Dining Guides
What to Order: Rise’s Sweet Country Blues biscuit sandwich
The North Carolina based chain has opened a second Memphis-area location.
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 123 articles by Ellen Chamberlain :
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October 2025
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Dining Guides -
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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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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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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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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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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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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Food NewsFrom 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.
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Food NewsWhat to order: Ecco’s ‘little ears’ with sausage, broccoli and cream
Never skip the pasta when it’s made in-house.
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Table TalkTable Talk: Thank you for being a friend
It’s standard to see chefs, caterers and other food-related entities come together to create culinary experiences. But I’ve noticed a unique quality across Memphis’ food network: selflessness.
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Food News Sláinte! Raise your beer steins at this Irish take on Oktoberfest
Bog Fest is a celebration of fall flavors, live music and community that’s happening in the Regalia Shopping Center parking lot outside Bog & Barley.
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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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Dining GuidesWhat to order: Johnnie Mae’s honey gold wings
Johnnie Mae’s Soul Cafe is hard to miss with its large windows and brightly lit dining room, and the wings are a must-have.
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Public SafetyNational Guard sparks restaurant boycotts — and support campaigns
Over a month ago, Elwood’s Shack posted on social media that the East Memphis restaurant would give any member of the National Guard a free barbecue sandwich — pulled pork, brisket or chicken.
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Table TalkTable Talk: Heard it through the (National Guard) grapevine
When it comes to finding out what’s happening in our communities, there’s often no way to know without actually contacting folks and asking them how they are doing.
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November 2025
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Dining GuidesWhat to order: The Memphian’s Korean BBQ short ribs and mushroom flatbread
Why bar hop the block when you can simply hop on an elevator?
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Ask the MemphianAsk the Memphian: What seasoning makes Memphis fries so good?
This week’s question comes to us from a reader who says she is obsessed with the seasoning on fries in Memphis. But is it all the same? The short answer is no.
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Food News 5 Memphis restaurants recognized in Michelin’s American South guide
One of the restaurants received a Bib Gourmand Award as recognition for “good quality, good value cooking.”
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Food NewsPetals of a Peony’s all authentic menu gets Michelin nod
“We thought authentic Chinese food would go well in Memphis, so we opened up. At the beginning, we didn’t have a lot of business, but after a while, the word spread,” said general manager Bo Zou.
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Food NewsHog & Hominy, Andrew Michael give Hudman, Ticer two in Michelin guide
“When we got into it, it was all about hospitality,” said restaurateur Michael Hudman. “Not that Michelin never crossed our minds, but we think of Andrew Michael ... you’re coming by to eat on a Sunday night at your grandmother’s house.”
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Food News Michelin’s Southern debut: Memphis restaurants recognized at historic ceremony
Michelin held its first-ever awards ceremony dedicated to the American South. When the stars were finally revealed, Memphis made its mark.
Related content:
5 Memphis restaurants recognized in Michelin’s American South guide
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Table TalkTable Talk: Michelin guide whets Memphis chefs’ appetite for stars
More from the Michelin Guide’s American South 2025 event as well as how the recognition has energized the Memphis honorees.
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Food News Memphis in May opens 2026 barbecue contest applications
It’s time for friends to choose sides — and for grilling frenemies to join forces — and get ready to fire up their pits for the 2026 Memphis in May International Festival’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest.
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Food NewsSecond Line bids Midtown farewell, Iris gets a new neighbor
“With The Second Line moving, we’re doubling down again to give Midtown something special,” chef Kelly English said.
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Dining GuidesWhat to order: Boiling Fish at Petals of a Peony earns Michelin attention with fiery finesse
At Petals of a Peony, after the plates are cleared, the soft tingle of pepper and the warmth of that final bite linger — the kind of souvenir you can’t pack up.
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