Nashville, TN

restaurants

Mas Tacos Por Favor

Mas Tacos por Favor started in a 1974 Winnebago and has since become one of Nashville's favorite eateries, known and loved for serving scratch-made Mexican cuisine. Guy adored the holiday tamales and quinoa tacos. As for the pozole verde soup? He says, the "depth of the broth is ridiculous."

Hendersonville, TN

restaurants

Center Point Barbecue

At Center Point Pit Barbecue, owner Robert Duke smokes his pork until in turns "black as night." But as Guy learned on DDD, the holiday ham is unlike any other. After a four-day brine and a six-hour smoke, the ham is sprinkled with sugar and torched, resulting in a delicious "ham brittle," Guy says.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

The Grilled Cheeserie

This food truck’s gourmet take on comfort food draws the crowds, but regulars say it’s worth the wait. The Pimento Mac & Chee has Guy dreaming of childhood. Served with tomato soup, this best-seller features pimento cheese, cheddar, macaroni, bacon bits and sliced tomato on country white bread.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint

At Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, to go "whole hog" literally means roasting a 200-pound hog in its entirety. The meat is hit with a signature blend of spices, then cooked over hickory wood for 24 hours, which Michael Symon said results in “the perfect bite of pork.” Michael’s favorite order is the whole hog platter accompanied by sides such as the bacon-studded broccoli salad and onion-flecked hushpuppies. The succulent meat also serves as the filling for the sliders, which made Guy Fieri a fan. He called the pork “beyond juicy and moist and flavorful.”

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Memphis Farmers Market

At this farm-to-table eatery Chef Mac Edwards buys his ingredients directly from the source. The pan-seared catfish with mac 'n' cheese and greens as well as the banh mi Guy called "outstanding." Guy got messy with the sloppy joe full of "big flavor." Locals love the country fried pork chops.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Marlowe's Ribs & Restaurant

You might not see locals at Graceland, but you'll definitely see them at Marlowe's Ribs. Like Guy, locals know they can call Marlowe's for a free pink-limo ride to the restaurant. Good thing too because Guy couldn't wait to try the Elvis favorite: ribs smothered in Marlowe's tangy barbecue sauce.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Alcenia's

If you're from Memphis, you may have already heard of Alcenia's famous "Cha Cha" cabbage relish or the sweet potato cobbler. Guy swooped in on this mother-daughter operation for Triple D (as did the Neelys). Locals claim it's true Memphis cooking and Guy had this to say: "Mmm, that's good."

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Phat Bites

Guy loves Phat Bites’ Long Life Salad served on a bed of kale with black-eyed peas, Christmas lima beans, black beans, split lentils, red quinoa, pecans, dried cranberries, gold raisins, plums, mangoes and a citrus vinaigrette. Prefer a sandwich? Try the Big Jerk with jerk pork, cheese and onions.

Franklin, TN

restaurants

55 South

55 South serves up traditional Southern dishes like the Nashville Hot Chicken and the Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya. But the fresh seafood served here is also a major highlight. Guy loves the “wood smoke component” of the char-grilled oysters topped with garlic-lemon butter and Parmesan.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Caffé Nonna

Guy heads to Caffe Nonna for a rustic Italian meal, and nothing on the menu is more rustic than the Lasagna Nonna. This delectable eight-layer dish is filled with butternut squash, spinach, pasta, ricotta and sauteed Swiss chard, and it's finished off with two sauces and lots of cheese.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Rizzo's By Michael Patrick

At this upscale diner, Chef Michael Patrick is reinventing Southern comfort food. The savory chorizo meatloaf juxtaposed with tangy green tomato gravy tantalized Guy's taste buds, while the lobster pronto pups had a light batter and perfectly tender meat.

Knoxville, TN

restaurants

Pizza Palace

A drive-in pizzeria that also sells onion rings and salads is a rather odd combination, but the Pizza Palace has been a Knoxville, Tenn., staple for decades. Their spaghetti is served with a homemade meat sauce, created by owners Sam and Charlie Peroulas, that almost left Guy speechless.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Little Tea Shop

Chef Suhair may be from Jerusalem, but she can cook Southern food "like no other." Her fried chicken, which Guy describes as light and crispy, has a secret Middle Eastern twist. The menu rotates during the week, but crowd-pleasers like corn sticks and poppin' Johns are served fresh daily.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Cozy Corner Restaurant

Cozy Corner knows its Tennessee barbecue and locals come in droves for their ribs, wings and smoked sausage. But Guy was caught off-guard by their equally tasty whole chickens and bologna barbecue sandwiches. The real kicker? Cornish hens. Guy says you'll just have to come over and get your own.

Berry Hill, TN

restaurants

Athens Family Restaurant

At Athens Family Restaurant, owner Adel Elostta aims for the "best quality for the money." As Guy learned, that meant giant bacon lamb burgers (made with their "love spice" blend), gargantuan Greek suzukakia meatballs and kotopita, a tasty chicken turnover Guy called his kind of breakfast.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Arnold's Country Kitchen

The "Meat & 3" (entree and three vegetables) at Arnold's Country Kitchen is arguably the best in Nashville, especially with the roast beef. In 2009, they even won a James Beard award. But Guy swung over not for the roast beef but for the plump chicken dumplings and "super tasty”"turnip greens.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Toms Barbeque

Tom's draws the crowds with a special Mediterranean twist on barbecue. They slather a Greek-inspired spice rub featuring thyme, oregano, pickling spice, celery salt and more on everything from brisket to turkey, including the signature rib tips, which Guy calls "some of the best barbecue' around.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Leonard's Pit Barbecue

Leonard's Pit Barbecue owner Dan Brown says if you visit for dinner you'll experience the same delicious recipes passed down from "last century" to "last week" Open since 1922, this iconic Memphis, Tenn., eatery has loads of fans, like Guy, who called the chopped pork sandwich "all-star barbecue."

Memphis, TN

restaurants

Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken

The saying goes that if Colonel Sanders had Uncle Lou's fried chicken recipe, he'd be a general. On The Best Thing I Ever Ate, Guy loved Lou's "crazy" fried chicken that's dipped into a sauce once called "Corruption." Now, thanks to Guy, it has been rechristened Sweet Spicy Love.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Jamaicaway Restaurant & Catering

It's all authentic and homemade at this Jamaican hole-in-the-wall. The silky ackee and salt-fish intrigued Guy, and he enjoyed the crunchy fried chicken with mango chutney sauce and munching on the coconut drops. Customers praise the curried goat and oxtail stew.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Savarino's Cucina

When Guy visited this Italian eatery on Triple D, he found one-of-a-kind homemade fettuccine that is rolled not with a pasta machine but a broomstick. Also worth a try: any of Savarino's signature sandwiches, of which there are over a dozen, paired with cantaloupe Italian ice for dessert.

Hendersonville, TN

restaurants

Cafe Rakka

Cafe Rakka is no ordinary restaurant. Rather, it's a "Nashville-Mediterranean-Indian experience in Music City," according to Guy, where you'll find country music legends among the regulars. Try the filet mignon kebabs, cooked on a sizzling Himalayan salt block, for a flavor-packed meal.

Nashville, TN

restaurants

Bro's Cajun Cuisine

You don't normally think about Cajun food in Nashville except when the owners come from Louisiana, like they do at Bro's Cajun Cuisine. Get the gumbo, red beans and rice, crawfish cooked in fiery red spices or the Cajun-style pork chops. If the locals say "it is true Cajun food," then it's gotta be!

Memphis, TN

restaurants

3angelsmemphis

At this kid-friendly diner the mom-and-pop duo are putting a fresh spin on American classics. The fried chicken with corn on the cob and turnip greens impressed Guy. Diners also like to order the adult grilled cheese with smoked Gouda, goat and cheddar cheese.

Memphis, TN

restaurants

South of Beale

The food at this gastropub is cheap and in some cases free, but it all tastes great. One of the signature dishes is the duck fried rice, which Guy was crazy about and it costs only $5. Guy also liked the free and addictive house seasoned popcorn. Try the Jack and Coke bread pudding too.