
Pig & Pint specializes in two things: BBQ and beer -- not a bad combination in my book! We loved their creative spin on traditional BBQ, and they offer one of the largest selections of craft beer in the entire state of Mississippi. We had a blast trying Pig & Pint signature menu items selected for us by co-owner Chris Clark -- including the uniquely delicious Pork Belly Corn Dogs. Let that sink in for a sec...a crispy cornbread exterior surrounding a center of silky pork belly. It goes without saying...but this appetizer was INSANELY delicious! We also tried two of Pig & Pint's specialty sandwiches: the Fried Baloney Sandwich and the surprising Bacon Melt. The Fried Baloney Sandwich is definitely a cut above the baloney sandwiches you ate as a kid! It features a brioche bun filled with a thick slice of spicy house-made bologna, an over-easy egg, American cheese, creamy-spicy comeback dressing, and house-made BBQ pickles. This is definitely next-level comfort food...a bit messy, but supremely delicious.
What we weren't prepared for was the Bacon Melt. It's not something we'd typically order, but Chris assured us it was amazing. The sandwich features pork belly, brisket, Swiss cheese, collard greens, comeback dressing on Wheat Berry Bread. All it took was one bite for us to agree. Mind blown...this is easily the very best sandwich I've eaten this year!! The combination of rich pork belly, smoky brisket, slightly bitter greens, and earth Swiss cheese was a flavor bomb we won't soon forget.
We also had to try some of Pig & Pint's traditional BBQ, so we shared a slab of their Award-Winning Pepsi Cola-Glazed Baby Back Ribs. They were fall-off-the-bone tender, with a sweetly spicy sauce...Michael definitely found them "kiss worthy!" Before saying goodbye to Pig & Pint, we split an order of their deliciously rich bread pudding for dessert.
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Photograph provided by IHG |
As this video montage clearly demonstrates, Holiday Inn Memphis - Downtown is an ideal home base for any extended stay in Memphis!

Speaking of convenient...Holiday Inn Memphis Downtown is located a few short steps from one of Memphis' iconic BBQ restaurants! Charlie Vergos Rendezvous is a Memphis legend, serving up its famous charcoal-cooked ribs since 1948. All we had to do was walk outside of the hotel, take a left, and walk less than a block to reach Rendezvous for dinner. It doesn't get more convenient than that! For SEVEN DECADES, the Vergos family has served their signature dry rub ribs in a basement located in a Downtown alley -- eating at Rendezvous is a uniquely Memphis dining experience!
You may wonder what makes the pork ribs at Rendezvous so iconic. Here's the scoop! Decades ago, Charlie Vergos devised a formula that's still used at the restaurant today. Vergos placed racks of ribs exactly 18 inches from the fire, then grilled them for an hour and fifteen minutes to seal in the flavor. A vinegar wash keeps the ribs moist, and Vergos created a dry rub based on seasonings from his dad’s Greek chili recipe and Cajun spices he discovered on visits to New Orleans. People went nuts for his ribs...and the rest is history!
The ribs were tender and moist, and the unique dry rub has a definite Greek flavor that doesn't overpower the juicy pork. We also enjoyed the BBQ chicken, which was featured a crispy skin and juicy meat. We left full and made the short walk back to the Holiday Inn. Our first evening in Memphis was complete, and we fell into our comfortable King beds for some much-needed sleep.
The next morning, we woke up and met for breakfast downstairs at the Holiday Inn -- so convenient! We ordered breakfast sliders and custom omelets...and coffee. The food was hot, delicious, and delivered to our table in about 10 minutes. While we ate, we discussed our plans for the day. We were spending the first half of the day at Graceland, then having a late lunch at Arcade -- a favorite of Elvis back in the day. I've always been an Elvis fan who's wanted to visit Graceland. In fact, my first-ever concert was seeing Elvis perform at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo in 1975 -- I was 10 years old, and I'll never forget the experience!

The entire Graceland experience is amazing for any Elvis fan, but seeing the inside of the Graceland Mansion is truly special. The tour of the mansion where Elvis lived includes the living room, kitchen, TV room, pool room, the famous "Jungle Room", Vernon Presley’s office, and a newly enhanced Trophy Building. Also included is time to reflect in the Meditation Garden, where Elvis and his parents are buried. As this video shows, this tour is a must for all Elvis fans to experience at least once in their lives!

After the 1.5-hour tour of the Graceland Mansion, Michael and I took a picture together outside the house as a memento of our visit. Each shuttle bus allows its group a few minutes to snap photos like this before taking you to visit the Elvis Presley's Memphis exhibits. We spent a total of 3.5 hours visiting the Graceland complex...there's quite a bit of walking involved, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes. I still use my walker for locations that require me to walk more than short distances and/or stand for long periods of time. I found the entire Graceland experience to be very easy to navigate with my walker. I'm able to navigate a few stairs, so I was able to see both levels of Graceland Mansion. Tickets to visit Graceland come in a variety of price levels and experiences. A tour of only Graceland Mansion is currently $39.75 for adults, and an upgraded experience that includes admission to the Elvis Experience exhibits is $59 for adults. For an additional $5, visitors can add the Elvis' Airplanes Tour -- including the famous Lisa Marie plane. For Elvis megafans, there are also two VIP experiences that cost up to $169 per adult.

We enjoyed a range of tasty menu items during our visit -- including all-day breakfast and lunch items. French toast and huge blueberry pancakes were served with crispy hash browns, farm-fresh eggs, and bacon. I had a perfectly fried Catfish Sandwich, which was served with hot, crispy fries. However, the most unique item we tried was the fried Peanut Butter 'n Banana Sandwich...i.e., Elvis' favorite! We opted to include the optional bacon in the sandwich -- is bacon ever really just an option?!?!? No wonder this was Elvis' favorite sandwich -- it's totally delish!! Bottom line: Elvis fan or not, dining at the Arcade -- a National Register of Historic Places location -- is a must for anyone visiting Memphis!
There you have it...our the first part of our Memphis road trip! I can't wait to share the rest of our trip with you...it was a fun, tasty, and educational trip...so be sure to come back and read more next week!
Disclosure: The restaurants featured in this article provided us with complimentary meals to facilitate inclusion. The Holiday Inn Memphis Downtown provided accommodations for two evenings, as well as breakfast each morning. Graceland also provided us with complimentary admission to the Mansion and Elvis Presley's Memphis exhibits. All opinions expressed are solely my own. Unless noted otherwise, photographs are copyrighted by Michael K. Garcia. They may not be copied or otherwise used without permission.
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