The Arcade Restaurant
Best Diner in Memphis · TN
Memphis' oldest cafe
The Arcade is Memphis's oldest restaurant, opened in 1919 by Greek immigrant Speros Zepatos near the South Main train station. Its neon sign, vinyl booths, and sweet-potato pancakes have made it a diner landmark — and a favorite of Elvis, whose regular booth is still pointed out.
A frequent film location and an unhurried breakfast-and-lunch institution, the Arcade serves the same Southern-diner comfort it has for over a century in the heart of the reborn South Main district.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; The Arcade Restaurant met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Memphis since 1919 — 106 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Memphis.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Memphis has kept The Arcade Restaurant busy for 106 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Memphis regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best diner in Memphis for 2025 for sweet potato pancakes and a South Main booth history that goes back to 1919.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Diner in Memphis Memphis, TN · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit The Arcade Restaurant
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about The Arcade Restaurant.
- Legal / trading name
- The Arcade Restaurant
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1919, Memphis, TN
- Location
- Memphis, TN
- Centurion Award
- Best Diner in Memphis — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for The Arcade Restaurant against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is The Arcade Restaurant?
Memphis' oldest cafe, open since 1919, where the turquoise booths have appeared in films and fed a century of regulars, Elvis among them.
Is The Arcade Restaurant award-winning?
Yes — The Arcade Restaurant is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Diner in Memphis, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best diner in Memphis for 2025 for sweet potato pancakes and a South Main booth history that goes back to 1919.
Where is The Arcade Restaurant?
The Arcade Restaurant is in Memphis, TN.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.