Sometimes the best weekend plans are the ones you barely make. We set out for an art opening and a pregame. We ended up discovering places worth revisiting, enjoying excellent hospitality, and making friends along the way. Here are our five stops, a collection of drinks ranging from familiar to unexpected, and one weekend that reminded us why we like going out in Memphis.
Memphis Whistle (2299 Young Ave.)
Our designated warm-up, Memphis Whistle is an ideal place to shake off the workweek. We’d been meaning to return since owner Jef Hicks reclaimed his liquor license. The cocktails are delicious, and the ambiance is a rare combination of eccentric and homey: a neighborhood institution disguised as a Midtown bungalow.
Usually we choose a table on the sidewalk, but on this visit, crisp fall air pushed us indoors, where we ordered medium-spicy margaritas. At $6 happy-hour prices, they’re a deal. No sad well drinks here: fresh lime, just enough sweetness, a kick of heat, and a rim of salt or Tajín. Don’t miss the crispy tots, a suitable foundation for an evening of drinking.
Tops Gallery at Madison Avenue Park (151 Madison Ave.)
Downtown, New York-based painter Steve Keene was showing his work at Tops’ Madison Avenue location, a tiny sliver of a gallery tucked into an alleyway between Little Petals and First Horizon Bank. Tim Prudhomme’s band Fake supplied the soundtrack, and an open cooler of beer handled refreshments.
Wiseacre Ananda and a cold Budweiser hit the spot. No elaborate cocktail menu, just art, live music, a couple of cold beers, and a Downtown destination that got the basics exactly right.
Archives at Hotel Napoleon (179 Madison Ave.)
Archives wasn’t on our itinerary. We were looking for an open bathroom first and a place to have a quick drink second. Memphis nightlife occasionally rewards this kind of planning.
Bartender Steve Townes poured us a vodka soda and a gin and tonic. The gorgeously appointed room was strangely deserted, which seemed a shame. The bar deserves a visit, and so does the bathroom, with its Pinterest-worthy wallpaper, astroturf, and emergency party button. We’re not sure what constitutes an emergency, but we appreciate having options.
Bar Limina (631 Madison Ave.)
Farther up Madison in the Edge District, the craft cocktail-forward Bar Limina was our final stop of the night. We hadn’t visited the location since its Inkwell days and were happy to find it buzzing.
We ordered a much-needed cheese plate and tried the White Gloves and the ‘Spresso Marg. The first was a briny, olive-oil-rich martini with Marcona-almond-washed gin; the second mixed a margarita and an espresso martini, with fresh thyme in for the ride. Both were more interesting than anything we were likely to mix at home, which was rather the point.
Then bar manager Jenna Abu-Khraybeh showed up with two more cocktails in tiny cordial glasses. They were compliments of the next table, where owner Josh Conley was having drinks with friends. The smoky mezcal-and-Montenegro M&M packed a punch, while the lighter, herbaceous drink went unnamed in our notes. What we initially thought was an awkward mix-up turned into an impromptu tasting and a round of introductions. Another argument for going out!
We ate, drank, and made merry. By the end of the night, we’d made several new friends — a pretty good return on two drinks and a cheese plate.
Tonica (1545 Overton Park Ave.)
Late Sunday morning, we decided we’d earned one more drink: Spanish coffees at Tonica, with a shared plate of steak and eggs. The cocktail is sublime: brandy, Licor 43, orange zest, cream, and enough caffeine to make us believe Sunday afternoon productivity was still possible. After Friday’s overindulgence (and Saturday’s laundry intermission), it was a fitting finale: a little treat, a big boost, and proof the weekend wasn’t quite over.
