Even though there are far too many things to do in Chattanooga for one weekend, 3 days is a great place to start. After living there for 2 years I certainly have a short list of favorites. The best part is that I was a college student while I lived in “Chatt” so I know how to pinch pennies while I’m there. Stick with me, kid. I’ll show you where to go!
//FRIDAY//
We started our trip off at Rembrandt’s Coffee House for a latte and dessert before dinner. You know I live for almond milk lattes and croissants! Plus, we needed something to get us going after being in the car for so long.
Next up we tried Feed Co. Table & Tavern for dinner. There was a wait but we sat at the bar for drinks and they had an extensive selection of beer and cocktails. I got a drink called “The Sloshed Housewife” that caught my eye. I had quite a few messages from people on Instagram asking for the ingredients so here you go! It’s moscato, mango passion fruit vodka, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Divine! Also, it would be terribly wrong of me not to mention how much I enjoyed these maple bacon brussel sprouts. Feed Co. was a hit in my book!
After dinner we walked around the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel. I could look at the old brick and archways for hours. There’s a coffee shop (Frothy Monkey) and a restaurant (Stir) located in the same building. What I didn’t realize is that if you go through the lobby, out the back door, and take a right there’s a comedy club called “The Comedy Catch”. How cool is that?
//SATURDAY//
On Saturday we went to my favorite breakfast spot in Chattanooga called Aretha Frankenstein’s. Imagine if the song “Monster Mash” was a restaurant then add vintage framed cereal boxes and old band posters and you’ve got Aretha’s. Want to know the best part? The food is to die for (get it?) and both of us ate for $20 including the tip. To top it off, my husband tried their signature grits with Texas Pete and white cheddar and FINALLY decided that he likes grits. Cue the Hallelujah chorus!
With our bellies full and the storm clouds looking equally so, it was off to the Tennessee Aquarium! You can read my full post on the aquarium here.
In the afternoon there was a festival going on downtown so we decided to check it out. Make sure you do your research before you go because Chattanooga plays host to an enormous amount of music festivals, food festivals, etc. that are held year round.
Dinner consisted of latin food and fresh mango juice from Conga on Main Street. You get a lot of food for your money here and the style of cooking is authentic. Count me in!
To please the gents we popped in to HiFi Clyde’s Bar to catch a bit of the game. The vibe was retro and relaxed. There were sizable comfy leather booths and a live band was playing throwback country.
After the game was over it was late and I was hungry again (surprise, surprise). There’s no better place in Chattanooga for late night inexpensive eats than City Café. This gargantuan menu offers breakfast, lunch, or dinner 24 hours a day. It doesn’t stop there either. City Café has Greek, Italian, Mexican, American, and everything in between.
If you’re still not full, they have a wide assortment of desserts in a rotating display case. I added a video for your drooling pleasure. Press play!
//SUNDAY//
Sunday brunch was at Flying Squirrel and I can’t recommend them enough. Two mimosas and two entrées cost $25 including the tip. There was live music, the sun was shining through the massive windows, and it was bliss. From there we went to The Chattanooga Market that’s held every weekend. Depending on the time of year there’s local food, art, jewelry, homemade goods, you name it. I look forward to the market every time we go.
*EDIT*- Previously I had written about going to The Yellow Deli for lunch on our last day in Chattanooga. I have since learned that The Yellow Deli has been investigated multiple times on charges of child abuse and breaking child labor laws. I looked into the charges and what the leader of The Twelve Tribes (cult) teaches and it turns out that anti-Semitist and racist beliefs are interwoven among obvious abusive behaviors especially toward young children. You can research the full depth of their so-called beliefs but be warned much of it can be triggering or upsetting for survivors of abuse, people of color, Jewish folks, and parents of young children. I would like to make a formal apology for frequenting this establishment during my time in college at UT Chattanooga and on subsequent visits to the area. I was an uninformed consumer and I sincerely regret going to The Yellow Deli. I would also discourage anyone who lives in or travels to Chattanooga to stay far away from The Yellow Deli or any of the businesses owned by The Twelve Tribes worldwide. You, Me, and Tennessee does not tolerate racism, anti-Semitism, or child abuse. We stand for kindness, equality, equity, and dignity. We stand for members of all communities especially those in the most vulnerable populations.
Whew! We fit a lot into 3 days and while we didn’t sit for too long we ate extremely well. My second chin is coming in quite nicely but I don’t regret a thing. If you want to see more pictures or videos from our trip you can follow me on Instagram @carlybkibler and click on my Chattanooga stories.
Happy weekend everyone!