This iconic musician’s Favorite Diner was in Tennessee

Tucked away in the heart of downtown Memphis, Tennessee, the Arcade Restaurant — now lovingly known as Arcade Memphis — is far more than a diner. It’s a living monument to rock ‘n’ roll history, a time capsule of Southern culture, and the beating heart of a city that helped shape modern music.

A Legacy That Started in 1919

The Arcade first opened its doors in 1919, founded by Greek immigrant Speros Zepatas, who dreamed of building a welcoming place for locals to gather and share a meal. Originally, it was a modest, one-story wooden building where home-cooked dishes were made on a potbelly stove.

By 1925, Zepatas rebuilt the café into the brick structure that still stands today, adding storefronts on either side and renaming it The Arcade — inspired by the curved architecture popular at the time. Over a century later, the restaurant proudly holds the title of Memphis’ oldest operating café. Continue reading…