It may sound
cliché, but not if you have been to Peabody
Place, the hottest block in Downtown Memphis. New
restaurants and businesses have brought back life
to the block that once served as the social
center of the city more than fifty years ago.
Then, Memphians headed downtown to
Goldsmiths on Main Street, now Pembroke
Square, valet-parked their cars for $.20 and
stopped for lunch at Gerbers Tea Room. A
luncheon menu in 1947 might have consisted of
Jell-O salads and tiny finger sandwiches.
Now lunch faring Memphians enjoy margarita
crawfish and linguini pasta at Breckenridge
Brewery, bratwurst and beer cheese soup at The
Flying Saucer or perhaps the antipasti bar at
Ciao Cucina. These new restaurants have sparked
nightlife in the historic district that downtown
has not seen in years. The success has been so
tremendous that people have lined up outside the
three restaurants to try a taste of
Memphiss newest culinary treats.
Breckenridge Brewery & Pub
Breckenridge Brewery, located in the former
Majestic Theater, offers an upscale yet casual
dining experience with a full menu designed to
complement fresh, handcrafted beers brewed
on-site. It offers Memphis a product and
atmosphere that is unique in the metropolitan
area; an open-air environment enables guests to
see tanks where the brewing and aging process
takes place. Add-ing to its uniqueness, an
upstairs lounge allows customers to relax on
leather sofas and chairs while enjoying their
favorite cigars and martinis.
Ciao Cucina
The first retail component of Peabody Place, Ciao
Cucina, which opened in February 1996, is located
in the former historic Gayoso Hotel. Ciao
combines casual elegance, a contemporary flare,
and the historic charm of the original structure.
Some features unique to the Ciao concept are the
display kitchen, the permanent antipasti table,
the storefront-style bakery and gourmet coffee
shop (Ciao Expresso), and the extensive premium
wine-by-the-glass list. The menu features an
array of dishes with influences from the Italian,
Mediterranean, Spanish, and French regions.
The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
The Flying Saucer presents many handcrafted beers
from around the United States and abroad,
allowing patrons to compare flavors, brewing
techniques and styles of beer. Seventy-five beers
are offered on tap with an additional 150 beers
presented in bottles. In addition to the
extensive beer selection, The Flying Saucer
presents a very laid-back environment and a menu
featuring grilled bratwurst, gourmet sandwiches,
sausages, and cheeses.
Not only have Downtown menus changed, so has
parking. New parking garages are springing up
everywhere to accommodate the influx of people
rediscovering the allure of Downtown Memphis. The
newest parking facility in the city is connected
to The Tower at Peabody Place. The Tower garage
offers six levels of parking and provides 700
spaces to Peabody Place tenants and the public.
Pembroke Square Prepares for Opening
Belz has not only restored the social scene
Downtown once knew and loved, but also plans to
bring shopping and convenience back to Downtown
residents and visitors. This fall, the
much-anticipated City Grocery, located in
Pembroke Square, will open its doors on Front St.
to offer gourmet foods as well as staple items
such as bread and milk. City Grocery will cater
to its customers by offering a drive-up service
that cannot be found anywhere else in Memphis. If
your time is limited, City Grocery will accept
grocery lists via facsimile and will have grocery
orders ready when you drive up. This idea of
convenience ties into Belzs overall
objective of creating Peabody Place to be a
city-within-a-city. Pembroke Square will also
house a market place that will offer a quaint
urban shopping village featuring a Taste of
Memphis food court.
This summer, Peabody Place promises to serve up
some of Memphiss finest entertainment.
Whether its enjoying the river breeze while
sitting outside at The Flying Saucer, relishing
an Italian specialty over candlelight at Ciao
Cucina, or sampling homemade Memphis brew at the
Breckenridge Brewery, Peabody Place has something
for everyone. |
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The unique interiors of Ciao Cucina
(above) and The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium
give downtown diners options which once were not
available.
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