A Delicious Weekend in Memphis, Tennessee

Seasonal rooftop bars at The Peabody Hotel, Madison Hotel and Terrace at The River Inn mix cocktails with sensational views. Nearby, Mollie Fontaine Lounge serves flavorful small plates with artisan cocktails in a Victorian-era mansion. Hit any of these to start your evening, then move on to dinner at The Majestic Grille. In this former movie house, silent films play as diners nibble on meat-and-cheese plates accented with barbecue-spiced walnuts.

After a night of dancing and listening to live music around Beale and South Main streets, duck into Earnestine & Hazel’s for a soul burger. The bar, once a haven for Stax songwriters, serves a thin patty with onions, cheese and a secret sauce to create one of the city’s favorite late-night snacks.

April through October, stroll the Memphis Farmers Market to taste what's in season — maybe sweet summer peaches or crisp fall apples from Jones Orchard in Millington. Afterward, explore Broad Avenue. Tour Wiseacre Brewing Co. and taste the craft brewery’s award-winning Tiny Bomb pilsner, made with local wildflower honey.  

For dinner, stay in the Broad Avenue Arts District, where Bounty on Broad heaps platters with fresh ingredients from roasted beets to rock shrimp. Or, head to East Memphis to taste how award-winning chefs fuse their heritage with the tastes of the South. For an Asian spin, nab a table at Acre (imagine pork brisket with miso-mustard sauce). For a casual meal with authentic Italian flavors, drop into Hog + Hominy.  

Walk Memphis’ Cooper-Young neighborhood to take your pick of hip brunch spots. Alchemy loads local grits with Tennessee bacon, Parmesan cheese and shiitake mushrooms. The Beauty Shop stacks up lemon ricotta pancakes. Sweet Grass smothers buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy (order yours with a Bloody Mary garnished with a pickled green bean).

In the afternoon, take a leisurely drive just north of the city to Old Millington Winery. The small-batch winery, located on one of the area’s oldest farms, offers varietals sweetened with plums and muscadines.