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Dining
Memphians are fond of their food, proclaiming their city to be the pork barbecue capital of the world, with over one hundred specialty restaurants. There's also a good selection of reasonably priced soul-food cafés, and a couple of cool nouvelle Southern places. Downtown has a good selection (including some lively cafés on Beale Street); for a bit of variety, try Overton Square or Cooper-Young midtown.
Arcade 540 S Main St tel 901/526-5757. Over eighty years old, this unassuming landmark (featured in Jim Jarmusch's movie Mystery Train) serves up no-frills southern lunches, dinners and big breakfasts.
Automatic Slim's Tonga Club 83 S 2nd St tel 901/525-7948. Trendy Southwestern/Carribean restaurant and nightspot, complete with tumbleweed and excellent if pricey food.
Blues City Café 138 Beale St tel 901/526-3637. City branch of Mississippi soul-food specialist Doe's Eat Place, open daily 11am-4am. Join musicians from nearby clubs for tasty tamales, catfish and stew.
Buntyn 4972 Park Ave tel 901/458-8776. Hugely atmospheric old-style diner, southeast of downtown, specializing in Southern fried chicken and an irresistible array of vegetables. Daily 11am-8pm.
Café Francisco 400 N Main St tel 901/578-80020. Deli-style café, with internet access, just a block from the Pyramid. Open till 10pm Mon-Sat, to 6pm on Sun.
Café Ole 959 S Cooper Ave tel 901/274-1504. Very popular Mexican restaurant in Cooper-Young with good fajitas and vegetarian specialties such as spinach and mushroom quesadillas.
Cielo 679 Adams tel 901/524-1886. Popular, though fairly pricey ($20+) restaurant in the Victorian Village district, serving cuisines from around the world - everything from seared fois gras to spinach-shiitake dumplings.
Interstate Bar-B-Que 2265 S 3rd St tel 901/775-2304. Legendary barbecue restaurant, south of downtown on the way to the Delta, and open daily for lunch and dinner.
Java Cabana 2170 Young Ave tel 901/272-7210. The place in Memphis to drink coffee, featuring poetry readings and live music. Closed Mon.
Little Tea Shop 69 Monroe Ave tel 901/525-6000. Unusual downtown soul-food café, serving a health-conscious version of what is traditionally a very fatty cuisine. Mon-Fri 11.15am-2.15pm; lunches cost around $5.
The North End 346 N Main St tel 901/526-0319. Friendly bar-cum-restaurant in the Pinch District opposite the Pyramid, specializing in wild-rice dishes, stir-fries and a killer hot fudge pie. Open until 3am.
Otherlands 641 S Cooper Ave tel 901/278-4994. Funky midtown coffee bar with its own giftshop, colorful "naïve" art works, great lattes, bagels and cakes, and a laid-back crowd. Daily 7am-8pm.
The Rendezvous General Washburn Alley, 52 S 2nd St tel 901/523-2746. Downtown Memphis's top-rated pork barbecue joint, with huge helpings and a nice atmosphere. Open Tues-Sat.
Sleep Out Louie's 88 Union Ave tel 901/527-5337. Trendy oyster bar and grill that's a popular post-theater meeting place.
Tsunami 928 S Cooper Ave tel 901/274-2556. Seafood restaurant in the Cooper-Young district with delicious pan-Asian dishes on the menu.
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