Memphis' Oldest Restaurant

Arcade Restaurant in Memphis, TN.
Arcade Restaurant in Memphis, TN.


Memphis, Tennessee is known for it's lively music scene, rich history, and of course it's barbecue, which is why it may come as a surprise that the oldest and longest running restaurant in Memphis is actually a diner. Speros Zepatos, an immigrant from Greece, established Arcade Restaurant in 1919. It began as a small one-room restaurant and eventually evolved into a popular diner. For the majority of Arcade's life, it was open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week serving classic country food.


In the 50's and 60's Arcade was so popular that it attracted celebrities such as Elvis Presley. He would sneak in through the back door and sit with his back to the restaurant facing a mirror so he could still see what was going on behind him. He would order the classic country food. In the late 60's with the death of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., downtown Memphis, including Arcade, shut down. Most of the businesses in that area went out of business, but Arcade managed to survive and come back better than ever.


Today, Arcade Restaurant is still a favorite among locals as well as a tourist destination. They have become famous for their country-style breakfast. Some of their most popular menu items are sweet potato pancakes, country ham, eggs redneck - which is an egg dish with layers are biscuits and sausage covered in pepper gravy - and of course Elvis' favorite: the fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. They have kept the interior of the restaurant mostly the same, all the way down to the worn tabletops. It is a fun and historic place that is sure to charm anyone looking to step back in time and have some delicious food in the process.


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