The Early Word
The Early Word: A task force tussle, a Ja shrug and a Michelin guide
October numbers are in from the Memphis Safe Task Force’s immigration arrests, and SNAP beneficiaries could receive half of their benefits.
Holly Whitfield
Holly has more than 13 years of experience in publishing and digital content, including 10 years at the helm of the I Love Memphis Blog. She began her career at The Commercial Appeal and is author of Secret Memphis.
There are 157 articles by Holly Whitfield :
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November 2025
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The Early Word -
Sound Bites Sound Bites: Kinfolk’s Sunday pop-ups and plans for Gussied Up
What is a dive bar anyway? On this week’s Sound Bites, Holly Whitfield talks to Cole Jeanes and Harrison Downing about the definition of a dive bar and about a weekly breakfast biscuit pop-up.
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October 2025
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Premium
FoodGuard’s impact hits some restaurants hard — and some not at all
“We’ve been deeply affected in a very negative way by everything that’s happening,” said the general manager of a local restaurant who is encouraging Memphians to support other small businesses. “The sales have dropped like 60% or 70% in the last 15 days.”
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Comeback looks forward with buzzy coffee soda business
Six months after closing its Pinch District cafe, Comeback Coffee has entered its new era.
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The To-Do List Party like a vampire at Cameo and watch ‘Frankenstein’ come to life
This week, meditate with a Buddhist monk at Crosstown, view Mexican art at the University of Memphis and hoist a stein in Overton Square.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Ritzie’s Barbecue trailer serves up honey-gold ribs, Texas-style brisket
Travis Ritzie worked at Leroy and Lewis Barbecue in Austin, Texas, a Michelin-starred barbecue restaurant, before returning to Memphis to start his own barbecue trailer.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Sushi pop-up, tomato pie pizza, bakery treats galore
Holly Whitfield and Natalie Van Gundy offer up six Memphis food recommendations — including a Dubai chocolate crepe — and make a list of restaurants to try next.
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September 2025
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Hive owner talks bread, bees, and a second bagel shop location
Bread is a lifestyle for Hive Bagel & Deli owner Josh Steiner, the guest on this week’s Sound Bites episode.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Looking back at the smorgasbord so far
This season so far on Sound Bites, we’ve offered unsolicited advice, heard some hot takes, interviewed barbecue royalty and swapped stories with Memphis restauranteurs.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Gina Neely talks food, family and SmokeSlam
Gina Neely is the guest on this week’s “Sound Bites.” In addition to riffing on what makes good barbecue and why Memphis is No. 1 on her list, Neely and Holly Whitfield discussed SmokeSlam.
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Sound Bites More inside details about No Comment and Fawn
Plus, bar owners Mary Oglesby and Paul Gilliam talk about the state of the service industry in Memphis.
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Sound Bites Finding restaurants when traveling, pistachio cheesecake and a martini comeback
Eric Barnes and Holly Whitfield also talk about dining trends and new Memphis restaurants opening soon.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Bari’s ‘Bacchus’ on drink trends, digestifs and Memphis gin
With 20 years behind the bar, Hunter Coleman’s had the time to break down the art and the science of craft cocktails.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Wally Joe, Andrew Adams talk Acre, James Beard awards
Chefs Wally Joe and Andrew Adams are the guests on Sound Bites to talk food, travel James Beard awards and their recent Lunar New Year dinner.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: 10 years of Memphis Black Restaurant Week
It’s Memphis Black Restaurant Week through March 22, and as the event’s founder, Cynthia Daniels does her best to taste, try or at least stop by each of the 20 participating restaurants.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Italian restaurant to open soon in East Memphis
Cocozza East, from the owners of Cocozza American Italian in Harbor Town, will open in East Memphis in either late May or early June 2025.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Stacey Greenberg talks Edible Memphis, restaurant advice
Greenberg is editor-in-chief of Edible Memphis magazine and has been chronicling the best places to eat in town for decades. On the podcast, she joins Holly Whitfield to talk about her career in food writing and taking the reins of Edible Memphis in 2018.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Chef Kelly English talks po’boys, Kroger, Memphis
Chef Kelly English joins Holly Whitfield on this week’s Sound Bites to talk about the Second Line’s renovations, their Hawaiian pop-up and a surprise celebrity visit to Restaurant Iris.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Good Fortune Co. co-owners talk about Guy Fieri and more
Good Fortune Co. has appeared on the Food Network on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” and the co-owners have appeared separately on “Guy’s Grocery Games.”
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Meeting Huey’s onion ring specialist
Edible Memphis editor Stacey Greenberg comes back to “Sound Bites” to talk about her food tour of Mexico City and old-school, longtime Memphis restaurants.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Ellen Chamberlain makes her Memphis food podcast debut
Ellen Chamberlain joins Memphis food podcast host Holly Whitfield to talk about Memphis food news of the week, from a car crash at Celtic to caviar bumps.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: The evolution of Grind City Brewing Co.
Grind City Brewing Co. has made it through the IPA craze, the pandemic seltzer wave and several Dry Januarys, but back in May, the company decided to make a big shift.
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Food Sound Bites: What’s going on with Irish pubs?
DJ Naylor and Reny Alfonso join Sound Bites podcast host Holly Whitfield to talk about Celtic Crossing reopening, Irish pubs and more.
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August 2025
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Find po’boys, cocktails, coziness at Memphis Whistle
On the podcast, we talk about Jef’s craft cocktail philosophy, Amanda’s recipes, what the restaurant offers today and how the two look at owning a small business in Midtown.
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Sound Bites Sound Bites: Craft Food & Wine fest is heaven for charcuterie board lovers
Guests can mingle in the Brooks’ rotunda and graze their way through onto the outdoor terrace, creating their meat, cheese and snack boards with offerings from 25 local gourmet-food vendors.
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