Food News
From Broad Avenue to the national stage: Wiseacre wins gold (and silver)
Sky Dog Amber was awarded Gold in the International Amber Lager category, and Tiny Bomb picked up Silver in the German-style Pilsener category.
Ellen Chamberlain
Ellen Chamberlain is a global citizen who is happy to call Memphis her forever home. The Michigan native has worked in media for nearly 25 years as a radio broadcaster, journalist and ghostwriter. As The Daily Memphian’s food and restaurant writer, she gives readers inside perspectives of their favorite restaurants and the people behind them, suggestions for the best bites around town and the latest food news from in and around Shelby County.
There are 83 articles by Ellen Chamberlain :
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October 2025
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FoodFrom barbecue to baking: Memphis vegetarian competes on the national stage
Marjorie Levy, a financial services professional by day, will compete at the World Food Championships on Thursday, Oct. 16.
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Table TalkTable Talk: From city streets to coffee cups, Memphis brews up a buzz
The third annual Grind City Coffee Tour is about to have Memphis buzzing for all the right reasons.
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FoodWhat to order: Sushi for breakfast at Kitchen Laurel
Hold the wasabi and ginger, because all the cake roll needs is warm syrup for dipping.
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BusinessSoybeans and coffee: How tariffs are impacting some in the Mid-South
“What it costs to produce a crop is at record numbers, and the price that (Tennessee farmers) get for that corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton … are almost at near-record lows,” said a Farm Bureau Federation staffer.
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Table TalkTable Talk: On today’s menu, surplus ingredients
“Chefs who find ways to reduce food waste are the ones who inspire me the most. They’re not just resourceful; they’re spectacularly imaginative.”
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Food News No more rocking chairs on this porch: Cracker Barrel closes Memphis store
Cracker Barrel closed its Shelby Oaks Drive location in Memphis due to the results of internal performance audits, according to the corporate office.
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Dining GuidesWhat to Order: Rise’s Sweet Country Blues biscuit sandwich
The North Carolina based chain has opened a second Memphis-area location.
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Food NewsTaste every flavor from India at new Collierville restaurant
The restaurant’s owner said he wanted Social Desiii to represent as much of the subcontinent as possible.
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Table TalkTable Talk: Uptown brewery heads to Great American Beer Festival
Soul & Spirits is planning to bring “freaky fun” to the Great American Beer Festival this year in the form of gravy-flavored beer.
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September 2025
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Food News Mulan permanently closes Cooper-Young location after fire
After a kitchen fire caused more than $100,000 in damages to Mulan Asian Bistro, the popular Cooper-Young restaurant announced it would permanently close.
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Food Fire breaks out at Cooper-Young restaurant
“Our hearts are with them,” said Karen Carrier, who owns two nearby restaurants and was on-site for The Beauty Shop’s lunch service at the time. “We’re really concerned about Mulan.”
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Dining GuidesWhat to Order: The Dame just opened, and you need to try the goat cheese spread
“We are surrounded by high-quality restaurants, so we didn’t want to enter the arena competing with them,” Hotel Pontotoc’s general manager said. “We had to find our own little niche with upscale bar bites.”
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Food News What to eat at the Mid-South Fair
The best food at this year’s Mid-South Fair is sugary, sweet and indulgent.
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Dining Guides Savoring fall: A guide to some of Memphis’ best seasonal restaurant offerings
Pumpkin spice may seemingly dominate the season, but there are plenty of autumnal flavors on offer, from sweet potato lattes at breakfast to hearty dinners and spiced cocktails at night.
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Food NewsTable Talk: In pumpkin vs. sweet potato, pumpkin wins
While some Memphians are going full pumpkin — from lattes to dessert cocktails and beyond — others say it’s not touching the menu this fall.
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Performing Arts ‘Dinner and a show’ takes new meaning at Hattiloo
Hattiloo has created the Black Chef’s Table, pairing three-course meals with select performances.
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Food NewsCountry comes Downtown with new co-op market
The new South Main Street shop offers locally sourced produce, canned goods, beauty products and more.
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Dining GuidesWhat to order: Curry goat from Curry N Jerk
Choose this if you’re ready to swap out the familiar for something unforgettable from Panama.
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Table TalkTable Talk: Remembering Jennifer Biggs with the mahjong ladies
MahJ Squad 901 started meeting for weekly games years ago, making every fourth meeting a luncheon that started by checking out one of Biggs’ recommendations.
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Food News Wiseacre’s OG location isn’t just for beer anymore
Since its inception, Wiseacre’s Broad Avenue taproom has relied on a rotating cast of food trucks. But now the brewery is opening its own in-house sandwich shop.
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Public Safety Sunday Tops Bar-B-Q fire suspected as arson
The Tops location, which suffered another fire in February, had been within four weeks of reopening after a major reconstruction.
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Dining GuidesWhat to order: Smoke & Toast’s ‘Baller, Shot Collard’ sandwich
The Baller, Shot Collard sandwich is a spectacularly Southern, ultimate grilled cheese, unlike anything else.
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Food News Something new to look out for soon in Germantown? First Watch
A restaurant with no heat lamps, no deep fryers, no microwaves, and even a “no night shifts ever” approach is opening in Germantown.
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FoodWhere can I get a vegan meal in Memphis? These days, almost anywhere
More Southern chefs are adding plant-based items to their menus, reshaping the region’s food culture and challenging the idea that Southern cuisine has to be meat-heavy — or predictable.
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