The Best Places to Eat in Memphis for Less Than $50

If I had all the money in the world I would eat my steaks at places like Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in East Memphis or at the Butcher Shop downtown off Front. If I wanted seafood I would go to Owen Breenan's or Justin's. For the best wine there are serious places for wine connoisseurs who spend their days tasting and rating the best that Memphis has to offer. But since my money is funny and I live a budget conscious life financially, I have found the best places to eat in Memphis do not have to cost you an arm and a leg and break your financial budget at the same time.

I love Italian food. From its rich flavors to quiet ambiance, eating at an Italian restaurant provides eating enthusiasts like me a respite from the hustle and bustle of a busy lifestyle. The absolute best place to sit down is a small place off of South Parkway in the hood of South Memphis. If you did not know any better you would think that Coletta's Italian Restaurant was just another joint in a less than attractive section of the city. Right off of the expressway and close to nothing of significance to most of us, Coletta's offers its customers the best valued dinner in the city.

For less than $30, you and your spouse can eat a phenomenal meal with a salad and an appetizer. From the chicken parm to the abundance of pizzas on the menu, Coletta's is a fantastic place to dine and have a good time. The flavors emanating from the kitchen provide every customer with a taste of home. The veal as well as the bread will leave you repenting for the number of calories you are congesting while asking the waiter for one more round. Not too stuffy and filled with vibrant conversation, Coletta's is like coming home to mama's house and sitting around the table with friends and family you have not seen in a while. That is what Coletta's offers that no restaurant in Memphis can compete with.

Nothing against Applebee's and Chili's, but another find was Mortimer's Restaurant off of Perkins and Sam Cooper Boulevard about 5 miles from the University of Memphis campus. For a while after returning to the city I heard George Lapides talk about Mortimer's on his daily sports talk show but how often do you get advice from a sports guy? I was not expecting a bar and grill but still when I first walked in I was awestruck by the uniqueness of Mortimer's. With a wide variety of menu items from soups and sandwiches to more standard meal fare like baked chicken and grilled fish, Mortimer's surprised me not only with the quality of their food but also with the environment that really sets Mortimer's apart.

If I did not know any better, you would think that Mortimer's was a place for old friends who get together and have a meal. Not an exclusive place everyone is at home at Mortimer's from the moment you walk in to the time you finish your meal. It looks like an old smokehouse from the outside but it anything but on the inside as the staff and kitchen engineers provide an impressive dining experience for everyone that visits the eatery. And besides when you can eat and talk for less than $40 you have to stop back by and do it again. Thanks George Lapides for the recommendation.

When people talk about soul food the imagination runs wild. I grew up in rural West Tennessee where my grandmothers fixed collard greens and candied yams, fried chicken and easy to chew roasts. You sat down at their tables with the intent of getting full enough not to have to eat against until dinner two days later. That's just what you did when I was growing up. The Cupboard Restaurant in Midtown Memphis is another example of a place like my grandmother's. Recently I stopped by with a pastor friend of mine who was fasting. He needed vegetables and fruit. I wanted meat and a lot of it. His vegetable plate was filled with well-cooked steamed vegetables and a baked potato. I had a plate of chicken with French fries. I know I was not doing him any favors but he was the one sacrificing.

The Cupboard sits about a block east of Union and Cleveland in the heart of the medical district in Midtown Memphis. Run like a well-oiled machine, The Cupboard is great for a group of friends whose food tastes make dining an experience to be dreaded. You cannot go to The Cupboard and not find something you want to eat. And by the way, they have the best tea in the city. Not too sweet, not too bland. It was and is just right.

Dining out does not have to be a painful experience to be dreaded. When I first went on a budget the first thing I did was slash my takeout budget. But what I did not want was to sacrifice my lifestyle. So I needed places that would offer me quality food at a quality price. And that is what I found in Coletta's, Mortimer's, and The Cupboard.