Iris

Iris presents Southern cooking through Kelly English's New Orleans perspective, folding Gulf seafood, dark roux, French technique, and seasonal produce into a composed East Memphis dinner. The current Poplar Avenue restaurant has a polished dining room and a more relaxed bar under one roof. Follow the menu toward Louisiana-influenced seafood or meat, then use a vegetable course and cocktail to see how the kitchen handles contrast.

Picks from Memphis Magazine and Memphis Flyer

Iris translates French Creole technique through Gulf seafood, Southern ingredients, and chef Kelly English's New Orleans background. Rich sauces and careful seasoning connect the polished dining room to Louisiana without turning the menu into a period piece. Choose a seafood dish or another preparation with a classical sauce, then use Heath's Bar for a cocktail that extends the restaurant's Creole character.

Picks from Memphis Magazine

Iris carries its New Orleans influence into Heath's Bar, where cocktails complement the restaurant's seafood, rich sauces, and polished dining room. Memphis Magazine's profile focuses on the bar as a destination within the larger restaurant. Choose a spirit forward classic or a house composition, then consider staying for dishes that echo the same Gulf Coast and Southern vocabulary.

Picks from Memphis Flyer and Memphis Magazine

Iris channels chef Kelly English's New Orleans background through polished Southern cooking, seafood, dark roux, and French Creole technique. The Poplar Avenue dining room supports a slower evening, while Heath's Bar provides a more casual entry through cocktails and smaller plates. Choose dishes that lean toward the Gulf, then let the sauces and seasonal vegetables show how the kitchen translates Louisiana traditions in Memphis.

Picks from Memphis Magazine