Diners & Dives
Experienced travelers know that the best food is often found in the most unassuming places, like roadside diners and humble dives. Sink your teeth into some everyday dishes that will make your mouth water.
Like buried treasure, it can take some time to find those hidden culinary gems. But it's an unsurpassed pleasure to find those plain little diners and hole-in-the-wall dives that offer one-of-a-kind taste treats.
These are the places with the local following, where folks gather to relax and enjoy both the food and the companyóplaces like Rotiers, Couser's or the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Big Fatty's and Litton's in Knoxville, or the Southern Star in Chattanooga, where the blue plate specials can make you weep for joy. Or Chandler's in Knoxville, where the beans, greens and broasted chicken will put a smile on your face that lasts all day. Visit Good Dog in Chattanooga's Northshore area, or Brooks Shaw's Country Store in Jackson for some down-home cookin' to get you through the day.
Herman's Soul Food & Catering
Great southern cooking with homestyle vegetables and specialties like oven roasted chicken, million dollar meatloaf, tender pork chops and our famous chicken and dressing, plus whiting fish, catfish and tilapia. ...more
Region: Chattanooga & Southeast
City: Chattanooga, TN
Phone: 423-624-5715
Hillbilly Bob’s BBQ & Catfish
Arrive hungry at this Wild West-looking spot, often noted with five
stars on review sites. ...more
Region: East Tennessee
City: Hampton, TN
Phone: 423-725-3436
Hillbilly Willys Bar-B-Q
The best in fall-off-the bone, Memphis-style barbeque, with hand-pulled pork, beef, chicken, ribs, burgers, and made-from-scratch desserts like derby pie, hillbilly pie, Coke cake, and banana puddin' that's the real deal. ...more
Region: Chattanooga & Southeast
City: Chattanooga, TN
Phone: 423-821-2272
Hilton's Jacks Creek Bar-B-Q
Traditional Chester County BBQ has been served on this corner as far back as locals can remember. This unassuming spot has even been featured in Southern Living magazine. ...more
Region: West Tennessee
City: Luray, TN
Phone: 731-989-4140
Historic Downtown Elizabethton
The Elizabethton Historic District contains a variety of properties ranging in age from the late 1700s through the 1930s, including most of Elizabethton’s downtown. A Tennessee Historical Marker located on West Elk Avenue in front of the S. ...more
Region:
City: Elizabethton, TN
Phone: (423) 547-3850
Hoskins Drug Store
This authentic soda fountain lunch counter serves plate lunch specials (Thursday is Famous Banana Pudding Day!), full breakfast with biscuits and gravy, home cooked vegetables, and grilled sandwiches, along with fountain specialties such as milkshakes, old-fashioned malts, and banana splits. We also have a full-service pharmacy and a terrific gift shop. ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Clinton, TN
Phone: (865) 457-4340
Huck Finn's Catfish
A casual, family-oriented restaurant with the best in southern cooking. All you can eat catfish and chicken dinners, with homemade slaw, white beans and our signature hushpuppies. ...more
Region: Smoky Mountains
City: Pigeon Forge, TN
Phone: 865-429-3353
Jack's Bar-B-Que
Jack's offers award-winning bar-b-que at two Nashville locations, in the heart of lower Broadway and on Trinity Lane in historic Talbot's Corner. Both serve up slow-cooked (18 hours!) Tennessee pork shoulder, Texas beef brisket and sausage, St. ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Nashville, TN
Phone: (615) 254-5715
Jan-Mar Restaurant
This old-style diner makes sure you leave full. Best coffee in town!
With blue plate specials and good pies, Jan-Mar restaurant is a staple in downtown Kingsport. ...more
Region: Northeast
City: Kingsport, TN
Phone: 423-245-0731
Jersey Girl Diner
The home of the “Blue Plate Special” – if you order the special and it’s served on a blue plate, then your meal is free!. ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Morristown, TN
Phone: (423) 254-1304
Jim Neely's Interstate Bar-B-Q At this award-winning favorite of locals, barbecue lovers have a variety of choices, including pork and beef ribs, hash, chicken, bologna, hot wings and even spaghetti – all barbecued! Top-rated Interstate is a family-owned and -run business, and it shows. Service is friendly, and the family recipe for barbecue sauce is outstanding. ...more
Region: Memphis & Surrounding Areas
City: Memphis, TN
Phone: 901-775-2304
Jim Olver's Smokehouse
The Oliver family has served travelers and locals for 28 years and more than 400,000 meals.
They specialize in country ham, pit BBQ, smokes meats, homemade biscuits, and fruit cobblers. ...more
Region: Chattanooga & Southeast
City: Monteagle, TN
Phone: 800-489-2091
Kleer-Vu Lunchroom
A classic meat and three restaurant with home cooking like Mom's Sunday dinner, the Kleer-Vu is a Murfreesboro institution. Sweet tea and southern fare, cafeteria-style, with value prices and first-rate service. ...more
Region: Nashville & Surrounding Areas
City: Murfreesboro, TN
Phone: 865-896-0520
Leonards Memphis' great love affair with pit smoked barbecue began in the early 1920's. This was when Leonard Heuberger opened his stand with only 5 stools, selling his barbecue sandwich for only five cents. ...more
Region: Memphis & Surrounding Areas
City: Memphis, TN
Phone: 901-360-1963
Little Dutch Restaurant
A perennial favorite, Little Dutch Restaurant is family owned and a destination drive. Menu favorites are as numerous as customers, with the potato soup, quiche, prime rib, homemade baklava and chocolate cheesecake getting high praise. ...more
Region: Knoxville & Middle East
City: Morristown, TN
Phone: (423) 581-1441
