Thursday, June 3, 2021 / by Randy Durham
Locally Owned Chattanooga Restaurants
Cajun Food
Blue Orleans: This New Orleans-inspired restaurant is located on the Southside across from the Chattanooga Choo Choo. They also offer catering. The menu has several crawfish recipes, shrimp and grits, po boys, and several pasta options.
Check out their full menu here!
Vegan
Plant Power Cafe & Juice Bar: This East Brainerd restaurant has an expansive vegan menu offering burgers, salads, and sandwiches. They also offer a kids’ menu, gluten-free options, and a dessert menu with cheesecakes, ice cream, brownies, and cookies. They also offer fruit smoothies in addition to cold-pressed juices.
Check out their menu here!
Chicken
Champy’s: Their locally known fried chicken stems from a Mississippi Delta family recipe. The restaurant's made-to-order chicken has earned them a slew of accolades. They have a selection of salads, full plates with delicious sides, family-sized portions, and hot tamales.
Breakfast
Syrup & Eggs: This spot is noted for locally sourced ingredients and partners with Mad Priest to provide coffee. This is a great spot for gluten-free and plant-based diets. They also have bread made by Niedlov’s.
Check out their menu here!
Sandwiches
River Street Deli: This is an authentic New York-style lunch spot that has popular daily specials, made from scratch soups, and fresh salads. The deli offers rarer finds in the area like smoked liverwurst, lox & bagels, and a traditional Rueben.
https://www.riverstdeli.com/menu
Burgers
Tremont Tavern: This neighborhood pub is frequented by North Chattanooga residents for their beer selection and craft burgers. They offer a menu of unique burger combos, ranging from black bean options for vegetarians or pimento cheese toppings for a Southern flair.
Check out their menu here!
Mexican
Taqueria Jalisco Ania: This family-owned Mexican restaurant began as a food truck on the Southside, slowly expanded to a Miller Park Storefront, and now opened a new venue on Rossville Avenue. They offer a full-service tequila bar and an airy atmosphere. Their menu features traditional dishes from Southern Mexico.
You can find their online menu here.
Mediterranean
Acropolis: Opened in 1995 by a seasoned Greek-born restauranteur, this East Brainerd staple serves a variety of house specialties like moussaka, gyros dinners, and pastitsio. They also serve Italian pasta dishes and seafood. They also serve desserts to take home at the front counter.
BBQ
Sugar’s Ribs: This old-fashioned Carolina-style barbecue joint opened in 2007 on the side of Missionary Ridge, allowing diners to enjoy a gorgeous view of the city. They smoke spare ribs and offer rotisserie chicken and chop their meat to order to maintain freshness. They also offer catering and bulk orders.
Butcher
Main Street Meats: This Southside spot has a farm-to-table philosophy. They operate as both a butcher shop and neighborhood bar and restaurant. The bar offers a generous whiskey selection. Their menu changes frequently for dine-in but offers high-quality meat selections, catering, family-style portions, and great sandwich options on their lunch menu. Their butcher shop offers traditional cuts and other selections to ensure no part is wasted.
Menu: Check out their menu here!
Italian
Boccaccia: The chef was raised in Northern Italy, bringing authentic touches to their cuisine. Their menu offers several pasta options, meat dishes, and salad options. They also have a generous wine menu.
German
Brewhaus: This gastropub is located on the North Shore and offers unique German-style dishes like Bavarian pretzels, schnitzel, and sausages. Their sides also offer potato cakes, German-style potato salad, and spaetzle. They also have a large ale and wine menu to pair with their dishes.
Noodle House
Two Ten Jack: This neighborhood pub features specialty ramen dishes, sushi, and other Japanese comfort food with a local Southern twist. You can find ramen dishes spicy crab, vegan, and pork specials. They also serve small plates like dumplings and seaweed salad. They also serve grilled items like skirt steak, mushrooms, and pork belly.
Pizza
Lupi’s: This restaurant started downtown in the late 1990s and has since opened locations in Hixson, East Brainerd, Cleveland, and Ooltewah. They offer pizza made from fresh dough, calzones, lasagna, and fresh-baked bread. Their menu is inspired by local ingredients harvested within one hundred miles of Chattanooga.
Click here to check out their menu!
Asian
Rice Boxx: This Hixson restaurant opened in 2011 and offers tastes of Chinese, Japanese, & Thai cuisine. The owner lived in China during his youth and was instructed by close friends from Thailand in making Pad Thai and curry dishes. His hibachi and sushi preparation was inspired by his mother. Most of their dishes are cheap, with dinner entrees ranging from 11 to 18 dollars.
Seafood
Boathouse: This is one of the few exclusive seafood restaurants in the area and it only a few minutes from Downtown. It is situated on the Tennessee Riverwalk and offers a great waterfront backdrop. This is one of the rare places to find an oyster bar in town, and it remains one of the busiest in the country. Even if you are not a fan of seafood, you can still enjoy chicken and beef dishes on their menu.
