Memphis Sunday Walk-About: The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant

If you have followed either of us on social media or in real life you will know that Dan and I are both foodies from the word go. If we are not making great food ourselves, we are searching for the perfect hole-in-the-wall joints that locals and travelers like me rave about on Google maps. Check out my review here of The Four Way Soul Restaurant and add a little “favorite” heart, so you won’t forget to eat there when you come to Memphis. You can follow me on Google maps for the skinny on food and fun all around the country.

Ok, back to the vittles. Let’s just say we found a winner, winner, chicken (and pork chop) dinner at this pint-sized historic eatery that first opened its doors in 1946. In the early 60’s, it was a place where diners from all races were welcome, becoming a home for leaders of the Civil Rights Movement such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Reverend Jessie Jackson, and Al Sharpton. Stax musicians, traveling dignitaries, and folks from around the neighborhood and around the world have been fed and fed well at this location. One can only imagine the depth of the some of those dinner table conversations.

The Four Way Soul Food Restaurant has been featured on The Travel Channel, and made Andrew Zimmern’s List. It has been written up in Southern Living Magazine, The New York Times, and was included in a video by Drake. We can firmly say we understand the hype.

Set before us that day was the finest crisp-ety, crunch-ety golden fried chicken that you could taste before you even took one drool-laden bite, just from the what it looked like on the plate. Cornbread dressing like Grandmomma made, covered in savory gravy, black eyed peas, hot, fresh corn muffins, boiled okra, a gravy-and-onions smothered pork chop (Sundays only), a side of hushpuppies per my request, and a dab of cranberry sauce to complete the flavor palette. We knew there would be more there than we could eat, but we planned to share so we could taste it all, and we did. We left completely stuffed with Styrofoam clamshells full of leftovers that tasted just as yummy the next day. The chicken was still crunchy!

Dan says I am the only person he knows who says “clamshells” instead of carry-out boxes. I found that to be true when the waitress scratched her head when I asked for one. I think I picked that one up during my many years living in the Detroit area. The language there is catty-whompus and if you lolly-gag around and don’t pay attention you won’t be all set and know what in the world they are saying. It was culture shock having come from Texas, but I managed to translate and adapt. A few stuck, but a Coke will never be a pop to me, even if it happens to be Dr Pepper.

We were lucky to get there just as the first few diners of the after-church crowd trickled in. The line quickly stretched out behind us, most dressed in their best summer finery and ready to eat. The ones who were already seated and enjoying their food drew my eye, although I did my best to not stare as every bite that wasn’t mine entered their mouths. After a hot and lengthy visit to the Elmwood Cemetery, we were famished. Luckily, the wait was not long, and our lunch was everything we had ever hoped for. No, there would be no room for dessert. Not a chance.

We were lucky have grooved on over on the Groove On-Demand rideshare van, so we called for our ride slightly before we took our last bite. We only had a 4 mile ride home. The mural on the side of the building was beautiful, as were the two on the building next door. As I often say, there is art everywhere you look in Memphis. I do love that fact, dearly.

Off we went with clamshells in hand to soonly arrive home and not give either puppy a single hush puppy or other soul-food bite, much to their dismay. Still, they were happy to see us, and we were happy to have done a bit more exploring and sampling of the local fare. If you are interested in hearing more about our Elmwood Cemetery tour, you can find part one of my two-part feature here.

Ok, that about wraps it up for this one, making me one closer to sharing the many stories half-finished in my back-logged Memphis collection. I am going about the catching up all backwards and sideways, but you wouldn’t know it was me if I didn’t. Be safe, happy, and healthy, friends, and get out and adventure when you get the chance. You never know what kind of treasure you may find right there in your own neighborhood.

Hushpuppies for everyone,

Brenda Cordray

The Desert Rose