Memphis, molded by music, spread out far and wide from its hub on the banks of the Mississippi River, brings in passersby and hangers-on from all over the world. Best known for Beale Street and the blues, it’s also the origination point for Memphis-style barbecue and barbecue spaghetti. Still, there’s far more on which to dine on in this city than just barbecue.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published in July 2017 and has been updated with the latest information on these restaurants.

From the outside, this close-to-downtown barbecue joint could be confused with a laundromat or an old grocery store. Inside, the neat-as-a-pin eatery offers up a mass of smoked meats, including ribs, Cornish hen, chicken wings and beef smoked sausages. You can also delve into a Memphis specialty, barbecue spaghetti, as a small side or a bulk package to take home and share.

Though it’s billed as the oldest restaurant in Memphis, this oversize diner is refreshingly contemporary, with an updated décor that incorporates the great age of road-food culture and today’s nostalgic charm. This is the place to dine like Elvis on a peanut butter and banana sandwich, grab a milkshake, start the day with a breakfast of sweet potato pancakes and deep-fried French toast, or lunch on daily plate lunches like a spicy bacon jalapeno sandwich. Ask for the Elvis booth.

Once a grocery store, Interstate’s oversized dining rooms now lure thousands in for big fat plates of rib tips and elephantine beef ribs. Your plate of already sauced meat comes with your choice of sides — barbecue beans, coleslaw and/or potato salad. The restaurant is stacked with endless meat options, and an assortment of Southern inspired desserts like peach cobbler and sweet potato pie. The smoked turkey plate — turkey marinated in a blend of spices and served with Interstate sauce — is a special treat.