12 Of Tennessee’s Oldest Restaurants You Can Visit On One Unforgettable Road Trip
Hungry for history? Tennessee offers a delicious journey through time with restaurants that have been serving locals and travelers for generations.
Nashville’s century-old chili parlors and Memphis barbecue joints where Elvis dined tell the story of the state through food.
Pack your appetite for this mouthwatering road trip across the Volunteer State’s most enduring culinary landmarks.
1. Hale Springs Inn – Rogersville
Built in 1824, this historic inn has hosted three U.S. presidents while they enjoyed its Southern cuisine.
Visitors marvel at original architectural features while savoring updated versions of recipes that have pleased patrons for nearly 200 years.
After a major restoration in 2009, the restaurant continues to serve traditional favorites in an atmosphere of genuine historical elegance.
2. Varallo’s – Nashville
Since 1907, this Nashville institution has been ladling out its famous chili in the heart of downtown.
Founded by Italian immigrant Frank Varallo, it proudly holds the title of Nashville’s oldest restaurant still in operation.
Regulars swear by the signature three-way chili, a recipe passed down through four generations of the Varallo family who continue to welcome customers like old friends.
3. Dutch Maid Bakery & Café – Tracy City
Aromas of freshly baked bread have wafted from this charming establishment since 1902.
Founded by Swiss immigrants during the coal mining boom, it stands as Tennessee’s oldest family-owned bakery.
Patrons drive miles for their legendary strudel and German chocolate cake, prepared using original recipes that survived two world wars and the Great Depression without compromising on quality or taste.
4. The Arcade Restaurant – Memphis
Opened in 1919 by Greek immigrant Speros Zepatos, Memphis’ oldest café has witnessed a century of Beale Street history.
Filmmakers frequently feature its classic art deco interior in movies, making it instantly recognizable to film buffs.
Slide into a booth where Elvis Presley often enjoyed breakfast and order their famous sweet potato pancakes that continue to draw locals and tourists alike.
5. Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous – Memphis
Hidden in a downtown alley since 1948, finding this Memphis landmark feels like discovering buried treasure.
Charlie Vergos started with a basement ham-and-cheese sandwich shop before perfecting his dry-rub ribs.
Celebrity photos line the brick walls where patrons feast on world-famous barbecue that hasn’t changed in decades: still cooked over charcoal and seasoned with Charlie’s secret spice blend.
6. Pizza Palace – Knoxville
As Tennessee’s first drive-in pizza restaurant, this 1961 Knoxville landmark pioneered the concept of enjoying Italian food without leaving your car.
Featured on Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” their legendary onion rings and Greek-style pizza keep loyal customers returning decade after decade.
Many grandparents now bring grandchildren to experience the same carhop service and recipes they enjoyed in their youth.
7. Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store – Jackson
Walking into this 1965-established restaurant feels like stepping into a living museum of Southern culture.
Originally a collection of antiques displayed in a country store, it evolved into a restaurant serving all-you-can-eat Southern comfort food.
Grandmother’s recipes come to life on the buffet where fried chicken, cornbread, and peach cobbler transport diners to Sunday dinners of yesteryear.
8. Zarzour’s – Chattanooga
Family-run since 1918, this tiny Chattanooga gem seats just 25 people, creating an intimate dining experience that hasn’t changed much in a century.
Handwritten menus showcase daily specials like meatloaf and fried chicken, prepared exactly as they were generations ago.
Regulars know to save room for homemade desserts that Charlie and Gloria Zarzour’s descendants still make from memory rather than written recipes.
9. Elliston Place Soda Shop – Nashville
Spinning milkshake machines have been humming in this Nashville soda fountain since 1939.
After a recent restoration, the black-and-white checkered floors and red vinyl booths maintain the authentic mid-century atmosphere that has drawn generations of Nashvillians.
Many customers’ first taste of a proper malted milkshake or homemade pie happened at these counters, creating food memories that span decades.
10. The Original Louis Drive-In – Knoxville
Locals have been pulling up to this Knoxville institution since 1958 for one thing: perfectly crafted Italian ice cream.
Founded by Louis Tourville, the drive-in maintains its vintage charm with carhops delivering trays of soft-serve to vehicles just as they did during the Eisenhower administration.
Multiple generations of families celebrate special occasions with their signature “snowballs” topped with homemade chocolate sauce.
11. Loveless Café – Nashville
What began in 1951 as a humble roadside stand has evolved into a Nashville landmark famous nationwide for scratch-made biscuits.
Annie Loveless started serving travelers on Highway 100, creating recipes so treasured they remain unchanged today.
Visitors happily wait for tables to experience country ham and preserves alongside those legendary biscuits, which have been featured in countless food magazines and TV shows.
12. Bea’s Restaurant – Chattanooga
Imagine passing 13 bowls of Southern sides around a family table. That’s dining at Bea’s since 1950!
Founded by Beatrice Steele, this Chattanooga institution pioneered the family-style concept where strangers become friends while passing bowls of fried chicken and collard greens.
Nothing has changed in seven decades, not the lazy Susan tables, not the recipes, and certainly not the warm hospitality that makes everyone feel like family.
