New Memphis restaurants: From smoothies to tacos to pizza, 6 new spots you should try

Looking for a new restaurant to try in the new year?

Here are six new Memphis-area restaurants that opened recently and offer everything from smoothies to tacos to pizza.

Vibe Foods

A Peach Colada smoothie at Vibe Foods, a new restaurant in East Memphis.
A Peach Colada smoothie at Vibe Foods, a new restaurant in East Memphis.

1350 Concourse Ave.; (901) 572-1127; lovevibefoods.com

Vibe Foods opened its second Memphis location on Nov. 29. The new spot for the Colorado-founded restaurant is in Crosstown Concourse. You can find it in the West Atrium, near Church Health Memphis.

Whether you're in the mood for bowls, smoothies or wellness shots, everything on the menu is carefully crafted to take you on a journey to wellness. The family-owned restaurant chain opened its first Memphis location at 3139 Poplar Ave. in 2020.

Hours: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily

Rotolo’s Craft & Crust

The new Rotolo's Craft & Crust in Collierville opened Monday at 1337 West Poplar Avenue
The new Rotolo's Craft & Crust in Collierville opened Monday at 1337 West Poplar Avenue

1337 W. Poplar Ave., Collierville; (901) 673-4056; rotolos.com

Rotolo’s Craft & Crust opened its new Collierville pizzeria at 1337 W. Poplar Ave. on Dec. 4.

It’s the second Memphis-area location for franchise owners Blaire and Taylor Bobo. The couple opened their first Rotolo’s in Memphis at 681 S. White Station Road in 2022.

The new Rotolo’s occupies a 3,800-square-foot space in Suite 101 at the Water Tower District in Schilling Farms next door to the new SOB restaurant.

The restaurant features a variety of pizzas, including deep dish, Chicago cracker thin crust, original crust and specialty pizzas. Other choices on the menu include burgers, salads and a variety of appetizers.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Zaxby’s

Zaxby's opened a new to-go-only concept on Dec. 11 at 436 Perkins Ext.
Zaxby's opened a new to-go-only concept on Dec. 11 at 436 Perkins Ext.

436 Perkins Ext.; zaxbys.com

Zaxby’s, known for its chicken wings, chicken fingers, sandwiches and salads, opened a 2,400-square-foot, to-go-only concept on Dec. 11 at 436 Perkins Ext. It is located in the building that was formerly a Back Yard Burgers restaurant.

The to-go-only location is equipped with double drive-thru lines for patrons, along with new digital menu boards, a payment window as well as a drive-thru delivery door for quicker pay and pickup. The new Zaxby’s also has a walk-up window for guests to place takeout orders.

Hours: 10:30 a.m.–11 p.m. daily

Chukis Tacos 2

The dining area of Chucki’s Tacos, a new Mexican restaurant, can be seen on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023 at 3445 Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tenn.
The dining area of Chucki’s Tacos, a new Mexican restaurant, can be seen on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023 at 3445 Poplar Avenue in Memphis, Tenn.

3445 Poplar Ave., Suite 1

Chukis Tacos 2 opened Dec. 14 at 3445 Poplar Ave., Suite 1 in the University Center shopping center at Poplar and Highland.

The Mexican restaurant serves traditional home-style Mexican recipes like bierra tacos, tortas (Mexican sandwiches), burritos and agua frescas. There is even a salsa bar.

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Co-owner Abraham Valenzuela said it’s the second location for the group that opened Chukis Deli Mexicano in Olive Branch.

Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday

Local Lime

Local Lime opened on Dec. 20 at 7605 W. Farmington Blvd. in the Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown.
Local Lime opened on Dec. 20 at 7605 W. Farmington Blvd. in the Shops of Saddle Creek in Germantown.

7605 W. Farmington Blvd., Germantown; (901) 244-2204; locallimetaco.com

Local Lime opened on Dec. 20 at 7605 W. Farmington Blvd. in the Shops of Saddle Creek. It’s the third location (and first in Tennessee) for the Arkansas-based restaurant known for its tacos and margaritas.

The restaurant makes all its salsas, sauces, dips, pickles, tortillas, marinades and juices fresh daily.

Start with a salsa “flight” of three of its signature salsa options or the signature Queso Flameado cheese dip. Original tacos include Caribbean Beer-Battered Fried Shrimp and Fried Chicken with Jicama-Jalape?o Slaw and Jalapeno Ranch Sauce.

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday

Market23

Market23 opened Dec. 21 at 2362 McIngvale Road in Hernando.
Market23 opened Dec. 21 at 2362 McIngvale Road in Hernando.

2362 McIngvale Road, Hernando; (662) 316-8241; studmuffinsonline.com

Market23 is the newest concept from the owners of StudMuffins, a Southaven-based meal prep service. It opened Dec. 21.

Located at 2362 McIngvale Road in Hernando, in the former Big Muddy Coffee Shop, Market23 is a sandwich and soup shop that also features a grab-and-go section of StudMuffins prepared foods.

Molly Jolly, who founded StudMuffins with her husband, Trey, said Market23 is the sandwich and soup shop she was wanting in her neighborhood. Top sellers since opening have been the Loaded Potato Soup, Blond BBQ Sandwich (a shredded chicken sandwich with white barbecue sauce) and the Spicy Turkey Crunch Sandwich.

Hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday; closed Sunday

Memphis restaurants that closed in December

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Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at [email protected] and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer. 

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This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Memphis restaurants to try: 6 spots that opened in December 2023