Restaurants in Chattanooga

In the midst of ever-multiplying chain eateries, Gabriel's Pizza embraces its status as a mom-and-pop pizza joint. Though the restaurant boasts patio seating and exposed-brick walls, owners Charley and Allen Eisenmenger generally avoid frills and instead focus on perfecting a menu that brings together New York’s thin-crust pizzas and Chicago’s deep-dish pies. Their fresh dough never sees the inside of a freezer or kitchen igloo, and it takes on a whole new layer of taste when chefs coat it with the restaurant's signature sauce. They top specialty pies with USDA-certified meats and produce largely sourced from a Charleston vendor, gracing dough with accessories ranging from classic pepperoni to rich artichoke hearts. The chefs stretch crusts extra thin for piattos, or avoid pizza dough altogether and craft entrees such as baked spaghetti and ravioli.

Gee whiz, Skip, is it true that Cheeburger Cheeburger’s been voted Best Burger in 29 Cities? Yup. This is a real 1950s-style hot spot. This is a place that takes pride in serving additive-free, 100% all-natural Angus beef and frothy milk shakes in thousands of possible flavors. Amidst vintage-inspired decor, cooks fry freshly cut Idaho potatoes and onion rings in cholesterol-free peanut oil and top American-bred, vegetarian-fed beef with more than 25 toppings. Modern day soda jerks also add one of more than a dozen syrups to flavored sodas and scoop ice cream into floats fizzing with cola, root beer, Dr. Pepper, or the lesser-known Pepper sibling, Gary, who forever lives in the shadow of his brother’s medical degree.

The chefs at Fuji Japanese Steak & Sushi dazzle diners with virtuosic hibachi cooking that takes place on tableside teppanyaki grills. As guests watch, flames lap at filet mignon, salmon, and calamari before the bounty gravitates toward outstretched plates. Dozens of specialty rolls also grace palates, from the Under Control roll stocked with spicy tuna and shrimp tempura to the Ocean roll of shredded lobster and spicy mayo surrounded by snow crab and eel sauce. Wood paneling adorns one wall in the dining room and another is composed of interlocking rectangles of colorful patterns. Guests can also unwind beneath the bar's cylindrical overhead light fixtures, where they cheer for and shout stock tips at the millionaire athletes displayed on an HDTV.

A stack of burning wood warms the oven at Iron Gate Pizzeria, turning thin disks of dough into golden-brown pizza crusts. These crispy pies showcase toppings that range from the traditional––mozzarella sliced fresh by hand––to the gourmet––gorgonzola cheese, artichoke hearts, and spicy cherry peppers. Shy pizzas fold up and hide both their toppings and innermost secrets inside the buttery shell of a calzone.

Despite the establishment's lack of interior dining space, the menu printed beneath Dixie BBQ's walk-up window reveals the vast scope of its barbecue selection. Chefs slather slabs of ribs in tangy sauce and plate hunks of smoked chicken, pork, and beef. They also serve up a dozen sides, including fried pickles, baked beans, and hot fries, a customer favorite.