Known to many as the "only real saloon" in the Memphis's Germantown area, the Forest Hill Grill (the former Belmont Grill) is a great gathering spot for comfort food among family and friends. This pub-style venue serves daily lunch specials from their award winning burgers and steaks to fried chicken and turkey pot roast. Thankfully, the new owner is still serving the infamous Belmont burger, a regular winner in the 'best hamburger' category in the Memphis Magazine Readers Poll. This is a spot filled with characters; on any given night, it seems the bartenders have antennae, as they're pouring favorites as regulars shuffle in.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: In a town known for its regulations, the Belmont is a bit of a rebel - and we love that.
Sally's expert tip: Have the Belmont burger. You'll thank us!
This Kosher deli / bagel shop / restaurant has been a staple in Germantown and East Memphis, with a steady stream of patrons from breakfast through lunch. The tables are crammed into the space, but few care, as most folks in this true neighborhood favorite know each other already; if you don't know your neighbors at the next table, trust us when we tell you that you will by the end of the meal. Huge omelets and potato skillets are the breakfast specialty (of course bagels are, too) and the sandwiches and wraps at lunch come with pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw or chips. We're especially fond of the turkey melt, which is stuffed full of mushrooms and green peppers on top of the turkey and cheese, with a tangy honey mustard giving it a bit of a sweet finish.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: City East remains the quintessential casual eatery in Germantown, and is a staple for locals.
Sally's expert tip: Weekend breakfasts can be a bit chaotic, as City East is a fave with families - so go early if you want some quiet.
Petra Cafe is one of Germantown's best-kept secrets, although those in the know crowd into the tiny restaurant at both lunch and dinner. Petra offers traditional Mediterranean and Middle Easten food, from beef and lamb gyros to falafel, taboulleh, hummus and kabobs, and an array of paninis with a Mediterranean influence. There are also more traditional American-style offerings on the expansive menu, from Philly cheese steak and club sandwiches. If you're a gyro person, you won't be disappointed; the gyros at Petra are rather large and could easily be shared by two, with a Greek salad to complete the meal.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Petra is as authentic as gyros get in this city - and well worth the wait at lunchtime.
Sally's expert tip: Petra offers taboulleh and other staples by the pound, for parties and entertaining.
Fish served up just about every way a Southerner would like it is the focus of Soul Fish, originally a Cooper Young eatery that's branching out east with the Germantown location and a fall 2013 opening in East Memphis. The restaurant boasts a homey atmosphere and truly the best fried catfish we've ever had; it also comes blackened, and is served in baskets or atop salads. Most entrees are served up with fries, hushpuppies and slaw, although vegetables are available as well. Chicken and pork also get their due here, and the smoked chicken salad has loads of shredded meat on it.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Soul Fish is kid-friendly but equally perfect for date night.
Sally's expert tip: The after-church crowd hits Soul Fish right about 11:45 on Sundays, so be sure to get in the door early if time is a consideration.
Since 1985, the Correale family has served up a taste of New York Italian in their little Germantown restaurant, in its present location since 1987. It started as a small pizzeria serving calzones, stromboli, and more; when they made the move to Kirby Parkway, the menu expanded to include traditional pasta dishes passed down through the family. The current chef trained in New York and the Abruzzi region of Italy, and the food is simple yet incredibly authentic. The atmosphere at Brooklyn Bridge does feel like a family home, as tables are close and you can't help but engage with others around the restaurant. This is casual Italian at its very best.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: It's one of Germantown's oldest locally-owned restaurants, and a must-dine in the burg.
Sally's expert tip: On select Wednesdays, bottles of wine are 50% off with an order of two entrees. That's our kind of special!
A few local boys have hit the foodie scene hard in Memphis with Swanky's, turning a couple of cavernous strip mall spaces into some of the most popular eateries in town. In the evenings, Swanky's is a hip spot - especially on weekend nights, when there's often live music or a live DJ. Check the website for the schedule and list of bands. During lunch, it's a walk-up and order spot, with the line moving quickly as customers build-their-own burritos, tacos and salads — with the help of the friendly and often teasing food builders. There are grilled entrees including fish tacos, quesadillas and fajita plates. The star of the menu may just be the white queso; it is super creamy and rich, and practically a meal in itself. The fish tacos are another must-order with crispy yet lightly breaded white fish.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Swanky's is a fave because it's fast and yummy, with a nice bar and wine list - and killer queso.
Sally's expert tip: During the heat of summer - July and August - avoid the patio unless you like to sweat on your food. Since the patio is a) uncovered and b) next to a parking lot, it's H-O-T.
The original Germantown location of what is no a three-restaurant local chain is small and usually filled to capacity, especially on weekends. The sushi bar allows patrons to sit right up at the sushi making area, with a U-shapred counter around the sushi chef's work area. Loads of fresh ingredients - exotic fish resting on ice, perfectly cut strips of seaweed, and bowls of fragrant rice - await the master sushi makers. The menu - sushi and otherwise - is huge, as are the portions; one evening, yours truly ordered a chicken teriyaki and shrimp tempura combination that was embarrassingly large, and brought more than half of it home in to-go boxes.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Every meal we've had at Sakura has been perfect, from the service to the quality of the food.
Sally's expert tip: We love the 'find a sushi roll' search option on Sakura's home page - pick an ingredient and a style of sushi, and the search results offer a variety of delicious options.
Located in a century-old former country store in downtown Germantown, the Germantown Commissary serves some of the best barbecue around in the tiny building it calls home. At certain times, you may even have to yell your order to the waiter - literally; the restaurant is adjacent to the train tracks, which are busy night and day. While the barbecue is the main attraction, veer off the usual path and try the smoked sausage or pork tamales; tamales are actually a staple in Mississippi and served quite frequently around Memphis. Be sure to save room for homemade desserts, which are reason enough to wait in line - including coconut cream pie and banana pudding.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Hands down, the Commissary offers some of the best barbecue in the entire Memphis area, not to mention amazing desserts.
Sally's expert tip: Arrive by 5 p.m. to avoid a wait, which can be lengthy on weekend evenings.
The food at Las Tortugas is un-American - that is to say,it's made as if you were in Mexico City and hasn't been American-ized. The focus is tortas (sandwiches) and tacos, with an emphasis on all-fresh ingredients - think lots of fresh avocado, cilantro, cotiga cheese, sweet onions, a spiced cucumber salad as a small side, and hand-cut (and thick) chips. Traditional aguas frescas — fruit drinks — are whipped up and are the perfect drink to cool the spice. The food takes its time getting to you, and the prices are higher than most folks expect ($4.95 for an aquas frescas). The wait and the pricetag, however, are worth it, as there's no other taste of Mexico like it in Memphis.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Las Tortugas is the kind of place that challenges a palate, not to mention one's expectations, when thinking Mexican food.
Sally's expert tip: There's usually a crowd at both lunch and dinner, so plan to arrive outside of the typical dining hours if you are on the clock.
Elegant and graceful, Southern Social lives up to its name with a rarefied, lush interior and a menu packed with Southern favorites, from fried chicken to shrimp and grits. But it's more than the food equivalent of seersucker and white bucs, offering updated takes on Southern classics, as well as a focus on premium ingredients from appetizers to desserts. There's a nice array of steaks and chops from Niman Ranch, as well as a selection of seafood from the Gulf and beyond. Tucked on the side of Germantown Road that narrows to two lanes and next to the town's train depot (where trains still clack by but no longer stop), Southern Social was a much-needed fine dining option in the eastern suburb. The bar is fine spot to sit and sip, and the banquettes in the dining room can be cozy and romantic in the evenings.
Recommended for Germantown's Best Restaurants because: Southern Social is not only a superstar of the Germantown dining scene, it's one of the only fine dining restaurants in the Memphis suburb.
Sally's expert tip: Southern Social offers wine flights, from bubbles to hearty reds, an indulgence not often found in Memphis.