Alex Harrison
Buttery tikka masala, tender tandoori, spicy vegetable dishes, and all other manner of Indian specialties are served at Midtown institution India Palace in its airy, comfortable Poplar Avenue location.
We’ll admit we find it adorable when, in the “Best Chef” category,
you write in “My Wife,” “My Husband,” or, better yet, “My Mom.” (The
answer “Your Mom’s House” for “Best Romantic Restaurant” is not so
cute.) Chef Boyardee didn’t stand a chance with only two votes for
“Best Chef,” but at least he’s got bragging rights over Mrs. Winner
who, despite the name and the chicken and biscuits, got only one
vote.
Justin Fox Burks
Kelly English, Restaurant Iris, 1st place: ‘Best Chef’
Best Chef
1. Kelly English, Restaurant Iris
2. Erling Jensen, Erling Jensen the Restaurant
3. John Bragg, Circa
Last October, Food & Wine magazine named Kelly English
one of the Top 10 “Best New Chefs” for 2009. That was quite the honor.
Now Flyer readers have vaulted English to the top spot for the
first time.
Best Lunch
1. Huey’s
2. Soul Fish
3. Lenny’s
Hey, you know all those other restaurants that were in the running
for “Best Lunch” in Memphis? Stick a toothpick in ’em. They’re done.
Huey’s gets the nod for lunch nosh this year.
Best Breakfast
1. Brother Juniper’s
2. Blue Plate Cafe
3. Bryant’s Breakfast
Oh Brother, Wherefore Art Chow? Sorry. Brother J. has won “Best
Breakfast” many times, and it’s because they offer delicious,
innovative, homemade food in an eclectic space crammed with interesting
people, especially on weekend mornings.
Best Romantic Restaurant
1. Paulette’s
2. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro
3. The Melting Pot
Maybe it’s the desserts. Or maybe the soft tinkling of the ivories.
Or maybe just the wonderful menu, nice wine list, and warm ambience.
Paulette’s is a classic.
Best Sunday Brunch
1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant
2. Boscos Squared
3. Peabody Skyway — tie —
Beauty Shop
Owen Brennan’s sits at the cusp of Germantown and East Memphis, but
it draws Memphians from all over for its New Orleans-themed Sunday
brunch: the best in town for 2009.
Best Wine List
1. Le Chardonnay Wine Bar & Bistro
2. Texas de Brazil
3. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse
Le Chardonnay moved across Madison Avenue a couple years ago, but it
has retained its dark, ski-lodge-y charm, its extensive wine list, and
first place for “Best Wine List” in your hearts.
Best Steak
1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House
2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
3. The Butcher Shop
Folk’s Folly valets meet you at the curb. Once inside, you hear
sweet piano-bar stylings and the sound of cold drinks and cocktail
chatter. But who are we kidding? It’s all about the steak here, and
Folk’s Folly’s steaks sizzle!
Best Barbecue
1. Central BBQ
2. Corky’s
3. The Bar-B-Q Shop
Central BBQ takes top honor in what is probably the toughest
category in this poll: “Best Barbecue.” No matter how you spell it
— barbecue, BBQ, Bar-B-Q, whatever — Central’s on top
again.
Best Ribs
1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous
2. Central BBQ
3. Corky’s
The Rendezvous is sometimes derided as a place where tourists go to
eat Memphis’ most famous food group (16 barbecued ribs), but the
Flyer‘s poll makes it clear that locals love the Rendezvous as
much as people wearing Elvis T-shirts. And well they should.
Best Burger
BOM 1. Huey’s
2. Earnestine & Hazel’s
3. The Belmont Grill
That “BOM” designation means Huey’s has won “Best Burger” for so
long that it’s not even fair to anybody else in the running. Lots of
places in Memphis make good burgers, but only one takes the top spot,
year after year after year.
Best Hot Wings
1. Buffalo Wild Wings
2. D’Bo’s Buffalo Wings-n-Things
3. Central BBQ
With five Memphis-area locations, 14 sauces (ranging in heat from
“Blazin'” to “Sweet Barbecue”), and TVs set to sports everywhere you
look, Buffalo Wild Wings is leading the city’s wing scene.
Best Fried Chicken
BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken
2. Popeye’s Chicken & Biscuits
3. Jack Pirtle Fried Chicken
If you want to eat lunch at Gus’s, you’d better get there early.
Folks line up for the crispy, smoky, spicy uniqueness that makes Gus’s
fried chicken better than anybody’s in Memphis. Or in the world.
Best Cajun/Creole
1. Bayou Bar & Grill
2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant
3. Pearl’s Oyster House
The Bayou, like its sister restaurant, Le Chardonnay, hasn’t missed
a beat by moving across Madison. It’s bigger, but it still has a nice
patio, cold beer, stellar gumbo, and lots of other Cajun
delectables.
Justin Fox Burks
Petra, 1st place: ‘Best Mediterranean’
Best Mediterranean
1. Petra
2. Casa Grill
3. Petra Cafe
What’s more Midtown than this: Greek-Korean fusion in a restaurant
housed in a former gas station/garage, with patio seating right next to
the pumps? Spanikopita, moussaka, falafel — Petra is Greek
delicious. And the Korean soups and kimchi are fabulous too.
Best Dessert
1. Paulette’s
2. Beauty Shop
3. Kooky Canuck
Restaurants come and go, but Paulette’s “K-Pie” is a constant. Rich
coffee ice cream in a pecan-coconut crust, topped with whipped cream
and Kahlua, the Midtown institution’s Kahlua-mocha parfait pie is a
classic but not their most popular dessert. That designation apparently
belongs to the restaurant’s hot chocolate crepe. With crème
brûlée, Key lime pie, and other desserts dotting the menu,
Paulette’s is where Memphians go for post-dinner sweets.
Best Italian
1. Ronnie Grisanti & Sons Restaurant (now closed)
2. Pete & Sam’s
3. Bari — tie —
Ciao Bella Italian Grill
Long synonymous with Italian dining in Memphis, Ronnie Grisanti’s
closed its doors in August after a 25-year run at its Chickasaw Oaks
Plaza location on Poplar. But Memphians won’t be without the Grisanti
family’s authentic Tuscan cuisine, which has delighted local diners for
generations. Most of the restaurant’s staff — including Ronnie
himself — will relocate to the family’s Germantown location,
Elfo’s, which will be renamed simply Grisanti’s.
Best Mexican
1. El Porton Mexican Restaurant
2. Happy Mexican
3. Taqueria La Guadalupana
In an increasingly saturated local Mexican food scene, El Porton
maintains the top spot with five area locations, quick, reasonably
price lunches, a diverse menu, a full bar, and happy-hour specials.
Best Chinese
1. P.F. Chang’s
2. Wang’s Mandarin House
3. A-Tan
National chain P.F. Chang’s became a big local hit when it opened
its lone Memphis location — on Ridgeway in East Memphis — a
few years ago. In P.F. Chang’s large, opulent dining room, patrons can
feast on a diverse array of Chinese classics such as Mongolian beef,
ginger chicken, and spicy dumplings.
Best Thai
1. Bhan Thai
2. Bangkok Alley
3. Jasmine
Located in a large, converted Midtown house (the former home of
restaurant Maison Raji), Bhan Thai offers intensely flavorful Thai
dishes — masaman curry, pad thai, crispy duck, coconut-milk-based
soups, etc. — in an elegant atmosphere full of character, from
its small, intimate dining rooms to its popular patio in the back.
Best Vietnamese
1. Saigon Le
2. Pho Saigon
3. Pho Hoa Binh
This no-frills Midtown eatery has a loyal clientele because of its
focus on the food, which includes authentic Vietnamese specialties
— fresh spring rolls, great pho soups, vermicelli and tofu
dishes, and plenty of vegetarian options.
Best Japanese/Sushi
1. Sekisui
2. Blue Fin
3. Sekisui Pacific Rim
Restaurateur Jimmy Ishii has come to define Japanese cuisine, and
particularly sushi, in Memphis. The local chain is celebrating its 20th
birthday this year, first opening its Humphreys Center flagship
restaurant in 1989 and now covering the city with five locations.
Justin Fox Burks
Soul Fish, 1st place: ‘Best Home Cooking / Soul Food’
Best Home Cooking/Soul Food
1. Soul Fish
2. The Cupboard
3. Blue Plate Café
For exquisite catfish and hush puppies and a big daily selection of
veggies, it’s hard to order anything else off of Soul Fish’s menu. But
try their smoked half-chicken, and you’ll be doubling up on meals to
satisfy all your menu urges.
Best Vegetarian
BOM 1. Whole Foods Market
2. The Cupboard
3. Jasmine
Whole Foods Market, a foodie oasis on Poplar Avenue in East Memphis,
is more than a grocery store. Its large prepared-foods section —
pizzas, sandwiches, salad bar, bakery, coffee and juice bar — and
dining area make it a popular lunch and dinner spot for vegetarians and
health-food enthusiasts, in particular. Whole Foods also offers cooking
classes to help you find interesting things to do with the fresh and
healthy items they sell.
Best Seafood
1. Tsunami
2. Bonefish
3. The Half Shell
The anchor restaurant of Cooper-Young does it again, taking “Best
Seafood” for the millionth year in a row. Scallops, sea bass, mussels,
you name it, Chef Ben Smith and crew deliver a ship full of great taste
in a sophisticated atmosphere.
Best Pizza
BOM 1. Memphis Pizza Cafe
2. Garibaldi’s Pizza
3. Old Venice
Memphis Pizza Café was an instant hit when it opened in 1993
and has since expanded its local pizza empire to five locations, all
serving tasty, crispy pizzas, including such faves as the white-sauce
“alternative” and the zesty Cajun chicken.
Best Deli
1. Fino’s from the Hill
2. Bogie’s Delicatessen
3. Young Avenue Deli
What says Midtown more than the intersection of Madison and McLean?
And what says a great deli sandwich better than Fino’s from the Hill,
on that very Midtown corner? In addition to the popular made-to-order
sandwiches — cold cuts, cheeses, toppings, all on good crusty
bread — Fino’s offers pasta dishes and grocery items. That’s
Italian!
Best Server
1. Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris
2. Michele Fields, Calhoun’s Sports Bar
3. Jean Pruett, Bardog — tie —
Brent Skelton, The Kitchen
Jeff Frisby at Restaurant Iris must be doing something right. Last
year, he was named one of the city’s best servers in our Best Of poll.
This year, he’s done it again. Must be that Frisby knows not only how
to serve, he knows what to serve when it comes to vino: He’s Restaurant
Iris’ wine manager. (Factoid: All our winners in this category work in
Memphis’ new or newish restaurant/bars. Good to see Flyer
readers appreciate the city’s evolving food scene.)
Best Service
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Texas de Brazil
3. Houston’s
Drive-thru or in-store, the crew behind the counter at any of
Memphis’ Chick-Fil-A locations have it down pat: your order in your
hands — fast. More amazing (and given the volume of business),
they do it, hands down, with the friendliest service in town.
Justin Fox Burks
Chick-Fil-A, 1st place: ‘Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant’
Best Kid-Friendly
Restaurant
1. Chick-Fil-A
2. Chuck E. Cheese
3. Huey’s
We forgot to mention (see “Best Service”) that the crew at
Chick-Fil-A must have nerves of steel. As a new winner in the
kid-friendly restaurant category, these folks have what it takes when
children combine with fast food. Call it grace under pressure.
Best Local Late-Night Dining
1. Huey’s
2. Earnestine & Hazel’s
3. Young Avenue Deli
And we mean late. We’re talking, at several of Huey’s
multiple locations, a kitchen that’s open until 2 a.m. Don’t deny it.
At that hour and after some damage, what your body’s craving is a
burger and onion rings.
Best Place for People-Watching
1. Flying Saucer
2. Young Avenue Deli
3. Celtic Crossing
The corner of Beale and Second: The wide-open windows at downtown’s
Flyer Saucer aren’t there for no reason. Whether you’re in the
restaurant or passing on the sidewalk, this place was tailor-made for
people-watching. Evidence: During the Memphis Music and Heritage
Festival a few weekends ago, the place was jamming, inside and out.
Best Patio
1. Celtic Crossing
2. Boscos Squared
3. Cafe Olé
In a word: trivia. Celtic’s popular Wednesday-night tournament this
past summer had the patio packed. Any night, any season, though, will
do for a Guinness and some major hanging-out in Cooper-Young. Bonus
attraction: On this patio, you’re only a few steps from the scene on
the street.
Best Local Place That
Delivers
1. Garibaldi’s Pizza
2. Young Avenue Deli
3. Camy’s
Another new winner in our Best Of poll: Garibaldi’s Pizza —
established 30 years ago by owner Mike Garibaldi — has three
locations for handmade pizzas, pastas, salads, wings, sandwiches,
sweets, and more. Garibaldi’s caters to not only what you’re hungry
for, according to readers, it really delivers.
Justin Fox Burks
Muddy’s Bake Shop, 1st place: ‘Best Bakery’
Best Bakery
1. Muddy’s Bake Shop
2. La Baguette
3. Fresh Market
Again: a new winner. And, according to Muddy’s website, if you’re
rude, whiny, impatient, or otherwise unpleasant, forget stepping inside
this bakeshop. If you’re green-minded and egg-headed (Muddy’s uses eggs
from cage-free, free-range hens), you’re welcome! Plus, who’s to argue
with a cupcake called “Prozac?”
Best Local Coffeehouse
1. High Point Coffee (now closed)
2. Otherlands
3. Café Eclectic — tie —
Republic Coffee
High Point Coffee just closed. (It’s the economy, stupid.) But
Otherlands, Cafe Eclectic, and Republic Coffee — the hotshots
rounding out your picks for best local coffeehouse — havestill
got their vibe going and the caffeine coming.
Best Restaurant
1. Restaurant Iris
2. Tsunami
3. Huey’s
Iris: It’s in the eye of the beholder. Restaurant Iris, “Best
Restaurant,” according to Memphians who value fine dining. In the space
of a year, nationally recognized chef Kelly English has succeeded in
turning Restaurant Iris into the city’s go-to address for exceptional
French-Creole-inspired cuisine. Doesn’t hurt that the restaurant also
features first-rate service in an intimate, romantic atmosphere.
Best New Restaurant
1. Flight
2. Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen
3. Overton Park Pizze Stone
The interior’s gorgeous, but it’s the food at Flight that has
Flyer readers hooked — and voting. Flight’s “flights”
— a trio of tastings from the entrée, dessert, and wine
menus — make it a wonderful way to sample what’s cooking in the
kitchen. What’s on your table: small plates but great taste. Or you
want regular-size portions? No problem. You can order that way too.
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Alex Harrison 
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Alex Harrison 
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by Justin Fox Burks