Category: Special Sections

Best Culture Tour

You’ve probably seen Tad Pierson’s 1955 beige Cadillac cruising around town. It’s quite likely he’s giving some lucky tourists a personalized tour of Memphis’ music and civil rights landmarks.

“It’s the same year Cadillac that Elvis bought his mama,” says Pierson. “Only hers was pink.” Pierson prides himself on being able to captivate visitors with his knowledge of local culture, from obscure juke joints to Graceland. “I call it ‘anthro-tourism,’” he explains. “It’s what Memphis needs more of. You show off the local culture and it brings money into the local culture at the same time.”

Elvis Costello, Katie Couric, Rufus Thomas, Wilson Pickett, and Ken Burns are just a few of the notable clients that have ridden in the back seat of Pierson’s beautifully restored Caddy since he began his tour business in 1995. But, Pierson, whom Smithsonian Magazine once called “a straw-hatted blues aficionado,” says, “My favorite customers are the ones who’ve been saving to come to Memphis and take part in The American Dream Safari. They appreciate the deeper and more personal experience that we can offer.” — Bruce VanWyngarden

The American Dream Safari, tad@americandreamsafari.com, (901) 527-8870

Best Close Thing

Dr. Jason Martin, a Nashville physician, beat Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr. for the Democratic primary for the upcoming governor’s election. While that all seems very Memphis/Nashville, Martin won by fewer than 1,500 votes. 1,500. With this, Smiley — and Memphis — showed some statewide clout. — Toby Sells

Best Porn Preference

When Tennesseans headed to Pornhub last year, they wanted to see “interracial” videos. That’s according to the website’s annual report. The preference gives hope, in a weird way, that maybe our private desires could lead to more public tolerances. It’s a stretch, but a boy can dream. — TS

Best Sea Change

Our city’s problems seem so unbeatable. But a group of dedicated leaders banded together with county officials to reform our money bail system. The groups had to threaten to sue, of course. But the sea change is set in motion and, by next year, pretrial release or detention will be based on fairness, thoughtful judgment, and be more in line with the state constitution. — TS

Best Evolution

For 15 years, Black Lodge Video was a staple on Cooper. The last surviving video store in Memphis went dark in 2014 and began searching for a new home. Now, in their huge space on Cleveland in Crosstown, the Lodge not only offers one of the biggest video collections in the world — 35,000 titles strong — they also have a growing list of video and console games, as well as a newly opened kitchen and bar. The variety of events hosted on their stage, from film screenings to drag shows to armored medieval combat matches, is unequaled in the city. — Chris McCoy

Best Patch-Up

Memphis is hard on auto glass. This is a place where the “road debris” flying at your windscreen can range from gravel to large chunks of other automobiles. When the crack in your windshield finally reaches from one side to the other, Jack Morris Auto Glass will fix you up cleanly and quickly. — CM

Best Fan Group

American sports fans are so boring. Yelling things like “de-FENSE” over and over again at games. Not so with soccer fans, however. Take Memphis’ Bluff City Mafia, the supporters group for 901 FC, who march into the stadium, drums a-drummin, and come up with customized chants and songs for the team and individual players. Brilliant stuff. — Samuel X. Cicci

“Best” Italian Fusion Dish

Can I interest you in some roadside ravioli? Some interstate al dente? I don’t know what to call this dish exactly, but Memphis made national headlines when an 18-wheeler crashed and spilled Bertolli Alfredo sauce all over I-55, and Memphians were left eating plain fettuccine noodles. Mamma mia! — SXC

(Who are the) Best Bar Regulars

On any given weekday, a steadfast group of regulars meets at RP Tracks by 3:30 p.m. sharp to test their wits at Jeopardy. It’s a long-standing ritual of sorts for both customers and employees — some of whom should actually take the stage on the show (looking at you, Paul!). Fran, Shelley, Rachel, Ross, Amanda, Ana, Tory, and others whose names I’m surely forgetting (hey, I’m not the one who’s good at retaining information, as evidenced by my poor trivia skills) gather to flex their knowledge and have a beer with friends — or serve them — while they’re at it. I’d wager it all on a Daily Double to say they’re the coolest crew in town. Cheers! — Shara Clark

Best Food Court Staple

Sometimes I make a special trip to the mall solely to “try chicken.” Those words, which led an unassuming young Shara straight up to China Master to nibble on a hot piece of honey chicken skewered on a toothpick, are now synonymous with the Oak Court Mall. I’m not sure how they do it, but the delectable bits of chicken are super crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and have just the right level of sweetness. Add a couple sides (lo mein and mixed veggies for me), and you’ve got a heaping plate of some of the best and most affordable fare in the city — from a food court! — SC

The Memphis Flyer’s annual Best of Memphis readers’ poll celebrates all things Memphis, and *drumroll please* — it’s time to announce the winners! Memphis has spoken. From restaurants to radio, family fun and festivals, and everything in between, you chose your favorites. Winners with “BOM” next to their name dominated their category. Any ties have also been noted.

This issue was written by Samuel X. Cicci, Shara Clark, Michael Donahue, Alex Greene, Chris McCoy, Abigail Morici, Toby Sells, Jon W. Sparks, Izzy Wollfarth, and Bruce VanWyngarden. It was designed by Carrie Beasley with images by Justin Fox Burks.

Thanks to all of our readers — those who submitted nominations and voted, and those who didn’t. Y’all are the true Best of Memphis. And we thank our advertisers, who make it possible to keep the Flyer free, always.

View this year’s BOM winners at this link.

Best Post-Covid Dog Park
Tobey Dog Park doesn’t have the cool, big-tree shade and hip cachet of Overton Bark or the wide-open spaces and lakes of Shelby Farms Dog Park, but after a months-long COVID shutdown, Tobey Dog Park came back with lush new grass, new seating, a few new plantings, lots of room to run, and a friendly bunch of regulars. It’s become my hounds’ new go-to fave. — Bruce VanWyngarden

Best Place to Pretend Everything is Normal
Let’s face it: The great outdoors is the safest place to be in these scary microbe-laden times, and Overton Park is the escape destination of choice for lots of Memphians. There’s room to spread out on a blanket on the Greensward, if you’re feeling pastoral. You can hike and bike the miles of trails — paved and unpaved — if you want to exercise or just get into nature. You can play a round of woodsy golf on the old Links course, or take your pups for exercise at the dog park. Get out of the house. Breathe. — BV

Best Beach Within Reach
Have you noticed the Mississippi River is lower than it has been in years? Well, it is. And because of that, there are many new places to explore, most of which were underwater a few weeks ago. Who knows what you’ll find or what you’ll see. Get creative. Drive or bike around and check it out. The Big River Crossing is one way to get there. There’s also a huge sandy beach in Shelby Forest park, just north of the boat launch. Pretend you’re in Miami for an afternoon. (Except Miami doesn’t have the occasional bald eagle.) — BV

Best Pandemic Response
Heroes are those who deign to tilt a lance at 2020’s never-ceasing stream of hot, fresh bullshit. Heroes are those Cooper-Young residents who, since the beginning of the pandemic, have fought against it all with a front-yard display of skeletons that’s part social commentary and part salve for the soul. These skeletons have played volleyball, poker, gotten drunk at a bar, and honored the passage of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. — Toby Sells

Best of MEMernet

(Credit: Ryan’s Shorts | YouTube)

Ryan Hailey is the funniest, hardest-working citizen of the MEMernet this year. His Ryan’s Shorts YouTube channel spews Memphis comedy gold. For proof, look no further than “Memphis Bass Pro Shop Pyramid Party Rock Anthem.”

“When the aliens come down, all they really want to see is the pyramid by the river down in Memphis, Tennessee. Made of glass and some brass, it’ll knock you on your ass. Make your damn jaw drop. What’s that? It’s our Bass Pro Shop.” — TS

Best Neighborhood Stroll (Credit: Shara Clark)

Take time to stop and smell the statues — or, you know, take a picture.

If nothing else, this year has made us all slow down — and that’s not a bad thing. Starting in late March, I began taking more walks in my neighborhood, Normal Station, and around the University of Memphis campus. I’d taken lots of strolls down those streets over the years, but this year they morphed into mediation-in-motion sessions, a break from the work-from-home slog, a mental distraction from COVID stress. Each day, I found new beauty: fresh floral blooms in neighbors’ front-yard gardens, college kids practicing their band instruments in the then-deserted U of M parking garage on Southern (the acoustics were phenomenal), and I even made it a mission to walk and photograph every single Tiger statue around campus. When the world was closed and all we had was home, I grew closer to my neighborhood. I bet you can find similar beauty in yours. — Shara Clark

Best COVID-19 Fighters/Keeping Shit Togetherers

Maybe Alisa Haushalter and Dr. Bruce Randolph weren’t household names in February. But, by now, everyone in Memphis knows that Haushalter, director of the Shelby County Health Department, and Randolph, the Shelby County Health Officer, have led the charge here to keep our collective shit together through this COVID-19 nightmare.

Behind the scenes, they watch the virus data and help form the plan on how to fight it. In front of the scenes, they give Memphians the straight dope on our situation and relentlessly crusade for mask-wearing, social distancing, and hand-washing. — TS

Best Historic Homecoming (Credit: Alex Greene) Booker T. Jones and Carla Thomas

When Booker T. Jones moved away from his hometown, the tensions and turmoil of that time clouded his brow. Recalling that in his just-published autobiography made his show at Crosstown Theater in January especially meaningful. Not only was his son Ted playing guitar, his old friend Carla Thomas and the Stax Music Academy band delivered “B-A-B-Y” with aplomb. — Alex Greene

Best Case of Mistaken Identity
Did you hear that U.S. Representative Steve Cohen bought the New York Mets? Where’s your hometown pride, Steve? Why not buy the Redbirds? Oh, wait. That wasn’t you? Apparently USA Today illustrated a story about billionaire hedge fund manager Steven A. Cohen with a photo of the Bluff City’s Steve Cohen. Dammit, Gannett! — Jesse Davis

Best Artist to Watch

(Credit: Blvck Hippie) Josh Shaw of Blvck Hippie

Local indie band Blvck Hippie recorded a pair of singles, “Bunkbed” and “Rhodes Avenue,” at Sun Studio during quarantine, and the songs have legs. We at the Flyer were early cheerleaders for the band, fronted by singer/songwriter Josh Shaw, but the buzz has gone international, landing the group a sponsorship from Ernie Ball and positive reviews from AFROPUNK, The Daily Indie, and La Blogothèque.

— JD

Best Reason to Break Quarantine
There is no good reason to break quarantine! If you feel sick, stay home! I’m serious! Watch John Carpenter’s The Thing or something. Why do you make me say these things, man? — JD

Best Advertisement

(Credit: Chris Davis | Facebook)

Flyer columnist emeritus Chris Davis recently clapped eagle eyes on what will soon be a legend in Memphis advertising. A huge sign for Drain Cleaning and Repair Co. faced Danny Thomas. Its classic lines read, “who pooted,” “oh, [poop emoji],” and “40 yrs. of straight turd chasin.'” — TS

Best Place for the Most Unlikely Pairing
Have you ever seen something so unlikely that you’re not quite sure what you are actually seeing? Like if you saw that George Takei was cast in the movie The Blind Side — not in the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy, but as Michael Oher — you might just stand there for a moment and go, “Wait. What? Hm. Okay.” Meet Mr. Casas Japanese and Mexican Food Truck. Wait. What? Hm. Okay. The unlikely food pairing is at first perplexing. A Japanese menu on one side, a Mexican menu on the other. Give it some time. You’ll get used to eating your nachos with chopsticks. — Julie Ray

Best Celebration of Memphis by Non-Memphians
The Iris Orchestra comprises players from all over the country. Conrad Tao is an acclaimed New Music composer based in New York. Yet those forces converged when Iris commissioned Tao to write a piece for the city’s bicentennial. Tao’s “Spoonful,” inspired by and incorporating a recording by Charlie Patton, embodied Memphis history in all its unhinged drama, angst, and humor. — AG

Best Wildlife Whisperer (Credit: Sami Harvey) Sami Harvey, wildlife whisperer

Sami Harvey was furloughed from her job at Hilton earlier this year due to the pandemic, but that didn’t keep her down. Harvey set out to save the world, one squirrel at a time. After realizing the need for more licensed wildlife rehabilitators in the Memphis area, she used the downtime to launch Out of the Woods Wildlife Rescue & Rehab from her home in Shelby Forest, where she now cares for injured and orphaned wildlife. The facility — where she treats squirrels, raccoons, foxes, opossums, cryptids, and some birds — houses indoor and outdoor enclosures and enrichment areas, and lots of love. Follow Out of the Woods on Facebook or Instagram (@outofthewoodswildlife) for some of the cutest damn pictures you’ve ever seen, and watch while these sweet little critters grow and heal. — SC

Best Barber Shop

1. 1776 Men’s Grooming Parlor

2. The Kee Barber

3. Gould’s Salon Spa

1776 Men’s Grooming Parlor offers haircuts, beard trims, and kids’ cuts. Serving both Collierville and Memphis, if you are looking for a close cut, fresh fade, or a prestigious pompadour, 1776 will have you “groomed for freedom,” just like their tagline guarantees.

Best Day Spa

1. Gould’s Salon Spa

2. The Well by Pavo

3. Rachel’s Salon & Day Spa

Best Place to Get

a Facial

1. Gould’s Salon Spa

2. The Well by Pavo

3. The Skin Clinics (Germantown)

If you want to step away from reality for a few hours, Gould’s Salon Spa has you covered. Our readers think it’s the best place in Memphis to escape from the stress of the city and melt into relaxation.

Best Place to Get

a Tan

1. Custom Spray Tanning by Bari @ SkinBody Memphis

2. Palm Beach Tan

3. Esthetiques Skin Spa

We all want good skin, but tanning isn’t necessarily the easiest thing in the world. Luckily, SkinBody Memphis has you covered. They are the No. 1 place Flyer readers choose in Memphis for tanning.

Best Hair Salon

Photographs by Justin Fox Burks

Pavo Salon

1. Pavo Salon

2. Verseau Hair Studio

3. Gould’s Salon Spa

Is it their friendly faces? Their talented stylists? Their great service? More than likely, it’s all three that made Memphis choose Pavo Salon as the Best Hair Salon. This high-end salon can do it all while making it look easy.

Best Hair Stylist

★ BOM 1. Erica Richardson, Verseau Hair Studio

2. Angela Windsor-Cummings, Gould’s

3. Jarrad Baker, Hero Sage Salon

They say hard work pays off. Erica Richardson at Verseau Hair Studio was voted Best in Memphis last year and continues her streak. Her commitment to her customers and ability to leave them satisfied make her a cut above the rest.

Best Nail Salon

1. Nail Bar & Co.

2. Gloss Nail Bar

3. Envy Nail Bar

Nail Bar & Co. turns nails into art. While you can go in and get the usual mani and pedi, they also provide personalized nail art. No matter how you want your nails to look, they will create a design to fit your style.

Best Health/Fitness Club

1. Kroc Center Memphis

2. YMCA

Any Body Yoga

3. Any Body Yoga

With your body in mind, Kroc Center was an easy choice for Flyer readers’ Best Health/Fitness Club. Their helpful staff, top-notch fitness equipment, and commitment to fitness provide a great place to get fit.

Best Place to Get Waxed

★ BOM 1. European Wax Center

2. Gould’s Salon Spa

3. The Well by Pavo

With a clean environment and knowledgeable, well-trained staff, the European Wax Center is waiting to spoil you and reinvigorate your skin. Their need to please set them apart in our poll.

Best Specialty Fitness Studio

1. Any Body Yoga

2. Better Bodies Yoga

3. CycleBar

Everybody is welcome at Any Body Yoga. The friendly studio tops the list as the best Specialty Fitness Studio in the city due to its commitment to welcoming all.

Best Medical Aesthetic Spa

1. The Skin Clinics (Germantown)

2. SkinBody Memphis

3. Memphis Laser Clinic

The Skin Clinics set a pretty high bar when it comes to skin care. Providing a wide array of services, they will help you reclaim your beautiful skin.

Best Beer Selection (in a bar)

1. Flying Saucer Draught Emporium

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. Lucchesi’s Beer Garden

The UFO-themed bar Downtown has made its name by having the best beer selection in the galaxy. Frankly, we wouldn’t be surprised if they could even serve up a Romulan Ale or a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster. Seriously, if anyone could, it would be Flying Saucer. Beam us up.

Best College Hangout

Photographs by Justin Fox Burks

RP Tracks

1. RP Tracks

2. Railgarten

3. Newby’s

Anyone who has spent any time near the University of Memphis campus has popped into RP Tracks for a brew or a bite. It’s the one great uniter between students, professors, and staff. Well, that and maybe getting caught by the train. For excellent BBQ Tofu Nachos and enough beer to float a frat party, it’s got to be RP Tracks.

Best After-Hours Night Spot

1. Alex’s Tavern

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Paula & Raiford’s Disco

Maybe Granny was right and nothing good ever happens after 2 a.m. But then again, even Granny has been wrong once or twice. So where to go after last call on those nights that just shouldn’t end? Alex’s Tavern. When you need some Rock-Mo’s Chicken Drummies to soak up all that cheap beer? Definitely Alex’s.

Best Nightclub

1. Paula & Raiford’s Disco

2. Lafayette’s Music Room

3. Hernando’s Hide-A-Way

The best option when you want to “dance, dance, dance the night away” has absolutely got to be Paula & Raiford’s Disco. Don’t mind the (sometimes) long line to get inside, because, believe us, it is worth it. Light-up dance floor, signage forbidding drug use, 40-oz. beer, and all the grooviest hits of yesteryear combine to make Raiford’s Memphis’ Best Nightclub.

Best Craft Cocktails

★ BOM 1. Alchemy Memphis

2. The Cove

3. Art Bar at Crosstown Arts

Best Happy Hour

1. Alchemy Memphis

2. The Blue Monkey

3. Babalu

Best Bar

1. Alchemy Memphis

2. Lafayette’s Music Room

3. Art Bar at Crosstown Arts

The mix masters at Alchemy must have found the secret ingredient to a BOM hat trick. With an overwhelming win for Best Craft Cocktails, and wins for Best Happy Hour and the coveted Best Bar title, the tastefully appointed Cooper-Young bar has all the right ingredients for a happy hour hotspot.

Best Gay Bar

1. Dru’s Bar

2. Mollie Fontaine Lounge

3. The Pumping Station

Dru’s is the little neighborhood bar on Madison Avenue with the cool murals outside. They have karaoke, pool, comedy, and drag shows three nights a week. And cold brews served by friendly staff, of course. Like the mural says, Dru’s is “not just a bar, it’s your bar!”

Best Hole in the Wall

1. Earnestine & Hazel’s

2. Alex’s Tavern

3. P&H Cafe

It’s not every hole in the wall that used to be a brothel, or used to host hometown hero Craig Brewer’s famous Heaven and Hell Halloween parties. Or that’s totally haunted, has a long-running jazz night, and serves up a Soul Burger so tasty it’s been known to bring grown men to tears. Maybe that’s why Memphians proudly choose Earnestine & Hazel’s as Memphis’ Best Hole in the Wall.

Best Karaoke

1. P&H Cafe

2. Dru’s Bar

3. The Blue Monkey

The last six or seven months have been a long year. A really long year. But one of the things keeping us going is the thought of karaoke at the P&H Cafe. The mural on the ceiling, the various portraits of Elvis scattered about, the bobcat above the bar — this is the neighborhood dive where you’re always welcome, no matter how off-key your rendition of “Memory” may be. That’s right, we’re singing “Memory” from Cats, and they still serve us. Bless ’em.

Best Place to See Stand-Up

1. Chuckles Comedy House

2. P&H Cafe

3. The Orpheum

In the 14th century, Henri de Mondeville, a professor of surgery, promoted laughter as a post-operative therapy. Laughter, he said, was the best medicine. He’s not wrong. Laughter causes a release of pain-numbing endorphins, and it improves blood flow, too. So get ye to Chuckles for some stand-up comedy and healing humor. Doctor’s orders.

Best Place to Shoot Pool

1. Young Avenue Deli

2. Highpocket’s

3. P&H Cafe

Ah, the Deli. It’s perfectly situated, stumbling distance from all of Cooper-Young. Fuel your pool game with a reuben or a Sam I Am sandwich and a local beer, sidle up to the green-felted table, and slap your quarters down. Chalk up your cue, sip on your brew, and get ready to win this thing. Rack ’em up!

Best Sports Bar

1. Brookhaven Pub & Grill

2. Bayou Bar & Grill

3. Huey’s

This East Memphis hotspot has everything one could ask for in a sports bar. Impressive selection of foreign, domestic, and local brews? Check. Great pub grub? Check — try Brookhaven favorites like the Memphis Melt or the BLTC. All that, and the game is on. Owner Rick Spell says it best: “We serve fun here.”

Best Strip Club

1. Gold Club

2. The Pony

3. Purple Diamond

At the church picnic, Linda served the fried chicken. One man was having trouble deciding what piece of chicken he preferred. Linda helped him out by saying, “Most men prefer thighs and breasts.” For the hottest thighs and breasts in Memphis, see Linda at the Gold Club.

Best Bartender

1. Allan Creasy, Celtic Crossing

2. Morgan McKinney, Bari

3. David Parks, The Cove

Allan Creasy has topped this list many times in his 15 years behind the bar at Celtic Crossing. But he told the Flyer recently that he feels guilty about it. Others are better at mixology than he is, he said, he’s just quick with a pint and a joke. Nevertheless, hordes of Celtic regulars have decried Creasy’s departure but celebrated his new gig raising political cash for Future 901.

Best New Bar

Slider Inn

1. Slider Inn – Downtown

2. Knifebird Wine Bar

3. Bar Keough

Burgers and beer. What more do you need? With their savory sliders and robust drink menu, Slider Inn’s Downtown location tops the list as the Best New Bar in town.