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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Diner in Memphis Memphis, TN · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit The Arcade Restaurant
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for The Arcade Restaurant (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.