Southern Food restaurants in Memphis (McEwen: home, buy, live)

[shpgrl1001]

Memphis is home to some amazing southern food and bbq restaurants, but it seems they all have a very casual cafe tone. Are there any southern or soul food restaurants in Memphis with a nice ambiance great for date nights or treating someone special to a fine dining but southern food experience?

By southern food I'm talking: chicken, catfish, greens, fried green tomatoes, and even chicken and waffles, etc.
And by nice ambience: Waiters, table service, cleanliness, no tvs, cloth napkins instead of paper, etc. glasses instead of plastic cups, etc.

Any recs?

[Shack D]

Felicia Suzanne's?

[jabogitlu]

You might be able to find some of these things at Restaurant Iris (alongside other stuff like foie gras, marrow, etc.). The chef's downside, more casual concept is Second Line (Overton Square). I think the napkins were paper, but the food is good and the ambiance is pretty nice.

I'm sure there's other suggestions. I lived in Memphis when I was a grad student, so I'm not well versed in the more expensive dining options.

[shpgrl1001]

I do know about Felicia Suzanne's but it seemed to be more Creole Cajun than Southern.


Edited to Add: I suppose it is an oxymoron to want country southern food in an warm ambient environment. I guess the two just don't go hand and hand.

[Shack D]

I've heard good things about Rizzo's Diner, but that may also be more creole than soul food.

[CristenS]

It doesn't seem like many higher end restaurants specialize in serving ONLY southern food. But you can find things like fried green tomatos, catfish, etc at many restaurants. Just look around at menus. Sweetgrass and Sweetgrass Next Door come to mind - they aren't "southern" but they do serve variations of what you are looking for. Check them out for sure.

[mallen14298]

Soul food and high end usually aren't used in the same sentence. The best places aren't usually high end at least where I go to eat soul food in Memphis.

[ViolentDisasters]

McEwen's is probably the closest you're going to find to a fine dining restaurant with mostly southern food on the menu in Memphis.



If you're willing to try a more casual place, I'd recommend Mot & Ed's Southern Eatery in midtown. Quality southern/soul food, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a pretty romantic atmosphere.

[jabogitlu]

Interesting - I'd never ran across Mot and Ed's when I lived there. This isn't exactly a part of town one walks around casually (not yet, anyway) so I guess that's how I'd never discovered it.

The pictures of their food online look yummy, though!

[eastmemphisguy]

Sounds like somebody has a million dollar idea. Buy a few tablecloths and add some dim lighting. Jack up prices for tourists. Every other part of the country does it.