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  1. We (Still) Believe in Main Street Friday, June 12, 2009

    We recently had the great privilege of hosting food and travel journalists from around the country, and preparing for their visit reminded us of an old, worthy saying: We Believe in Main Street. This area is constantly evolving, and a few recent additions to some already stellar mainstays make this place yet more believable.

    Just down the street at the newly opened Alleia, visitors can sample Italian cuisine, made by chef Daniel Lindley, a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef in the Southeast award. An unexpected surprise for us: restrooms with bronze-cast sculptures marking the doors, and floor to ceiling gestural drawings decorating the interior, all done by local artist and MakeWork grant recipient Cessna Decosimo.

    Down the street from Alleia, the Terminal Brewhouse serves some of Chattanooga’s most creative pub fare—with a cheeky menu to boot. Artisanal beer, named in honor of local players and events, is made on-site, in plain view to curious visitors. High ceilings and comfortable booths accent some noteworthy furnishings: all the tables at the Terminal are made by SpringBoard graduate Aaron Cabeen, a local woodworker specializing in reclaimed wood.

    For a taste of Chattanooga that’s been around as long as anyone can remember, check out Zarzour’s on Rossville Boulevard, rumored to be Chattanooga’s oldest eatery, serving up a classic meat-and-three for over 75 years and featured today in USA Today. There’s Niedlov’s for coffee and pastries, Taco Rico for El Salvadorian food and pleasant company. Breakfast at Blue Grass Grille. Sushi at Hiroshi’s, beignets at Blue Orleans. The list goes on and on.

    We’re proud of Main Street’s culinary delights, but there’s more than just bites on the Southside. Massages at Madia’s, custom stationary at Shadowbox, and handmade home furnishings at Area 61. And that’s just on one block: the Chattanooga Arts Tour program takes visitors to artists studios, around the Southside and beyond.

    The saying goes, we believe in Main Street. But it’s more than that: we believe in the creative outlets that exist here, for residents and visitors alike, made possible by a community of innovators and artists. This is a place for arts and culture, for nightlife and daytrips. This is Main Street.

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