Avid readers of food magazines may have heard of this quirky, casual restaurant that's on a random side street in the far reaches of East Memphis. Since Hog & Hominy opened in 2011, the co-owners Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman have been named James Beard semifinalists for Best New Restaurant and Best Chefs. And with good reason: the food is the best you’ll find in town—even better, some argue, than the fancier restaurant they own across the street, Andrew Michael. The pork-heavy, Southern-meets-Italian food here is almost universally great: a couple shining stars on the menu include the Red Eye pizza, a rich mash-up of pork belly, egg, fontina, celery leaf, and sauce; the Brussels sprouts with speck, tomato conserves, and bacon chili jam; and the poutine, a concoction of fries, neckbone gravy, chili oil, and cheese curds.Save room for the peanut butter pie, which is served in a Nilla Wafer crust and which tastes like a richer version of the banana pudding your grandmother used to make.

Note: In 2020, the original Hog & Hominy burned to the ground, but it has been replaced by an even bigger, sleeker, sexier building.