A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Our Favorite Regional Restaurants" is from the Favorites 2005 issue of Southern Living.
CHATTANOOGA
Southside Grill (Traditional Southern): 1400 Cowart Street; (423) 266-9211 or www.southsidegrill.com. Southern classics along the lines of collard greens and fried green tomatoes show up in most of the listings. We ate every bite of the Smoked Ham and Shrimp Hash, which was served amid a mix of crispy grits, poached eggs, and Creole hollandaise sauce. Lunch, dinner (closed Sunday).
GREENEVILLE
The Bean Barn (Traditional Southern): 515 East Church Street; (423) 638-8329. Donna and Jerry Hartsell serve customers around a clutch of tables and a counter, in a vintage building with lots of antiques and memorabilia. White collar, blue collar--all kinds of folks come for "Beans All The Way" and other items, such as soup beans and hamburgers. Breakfast, lunch (closed Saturday-Sunday).
JOHNSON CITY
Wellington's Restaurant (Contemporary Southern): 1216 West State of Franklin Road; (423) 979-6401 or www.carnegiehotel.com. Executive Chef Chuck Whitehead and Sous Chef Scott Phillips create a menu of exotic and local flavors. Do try the Pan-Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer and the Domestic Lamb Chops. No apple stack cake here, but you'll enjoy great contemporary desserts. Breakfast, lunch, dinner (closed Sunday).
MEMPHIS
Blues City Café (Traditional Southern): 138 Beale Street; (901) 526-3637. Serves the best catfish on Beale Street. Other choices include barbecue ribs and homemade tamales. Lunch, dinner.
Charlie Vergos Rendezvous (Barbecue): 52 South Second Street; (901) 523-2746 or www.hogsfly.com. This landmark has been turning out tender slabs of ribs for more than half a century. Warning: The unique flavor, which reflects the Greek heritage of founding family, can be habit-forming. Lunch (Friday-Saturday), dinner (Tuesday-Saturday).
The Bar-B-Q Shop (Barbecue): 1782 Madison Avenue; (901) 272-1277 or www.dancingpigs.com. In addition to their meaty ribs and succulent chopped pork, this Memphis classic is also home to Bar-B-Q Spaghetti, a unique and satisfying fusion of Italian and Southern comfort foods. It's unlike any barbecue you've ever had. Lunch, dinner (closed Sunday).
NASHVILLE
Arnold's Country Kitchen (Traditional Southern): 605 Eighth Avenue South; (615) 256-4455. Local country musicians, soccer moms, and business executives all pile into this red cinder block building in the warehouse area just outside of downtown. They grab trays and shuffle along for Jack Arnold's fresh meats and veggies, which are served cafeteria style. Choices often featured include turnip greens, catfish, fried shrimp, whipped potatoes, fried green tomatoes, and the juiciest roast beef intown. Lunch (Monday-Friday).
Loveless Cafe (Traditional Southern): 8400 State 100; (615) 646-9700 or www.lovelesscafe.com. Treat yourself to a Nashville classic located about 25 minutes outside of town. Known for its fluffy biscuits, you'll find Loveless better than ever after a recent renovation. The slow-cooked barbecue meats also provide a special treat. Don't forget dessert--they're made from scratch. Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
Sylvan Park Restaurant Murphy Road (Traditional Southern): 4502 Murphy Road; (615) 292-9275. It's hard to eat all your vegetables when Sylvan Park chocolate pie awaits. If you must eat a sensible meal before dessert, however, then this is the place to go. The offerings feel like Sundays after church: country-fried steak, fried catfish, Tennessee ham, and pork chops. Choose from sliced tomatoes, turnip greens, candied yams, soft-cooked green beans, and whipped potatoes. And don't skip the pies -- even if it wrecks your diet for a week. Lunch, dinner (closed Sunday).
The White Trash Cafe (Traditional Southern): 1914 Bransford Avenue; (615) 383-0109. It's no mystery why this little joint by the fairgrounds received its apt name. The interior decor, which features fuzzy dice, an "I Love Elvis" sticker, strings of Christmas lights, and stuffed animals, is made up of yard sale finds. The place opens at 10:30 a.m., and you may want to show up right about then. Once the featured items of the day (iron-skillet fried chicken and meatloaf on Tuesday and fried catfish on Friday) sell out, you're stuck with the leftovers. Lunch.
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