Chattanooga is a vibrant cultural hub in Tennessee that features a culinary scene of classic, down-home Southern fare right on the river, from public houses to bluegrass grills and more. You can enjoy diners serving up Southern staples like biscuits and gravy, restaurants that will thrill the meat lover in you, or eclectic pubs with outlandish designs.
You'll find everything here, from diners to white-tablecloth fine dining. Check out 10 of the top places locals love to eat in Chattanooga so you can enjoy the best of the homemade cuisine of this lively region.
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Public House
Sample the best in sustainable Southern cuisine
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Public House Chattanooga offers traditional Southern fare made with locally sourced ingredients and seasonal dishes with wine pairings, all available in a relaxed setting. The restaurant is committed to sustainable relationships with local farmers and emphasising the best in seasonal produce, which is a staple of quality Southern cooking.
They maintain a robust blend of traditional classics like fried chicken, along with constantly changing current specialities from local fishmongers, butchers, farmers, and dairy farms. You can find Public House located right in city centre.
Location: 1110 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 11 am to 9 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 423-266-3366
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The FEED Co Table and Tavern
Try comfort food with a gourmet touch
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The FEED Co. Table and Tavern is the place to go for an industrial surrounding offering comfort food with a gourmet touch and a speciality craft cocktail bar. The restaurant's interior was designed by award-winning local architects and seeks to pay tribute to the former occupant of the building, the historic Seed-Feed Supply Co. The overall environment tempers a sense of cosy elegance with rustic surroundings.
The restaurant offers separate menus for brunch, lunch, and dinner and features touches like grass-fed sloppy joes, Tremont burgers, and locally sourced chicken breast. It's located right in the heart of city centre Chattanooga.
Location: 201 W Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 423-708-8500
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1885 Grill
Sit down for an unforgettable surf and turf experience
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1885 Grill specialises in high-quality steaks and seafood with traditional Southern sides, the best of local surf and turf. It's located in the St. Elmo area of Chattanooga and has a mission to not only offer outstanding food, but also to provide a welcoming place where people go to get away from the chaos of their life for a while.
The menu includes Southern staples like chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits, and it also offers unique takes like Scottish salmon, vegetarian mushroom and grits, and others. Weekly and daily specials are available and change all the time.
Location: 3914 St Elmo Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37409, USA
Open: Monday–Wednesday from 4 pm to 9 pm, Thursday from 11 am to 10 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 9 pm
Phone: +1 423-485-3050
Map - 4
Scottie's On The River
Try a craft seafood dish in a casual-dining setting
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Scottie's On The River is a local seafood staple offering a wide range of traditional and craft seafood dishes, from crab cakes to lobster tail, in a casual dining atmosphere. The restaurant isn't entirely seafood, as you'll also find center-cut filet mignon and a variety of sandwiches. For those with dietary restrictions, gluten-free and vegetarian options are available.
Menu highlights include firecracker shrimp, maple-chipotle onion rings, crab-stuffed mushrooms, fried lobster tail, and classic fish and chips. It's located right in city centre on the riverfront.
Location: 491 Riverfront Pkwy, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm
Phone: +1 423-269-7487
Map - 5
State of Confusion
Enjoy wood-fired meats, seafood boil, and Peruvian fusion
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State of Confusion is a brasserie and restaurant known for its wood-fired meats, seafood boils, and ceviche made from scratch and served up in exposed brick and industrial surroundings. The owners and chefs have travelled the world to sample unique cultural cuisine from all over and developed their menu from such diverse cultures as Peruvian, Argentine, and more, all now available right in the heart of Chattanooga's Southside area.
At this restaurant, you can try everything from Sicilian avocado toast to fried beef tacos, pan-seared chicken to Peruvian paella, and many other dishes in the fusion tradition.
Location: 301 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Open: Monday–Thursday from 11 am to midnight, Friday from 11 am to 1 am, Saturday from 10.30 am to 1 am, Sunday from 10.30 am to midnight
Phone: +1 423-760-3473
Map - 6
Maple Street Biscuit Company
Sit down for biscuits and gravy or fresh-made jam
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Maple Street Biscuit Company offers comfort food with a modern twist and sustainable ingredients, like biscuits made fresh with artisanal flour and all-natural, never-frozen chicken.
Whether you're coming for the biscuits with sausage gravy or you're a vegetarian looking to try out the shitake mushroom gravy, you're sure to find something to spark your senses in this down-home establishment. Even their jams and jams are house-made. The main location is on Broad Street, just a few minutes from the Moccasin Bend National Archaeological District.
Location: 407 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Daily from 7 am to 2 pm
Phone: +1 423-362-5380
Map - 7
Bluegrass Grill
Sit down for a traditional Southern-style breakfast
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Bluegrass Grill offers a traditional diner experience focused on Southern-style breakfasts, soup, and sandwiches offered up in a welcoming, casual setting. The establishment is family-owned and -operated and brings that sense of "welcome home" to the table for everyone who visits. The food is all made fresh to order, and the bread is baked in-house daily.
A range of options is available on the menu, from classic Southern fare to options for those with dietary restrictions, including vegan and gluten-free menus. Menu highlights include corned beef hash, Alderwood-smoked salmon frittata, and a dish of home fries with black beans, spring onions, and salsa with Swiss cheese or tofu. The restaurant is right in the heart of city centre on Main Street.
Location: 55 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Open: Tuesday–Friday from 6.30 am to 2 pm, Saturday from 6.30 am to 1 pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays)
Phone: +1 423-752-4020
Map - 8
Main Street Meats
Have a charcuterie board inside a local butcher shop
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Main Street Meats combines French New Orleans fusion with an active butcher shop and serves up fresh dishes for lunch and dinner with a complete cocktail menu. The restaurant is housed in the building that served as world's first Coca-Cola bottling plant.
Today, the location exemplifies a return to the age-old tradition of the Southern area butcher shop and combines that with a nationally-recognized wine and cocktail menu and classic French food fused with the flavour of New Orleans. Its raw bar features seafood drawn from all 3 North American coasts. It's right in city centre on Main Street.
Location: 217 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Open: Sunday–Thursday from 11 am to 9 pm, Friday–Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm
Phone: +1 423-602-9568
Map - 9
St John's Restaurant
Sit down for a white-table-cloth upscale meal
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St. John's Restaurant offers seasonal and upscale dining in a vintage setting that's outfitted with modern decor to provide a unique and relaxed experience. The restaurant is located in a historic hotel building constructed at the turn of the 20th century.
The menu features such succulent staples as lamb with cornbread grits, seared duck breast with confit, and Wagyu beef flat-iron. Vegan options, such as a plate of autumn vegetables and vegan cashew cheesecake, are available for those with dietary restrictions. It's located on Market Street in city centre.
Location: 1278 Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37402, USA
Open: Monday–Saturday from 5 pm to 8.45 pm (closed on Sundays)
Phone: +1 423-266-4400
Map - 10
Flying Squirrel
Enjoy Southern comfort food in eclectic and funky surroundings
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Flying Squirrel is the place to go for Southern comfort food and a broad craft beer selection, all served up in eclectic and lively surroundings in an industrial hangar-like spot. The restaurant bills itself as a funky and friendly area bar and hosts regular events like industry night, which offers discounts on food and drinks for other industry professionals, and live music performances by up-and-coming local acts.
The menu includes vegetarian and vegan options, so there's something for everyone to enjoy. It's right in the centre of city centre, just a block away from Main Street.
Location: 55 Johnson St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, USA
Open: Tuesday–Thursday from 6 pm to 10 pm, Friday from 6 pm to 11.30 pm, Saturday from 5 pm to 11.30 pm, Sunday from 10.30 am to 3 pm
Phone: +1 423-602-5980
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