passing through Nashville and Memphis

[tabascomutt]

Ok here is the deal. I am moving to Seattle, Washington. Leaving Monday, August 27. Stopping for breakfast in Asheville. Then going to try to get to Nashville for lunch, and spend the night in Memphis. I need the veterans here to help me have a few great meals. I like everything, but I want memories. I'm driving 3,400 miles and I am trying to do it without eating in any chain/fast food types. I want real food, and local flair. Thanks in advance. I will try to post some pics later next week on what and where I ate.

[carpetbagger, esq.]

Nashville:

Rotier's for a cheeseburger on french bread (pretty well known place) or Monell's for a gut-busting southern lunch (you'll sit at a table of 12 and just pass food around.

The loveless cafe would be cool to go to as well, but the problem for someone who is driving through town is that it is out in the middle of nowhere, and would be one heck of a detour. With Rotier's and Monell's, you can get to either one quite easily off i-40.

Memphis:

I'd just hit one of the classic BBQ places - Cozy Corner, A&R, Neely's, etc. (I'd skip Rendezvous, but that's just me. I found the Blues City Cafe ribs to be superior to Rendezvous). If you go out and check out the nightlife on Beale, you might also want to consider a burger at Dyer's. The next morning, you should go to the Arcade for breakfast - that place is awesome.

[raymondsnead]

Thanks, carpetbagger, for the Memphis recommendations. I always check the forums first when visiting a city new to me.

I recently found myself in Memphis for 36 hours, and planned to hit as many classic BBQ places as possible. My sights were on the "temples": A&R, Neely's, Cozy Corner, and Corky's.

A warning to Memphis BBQ seekers: I was surprised to find that these places seem to close at night. This was true of Cozy and Neely's anyway, so we gave up and went to Beale St. It was a Wednesday, Motorcycle Night, and jamming, and we ended up at Blues City Cafe (randomly, based only on appearances; I had forgotten about carpetbagger's rec), and indeed had what were undoubtedly the best ribs of the trip.

I managed to get to A&R, Neely's, and Jim Neely's Interstate, which was strongly recommended by a taxi driver. All incredible, A&R perhaps the best overall, but Jim Neely had the finest chopped pork, hands down.

As a side note, are the beef tamales with chili or barbeque sauce a Memphis-only thing? I had to try them, of course, at Blues City (with chili) .... odd, but very interesting.

[K8memphis]

Brother Juniper's in the University of Memphis area is great for a charming local flair breakfast.

[prasantrin]

In Nashville, I really liked Parco Cafe and Wilma Kaye's. They have both moved since I was there, and Parco Cafe had a full restaurant now, last I heard. Both were perfect spots for lunch. Parco Cafe had fresh sandwiches with interesting fillings (I had an eggplant sandwich, with chunks of eggplant in a tomato sauce, and my friend had a salmon sandwich in which the salmon chunks were marinated, and it was served cold). Wilma Kaye's was Cajun-style food. Awesome hush puppies and fried shrimp...or did I have scallops?

I should note that I was there several years ago, so much may have changed with the food.

[Holly Moore]

Loveless is fairly convenient to I-40. From their website:

Take I-40 West towards Memphis.  Exit 192 McCrory Lane.  Turn left and go 4 miles until you dead end into Highway 100.  Turn left on Highway 100 and the Loveless Cafe is located directly ahead on the left.

But I still might head for Rotier's and wash down that cheeseburger with one of their off-the-menu milk shakes.

[pogophiles]

In Nashville, I really liked Parco Cafe and Wilma Kaye's.  They have both moved since I was there, and Parco Cafe had a full restaurant now, last I heard.  Both were perfect spots for lunch.  Parco Cafe had fresh sandwiches with interesting fillings (I had an eggplant sandwich, with chunks of eggplant in a tomato sauce, and my friend had a salmon sandwich in which the salmon chunks were marinated, and it was served cold).  Wilma Kaye's was Cajun-style food.  Awesome hush puppies and fried shrimp...or did I have scallops?

I should note that I was there several years ago, so much may have changed with the food.

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FYI -- Wilma Kaye's has closed for good...