This week on Sound Bites, Chris Herrington and digital director Holly Whitfield discuss a few bits of recent Memphis restaurant news. 

Bagels, barbecue and beyond — new restaurants open across Memphis. Plus, there’s a tropical-themed bar on the horizon for Cooper-Young. 

A boozy oasis is headed to Midtown, as the owners of the Cameo cocktail bar lay down plans for a new tropical-themed sibling. 

From “dirty” sodas to baked chicken, more than a dozen restaurants and food vendors within the Memphis Medical District will showcase their flavors at the annual Taste of the District. 

Mia Madison, executive director of Memphis Tilth for four years and Mia’s Orchard’s namesake, died in a car crash on July 10, 2022.

Shannon Weston said her son’s food allergy spurred the family to open a “clean food” restaurant in Colorado. When her son enrolled in Rhodes College, Vibe Foods came to Memphis, too.

The 1,200-square-foot dessert studio, now open at 501 N. Hollywood St., is designed like an art studio, where customers can decorate cookies, cupcakes and cakes. 

Roughly two years after opening to fanfare just off Overton Square, Pantà, the colorful, Catalan-inspired bar from restaurateur Kelly English, has closed as a full-service restaurant. 

Memphis coffee trailblazers Cxffeeblack are returning to the brew’s African origins and taking others with them through their new Barista Exchange Program.

Josh Carlucci says the food truck scene on Summer Avenue is like a slot machine: Each visit could yield a different array. But the fish tacos at Los Jarochos are a jackpot. 

Inspired by El Pollo Latino’s chicken-forward menu, Chris Herrington ranks 10 familiar ways to prepare (and consume) chicken, counting them down from 10 to one, discussing where he goes for each in Memphis.

Fall fairs are coming to the Mid-South, Buster’s Butcher on Highland Street is having its grand opening, El Pollo Latino comes to Summer Avenue, ranking the best ways to prepare chicken and more.

In a statement, owners encouraged customers to go to the Regalia location in East Memphis or the “soon-to-be” Silo Square location in Southaven. 

The restaurant will be near FedEx and Indian grocery store Balaji Grocery, a strategic decision, said co-owner Vineeth Sheelam. 

Frankie Perry and his wife Kaye opened Primos meat market in Hernando, offering quality cuts and longtime family recipes.

The Mid-South’s biggest beer festival featured 40 breweries, cideries and makers of seltzers and other adult beverages Saturday at the Memphis Sports and Events Center in Liberty Park.

The star of the show at El Pollo Latino is the rotisserie chicken, available on quarter, half and whole chicken plates with fries or boiled potatoes.

A&R Bar-B-Que just missed the top 10 on The South’s Top 50 Barbecue Joints of 2023 from Southern Living, but the magazine thinks the restaurant’s sandwiches are the best in town.

Whether at Tom Lee Park or one of the many fests, get outside this weekend. And here’s hoping you find some good eats and drinks when you do.

The new location, a 30,000-square-foot space at 107 S. Main St., will feature four concepts. Each concept will be a smaller type of restaurant.

In this week’s Sound Bites, producer Natalie Van Gundy and columnist Chris Herrington talk about some recent Memphis restaurant news: a new Elwood’s Shack looming, the opening of Hive Bagel & Deli and more.

In addition to bringing back its “Ultimate Weekend Brunch” on Sundays, The Majestic Grille is also debuting Sunday Roast as it reopens for service seven days of the week. 

“Perch is like my own little personal Cheers,” said restaurant owner and longtime caterer Ragan Oglesby-Phillips.

The Farms at Bailey Station, which hired the former executive chef at Limelight, operatives five eateries that they plan to eventually open to the general public.

Waffle House meets La Guadalupana? Two great things that go great together, it turns out, according to Chris Herrington.