Favorites in CHATTANOOGA, TN?

Well, that's a darn strong recommendation.   Thank you for the additional information, I'll have to get over there.  I love really good meatballs.  Too many places serve the packaged foodservice variety.

If you haven't tried Champy's Famous Fried Chicken on MLK, I can recommend most everything on their very limited menu.  And the key lime pie is outstanding.  No web site yet, but they're on Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Chattanooga-TN/Champys-Famous-Fried-Chicken/87565774759

For those of you who like "meat-n-threes," I have a suggestion that has not been mentioned: the Country Place Restaurant.  It's on Shallowford Road about 1/2 mile east of Exit 5 on I-75 north.  It is open for breakfast and lunch only right now, but the owners have plans to open for dinner before too long. One breakfast includes 2 eggs, bacon, sausage or ham, grits, sausage gravy, and "cat-head" biscuits for $3.95.  There are lunch specials every day- a meat, two veggies, drink and dessert for $6.33.  I had pulled pork the other day that was as good as any of the local BBQ places.

Yes, I've found the lunches to be good, but haven't tried the breakfasts.  I'm still mad at them for taking country style steak off the menu, though!

We stayed one night in Chattanooga in April but we spent so much time at the excellent aquarium that we get travelin' manned at Wally's Diner.  We ended up eating Krystal in the car on the way to Atlanta.  We do plan on going back as it seemed like a nice town.  The one thing we did eat there, Julie Darling Donuts, are good enough by themselves to get us back there soon.

I'd skip Wally's if I were you.  There are so many great places in town. 

New York Diner closed on Wednesday.  Sad to see it go.  Superb food there for about a year.

Was just informed by Dixie Fuller that Zarzour's has extended their hours, leaving the grill open until 3:30 p.m.  They serve the normal Southern plate lunch menu from 11-2, but will serve grill items (burgers, grilled chicken sandwiches, chicken fingers, fries) until 3:30.  Weekdays, of course.  It's about time.

I never understood how they could survive on 3 hours a day.

Hello All: Been a while since I visited this thread. I hope to make a overnighter to Chattanooga sometime soon.
If I remember to bring my 12 gauge , I will likely stay at the "King's Lodge" (as seen on COPS)
I was curious if anyone has eaten at "Sugar's Ribs", which is the motel's neighbor>? They also now have a location right downtown. The menu looks impressive. The chili sounds interesting. Good sides, too Grilled Okra!
http://www.sugarsribs.com/
 
Hope to hear from some folks up that way! Thanks!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yes, I've been to Sugar's quite a few times.  The ribs are excellent, and I go there specifically for them.  Surprisingly, though, most of their regular side dishes are unremarkable, and you may even doubt that a formally trained chef had anything to do with them.  Their special sides, however, such as the grilled corn and grilled okra, are quite good, but overpriced (considering everything is served in paper, plastic or styrofoam).  I like the Texas Pintos, though they would appear to be any-state pintos to me.  The chili has GREAT flavor (red, haven't tried the white), but I find it's overloaded with beans, and I really have to dig to find meat.  Also, it could be a little thicker, but the flavor is outstanding.  I still give it good marks.
 
All said, I consider the ribs excellent and order them frequently.  There are 6 sauces on the table, so you can enjoy your barbecue with or without.   All the sauces are good, my favorite being the Carolina Red (red wine vinegar spiced with cayenne pepper).
 
The panoramic view of the city and mountains from Sugar's is stunning, and there's an outdoor deck for dining, too, if the weather suits you.  Great location for a restaurant, though most of us miss The Pancake Man, which was there for about 2 decades.  Haven't been to the downtown Sugar's.  
 
Hope you enjoy and give us a report.  Heck, you may like all the side dishes I don't care for!
 
Note:  I can strongly recommend the ribs at Southern Smokehouse Bar-B-Q in Cleveland, Tennessee, just a few miles up I-75.  Excellent ribs and side dishes.  http://www.southernsmokehousebbq.com/

Ulver:  Sure is good to see you again.  There was a rumor you'd jumped off Stone Mountain.

Ulver, you are a brave man if you stay at the King's Lodge.  I stayed there about 35 years ago and at that time it was OK.  I agree with you about the 12 gauge.
 
The rib place sounds interesting and I hope to hear your report.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

D'oh!  Forgot to mention a relative newcomer, Mama's Thai Kitchen in East Ridge.  EXCELLENT Thai food at Waffle House prices.  http://www.mamasthaikitchen.com/  Very, very good.

I may have to check out the BBQ joint you're talking about.  I've only had grilled okra at The Boathouse and thought it was excellent and I'd never seen it anywhere else.  Looking forward to your report, Ulver.

carlton pierre


I may have to check out the BBQ joint you're talking about.  I've only had grilled okra at The Boathouse and thought it was excellent and I'd never seen it anywhere else.  Looking forward to your report, Ulver.

Same ownership.  Lawton and Karen Haygood have The Boathouse, Canyon Grill, and Sugar's Ribs.  http://canyongrill.com/

My wife and I like both Sugar's and The Boathouse a good deal, but we haven't dipped back into Dade County for the Canyon Grill yet.  Maybe I can get back to Chattanooga for a meal next month...

MellowRoast

carlton pierre


I may have to check out the BBQ joint you're talking about.  I've only had grilled okra at The Boathouse and thought it was excellent and I'd never seen it anywhere else.  Looking forward to your report, Ulver.

Same ownership.  Lawton and Karen Haygood have The Boathouse, Canyon Grill, and Sugar's Ribs.  http://canyongrill.com/

Wow!  I did not know that.

We now have two roaming food trucks in Chattanooga--Southern Burger Co. and Famous Nater's.  You can find either one on Facebook to find out where they'll be today.  I haven't tracked them down yet, but I hear that both are excellent.

Just a note to encourage frozen custard fans to try Nana's Frozen Custard in Hixson, Tennessee, just outside Chattanooga: http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_204881.asp
 
Also, for street food fans, check out the mobile barbecue at Bethlehem Community Center on Fridays and Saturdays at 200 W. 38th St.  They serve from 11:00 until sold out.  I've tried the ribs and pulled pork several times and loved it.

Sundancer7


Ulver, you are a brave man if you stay at the King's Lodge.  I stayed there about 35 years ago and at that time it was OK.  I agree with you about the 12 gauge.
 
I remember seeing that place passing through on road trips that long ago (hard to miss from the freeway) - it did look nice then, but I wouldn't go there on a dare now, and I've stayed at some pretty dodgy places.
 
Remember a place called the Dude Motel? Our family stopped there in, good lord, 1964. Total dump, its big draw being a 'free trampoline', which was nowhere to be seen. Not that our parents would have let us break our necks on it...

I sure remember the name Dude Motel, but can't remember where it was located. 

Went to a neat Meditteranean restaurant on market Street on Saturday called Taziki's.  Interesting menu of gyros, wraps, really good food and a neat atmosphere.  Food was fresh and well made and utilizes local food and local vendors.  All bread made at Neidlov's.
I would definitely go back, but there are a lot of new exciting places opening in Chattanooga.

I'm anxious to try the Urban Stack, a local place offering outrageous burgers and drinks.  Next visit here I'll try this place.  www.urbanstack.com
If anyone vsiits please write in.

Urban Stack is very much to burgers what Taco Mamasita's is to Mexican food (same owners, after all), which is reasonably tasty and overpriced.  As much as anything, I'd say it's comparable to the Red Robin chain.  Certainly good, not great, especially with so many great burger options in Chatt.

That being said, the fried bologna sliders are excellent!  Bologna either made locally or in-house (as is everything else at Urban).  I think they're the best thing on the menu.

Ulver: Not sure if you got an answer about bottled Double Cola, but a retro Double Cola is available in 12-oz. bottles (with real cane sugar) and available in many retro soda shops.  It's bottled by these nice people and can be purchased by the case:
 
Orca Beverage Inc.
11903 Cyrus Way Ste 5
Mukilteo WA 98275 -5456
Phone: 425-349-5655
Fax: 425-349-5083 
orcabev@aol.com
orcabeverage@hotmail.com
 
While Double Cola is still based in Chattanooga, it is no longer botted here, though there are several independent bottlers across the country.

sauceman


I tried to set up an interview with the Little Debbie folks in preparation for a possible article. They were totally uncooperative. Got ahold of someone in the marketing department. Made me wonder why they had such a department. Hence, I've bought my last Little Debbie product.

Fred Sauceman

I'm dumbfounded.  I  had the occasion to visit McKee's corporate office several years ago regarding a media-related matter and was treated graciously and fed lunch (which I did not expect).   The earlier incident is unfortunate, seems uncharacteristic, and I'm at a loss to understand what could have happened. 

Exciting things happening in Chattanooga. 
 
http//nooga.com/154296/two-new-food-trucks-coming-to-chattanooga
 
I hope that link will work

One more time:
 
http://nooga.com/154296/two-new-food-trucks-coming-to-chattanooga
 

Carlton:  Do you know where the trucks will be located?
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

ULVER


Any favorite places to eat in Chattanooga? I love the Big River Grille brewpub! The meatloaf and grilled veggies, along with garlic mashed potatoes, makes me smile!

Thanks for thoughts and suggestions...

Zarzour's  at 1627 Rossville Ave. It's been reviewed here.

Sundancer7


Carlton:  Do you know where the trucks will be located?

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Paul,  they've announced that they'll be at the Chattanooga Market on Sundays and Warehouse Row on Tuesdays.  If you friend them on facebook they will send out their locations on a daily basis, and tyhey're expected to get started around mid-April.

Anyone been to the new-ish Mexican place over by Zarzour's?  I hear it's excellent. 
 

I used to get to Chattanooga once a month or more and now I hardly go there at all.  That Zarzour's area has been transformed ( gentrified) into something nice.  There was an excellent Salvadoran restaurant there that served excellent papusas and I hope that is still there.