New Memphis restaurants: From BBQ to bagels, 7 spots you need to check out

Jennifer Chandler, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·6 min read

September was a month filled with restaurants opening new locations — some just making a move, others opening additional locations of their popular concepts.

The list includes a new home for Memphis’ oldest barbecue restaurant, several eateries offering their signature fare at parks from Downtown to East Memphis, a new bagel shop, second locations for two popular coffee shops and more.

Here are seven new dining spots in Memphis to check out.

Paper Plate Pavilion

Tom Lee Park; paperplatepavilion.com

Located adjacent to the playground and the Sunset Pavilion in Tom Lee Park, Paper Plate Pavilion offers savory dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.

Owner David Self is excited to have a permanent home for his business that he launched as a food truck a little more than a year ago. Self collaborated with his partner Jorie Williams (known as Chef J) to design the menu.

Paper Plate Pavilion is among the food offerings at the newly renovated Tom Lee Park in Downtown Memphis. It is shown on Sept. 4, 2023.
Paper Plate Pavilion is among the food offerings at the newly renovated Tom Lee Park in Downtown Memphis. It is shown on Sept. 4, 2023.

Expect signature dishes like his Pineapple Sunset (a pineapple stuff with jerk chicken, rice and pineapple salsa), a Smoked PB&J Sandwich and Brisket Mac-N-Cheese. Breakfast includes a variety of options ranging from oatmeal to a grits bowl with eggs and meat to Caribbean-style rice and beans topped with eggs and served with fried plantains.

“We are 901 originals,” Self said. “We are from Memphis, and we are showing what Memphis has to offer.”

Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily

Ben & Jerry’s 'Cow Mobile' Ice Cream Stand

Tom Lee Park; benjerry.com

Ben & Jerry’s “Cow Mobile” is parked near the Beale Street Landing entrance to Tom Lee Park.

Customers wait to order at a Ben and Jerry’s food truck in the newly renovated Tom Lee Park shortly after it officially opened to the public in Downtown Memphis on Saturday, September 2, 2023.
Customers wait to order at a Ben and Jerry’s food truck in the newly renovated Tom Lee Park shortly after it officially opened to the public in Downtown Memphis on Saturday, September 2, 2023.

Painted with Ben & Jerry’s signature Holstein cows and clouds, the cow mobile features several flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, as well as treats like waffle cones and a variety of toppings. In the winter, expect popular hot chocolate ice cream floats.

And here’s an interesting fact: Memphis is the only city in the United States to have two of its signature cow mobiles. Local franchise owner Marc Tate also has one located inside Memphis Zoo.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday

Hive Bagel & Deli

276 S. Front St., Unit 105; hivebagelanddeli.com

Buzz on over to Front Street and check out the new Hive Bagel & Deli at 276 S. Front St. The Downtown bakery and café opened Sept. 6.

You will find freshly cooked New York-style bagels, flaky croissants and pastries as well as a tasty menu of bagel sandwiches.

A look inside Hive Bagel & Deli, a new bakery shop and café at 276 S. Front St. in Downtown Memphis, on Sept. 6, 2023.
A look inside Hive Bagel & Deli, a new bakery shop and café at 276 S. Front St. in Downtown Memphis, on Sept. 6, 2023.

The new bakery and café is the next step for Chef Josh Steiner’s latest venture. The owner of the now-closed restaurant Strano by Chef Josh launched Hive Bagel & Deli in January as a pre-order business.

Steiner’s freshly cooked bagels combine his love of bagels and his love of beekeeping. Honey even makes its way into pastries like his "Honey Butter" croissants. One treat not to miss — Steiner’s Croissant Cubes. He’s the only one we know of in Memphis serving this London and New York City dessert trend.

Hours: 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; closed Monday-Tuesday.

NEW MEMPHIS RESTAURANTS: Maciel's Tortas & Tacos is opening a third location in Memphis. Here's where and when.

Muggin Coffeehouse

606 N. Main St.; muggincoffeehouse.com

Uptown has a new coffee shop. Muggin Coffeehouse opened its second location at 606 N. Main St. on Sept. 11.

Ken and Mary Olds opened the first Muggin Coffeehouse at 1139 Brownlee Road in Whitehaven in 2020. The Uptown location is the first commercial tenant in the Malone Park Commons development.

In addition to traditional coffee bar beverages like drip coffee, espressos and lattes, Muggin has several specialty coffees that should not be overlooked.

Muggin Coffeehouse's second location is located in Uptown at 606 N. Main St.
Muggin Coffeehouse's second location is located in Uptown at 606 N. Main St.

Two iced coffees to try include the Bourbon Macchiato, an iced coffee drink that is flavored with a Bourbon caramel, and the Muggin' Mane, an espresso drink flavored with cheesecake syrup and served in a cup lined with caramel.

The Zippin Pippin, a caramel and white chocolate drink, and the Flickin on Beale, a chocolate-based concoction, both raise the bar for frozen coffee drinks.

Hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday.

Leonard’s Pit Barbecue

1100 N. Germantown Parkway, Cordova; (901) 360-1963; leonardsbarbecue.com

For more than 100 years, Leonard's Pit Barbecue has served Memphis slow-cooked pit barbecue. It's one of those places that is filled with memories for lifelong Memphians.

The restaurant has moved locations several times over its century-long history, changing and evolving with the times and its hometown.

A first look inside the new Leonard's Pit Barbecue at 1100 N. Germantown Pkwy. in Cordova. The 101-year barbecue restaurant moved to a new location on September 10, 2023.
A first look inside the new Leonard's Pit Barbecue at 1100 N. Germantown Pkwy. in Cordova. The 101-year barbecue restaurant moved to a new location on September 10, 2023.

On Sept. 11, the restaurant started a new chapter in a new home at 1100 N. Germantown Parkway in Cordova.

While the location is different, what remains the same is the strong traditions of barbecue and hospitality at Memphis’ oldest barbecue restaurant. The restaurant will still offer full-service dining, as well as have a larger takeout counter. Plans are in the works to offer drive-thru service in the future.

All the favorites are still offered — the famous Mr. Leonard (and larger Big Leonard) pork sandwiches, Rib Barbecue Plates (available as a 1/3, half and full slab), Italian Spaghetti and Fried Catfish. New on the menu are BBQ Nachos and a Cheese & Sausage Plate.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily

Elwood’s Shack

4040 Park Ave.; elwoodsshack.com

Ten years after opening, Elwood’s Shack is celebrating the milestone with a second location. The new restaurant at 4040 Park Ave. opened Sept. 18.

The East Memphis restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner has developed an almost cult-like following for dishes like Philly brisket wraps, steelhead trout fish tacos, Reubens piled high with house-made pastrami and over-the-top pizza and hot dog creations.

The “living room” area can be seen inside of the new, second location of Elwood’s Shack at 4040 Park Avenue on September 12, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn.
The “living room” area can be seen inside of the new, second location of Elwood’s Shack at 4040 Park Avenue on September 12, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn.

The second location of this popular eatery is located by the University of Memphis campus in a free-standing building that has been home to everything from a Leonard’s Pit Barbecue restaurant to most recently a consignment music store. At 4,887-square-feet it is almost five times bigger than the original restaurant.

In addition to the core Elwood’s Shack menu, expect to find a few new menu items, including French fries, a coffee bar and an expanded dessert selection.

Hours: 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday

THINGS TO DO IN MEMPHIS: Wine dinners to a BBQ contest: 8 Memphis food events to mark on your calendar for October

Belltower Coffee

First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center at Shelby Farms Park; belltowercoffee.com

Belltower Coffeehouse opened its second location in Shelby Farms Park on Sept. 22. The new coffee shop is located in the First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center at Shelby Farms Park.

The inside of the new Belltower Coffeehouse location within the Shelby Farms First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center can be seen on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The location is to-go only but if customers bring their own mug there will be a 50 cent discount for their order.
The inside of the new Belltower Coffeehouse location within the Shelby Farms First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center can be seen on Tuesday, September 19, 2023. The location is to-go only but if customers bring their own mug there will be a 50 cent discount for their order.

The menu at Belltower Coffeehouse’s Shelby Farms Park location features a wide range of food and beverages, including the coffeeshop’s signature Honeysuckle Latte and grab-and-go items likes Grilled Chicken Wraps, Greek Salads and Blueberry Lemon Scones.

Christopher Galbreath, managing partner of Belltower Coffeehouse, said he and his business partner Micah Dempsey made the decision to expand to Shelby Farms Park because of their desire "to provide visitors with an unparalleled experience while immersing them in the park’s tranquil surroundings."

Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily

Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer. 

If you want to keep up with the tastiest news in the Bluff City — like the story above, sign up for our Eat Drink Memphis weekly newsletter for a hearty serving of stories on everything from restaurants to recipes. You can sign up here.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Memphis restaurants you should try: 7 spots that opened in Sept.