Looking for a new place to dine? Here are five new restaurants that opened in Memphis during May, plus one favorite we said goodbye to.
Memphis restaurant openings in May
Complicated Pilgrim
21 S. Cooper St.; (901) 276-9311; thememphian.com
The Memphian hotel opened May 4 at Overton Square, bringing a 106-key hotel to the heart of Midtown.
Developers intended for the hotel to be a celebration of all things Memphis; a space for locals to revel in the lovely quirkiness of Midtown and for visitors to feel like they're getting a slice of Memphis life.
The hotel has a three-meal restaurant, Complicated Pilgrim, and a rooftop bar, Tiger and Peacock.
Complicated Pilgrim was "inspired by the romanticism of open-air brasseries," according to the hotel website. It is open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features local and regional dishes with a "distinctly Memphian perspective" and a focus on fresh ingredients. It also hosts a bar area that serves coffee drinks and adult beverages.
Tiger and Peacock is set to open in June. The rooftop bar will offer views of the square as well as a curated menu of cocktails, snacks and sharable small plates.
Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 6 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-11p.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday.
Hog Wild East
921 Yates Road; (901) 305-6889; hogwildbbq.com
Hog Wild East opened at 921 Yates Road on May 5 in the 800-square-foot space that was most recently home to a Garibaldi’s Pizza.
Hog Wild East is a to-go shop featuring prepared meals, smoked meats by the pound, and freshly made sandwiches and salads. It’s the first brick-and-mortar location from Ernie Mellor, the owner of Hog Wild – Real Memphis Barbecue and Moveable Feast catering companies.
Smoked turkey, brisket and, of course, barbecue pulled pork are featured across the menu.
“We have barbecue pizza plus ‘the original’ barbecue nachos,” Mellor said. Mellor was the first to serve barbecue nachos in Memphis, debuting them back in 1998 when he ran the concessions at the old Tim McCarver Stadium for the Redbirds.
Grab-and-go “market” items include Pimento Cheese, Smoked Chicken Salad and Buffalo Chicken Dip. Bags of house-made tortilla chips and pork rinds are available to accompany the dips.
Entrees include take-and-bake casseroles like chicken enchiladas. Sauces like the signature Jalapeno Aioli and Raspberry Chipotle Sauce are also offered. Mellor said he hopes to one day add a meat market component to the offerings.
For dessert, grab a pint of Over Yonder ice cream made by Hog Wild chef Schuyler O'Brien.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday
Raw Girls Café
150 Peabody Place, Suite 118 (Entrance on Second Street next door to Shred415); (901) 207-5463; raw-girls-memphis.myshopify.com
Fresh juices, plant-based salads and soups, gluten-free-baked goods and espresso drinks are just a handful of the items you will find at the new Raw Girls café in Downtown Memphis.
For more than a decade, Raw Girls has been serving fresh juices and plant-based fare at its food trucks in Midtown and East Memphis. On May 10, owners Amy and Hannah Pickle opened their first café concept at 150 Peabody Place, Suite 118.
Amy said she and her wife, Hannah, are excited to be able to offer a better customer experience. “We are excited people can come in, sit down and get to know us,” she said, adding that the 800-square-foot café has both indoor and outdoor seating.
The couple said the grab-and-go items that they have built their business on will remain a large part of the Downtown concept.
“We have a pandemic-style pick-up window where people can place orders and pick up orders,” Amy said. “This is a one-stop shop where people can dine with us and then pick up something to go for later.”
The new shop has grab-and-go retail items, a Lavazza Italian espresso coffee bar and wine. Hot soups and broths, fresh smoothies and a bruschetta menu will be added to the offerings over the coming weeks.
As always, the menu will be plant-based and gluten-free with no refined sugars.
Hours: 7:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday
Greys Fine Cheese & Entertaining
709 S. Mendenhall Road; (901) 529-7046; greyshd.com
Stinky cheeses, mild cheeses, soft cheeses, firm cheeses. No matter what kind of cheese you love, odds are good you can find it at Greys Fine Cheese and Entertaining.
Greys Fine Cheese and Entertaining is the newest addition to the gourmet food offerings in Memphis. The shop opened May 18 at 709 S. Mendenhall Road and offers a wide selection of artisan cheeses plus everything you will need to serve your cheese.
Jackie Mau and Kurt Mullican are the couple behind the new cheese shop.
The shop focuses not only on cheeses from around the world, but artisan cheeses made in America as well. Mau and Mullican have traveled to creameries across the country developing relationships with the craftsmen who create these unique specialty cheeses. The opening menu has close to 75 cheeses.
The retail side of the shop also includes everything you might need to accompany your cheese. Artisan crackers, honeys, mustards, olive oils and jams are just a few of the offerings available.
The shop also features a cheese tasting bar where guests can enjoy a curated selection of cheeses.
Hours: 1-5 p.m. Monday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; closed Sunday
RAWK’n Grub Side Stage
4949 Bethel Road, Olive Branch; (662) 895-2527
RAWK’n Grub has a new home.
Steph Cook opened his latest venture, RAWK’n Grub Side Stage, at 4949 Bethel Road in Olive Branch on May 17.
Cook has partnered with the owners of the Valero gas station on Bethel Road. His new to-go eatery is located in the gas station’s Super America convenience store.
The takeout menu features a new spin on the burgers and sandwiches served at his award-winning food truck, which closed in early 2020 after five years.
RAWK’n Grub was famous for its over-the-top burgers made with Cook's special meat grind and homemade sauces. Instead of thick, cooked-to-order burgers, Cook is serving “smashed” burgers at RAWK’n Grub Side Stage.
Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed on Sunday
Memphis restaurant closings in May
Bhan Thai
Beloved restaurant Bhan Thai closed at the beginning of May. The restaurant owned by Molly Smith had been a Midtown favorite for close to 19 years. The building at 1324 Peabody Ave. is for sale.