We asked alumni to help us choose restaurants to visit in each city.Photos by Synthia Clark
In Memphis, we went to Frank Grisanti’s Italian Restaurant for dinner and sampled the toasted ravioli. Our lunch stop was Central BBQ in Midtown(above), where we chowed down on the BBQ nachos and pork plate.
“I am more grateful to the College of Medicine than anything else in my life,” says Jeff Kerlan, a cardiologist in Memphis. “I wouldn’t have a career if not for UT medical school.” Kerlan (HSC ’98) and his wife, Denise (Knoxville ’94), met us for dinner. They moved back to Memphis after living in Birmingham, St. Louis and Nashville.
Lindsey Wells (Knoxville ’11, HSC ’13), and Crystal Walker (HSC ’11), our lunch companions, say they love living in Memphis and their time at UTHSC. Wells earned her degree in pharmacy, and Walker is now pursuing a doctorate in nursing.
The Hearth is a dining staple in Martin and a favorite of alumni Todd (Martin ’96) and Jennifer (Martin ’97) Hampton, who seemed to know everybody eating dinner at the restaurant when we met them. “The university contributes to the quality of life,” says Todd.
The chicken and waffles sandwich at lunch spot Sammie’s in Martin is decadent.In Chattanooga, we visited Community Pie, a pizza place in Miller Plaza downtown that is a favorite of David Martin (Chattanooga ’04, Knoxville ’06) and Natalie Roy (Chattanooga ’09) and UTC athletics director David Blackburn.
Jerry Harris (Chattanooga ’64) and Bert Caldwell (Chattanooga ’63) met us for lunch at Bea’s restaurant, which features fried chicken, turnip greens and other Southern goodies situated on lazy Susans at each table.
The UT Knoxville alumni chose Calhoun’s on the River as our dinner destination. We enjoyed conversation by the river with Alan Moore (Knoxville ’06, ’10), Erica Moore (Knoxville ’06) and Rachel Frey (Knoxville ’06). They are involved in the Young Alumni Council.
