Why this Nashville favorite is one of the 'South's Most Beloved Burger Joints'

Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean
Updated ·2 min read

Who doesn't love a classic cheeseburger? The editors of Southern Living have an abiding appreciation for the iconic American meal and, as such have rounded up a list of the "South’s Most Beloved Burger Joints." Two of them are located in Tennessee.

To come up with the list, Southern Living editors reported, researched and visited classic burger joints in the South, focusing specifically on spots with staying power that have left an indelible impression on generations of burger lovers.

Fine dining chef Arnold Myint says he loves getting a cheeseburger, beer and chili fries at Brown's Diner on his days off
Fine dining chef Arnold Myint says he loves getting a cheeseburger, beer and chili fries at Brown's Diner on his days off

"The menus are often short and sweet," the release from the long-running publication said. "But one thing you can always count on at a legendary burger joint is a consistently great meal."

You can find the full article here.

More: The top 25 restaurants in Nashville in 2023

The Tennessee restaurants included in the list are Dyer’s Burgers in Memphis and Brown's Diner, one of Nashville's oldest restaurants.

"For a Nashville dining experience that’s as authentic as they come, seek out Brown’s Diner," the article says. "More dive than restaurant, with wood-paneled walls, neon beer signs, and a wraparound bar, Brown’s has been rocking and rolling in the Music City since it started in (a) mule-drawn trolley car back in 1927. The burgers are legendary, the beer is always cold, and if you’re lucky enough to dine on a live music night, the atmosphere can’t be beat."

See the full list below.

Southern Living's most beloved burger joints in the South

  • Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill: Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • Butch Cassidy’s Cafe: Mobile, Alabama

  • Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas

  • Phillips Drive-In: Laurel, Mississippi

  • David’s Burgers: Central Arkansas

  • Ed’s Drive-In: Jackson, Alabama

  • The Varsity: Atlanta, Georgia

  • Burger Boy Diner: Louisville, Kentucky

  • Port of Call: New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Beacon Drive-In: Spartanburg, South Carolina

  • Borroum’s Drug Store & Soda Fountain: Corinth, Mississippi

  • Dyer's Burgers: Memphis, Tennessee

  • Champ Burger: Houston, Texas

  • Brown’s Diner: Nashville, Tennessee

  • Laha’s Red Castle: Hodgenville, Kentucky

  • Judice Inn: Lafayette, Louisiana

  • Latham’s Hamburger Inn: New Albany, Mississippi

  • Texas Tavern: Roanoke, Virginia

  • Jim’s Drive-In: Lewisburg, West Virginia

  • Melvins’ Hamburgers and Hotdogs: Elizabethtown, North Carolina

Mackensy Lunsford is the senior dining reporter at The Tennessean. Read her work here.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Brown Diner among 'South's most beloved burger joints'