With millions of out-of-town guests visiting Memphis each year, hotel choices in the city have always been vibrant and varied, with an array of options from stylish comfort to eclectic boutique to high-end luxury. And with a population of more than 600,000 locals growing evermore food-savvy, it’s no wonder it has always been known as an excellent town for restaurants. In recent years, we’ve noticed an intertwining of the two — as more hotels are opting to include a dining experience that features fabulous, locally sourced, top-notch dishes worthy of a special night out for both the home team and visitors.
6 Memphis Hotel Restaurants Even Locals Love
The Complicated Pilgrim at The Memphian
21 Cooper St., Memphis, TN 38104 • (901) 538-7309
Hours: Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and noon to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 6:30 a.m. to noon and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to noon
The Memphian in Overton Square offers two dining and drinking options: rooftop bar Tiger & Peacock, with ingredient-forward cocktails and approachable bar fare, and Complicated Pilgrim, serving up breakfast and dinner with a side of world-class service. At Complicated Pilgrim, Chef Dan Latham makes the most of fresh ingredients with a delicious local and regional fare menu.
Breakfast includes handhelds such as the Pilgrim Wrap with soft scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado, skillet potatoes, cheddar cheese, and salsa verde. The Cooper Street Breakfast is a filling way to start the day, and bowls that feature grits or oats are tasty choices. The dinner menu offers a range of dishes sure to please. Entrées include the braised chicken with mustard spätzle, spring vegetables, and white wine butter sauce; shrimp and grits with stone ground grits and Gulf shrimp; and the seared salmon with Israeli couscous, spinach, roasted tomatoes, pistachio gremolata, and grilled lemon vinaigrette.
CIMAS at Hyatt Centric Beale Street
33 Beale St., Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 403-5310
Breakfast hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Dinner hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Latin American-inspired cuisine awaits you at CIMAS at Hyatt Centric Beale Street. The full-service restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner accompanied by views of the majestic Mississippi River — from the outdoor patio or through the indoor floor-to-ceiling windows. The menu features local Southern ingredients in delicious and intriguing Latin American dishes.
“For breakfast, we’re particularly excited about the classic shrimp and Anson Mills grits dish, as well as Chilaquiles Verde,” says Chef de Cuisine Garron Sanchez. For a great example of Southern food filtered through a Latin American lens, he recommends the blackened shrimp Caesar salad and a catfish Milanese po’boy for lunch. Dinner will spoil you with sure-to-please options like the Vegan Bluff City Mushroom Chorizo Tostadas, dry-aged New York strip, and scallops with creamy elotes (street corn) chorizo, and okra. The restaurant is complemented by the CIMAS Lobby Lounge, a lively and welcoming place to sip curated cocktails before or after dinner.
The Greyhound Bar
201 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 528-1540
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday and Monday
Located on the old downtown Greyhound Bus Station site, The Greyhound Bar at the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown offers a playful homage to Memphis, with drinks like Gin & Tonic Trolley and Memphis Grizz. The classy cocktail bar keeps locals happy with bites that go far beyond typical bar food, accompanied by a menu of signature and classic craft libations.
“The atmosphere of The Greyhound attracts Memphians as well as visitors, and the focus on gin-based craft cocktails has a lot of locals intrigued,” says Kendrick Cook, bar manager and mixologist. “And the location in the Hilton Garden Inn Downtown is great. It’s walking distance to Beale Street, AutoZone Park, and everything downtown has to offer.”
Although the focus is on gin, The Greyhound offers a full selection of local beers, wines, and other spirits. Kendrick stocks the bar from local partners Old Dominick’s, Memphis Made Brewing Co., High Cotton Brewing Co., Ghost River Brewing Co., and Wiseacre Brewing Co. Why does he think The Greyhound is so popular with locals, aside from the novelty of being the first gin bar in Memphis? “Simple,” he says. “People enjoy good service, good food, and good drinks.”
Chez Philippe
2638, 149 Union Ave. #4, Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 529-4188
Afternoon tea hours: Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Monday through Wednesday
No story about fabulous Memphis hotel restaurants would be complete without one of our oldest and best known: Chez Philippe at The Peabody Memphis.
“Chez Philippe is an ‘occasion’ restaurant for locals,” says Chef Andreas Kisler. “We’ve celebrated so many special occasions with our patrons — birthdays, anniversaries, proposals.”
Though the food has maintained a stellar standard of excellence for years, Chef Andreas says it’s not just about the food; it is the entire experience, from the ambiance to the service. “We leave nothing undone to give our customers a wonderful experience. We want them to feel like they are a part of something special.”
Though Chez Phillipe is currently only open for afternoon tea as of August 4, 2022, we are anxiously awaiting the return of their dinner service! Dates have yet to be announced.
Erling Jensen Small Bites
5069 Sanderlin Ave., Memphis, TN 38117 • (901) 587-9464
Hours: Daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Chef Erling Jensen brings his gold-standard gourmet fare to a laid-back, fun environment. Located in the DoubleTree by Hilton in East Memphis, Erling Jensen Small Bites, featuring TopGolf Swing Suite, combines Chef Erling’s signature fine-dining dishes with the immersive social experience of golf and other games. The menu offers a selection of classic entrées from award-winning Erling Jensen The Restaurant with a more casual presentation designed to be shareable. “Chef Erling has a stellar reputation in Memphis as a gourmet chef with impeccable standards,” says Pace Cooper, CEO of Cooper Hotels, the owner of the Memphis DoubleTree property and many others. “We knew that reputation would allow visitors to trust the food in our new concept.”
Some of the more popular items on the small bites menu are the flatbreads, sliders, and braised beef short rib bites. Roasted rack of lamb and cast iron roasted chicken are must-haves if you want a larger meal. Round out your evening with one of the craft cocktails, and save room for a decadent dessert.
Talk Shop Memphis
245 S Front St, Memphis, TN 38103 • (901) 482-0354
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
One of the coolest new dining concepts is now open in one of the coolest new downtown hotels. Located on the corner of world-famous Beale Street and Front Street, Caption by Hyatt Beale Street Memphis launches Hyatt’s new lifestyle brand in Bluff City. Overseas locations will follow in Shanghai, Osaka, Tokyo, and Saigon! How fun is it to count Memphis among those cities?
Warm, bright, and welcoming, Talk Shop is in the lobby, an inviting space that seamlessly combines yummy food, craft cocktails, lounge space, and workspace. Here you’ll find the Hearth Bar, serving up a nice selection of coffees and delicious breakfasts. The Beyond Breakfast menu offers a range of mouthwatering comfort foods such as Baked Mac N Cheese, Pigs N A Blanket, and BBQ pork, alongside lighter fare like a crisp Brussels Sprouts Caesar, snacks, and small plates. You can build your own flatbreads and cocktails, too. Fun fact: Netta’s Chicken Sammy, named for its Memphis creator, will be on all the menus, so guests in Shanghai will get a little taste of Memphis. And an SB tip: try it! You will not be disappointed.
The indoor lounge area spills into a 1,500-square-foot patio and beer garden with open fire pits and exposed brick. A living plant wall with bench seating offers picturesque hangout moments. Craft cocktails are available, as is specialty beer. Light and oh-so-refreshing, Wm C. Pilsner is exclusively crafted in collaboration with local Grind City Brewing.
