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Breakfast Club! 7/3/2008

Author: m.kelley
Filed Under: Food
Published: July 3rd, 2008

Wakey Wakey, Eggs & Bakey!

Study: Sioux Falls, S.D., safest US driving city

Researchers with Allstate Insurance Co. analyzed two years of internal crash data to calculate the chance that drivers in 193 of the nation’s most populated cities would be involved in an accident.

…Following Sioux Falls were Fort Collins, Colo.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Warren, Mich.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lexington, Ky.; and Detroit.

Have they seen the 75/24 split around 7:45 on a work day?

Where to eat downtown Chattanooga..local style?

mt. vernonI am going to Chattanooga in August with family. We are staying downtown near the river and would like to eat at some good places. Any suggestions. We are food lovers and like local and eclectic and not touristy or chain food! THANKS!!

Just a couple of comments on Chowhound, but good suggestions of Mt. Vernon and Chattarari favorites the Blue Plate, and Southern Star. I’d probably add The Innside, Mojo Burrito and Aretha’s to the list. (pic of Mt. Vernon from Clementine Press on Flickr)

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Comments
  • mt. vernon? seriously? granted it's been about 10 years since I've been there, but my impression is that it's great for the 60-and-over set. have I been missing something right in my back yard? I'd say st. john's meetingplace or table 2
  • Darla
    Niedlov's Breadworks - local bread artisan's - also serve a casual but excellent breakfast and lunch. It's great for families. My granddaughter loves the homemade cinnamon rolls.
  • josiahq
    Mt. Vernon is disgusting, frozen food and the ambiance of a Branson, Missouri lunch buffet.

    Best restaurants in town are easily St. John's & The Meeting Place, with Easy Bistro in third.
  • Get in your car and drive a few minutes to Sweet Basil. And don't forget Lupi's.
  • I don't think Mt. Vernon is disgusting or frozen, but on the level of most Chattanoogans (non-foodies like a lot of us here) it's a good example of Southern food. They make a good fried ________ (chicken, onion rings, okra, etc). I'm always disgusted when Bea's or Wally's are held up as good examples of Southern food, but it's a matter of personal tastes.
  • I always heard that Mt. Vernon was the retirement center for former Provident employees. With so many good downtown restaurants, why does that one always make the list?
  • Joe Lance
    Like Wally's (and the former Town & Country that was on N. Market), Mt. Vernon could be more about being seen there than really about the food.
  • gid
    I can hardly believe you suggested Mt. Vernon. The Mt. Vernon is a disgrace to everything Chattanooga has become. Go to the Mt. Vernon if you want to step back to bland 1950's fair. My suggestion would be Blue Orleans. Here is a write up on the Chattanoogan. http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_11...

    I have only been to the one downtown and we had a great time. The restaurant is run by some New Orleans post Katrina transplants. If you grew up in the New Orleans area it will feel like home.
  • Really, Blue Orleans? I've been there and had bad service and bad food (bland, not fresh, etc_. And you know what, they were just plain rude when my band was was there for the Main Street celebration in December. I avoid that trap like the plague.
  • Bill Colrus
    I love this. Few things are as divisive as food.
  • Andrew Stone
    C'mon! If you're gonna mention Mt. Vernon you might as well go ahead and throw in Shoney's, Western Sizzlin', and a couple of the Burger King's around town.

    I realize Lupi's is local and Mellow Mushroom is more of a quasi-chain... but I'd pick MM over Lupi's any day.
  • My local favorites are Chili's, Outback and TGI Friday's. Also, you can't beat the never-ending pasta bowl at Olive Garden.
  • Gid, hate to break the news to you. Blue Orleans is better than most, but not up to par of what I expect from authentic food. It's been Tennesseanized. I'm a Louisiana native, and I've yet to find anything in Chattanooga that matches real Cajun food aside from what my family cooks.
  • Love. It.
  • Oh, I almost forgot. The broccoli-cheddar soup at Panera is very tasty too.
  • Darla
    While Josiah may not be known for his discretionary tone :-) I have to agree with him about Mt. Vernon. (And I'm even over 60 and not opposed to Southern cooking) I think Mellow Mushroom is really good and one of the few "chains" that I will frequent. But Lupi's is still a must and a different kind of pizza because of all the great toppings. I will never go to Blue Orleans again - TERRIBLE service and fairly bad food. St. John's is among the best, but my favorite restaurant is still probably the Canyon Grill. A long but beautiful drive - take your own wine - and be prepared to spend some money.
  • Joe Lance
    No love for the Kreme House in Ooltewah? I'm kidding. But it's interesting that Foodworks has not shown up in this discussion.
  • Bill Colrus
    Man, just got back from Picadilly.

    You guys still having this discussion?
  • Terra Nostra (special occasions)
    Sawasdee (more routine dinners)
    Southern Star (more routine lunches)
    Mojo Burrito (fun, affordable, tasty lunch)
    Bluegrass Grill (fun, affordable, tasty breakfast)

    btw, I think Mt. Verson is for body snatchers - that place gives me the creeps.
  • @Joe Lance - Foodworks sucks. ;)
  • gid
    Adrienne that's too bad. You are the first nola expat that I have heard give an unfavorable opinion of blue orleans, and I know several of us who have been there. I too lived in and around new orleans up until I was in my early twenties, and it is not uncommon for us to head back several times a year. That said, the only thing I would change about blue Orleans is that I would use a darker rue than they do.

    m.kelley I could not argue with you about the service. It could have been better.
  • Eric
    If'n y'all want local - it's gotta be Bea's in Rossville. That's real local Southern style. They even carry on traditions of segregation with the staff (white out front, blacks in the back). And you have to remember that traditional Southern cooking does not equate to "good" in modern terms.

    And I have to seriously disagree with Andrew about Mellow Mushroom vs. Lupi's. Of course, now that I live out West, I'd be happy to have either! Pizza absolutely sucks west of the Mississippi...
  • "Chili’s, Outback and TGI Friday’s" - LOCAL places!?! Give me a break! Please someone tell me Davidm was being sarcastic. I'll go out to eat with stelmodad anytime -- that's more along my line of thinking -- LOVE Sawasdee and Terra Nostra. I GOTTA try Bluegrass grill...next breakfast out?

    Also for a weekday lunch: Figgy's and Anziano's are good. Innside - great choice, especially now that smokers are banned. And River City Deli...is it still around? Oh, and don't forget the ever publicity-ridden Yellow Deli!! And Hiroshi's - a long walk from the "bank" (aka shore) but best sushi in town. During the week you could take the shuttle to the end of the run and hoof it the rest of the way? That also puts you near La Altena if mexican food is what you're after.

    Pizza: Crusts was YUMMY - they have an herb garden out front they actually (say) they use - sauce is fab.

    Bea's is a flashback to be sure. But there's no segregation like Mountain City Club segregation..if you have a membership to get in. Count me out.
  • ERM
    "Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant" is located at 3208 Amnicola Highway - owned and operated by the same family that has owned a restaurant in that location since 2001! They started out in the '90's at Miller Plaza at Cherry Street and then moved (thanks to the support of Bob Corker) into the Volunteer Building where Anziano's is currently located. On the other hand, "Blue Orleans Restaurant on Market Street" - at the corner of Market and Main Street is owned and operated by a former employee of "Blue Orleans Creole Restaurant" - similar name, similar menu - NOT the same! Please be sure not to lump the two together when writing your reviews. www.blueorleanscreolerestaurant.com
  • Bill Colrus
    Wow. I did not know that. Why the similar names? I think, probably, 98 percent of Chattanoogans think it has the same ownership.
  • David Morton
    The two locations also share crappy food and service.

    I mean, they're no TGI Friday's. That's for sure.
  • I've never been to the one on Amnicola. My Main St. experience was entirely negative and I hope they quickly leave the Chattanooga landscape.
  • I have had eaten at the Amnicola Blue Orleans several times, and I am satisfied each time. I have not personally been to the one on Main, but my parents went down there and came back with the report that there was less food at a higher price than the one on Amnicola. I have family in New Orleans, and they would probably balk at both, but compared to the food I've had while in New Orleans, the Amnicola Blue Orleans isn't too far off the mark.
  • josiahq
    The owner of Blue Orleans said "I'm Not A Chef"

    regardless of location, it shows. So much of a good meal is about good ingredients, and they use bulk, Sisco, frozen crap. Nothing local, nothing fresh. Of course it tastes bland. Couple that with poor service, and you get what you've got.

    Best restaurants in town are (in my non-discretionary opinion)

    St. Johns
    The Meeting Place
    Easy Bistro
    Lupis
    Bluegrass Grill
    Niedlovs
    Blue Plate
    Hiroshi's (when their service doesn't suck)
    Mojo Burrito
    Sewasdee
    Sweet Basil
    Sitar

    and then there's everyone else

    Ok fine, Aretha's makes the list too.
  • Gabe McGraw
    Do not waste your time at Canyon Grill. Ate there last night for our NYE dinner. Had table reserved from 6:30pm-9:00pm with 13 of our friends. The food was above average and our server, Becky, was very good. However, Liz, a 60+ year old hostess who has been employed there for 4 years ruined the evening. Our table just spent over $800.00 and within 2 minutes of finishing our meal she walked over to the table and she that she had 50 people in the lobby and we needed to hurry up and leave. The time was 8:38pm and we had the table until 9pm. My friends were so embrassed that they left their 1/2 full wine glasses and walked out.
    I was in the restaurant business for 15 years as a manager and corporate trainer and have never had an employee of mine act so rudely toward a table.
    So, my advice is to stay in Chattanooga and enjoy our excellent restaurants. No need to waste an hour driving to a establishment who does not appreciate their guests. I will never waste a penny again at Canyon Grill and encourage everyone else the same.
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