A Night in Memphis

A few weeks ago, Joel and I drove to Nashville for a friends wedding. Actually, Joel drove the whole way there and back because he is a saint. I sat in the passenger seat and napped/DJed/ate snacks.

But before we could get to Nashville, we stopped in Memphis. The drive was long and the wedding was the next day in Nashville. We needed rest… and bbq. Memphis has a bad reputation for being filled with crime and other similar things, but I thought I should see it for myself. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to see Graceland, the beautiful home of Elvis… the website said that the short version of the home tour takes at least two hours. That is not short and it wasn’t going to happen. Anyway, back to foods.

My last post was about amazing BBQ in Micklethwait. Well, this place might be the best BBQ I’ve ever had, ever. It was sear-iously incredible. 

Charles Vergos’ Rendevous is a family owned and run BBQ joint that is one of the most authentic places I stepped foot in. We went around 8pm and luckily only waited a few minutes for our table. We ordered pork ribs, brisket, with beans, seasoned corn and bread on the side. If the perfectly seasoned and smoked meat wasn’t good enough, the BBQ sauce was worthy of its own award. We actually bought two bottles of it to bring back home!

Our whole meal including a beer each was about $35! And we were STUFFFED to the brim. This place really gives you a bang for your buck. The restaurant had such a fun and authentic environment, tons of great friendly staff, and overall, it was just a really cool experience. If you ever drive through Memphis, this is definitely worth stopping at and trying!

After we stuffed our faces with BBQ (and bread, apparently) we headed over to Beale Street to see what all the fuss was about. Beale Street is known for being the nightlife scene of Memphis. We walked up and down the street and loved seeing all the amazing neon signs, street acts, and hearing live honky tonk bands.

After the extensive 20 minute walk, I worked up an appetite for dessert. We went to Blues City Cafe, which was on the corner right before Beale Street begins, to get something sweet. The cafe was a very classic diner, with lots of Memphis character and charm. I glanced over the menu and saw the apple pie with ice cream and was sold. After waiting about 15-20 minutes for the pie, I was getting concerned/hangry… A minute later the waiter brings it to us, steaming from a small cast iron. They made an individual mini pie fresh to order. I honestly can’t think of any place that has done that, let alone a small humble diner! It was probably one of the most delicious apple pies I’ve had!

When I finished eating my weight in gooey apple goodness, we called it a night and headed back to our airbnb. Although Memphis has a bad rap for being crime ridden and “ghetto” it definitely has charm and its own thing going on.

Overall, it was a delight! Stay tuned for the next post where I’ll tell all about Nashville!