Appetizers come in all shapes and sizes. Finger foods, salads, soups, you name it - any smaller portion of food can be called an appetizer. The word “appetizer” invokes the thought of small portions of food with big taste. They introduce the main course by teasing the palate and establishing expectations for the rest of the meal either as a contrast or as a complement to the main course.
Appetizers establish the unique characteristics and specialties of a restaurant. They showcase the creativity and special talents of the chef and the restaurant’s kitchen.
Appetizers are fun. They offer you the opportunity to experience a variety of different foods and have fun doing it. They are great to be shared with friends or family and extend the time spent together.
Traditionally, appetizers are eaten as a first course. Increasingly, however, appetizer portions are being ordered as a main course, either alone or with another appetizer such as a salad. “Restaurant hopping” is also becoming popular - sharing cocktails and appetizers as a group across several different restaurants in one evening.
Below is a summary of some of the most popular types of appetizers offered by local restaurants. This list reflects the culinary expertise that exists here in the Chattanooga Region. It is not meant to be an exhaustive list of restaurants nor of the appetizers offered by the restaurants mentioned. It is just a great reflection of the wonderful variety of fine foods available here in the Chattanooga Region.
For a taste of authentic Greek food, try The Acropolis Four Star Grill which was opened on Hamilton Place Boulevard by the Kyriakidias family in 1995. The Acropolis serves American and Italian as well as Greek food. It offers a good selection of wine including Greek wine as well as beer and specialty drinks. Among their specialities are sugarless desserts that taste like the real thing and decaffeinated iced tea.
The most popular appetizer offered at The Acropolis is Saganaki; a thick slice of Kesseri Greek cheese that is seasoned and seared, and then lit aflame at your table. The creamy melted cheese is served with fresh baked bread - yum! The portion is very generous and definitely enough to share with several people. Another favorite is the Greek Antipasto platter. This made-for-sharing dish includes a generous portion of most of the Greek appetizers offered on the menu - two dolmathakia (traditional grape leaves stuffed with ground sirloin, spices and rice), two spanakopita (spinach, feta and spices wrapped in filo pastry dough), two tyropita (seasoned feta cheese mixture wrapped in filo), moussaka (layered baby eggplant, potatoes, ground sirloin, fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese topped with a bechamel sauce), feta cheese and Kalamata olives.
The Acropolis also offers a wonderful hummus served with pita and lightly breaded calamari served with marinara sauce. Another favorite is the Ultimate Chip Dip which is a creamed spinach artichoke dip served with huge, really good house made potato chips.
The Bluff View Art District, close to downtown and in a beautiful area all to its own, is home to the Back Inn Café. This area - offers a unique combination of historic and newer buildings housing art galleries, bed and breakfast accommodations, gift shops and restaurants. The Back Inn Café is housed in a 1927 Colonial Revival mansion with a large two-story glassed-in addition and an outdoor terrace overlooking the Tennessee River and River Gallery’s Sculpture Garden. All the restaurants in the District are supplied with herbs and vegetables from an on-site garden, fresh Artisan bread baked daily in the bread bakery, chocolate from the District’s own Chocolate Kitchen and coffee that is roasted on-site. The Back Inn Café offers a tremendous selection of wines by the glass and the bottle.
The most unique and popular appetizer served at the Back Inn Café is the Southern Fried Frog Legs. These are lightly-breaded and wonderfully seasoned - they are delicious! If you have never tried frog legs before you are in for a treat. The dish is served over a wonderful pickled slaw and drizzled with a buttermilk dressing. The portion is large - enough for a main course or to share as an appetizer. Another favorite is the Barbeque Chicken Flatbread, which is similar to a pizza with green onions, corn roasted red peppers, cilantro and chicken; layered in a spicy barbeque sauce, topped with cheddar and mozzarella cheeses on Artisan flat bread. The combination of tastes is wonderful. One dish that is actually on the Entree Menu but is often ordered as an appetizer is the Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp is cooked in a spicy cream sauce with Tasso ham, red peppers, green onions and corn, and is served with crispy wedges of fried grits. This dish is delicious and very satisfying.
Another local restaurant with stunning views of the Tennessee River is the Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw Bar on Riverside Drive. The Boathouse has a great, casual atmosphere and offers an excellent variety of seafood along with delicious entrees including rotisserie chicken and brisket, steak and barbeque. The bar is a great place for beer, a glass of wine or a specialty drink such as the famous “Lawton Rita.”
The Boathouse is best known for its fresh oysters, which are brought in from the Gulf of Mexico twice weekly. If you love oysters, this is the place for you! The oysters are cold, fresh and excellent. The Raw Bar also offers clams on the half-shell, extra large peel-your-own shrimp and steamed mussels. Another excellent choice in seafood appetizers is the Matagorda Bay Fire Roasted Oysters with Garlic Butter which have a wonderful smoky flavor. Also very good is the Wood Grilled Squid, a non-traditional calamari dish that is served with Feta Olive Oil Dip and Grilled Bread. A good non-seafood appetizer is the Poblano Pepper grilled and atuffed with Rotisserie Chicken, Queso and Feta Cheese. It is topped with avocado and served with a wonderful Roasted Salsa and chips. This is a huge portion and would make a large main course or serve several as an appetizer.
If you love fresh seafood, you also need to try the Bluewater Grille on Broad Street Downtown. Seafood is delivered almost daily from the Atlantic and is guaranteed to be fresh. The Bluewater offers a large selection of innovative seafood presentations or will cook your choice of fresh fish in the style you wish. The restaurant also serves a selection of steak, chicken and pasta. In addition to an extensive wine list, the Bluewater offers handcrafted, fresh brewed beers from its sister restaurant, the Big River Grille and Brewing Works, as well as signature cocktails.
The most popular appetizer is the Lobster Bites, a generous portion of lobster meat tossed in seasoned flour and then lightly fried and served with a sweet chili remoulade and mustard sauces. It is delicious and more than enough to share if you can bear to! Also very popular is the Tavern Shrimp, which is lightly breaded and fried shrimp, tossed in creamy and spicy “Tavern Sauce”, served over dry coleslaw. The spicy sauce and crunchy fresh slaw contrast well with the fried shrimp. This is another dish that is great to share. A unique and delicious version of potstickers is also on the menu. Shrimp and Chicken Potstickers are served with Asian barbeque sauce and spicy mustard and are terrific! The Bluewater also serves very good Seared Tuna served rare with wasabi aioli; Tempura Sushi Rolls, and Calamari lightly fried and served with marinara and wasabi aioli.
Another great fairly recent addition to the downtown dining scene is Hennen’s located on Chestnut Street at 2nd Street. In a contemporary warm atmosphere, Hennen’s offers an extensive wine selection, including a large selection of wine that can be purchased by the glass. Hennen’s is most well-known for its Angus beef steaks but the menu also includes seafood, pasta, poultry and pork.
The most popular appetizer at Hennen’s might be the Smoked Salmon Dip, made from fresh salmon, house-smoked and infused with dill. Served cold with tomato basil toast points, this dish is wonderful. A beautiful and delicious presentation is the Ahi Tuna appetizer. The Hawaiian tuna is delivered the day after it is caught and tastes incredibly fresh. It is encrusted in sesame seeds, seared rare and served with an Asian cucumber and seaweed salad, Ponzu dipping sauce (like teriyaki only without the salt and without the aftertaste), fresh ginger and wasabi. It is great! The most unusual appetizer offered at Hennen’s is the Tuna Tartar Cocktail; a tartar of tuna, cucumber, wasabi and avocado served in a large martini glass. Another unusual and delicious appetizer is the Bermuda Triangles Cypress Grove Bermuda goat cheese, lightly breaded and flash-fried, and served with jalapeno pepper jelly and fresh strawberries.
The elegant St. John’s Restaurant was opened in 2000 in the former St. John’s Hotel, built at the turn of the twentieth century. Next door, St. John’s Meeting Place opened in 2004 with a more casual atmosphere. The restaurants share the same kitchen and chef and the same dedication to providing seasonal fare highlighting local produce, fresh fish and fine meats. Here the menu changes with the season and the availability of local fresh produce. For example, heirloom tomatoes are a highlight towards the middle and end of summer and into the fall. The menu also includes meats and poultry from local organic farms, fresh whole grain bread from Nedlov’s Bakery and fresh coffee from the Chattanooga Coffee Company. Wines from around the world are offered by the bottle and the glass.
An incredible appetizer or first course is the “Peaches and Cream” Corn Soup. At the time of the tasting, “Peaches and Cream” corn was available in local markets. This very generous portion (which can be divided upon request) is served in a bowl of butter poached Maine Lobster, chives and poblano peppers over which is poured the creamy corn soup. It is a beautiful presentation and absolutely delicious. Another lovely dish is the Oregon Morel Mushroom Salad - Morel mushrooms served with house-aged prosciuto, white asparagus and sherry vinaigrette. An unusual and tasty appetizer is the Sweet Potato Agnolotti which is a pasta dish stuffed with sweet potatoes and served with tender butter braised veal, ramps (a wild leek) and 3 year Gouda cheese. These appetizers were all beautiful to look at and very delicious.
The cornerstone of downtown fine dining is 212 Market. 212 was opened in 1992 before the “downtown renaissance” began in Chattanooga by the Moses family- sisters Suzie and Sally with mom Maggie. 212 is known for its consistently excellent food including its outstanding desserts and delicious freshly baked breads. The restaurant offers a wide selection of wine, as well as a large offering of beers, fine spirits and specialty cocktails.
Appetizers offered at 212 Market, along with other menu offerings change seasonally in an effort to use the freshest local ingredients from local growers and producers. The Fried Green Tomatoes were unbelievably good and not at all as expected - the tomatoes are served over “Pickled Pink” Onions and topped with Bulgarian Sheep’s Cheese and drizzled with “Dueling Sauces” (a balsamic vinegar reduction and a chipotle mayonnaise sauce.) The presentation was elegant and beautiful and was described as “crazy good” by one of the tasters. This is definitely one to try and would be great to share. Another good appetizer to share with the table is the Three Cheese Plate. This is a platter of Dutch Gouda, Tennessee Chevre (goat cheese) and Spanish Manchego cheese served with Jeff’s Candied Garlic (a wonderful treat) and Lavosh, a thin and crispy flat bread cracker. All breads are baked fresh daily at the restaurant and served in generous portions. The Mediterranean Medley is another great appetizer with lots of flavors and more than enough to share. It consists of generous servings of Olive Tapanade, Hummus, Marinated Artichoke Hearts with spicy carrots and Tabbouleh, sprinkled with Bulgarian Feta, served with fresh Pita bread. This would also make a great meal.
With appetizers, you can experience a variety of different tastes, textures and types of foods offered by the many wonderful and unique restaurants in the Chattanooga Region. You can enjoy the fun of trying new foods before you settle on your favorite food for a meal. You can enjoy extended time with your spouse and with friends. Enjoy the culinary expertise here in the Chattanooga Region and have fun doing it. I hope that you enjoy yourself as much as I did tasting them!