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Home » Blog

Where To Eat In Chattanooga

Last Updated: Dec 6, 2022 · 18 Comments

When it comes to good food, Chattanooga does not disappoint. From soul food to seafood and pretty much everything in between, you can find something to whet your appetite in the Scenic City. Here are just a few Chattanooga restaurants that we recommend.

Plate of food with chicken and tomatoes.

Chattanooga just might be the up-and-coming location for foodies. You can do a Google search and find several articles that go into more detail about the food scene in the Scenic City. We have updated our short list of Chattanooga restaurants below to include some new (to us), must-try places.

Jump to:
  • 1. Uncle Larry's
  • 2. FEED Co. Table & Tavern
  • 3. STIR
  • 4. Thai Smile
  • 5. Maple Street Biscuit Company
  • 6. Clumpies
  • Locations

1. Uncle Larry's

Sign for Uncle Larry's Hot Fish.

Uncle Larry's is where you want to go if you want to eat some of the best fried catfish around. The fish is cooked after you order it, so it may take about 10 minutes to get the crispy, hot fish. Once you try it, you will see why it was featured in the July/August 2022 edition of Food Network magazine (A Southern Fried Road Trip).

In addition to fried fish, other menu options include pork chop sandwiches, hot dogs, and desserts. Side dishes include cole slaw, cucumber salad, pasta salad, turnip greens, baked beans, white beans, French fries, fried okra, and onion rings.

There are three locations around the Chattanooga area. We dined at the 736 E M L King Boulevard location. It is open Tuesday - Thursday from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm.

Fried catfish, French fries, and coleslaw on a styrofoam plate.

2. FEED Co. Table & Tavern

The Feed Co sign above a commercial kitchen.

Housed in an old Chattanooga feed and seed store, FEED Co. Table & Tavern is all about fine dining in a casual environment. Menu items feature Mountain Breeze Farms' 100% grass-fed wagyu beef and Forward Thinking Farms’ free-range chicken. They also use fresh-baked bread items, such as hamburger and hoagie buns, from nearby Niedlov's Bakery.

Wagyu beef sandwich and French fries.
Wagyu Beef Sandwich

While the beef sandwich pictured above might not look like much, it was one of the best things that Jeff had while in Chattanooga in November 2022.

FEED has weekly specials, such as Mojito Mondays, Live Trivia on Tuesdays, B-I-N-G-O on Wednesdays, cocktail specials on Thursdays, and $3.50 drafts on Saturdays and Sundays (gamedays). They also have weekday Happy Hour from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm with special prices on sips and snacks (how does a Mini Wagyu Quesadilla sound?).

FEED is located at 201 West Main Street and is open Monday - Thursday from 11:00 am until 9:00 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00 am until 10:00 pm, and on Sundays from 10:00 am until 9:00 pm.

3. STIR

Brick building with blue sign that says, "STIR."

Located at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, Stir serves scratch-made Southern comfort food made with fresh local ingredients (when possible) along with craft cocktails made with artisanal ice. (They freeze and carve 300-pound blocks of ice!)

Plate of chicken caprese.
Grilled Chicken Caprese
17.95
tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar, farro with roasted vegetables

We started by ordering their Spicy Tuna Bites which were made with sushi rice, cucumbers, furikake, sriracha wonton crisps, and pineapple sweet chili sauce. For drinks, Jeff ordered a Perfect Pairing (cocktail) which I thought tasted like "a holiday in a glass" and I ordered an Elderberry Sour which was refreshing.

For dinner, Jeff ordered the Crispy Mahi Bowl with housemade pineapple sweet chili sauce, sweet & sour sushi rice, edamame, pineapple, carrots and I ordered the Grilled Chicken Caprese (pictured above). It was one of the best meals that I had on our Chattanooga trip in 2022.

Yellow cocktail topped with a dried peach.
Perfect Pairing
Cocktail and sushi.
Spicy Tuna Bites and Elderflower Sour

Stir is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 am until 11:30 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am - 11:30 pm. Brunch is served on the weekends from 10:00 am until 2:30 pm.

4. Thai Smile

Thai Smile banner.

This little restaurant that is just blocks away from The Chattanooga Aquarium has become our family's favorite.

Pad Thai on a plate.
Pad Thai

In fact, the last time that I drove through Chattanooga, I brought ice packs with me so that I could bring dinner home on my way back from Dollywood.  True story.

Massaman Curry and white rice.
Musamun Curry

We happened upon Thai Smile several years ago after spending the day at the aquarium.  We started walking around and spotted the Thai Smile sign at 219 Market Street and walked in.  It was love at first bite.   

Every time we go, I try something new and think I have a new favorite. My newest favorite dish is Musamun Curry (above), a dish made with onions, potatoes, peanuts, and coconut milk.

Place to chicken with cashews, carrots, and onions and a side of rice.
Bangkok Spicy

The servings are fairly generous and the prices are moderate.  Thai Smile was listed as one of Chattanooga’s best restaurants according to chef Daniel Lindley, as published at Condé Nast Traveler (online).

5. Maple Street Biscuit Company

Maple Street Biscuit Company sign.

Maple Street Biscuit Company opened its doors in Florida in 2012.  Today there are 8 locations across the south, including the Chattanooga location at 407 Broad Street.  The food here is absolutely amazing if I do say so myself.  

I ordered The Five and Dime (pictured below).  It is The Five (flaky biscuit, all-natural fried chicken breast, pecan wood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, topped with sausage gravy with a little kick) topped with a fried egg.  It was so good that I was tempted to lick my plate.  The price was a little bit more than five and dime, costing $9 per plate, but it was well worth it.

Biscuit platter with chicken, egg, and gravy.

Maple Street Biscuit Company uses fresh, natural ingredients. The scratch-made biscuits are made daily using real butter and unbleached artisan flour, plus a few other specialty ingredients.

The jellies and jams are made in-house without preservatives. Coffee beans are roasted each week and ground fresh daily. The syrup served at Maple Street Biscuit Company comes from the Bissell Family Farm which has been making real maple syrup for 150 years.

Coffee Mugs with Maple Street logo.

Other menu items include The Chicken Club (flaky biscuit, all-natural fried chicken breast, pecan wood smoked bacon, Romaine lettuce, tomato topped with blue cheese, ranch dressing, or honey mustard), The Squawking Goat (flaky biscuit, all-natural fried chicken breast, fried goat cheese medallion, and house-made pepper jelly), Smokey Mountain Mac-N-Cheese , and Hashups (home fries with chopped smoked ham, red and green peppers, grilled onions, mushrooms, and melted cheese). Vegetarian options are also available.

It is no wonder that Maple Street Biscuit Company was featured on The Food Network on the show called Guilty Pleasures.

6. Clumpies

Chattanooga's original ice cream shop, Clumpie's has been around since 1999. They have a wide variety of handcrafted flavors on their regular menu, as well as rotating seasonal flavors.

Red brick building with black and white awning and sign that says, "Clumpies."

Naturally, you'll see classic flavors such as Butter Pecan, Sweet Cream, Strawberry, and Cookies and Cream on their menu. For a taste of something a little different, you'll find Burnt Sugar Brownie, Campfire, Curious George, Honeycomb, Nutella Crunch, and Whiskey Caramel Cornflake Crunch on their Clumpies Signature menu.

Scoop of toffee ice cream on a waffle cone.

There are three locations around Chattanooga: Southside, St. Elmo, and Northshore, along with an ice cream truck that occasionally pops up around town.

We stopped by the Southside location at 1401 Market Street (kitty corner from the Chattanooga Choo Choo). It is open Sunday - Thursday from noon until 9:00 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays from noon until 10:00 pm.


Locations

Where do you like to eat in Chattanooga?

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  1. Bud Lanning says

    June 08, 2021 at 4:03 am

    We enjoy The City Diner. Go hungry, you won't leave that way.

    Reply
  2. Debbie Roberts says

    August 05, 2021 at 4:36 am

    We love Basecamp, Clydes, Julie Darlin donuts , Clumpies ice cream , City Cafe and Community Pie .

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      August 05, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      Clumpies is on my list of places that I need to go. Thanks for sharing your list.

      Reply
  3. Cynthia K Adams says

    August 07, 2021 at 11:29 am

    Community Pie was our favorite hands down. City Cafe was really good as well. Also a hidden gem at the Honest Pint are tater tots cooked in duck fat... light and crispy with curry ketchup and Sriracha mayo... 😋

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      August 07, 2021 at 4:24 pm

      I will have to check those out. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  4. C. Watson says

    August 11, 2021 at 4:51 pm

    Stir, Blue Plate, Urban Stack and State of Confusion are also great choices

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      August 11, 2021 at 5:40 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  5. Laura Sanders says

    August 17, 2021 at 6:24 pm

    We love the Stir and we follow dinner up at the Chocolate Delicatessen across the street.. Also, First Watch, the hash and cold brew are yummy, and we also like the Daily Ration, State of Confusion, and Mike's Hole in the Wall. One afternoon at Mike's we got caught in a sudden downpour on the edge of the crowded patio and a group of people came over and welcomed to share their table and helped us carry our food and drinks over. We made new friends that day. That's a normal day in the life here in Chattanooga.

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      August 19, 2021 at 3:52 am

      That's so great to hear!

      Reply
    • Reginald Dwight says

      August 28, 2021 at 1:30 am

      The Place to eat is Food works Restaurant North Chattanooga TN

      Reply
  6. Pat says

    July 17, 2022 at 10:12 pm

    Everyone needs to try Tata's Grill Authentic Bosnian cuisine in East Ridge. It's small family owned and fresh food.

    Reply
  7. Support local says

    July 18, 2022 at 7:28 pm

    Maple Street is a chain owned by Cracker Barrel. Please support locally owned restaurants rather than chains. Kenny’s has the best breakfast in town.

    Reply
  8. Austin says

    July 19, 2022 at 8:46 pm

    best burger: tremont tavern or jack browns.
    brisket nachos: boatyard is best. universal joint is very close.
    regular nacho: no clear winner. hifi clydes, taco mac (surprisingly), Taco mamacita, I've heard purple daisy but cannot confirm. (bbq nacho)
    best bbq: Barque (formerly charlies) is best I've had so far.
    Breakfast has solid choices, I do love maple street, but some other choices would be : milk and honey, daily ration, and syrup and eggs.
    Best steak: so far is at my own house. yet to find a great steak.
    Best italian: Giardino. (very sneaky pick would be Stevarinos Italian Eatery & Pub as it actually has some delicious pasta dishes)
    Best pizza: no clear winner. honerable mentions would be Goodfellas, pizzeria cortile, stevarinos, fiamma, and crust if you like square cut cracker crust style.
    Wings: honestly yet to find a great one. champys, tremont tavern, I've heard pizza bros but I cannot comment myself.
    Mexican food: *Varies Greatly in authenticity* : taqueria Jalisco, San Marcos (helpful if you can speak little Spanish as wait staff speaks very little English), Delias (hixson),
    Soul Food/Fried Fish : Uncle Larry's

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      July 19, 2022 at 9:19 pm

      Thank you so much for your contribution! I clearly need to go to Chattanooga and eat at more restaurants.

      Reply
  9. Wayne says

    July 21, 2022 at 8:30 am

    You can’t beat Bluegrass Grill for breakfast/lunch. One of the best burgers is at Zarzours, the oldest restaurant in Chattanooga, family owned for over 100 years !!

    Reply
  10. Tammy says

    July 28, 2022 at 4:02 pm

    Uncle Larry's for fish and great home cooking and sides. Good desserts too! Great customer service downtown especially!

    Reply
  11. Amanda Morgan says

    September 02, 2022 at 1:49 am

    Next time you're in Chattanooga look up Chef Leboze Mobile Bistro and Catering come see us!

    Reply
    • SelfLynda says

      September 02, 2022 at 4:35 am

      Will do!

      Reply

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Welcome to Silver Sun Seeker. Life is too short to stay at home. Let's hit the road and discover some great destinations where the food is delicious and the sun is shining. We're Lynda and Jeff, two Generation Xers making our way across the South - and wherever else our car, boat, or plane will take us - in search of beautiful sunrises, sunsets, and fabulous food.

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