Carryout Spot is a destination in South Memphis

Every morning at 5 a.m., the lock on the door of the Shop & Save grocery store on Third Street closes. Store employees and kitchen staff enter and take their places in a masterfully choreographed dance that ensures the breakfast service is steaming hot and ready when the store doors open to the public at 6 a.m., serving eggs, hash browns, salmon croquettes, breakfast meats and biscuits.

They have been doing this for more than 30 years – seven days a week, 13 hours a day.

The convenience store has a hidden food counter that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner to-go to hungry Memphisians all over the South Side. The restaurant’s name describes its menu perfectly: Memphis Best Soul Food. Customers agree that it’s “the best” soul food in town.

Tony Walls, 64, opened Memphis Best Soul Food in his store in 1991. Back then, the intersection of South Parkway and Essex was surrounded by bustling factories offering everything from textile manufacturing to food processing.

Factories meant workers and workers meant potential customers. Lots of them.

“People came in and wanted something (hot) to eat, so that’s what we did,” Walls said.

It didn’t take long for Walls to realize there was a market for more than the cold drinks and packaged snacks he initially wanted to sell. Within the first two weeks of business, he added a counter service of hot meals, open to the community from sunrise to sunset. It was an instant success.

Walls attributes many of his early recipes to the first cook he hired, a woman named Sharon Carpenter.

“She was a great cook,” he said. “She could do anything.”

She has since moved on, and about 10 employees now help Walls keep the place running like a well-oiled machine. Listening to customers’ requests has led to an expansion of the menu over the years. These days, there are nearly a dozen freshly prepared, vegan options (nothing comes out of a can here, folks), including greens, kale, black-eyed peas, okra and yams. Dairy lovers are not left out—there’s plenty of cheese to go with the broccoli And Macaroni. Carnivores will enjoy lasagna, meatballs, pork chops, crispy fried chicken, catfish and more. There is also a selection of delicious desserts. Everything is made in-house.

In the years since Walls first opened its doors, the neighborhood has changed significantly. The bustling factories have either moved away or closed entirely. Many of the residents have moved away as well. Then a pandemic swept the globe and rocked the community once again.

MEMPHIS RESTAURANTS: 24 Black Restaurants in Memphis That Shaped the City’s Restaurant Scene

Nevertheless, Memphis Best Soul Food has stood the test of time and adversity.

Walls points to the many changes the company has weathered and says the quality ingredients have kept his business alive over time. He also proudly invests in the community he serves, ensuring that the majority of his employees live in the neighborhood.

According to staff, people come from as far away as West Memphis and beyond to enjoy the hearty homemade Southern cuisine and sweet treats.

But as Walls says, “If the food is good, you’ll get up and get it.”

Ellen Chamberlain is The Commercial Appeal’s food and dining reporter. Reach her at [email protected].

The best soul food in Memphis

Address: 1499 p. Third St.

Hours: Breakfast daily from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.; lunch/dinner daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Delivery: GrubHub

Carryout Spot is a destination in South Memphis

ByJasper

The best soul food in Memphis

By Jasper

Related Post

Map: Tracking Tropical Storm Joyce

NC officials order evacuation downstream of Lake Lure Dam

Israel attacks Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut attack: senior US official

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You missed

Map: Tracking Tropical Storm Joyce

NC officials order evacuation downstream of Lake Lure Dam

Israel attacks Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut attack: senior US official

Whoopi Goldberg pays tribute to ‘Sister Act’ co-star Maggie Smith following her death at age 89