Have you ever eaten at one of “America’s Best Restaurants?” 

Given Memphis’ vast restaurant scene and plethora of award-winning chefs, I have no doubt you have. 

But, in this case, I’m referencing the restaurants featured on the YouTube series “America’s Best Restaurants Roadshow.” The show recently taped an episode on Old Whitten Tavern at 2465 Whitten Road that will air in a few months. 

I stopped by to check it out myself and was impressed by both the variety on the restaurant’s menu and the fact that diners can choose any meal — breakfast, lunch or dinner — at any time. 

(One couple meets at Old Whitten in the mornings, and one eats breakfast before work while the other has dinner after his night shift.)

When I was there, I tried the Kick’n Chick’n Freedom sliders with fries, the Inside OWT grilled cheese, and a side of Bonnie’s chili. 

Bonnie’s chili was so good. The menu doesn't list the ingredients, only that “it’s got kick, but it’s not too hot.” If you are wondering who Bonnie is, she was Ric Filka’s mother and passed the business to her son in 2010 before she died in 2013.

She is the only person who has a menu item named after her at Old Whitten. In fact, she has two — Bonnie’s chili and the Bonnie Melt, their version of a patty melt with caramelized onions, cheddar and Swiss cheeses, and mayo on Texas toast.

When people ask why their patty melt is called the Bonnie Melt, owner Angelia Filka always replies, “Bonnie did it better.” 

The Kick’n Chick’n Freedom sliders sandwich a piece of fried hot chicken between two slices of toast. For a sweet touch, Old Whitten Tavern dusts the sliders with powdered sugar and serves warm syrup on the side. 

I ate the entire dish. 

Old Whitten Tavern’s Inside OWT Grilled Cheese with house fries. (Sophia Surrett/The Daily Memphian)

The restaurant’s Inside OWT grilled cheese was something I hadn’t seen before: The five cheeses placed inside two slices of bread — along with bacon and pepperoni — are the same ones they crisp on the outside. And they serve it with marinara sauce.

The crunch on the outside, paired with the soft cheese inside, makes for a pretty satisfying bite. I love mozzarella sticks, and in a way, this grilled cheese made me think of those. 

Before I close, I have to mention the fries’ house seasoning, crispy exterior and light, flaky texture. I would go back just to get a basket of these.

This week in food news

The Harvest Moon from Ritual Coffee. (Erica Horton/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Nori Sushi Bar and Teppanyaki is expected to open in a few months in the former Saito Japanese Hibachi & Sushi in Bartlett’s Stage Centre. The new restaurant will use the existing hibachi, or teppanyaki, grills and add a large sushi bar. 

Crosstown Brewing has closed its doors after nearly nine years beside Crosstown Concourse. Owner Will Goodman didn’t say exactly why the brewery closed, but co-founder Clark Ortkiese died in 2025 after a year-long fight with cancer. 

Want a taste of fall that isn’t pumpkin spice? Erica Horton and I visited 10 coffee shops around Memphis to try some of their fall-flavor creations. It was a lot of fun, but I am still jittery from the caffeine.

Nutrition Bar Memphis welcomed a new customer last week: a gray Mercedes. The driver of the car crashed into the shop, leaving behind a massive mess of glass shards and a vehicle inside the juice bar. NB Memphis is now back open with a new temporary wooden storefront.

For this week’s Food Files, I spoke with Butteryolk, a fluffy egg pop-up that has found permanent space inside Dvour Desserts in Southaven. Also, Gussied Up will soon host its grand opening, and La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant opened a third location.

The Bar-B-Q Shop’s glazed rib plate. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian)

Jennifer Chandler went to The Bar-B-Q Shop and recommends the glazed ribs. You read that right: not wet or dry, but glazed. After owner Eric Vernon suggested the glazed ribs, Chandler said the sticky-sweet ribs were some of the prettiest and tastiest she’s ever had.

Chandler also wrote about Tsunami’s pork-and-lemongrass meatballs last week for our weekly recipe exchange feature. The Cooper-Young restaurant closed in February, and the recipe lets readers recreate the beloved appetizer at home.

Gracie Driver tried Hive Bagel & Deli’s avocado toast, which features soft scrambled eggs, marinated tomatoes, onion, sprouts and roasted pepitas on sourdough, drizzled with a sticky balsamic glaze. And all for $12.50. 

Hive’s avocado toast with marinated tomatoes and onion, soft scrambled eggs, avocado spread, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), sprouts, and balsamic drizzle. (Gracie Driver/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Michael Waddell took a trip down memory lane for Bartlett’s restaurant scene, looking at “new bites and old sites.” Some spots include the former Baby Jack’s BBQ restaurant, still on the market and the newly opened Casa Lopez Grill in Bartlett’s former Noodles restaurant.

And Steve Bohnel wrote about the local farming and agricultural industry at the DelTech conference. The conference highlighted the challenges facing agriculture in the Mississippi Delta and how logistics and technology could help. 

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