When my husband and I were dating, he made sure to tell me about all of the good places to eat in Chattanooga. I think he was a little nervous because he really wanted me to like the city and I was coming from a place where the food scene was top rated and had been the #1 food city in America in 2012. I have been pleasantly surprised by Chattanooga and the growing food scene over the past nine years. Our opportunities for dates have needed to be flexible because of the kids, so we don’t always get a night out, but instead a morning or evening tea outing.
Our list of favorites is ever-expanding, but here are a few that we’ve come to enjoy:
Han-Mi: Located on Broad Street across from Wendy’s, this is a hole-in-the-wall you didn’t know you needed to frequent. The menu isn’t extensive but what they offer is delicious and you can’t go wrong with anything on it. It doesn’t have a lot of seating but it’s perfect for a quick lunch or casual date night. Their fried dumplings are our appetizer of choice and the ramen soup will warm your bones on a chilly day. If you’re not a spicy food person, make sure to ask your server about the spice levels.
Alleia: If you didn’t know what you were looking for, you would walk right past their building. Serving up rustic Italian cuisine, everything we’ve had has been delicious. Their bacon wrapped dates and ricotta bruschetta with ruffle honey are our go-to appetizers. The atmosphere is dark and cozy, but can be a little loud at times. This doesn’t have to be a place for an expensive date either — order a pizza to share and voilà!
Neutral Ground: We were only able to visit this establishment just before they left Proof Bar & Incubator and you can bet that once they open their brick and mortar on Main Street we will be there for all they have to offer. We ordered the Smoked Brisket Meatball Yakamein and Catfish with polenta, they were AMAZING! The brisket meatballs were so tender they fell apart from me barely touching them and the catfish was perfect, and that’s coming from someone who doesn’t eat a lot of seafood.
Wooden City: It was around this time two years ago when we first tried Wooden City on a double date with friends. We ordered their seasonal bread pudding appetizer, which was described to us as Thanksgiving in a bowl and that is exactly what it was. It was so good. We tried their summer version with basil and it was just as good. The menu is small which helps make your choosing easier and some of the dishes change with the seasons. We have yet to have anything bad from them. The only downside is that it can get really loud and can be hard to hear one another at times.
I was very excited when Community Pie opened because I love thin crust pizza with the perfect amount of toppings. There have been a few times where I’ve wished they had put more toppings, but that hasn’t deterred us from them. There are plenty of pizza flavors to choose from to make everyone happy and if you don’t want pizza, you can order pasta. If you want a little competition on your date night, head to Goodfella’s for pizza and their arcade room. For a cozier atmosphere, take a seat downstairs in their Wiseguy Lounge and step back in time to the roaring twenties.
Frothy Monkey: We’ve come here for an evening tea when the twins were little and we needed a little time together before bed. It’s in the perfect location to walk or sit, and chat while sipping your favorite beverage and maybe munch on a charcuterie board or dessert. Their PMP sandwich is my favorite and their bagel breakfast sandwich hits the spot.
Calliope: Located on Martin Luther King Blvd, this spacious restaurant serves modern Levantine cuisine. Like Wooden City the menu is not expansive which is a plus and changes with the seasons. The plates are small; tapas style so we usually order a variety to share. We have only had one issue with a dish and it was because the vegetable used was over ripe, but that won’t stop us from returning.
OX2 Bun & Noodle: Chattanooga’s first hand pulled noodle restaurant and handmade buns & dumplings. I heard about this place from an Instagram influencer and got very excited. I went to China once for a few weeks and never got over the food, it was amazing. Sitting in OX2 Bun & Noodle dining room you can watch the cook through the window to the kitchen hand pull the noodles. The food was delicious and when we left the line was out the door. The only downside is its location on Gunbarrel. It’s not very large and there is no waiting area so make sure to get there early or you will be waiting outside for a seat.
A few other places we would return to are Massey’s Kitchen on Lookout Mountain and Civil Provisions on Signal Mountain. There are still so many places we have yet to try and so many new ones constantly being added. We’ve been trying to get into Old Man Rivers because we’ve heard great things but we have yet to get there early enough to make it in. Keystone Breakfast & Lunch is a must on my list to check out soon. As someone who has spent time in Jersey eating Taylor Ham Egg & Cheese on a Kaiser Roll breakfast sandwiches, my heart leapt a little when I heard about this place and saw the menu. They even have homemade Baklava. The one thing Chattanooga is missing though is a dessert bar.
What are some of your food favorite places to frequent?
