The Legendary Memphis Restaurant That Turned Away Elvis

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Elvis Presley's music career is as famous as his appetite. There was no shortage to what Presley liked to eat; he loved his grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches and once dined on meatloaf for six straight months. One would imagine that feeding Presley would be an honor for any cook, given his ravenous reputation. But it turns out one iconic Memphis restaurant wouldn't let Presley score a table.

According to "Elvis Style: from Zoot Suits to Jumpsuits," a biography by Zoey Goto, Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous would only feed The King from a distance. Presley adored the eatery's signature dish — Memphis-style barbecue pork ribs — but he wasn't permitted to eat them on site. "Elvis always wanted to rent the whole place out and my father didn't want to lose customers, so he refused," John Vergos, son of Rendezvous founder Charlie Vergos, told Goto. "Instead, we would courier our ribs out to Graceland for Elvis to enjoy."

Presley was one of many foodies who enjoyed takeout. Ordering food to eat at home became increasingly common in the 1950s as fast food and drive-ins grew in popularity. Takeout dinners like these were easier than dining out for Presley, since his stardom brought lots of attention and fanatical mobs his way. So, Vergos may have done both of them a favor, although Goto notes that avoiding the public eventually led to Presley's detrimental seclusion.

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Charlie Vergos' Rendezvous was no doubt one of Elvis Presley's favorite restaurants, and it's no surprise why. It's credited with at least partially pioneering the blueprint for Memphis-style dry ribs. The Memphis institution has perfected its house dry rub over many decades, not to mention its method of grilling and basting its ribs for maximum flavor. But there were other barbecue spots in town on Presley's speed dial, too, so to speak.

He was a regular at Leonard's Pit Barbecue, where he would go under the cover of night to savor a meal without being crowded by fans. Unlike Rendezvous, Leonard's would often close down the restaurant so Presley could enjoy a private meal. Its specialties were (and still are) chopped pork, pork shoulder sandwiches, and pit-cooked ribs. Presley is well remembered for generously tipping all the employees: $50 for the staff and $100 for the servers, equal to about $536 and $1,073 in 2026, respectively.

Presley was also no stranger to Coletta's, an Italian joint that brought Chicago-style pizza to Memphis. It became popular with locals once it started selling pies topped with Memphis-style barbecue pork and sauce. This tasty fusion specialty quickly became Presley's go-to order. (Alternatively, his wife Priscilla was partial to the lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs.) Coletta's decorated a memorabilia-filled Elvis Room that still stands today in his honor.