Schmap Chattanooga Dining & Drinking

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Chattanooga - Dining & Drinking
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Chattanooga Home
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The Scenic City may be best known for a song about a train, but you'll find some delicious food in "Choo Choo" as well. From a quick burger at a Riverside cafe to more upscale dining with silver-domed service and tuxedo-clad waiters, you can find whatever it is that makes your taste buds sing. The lack of popular theme restaurants such as Hard Rock Cafe or Planet Hollywood poses no liability to the culinary landscape. In fact, local eateries far surpass these cookie-cutter restaurants in terms of both food and atmosphere.

Southern Traditions

In Chattanooga, the downtown lunch counter and the upscale restaurant have one thing in common: each holds to the time-honored tradition of treating every diner like a part of the family. You'll have a hard time finding a surly waitress or waiter, or even one who fails to address you as ma'am or sir. But the pleasure isn't all in the well-mannered staff; the folks know how to cook around here, too.

If you have never tried Southern cooking, there are a few terms you will need to be familiar with. The following glossary should help:

Cornbread: Light, flaky bread made with corn meal and baked in a cast-iron skillet. Usually served with soups, stews or beans, cornbread is a favorite among Southern diners.

Grits: Tiny bits of ground corn soaked in water, then cooked and served with butter and, in some cases, sugar. White in color and creamy in texture, grits are a breakfast food often served with eggs and biscuits.

Iced Tea: This is the wine of the South. Think of it as your favorite vintage poured over ice cubes and loaded with sugar and lemon juice.

Sausage Patties: For those of you who think sausage links and sausage patties are the same thing, think again. Tennessee sausage is sliced into thin, round patties and has a unique smoked flavor.

Deep Fried: Virtually everything in the South is dropped into a vat of boiling oil. From fried green tomatoes (absolute heaven) to Southern fried catfish (the only "fresh" fish you'll find down here), few things escape the deep fryer.

Local Restaurants That Would Make Emeril Proud

Every restaurant in Chattanooga is an experience in leisurely Southern dining. However, there are a few standouts. You simply cannot leave without dining at The Loft. Fine food, coupled with an elegantly casual atmosphere, is the reason local residents have voted this restaurant Chattanooga's finest for the last 15 years. Southside Grille is a young establishment that occupies a row of warehouses near the Chattanooga Choo Choo. The elegant decor and white-gloved service are enough to draw diners through its doors, but the food is what keeps them coming back. Expect to pay a premium price for dishes like quail or rabbit, but it's worth it given the pleasure of dining here. Mount Vernon Restaurant, situated at the foot of Brainerd, is a tradition in the Scenic City. Finding a table during lunch is nearly impossible, but the fortunate ones will enjoy Southern cooking at its best in a down-home environment. Meanwhile, the Station House provides diners with delicious meals accompanied by entertainment served up courtesy of its singing wait staff.

Fermented Nectar

So how do you wash down all that food? People here really like to drink beer, and there are more than a few establishments to quench their thirst. In fact, Chattanooga is sometimes thought of as the Milwaukee of the South.

Big River Grill and Brewery is a fabulous restaurant that also brews six different beers onsite. Its Sweet Magnolia brew is a dark lager that consistently wins national awards. Hops is a chain restaurant but also a fine microbrewery in its own right. Folks whose tastes lean more toward the "macro-brewed" side can try Taco Mac, a restaurant and bar that boasts the "largest selection of beer in the free world." They may be right—you will see more taps here than inside Gregory Hines' closet. The Stone Lion, The Tavern and the Chattanooga Billiard Club are other popular watering holes.

Health-Conscious Alternatives

What really sets Chattanooga restaurants apart from other Southern cities are the health- conscious alternatives it offers. This is not so strange when you consider that the city's people love to walk. There are hundreds of miles of walking paths and trails, and they are ever filled with people taking a leisurely stroll or a heart-pounding run. There are plenty of opportunities to wreck your diet in this town, but most places prepare "light," healthy versions of the Southern classics as well. So go ahead, step inside one of the city's taverns, cafes or diners and enjoy a slice of what Chattanooga has to offer.

Copyright 1999-2005 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Wcities

Big River Grille and Brewing Works

Chattanooga's own microbrewery

222 Broad Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
United States
+1 423 267 2739

This fun and lively spot is perfect for entertaining friends or unwinding after work. With eight different brews in their vats at all times, you are sure to find a flavor and body to suit your taste here. From the light Sweet Magnolia to the stout and hearty Iron Horse Dark, you will find micro-brewed nirvana. Pints are $3-$5 depending on the brew. Should you get hungry from lifting all those mugs, there is a complete lunch and dinner menu that rivals any in town. Entrees range from simple burgers and sandwiches to the thick and juicy Drunken Rib-eye ($10.95), a 12-ounce rib-eye marinated in beer and served with veggies and a baked potato.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Big River Grille and Brewing Works photo by Doriath

Photo: Doriath

Brainerd

Chattanooga
United States
One of Chattanooga's oldest districts, the Brainerd area is named after Presbyterian minister David Brainerd. This man was a missionary to the Cherokee Indian tribes and founded the Brainerd Mission, whose cemetery still exists. Today the Brainerd area is home to Eastgate Town Center, a collaborative effort by local government and private industry to turn the now defunct Eastgate Shopping Mall into an auspicious address for corporate offices and community service facilities. Missionary Ridge rises to the west of Brainerd and offers scenic views of downtown; it is part of the Choo Choo Scenic Driving Tour of historic homes, parks and gardens.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Rachel Pennington
Photo: Tim Hollis

Chattanooga Billiard Club Downtown

Serious billiards 725 1/2 Cherry Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
United States
+1 423 267 7740
http://www.cbcburns.com/ Any bar can serve a drink, but few serve the those that play pool. Competitive players can join one of the tournament leagues or simply show off their skills on one of the 20 tables. The novice need not feel intimidated because there are enough tables for players of all skill levels to enjoy a game without people looking on. Though designed around the billiard tables, the bar also features an extensive beer selection and fairly good sandwiches and burgers.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Chattanooga Billiard Club Downtown photo by wcities
Photo: wcities

Chattanooga Choo Choo

All aboard for dining, entertainment and more 1400 Market Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
United States
+1 423 266 5000
http://www.choochoo.com "Pardon me boy..." Remember the old Glen Miller song? See the place that inspired his musical musings and the city's oldest attraction. The Chattanooga Choo Choo is a train station turned hotel, restaurant, museum, convention center, and more. You can sleep aboard an antique train car, dine in the dining car or catch a ride on a horse drawn carriage. Luxurious guest rooms and fine dining now fill the century-old station and the gardens and shops provide hours of enjoyment. Prices start at $150 per night.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Downtown

Chattanooga
United States
Unlike many cities in the United States, Chattanooga's downtown enjoys a vibrant nightlife. More and more people are returning downtown to live, work and play, and with good reason. Deluxe accommodations, more than 100 shops and restaurants, dozens of music venues and museums, and extensive public transportation combine to make the area between the Riverfront and Lookout Mountain attractive to visitors and residents.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Southside Grill

Chattanooga's newest continental dining experience 1 Cowart Street
at 14th Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
United States
+1 423 266 9211
http://www.southsidegrill.com Owners Diane Van Cleace and Alice Montague offer new interpretations of Southern dishes with continental flair. The innovative menu and elegant dining room create a setting perfect for business or romantic occasions. Start with "Southside" fried green tomatoes ($9) with navy bean puree and lobster smoked corn vinaigrette. Grilled Twin Petite Filet Mignon with garlic mashed potatoes, onion straws and a Cabernet Thyme reduction is an intriguing variation on an old favorite ($25).

Review © 2007, Wcities

Southside Grill photo by wcities
Photo: wcities

Taco Mac

Southwestern flavor in the Southeast 423 Market Street
(at Jack's Alley)
Chattanooga, TN 37402
United States
+1 423 267 8226
http://www.tacomac.com The bar is always hopping with folks stopping by after work or beginning their weekend. If you're a beer drinking, they've got the best selection in town. If you are hungry, try the famous Taco Mac Wings or massive plate of Nachos with chili, cheese, tomatoes and sour cream. Looking or something more substantial? The barbecued chicken sandwich is grilled to perfection and smothered in tangy sauce.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Matt Thomas

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