At this Riverview staple, find excellent cocktails and modern versions of Southern cookout classics like pulled chicken sandwiches and fried catfish and grits. Set in a 1920s cottage, the Rosecomb’s vibe is intimate and homey, with walls and surfaces dotted with antique, quirky touches. Outside, it feels more like a friend’s summer backyard party than a restaurant, in a good way. The restaurant is 21-plus, even during Sunday brunch.

Over in Northshore is where you’ll find Zaya, a fine-dining (re: special occasion) steakhouse with a predilection for Korean barbecue. You’ll find a smokeless built-in grill at every table where servers deliver, grill, and cut your choice of meat(s) — including Omaha dry-aged rib-eye, A5 Japanese Miyazaki wagyu, and tomahawk steak — alongside unlimited servings of various banchan like kimchi and cold vegetable salads.

The feeling is light and airy, easy and breezy, but the mission here is serious: Whitebird aims to elevate Appalachian cuisine from its often misunderstood “podunk” status to something a little more polished and pretty. Think trout but butter-basted with wilted dandelion and charred sweet red pepper salsa, or pork with bacon jam and roasted rosemary-apple compote — all sourced from the Tennessee River Valley and enjoyed at tables overlooking the river.

This pizzeria in Miller Plaza is essential as essential gets. Community Pie’s Neapolitan-style pizza is super light with crispy, bubbly edges, as it should be. Set your mouth on fire with the Spicy Bianca topped with fresh mozzarella, ricotta, pecorino Romano, olive oil, garlic, and Calabrian chiles, then put that fire out with a scoop or two of house-made pistachio gelato. You’ll also find a second location in Hamilton Place.

Pickle Barrel is arguably Chattanooga’s most iconic pub, located in a historic flatiron building smack in the middle of City Center. Despite the dive bar vibe, don’t overlook the food — it’s extremely solid. With surprisingly clean bathrooms and a great roof deck for people-watching, Pickle Barrel hasn’t changed much over the years except for becoming non-smoking, and that’s a good thing.

Where can you find fresh tamales, crawfish (in season), and some of the best crispy fried chicken Earth has to offer — all under one roof? Champy’s is the answer. The regional chain’s aesthetics take diners back to the back roads of the Mississippi Delta, and the restaurant even has koozies to keep that 40-ounce bottle of Miller High Life nice and chilly.

Larry Torrence said it himself: He’s the “designated fish fryer” at his family reunions, and that should tell you everything you need to know. Uncle Larry’s first location on MLK Boulevard couldn’t handle the demand for Torrence’s perfectly seasoned, breaded, and fried catfish, tilapia, and whiting, so he opened three additional locations throughout the city for easy fried-fish access for all his fans.

St. John’s radiates sophistication. Expect a mix of moguls cutting through flat iron wagyu as they finalize power moves, folks celebrating an anniversary or graduation from law school with cocktails crafted with local whiskey and creme de violette, and you, should you choose to get fancy, adhere to the dress code, and indulge in Chattanooga’s go-to example of fine dining.

Brick façades, stacks of heavy wood, and the warm glow of candles set the vibey scene at Alleia, a wonderland of rustic Italian fare from the mind of local chef Daniel Lindley. The restaurant produces seven types of house-made pasta and uses a custom brick oven that reaches 750 degrees for its perfectly blistered pies. Don’t skip the silky gelato for dessert — they’re made in-house daily.

Since 2007, this homespun family-owned joint on Main Street has made a name for itself among locals as one of the best breakfast experiences in the city. Housemade biscuits, honey wheat pancakes, and a variety of hashes are flanked by a powerhouse lineup of fresh-baked pastries — including a few gluten-free options — that have made regulars out of Chattanoogans and visitors alike.

In 2013, chef Erik Niel created a carnivore’s paradise in the Southside neighborhood featuring house-cured meats, skillet cornbread, and gruyere-topped beef burgers. This is Tennessee, so dabble in Main Street Meats’ mile-long whiskey list (with literally hundreds of options), and don’t forget to ask the butcher for a few beautifully marbled rib-eyes to bring home and show off at your next cookout. Niel also owns East Street Bistro, a West Village staple with a strong charcuterie game and an impeccable oyster selection that puts any raw bar to shame.

Just about every Southern city has its quintessential soul food spot, and Herman’s is Chattanooga’s. Here, the smoked ham hocks are the size of a heavyweight boxer’s fist, while the rest of the menu is filled with dishes that hearken back to those Sunday dinners at your Granny’s house after church.