Indian
Price: $$

It's a far cry from Memphis to India, but you can still get a taste of Asia at India Palace. At this ethnic restaurant, a startlingly large menu lets you choose from plenty of meat and vegetarian dishes: a boon to vegetarians in this Southern city. For those new to the cuisine, the menu carefully details the different kinds of dishes, like tandoori and the various curries. Visit during lunch hour and opt for the all-you-can-eat buffet to get a taste of many different dishes for a low price.

Circa

Cuisine: New American
Price: $$$

Enjoy the careful preparation that is the hallmark of an excellent restaurant at Circa, where meats from creatures of the land, sea and sky populate the fantastic menu. The intimate restaurant, with its attentive service and contemporary meals, is a great way to enjoy all the luxuries of the 21st century. Indulge with the three-course prix fixe menu and pair each dish with a wine to showcase the complex flavors of both the food and the drink. Located across the street from Chez Philippe, Circa is another restaurant at which you can enjoy fine dining but with somewhat less pomp surrounding the whole experience.