Cafe Pontotoc

Donnie and I really liked this place. Our waitress/​bartender was awesome. She was attentive, gave great suggestions. The Vietnamese egg rolls very good– it’s in a thin rice wrap with lots of fresh veggies and shrimp, the cheese board with a nice selection, and black bean hummus. I also like the wine my server suggested –Meiomi Pinot Noir– smooth red. Love the atmosphere — relaxing and friendly. We will be back.

I had to give Café Pontotoc another review because it is hands-​down my favorite place. Went again last night with friends, and everything was incredible. The crawcakes (a new menu item) were delicious, the snapper (also new) was tasty, and our server, who I hadn’t had before, was very attentive and helpful. My only «complaint» was that they were already out of the meatballs, which is my favorite thing on their menu. If you want a great, quaint place to eat downtown, Café Pontotoc is the place to go.

*** Eat at Café Pontotoc if you want Salmonella and/​or E. Coli! ***
I tried Café Pontotoc for the very first time last night. The menu had a lot of items that sounded pretty good. But because I didn’t want to spend the night out with friends on a full stomach, I went with a simple club sandwich and tomato bisque.
After taking ONE BITE of my club sandwich, I had to do everything I could to maintain my composure and try not to vomit right then and there. The sandwich tasted just putrid, downright disgusting. I came to realize that the bacon on my sandwich was ROTTEN. The bacon was BAD. And in not saying it «tasted bad.» I’m saying that the bacon was SPOILED. It also had that nasty sour smell and an even worse taste in my mouth. Even though the bacon was cooked, you could clearly see that it was that rotten-​gray color, instead of the fresh pinkish color that bacon should be.
I picked the bacon off the sandwich to try to continue eating my sandwich, but the rotten bacon taste lingered on the bread. And I could not eat it. I literally ate only two bites of the entire sandwich.
I was glad to at least have ordered a simple tomato soup, since I couldn’t eat my sandwich. However, I couldn’t eat more than two spoonfuls of the soup, as it was less than mediocre. It was bland and also had a weird consistency and color, that of a butternut squash soup.
I always like to give restaurants a second chance to redeem themselves. However, I don’t see myself ever wanting to set foot in Café Pontotoc ever again. Serving spoiled bacon to a customer is just way too big of a deal to overlook. Spoiled bacon is very easy to spot when you are taking it out of the package!!! In case you were wondering, YES, I woke up to a stomachache this morning even though I only had taken two bites. I only pray that I don’t come down with Salmonella or E. coli!!!
On another point, my friends ordered the Shrimp and Grits, which they both also remarked how the shrimp tasted and smelled funky as if it had been sitting out or was old (definitely not fresh). And the grits were bland and far from impressive.

I don’t want to review this place for fear of it becoming more popular and harder to find seating in.
What a gem!
Pros: Mimosas and Bloody Marys are only a few dollars at brunch on Sundays. Their Shrimp and Grits is the *best* I have EVER had — and I’ve had a lot of Shrimp and Grits in my life. They kept my water glass full. Prime location of South Main. Adorable café. Dog friendly when seated outside.
Cons: None. Nada. Nil. Nothing.

I feel like I should give them 4 starts since I didn’t really eat much here. I came for brunch and had the granola parfait which was good. It is huge. I think the other people w me liked this food ok. I would have to give them another try to really get a good rating. It’s very cute in there.

Sat at the bar for drinks tonight and really enjoyed everything. Try the Old Fashioned — it’s one of the best I’ve ever tried.

Nice quaint spot located on Main St. We arrived around 8 on a Friday there were a few patrons which made for a more intimate atmosphere. Had it been more guest my experience probably wouldn’t have been as pleasant as their isn’t much room in the dining area.
Anyhoo, for starters we had the Bluff cocktail which was sweet but tasty none the less. To start I had the BLT salad with the cilantro ranch dressing. The spring mix was fresh as the bacon and the cilantro kicked up the dressing just right. In fact I’ll have to still this little twist from them. For the meal I had the shrimp and grits which were palatable, not the best I’ve ever had but palatable nonetheless. My date had the meatballs stuffed with spinach and Gruyère another twist I’ll borrow. The waitress and bartender were great. I asked for a blueberry martini and though not on their menu they made it happen.
This is a nice place and I enjoyed myself and the food was good as the service. But I wasn’t so wowed I’d put it on my gotta go back list. I’d go again but I don’t see myself making a point of it. If I could I’d do 3 ½.

My girlfriend and I are on a road trip through the South with our dog. These folks were very accomodating to outside seating even though it was quite cold out. Britney was great and very helpful. Food was great and service was even better.

This was a great fit for what we wanted — a light bite and beverages and an hour or so to sit and talk. The food was ver good and wine list was diverse. Prices were right and there was not the pretentious attitude of so many places we’ve tried down town.

I just don’t get it. 4.5 stars! I must be crazy or I have the worst taste buds in the world. Service was ok with a cool atmosphere and good bluesy music playing throughout dinner. Unfortunately the food was a dud. Complete miss. Asian, Latin, Cajun, southern, Italianish. Lots of different food cultures and they were all subpar, what they weren’t out of. I could give a huge detailed write up but I’m over doing that. Much better versions of every style can be had in Memphis. I like the idea of a place that has a bit of everything for everyone but not one style was good. The pecan pie was the best thing of the night. Good buttery flakey crust and a not too crazy sweet filling. The apple pie was not very good. I did have a good milk stout that I will search out in the future. This was my one and only time here. Not one person in the group enjoyed their dinner. I actually feel taken advantage of for eating here.

Great local place, it’s tough to tell much from the outside but once you get inside you’ll find that the space is well done and inviting and it seems to be significantly populated by regulars which is usually a good sign. If you’re looking for beer or cocktails the selection is good and quality is top notch. In terms of wine it’s more focused on affordable wines but there are about 8 «on tap» and 15 – 20 more bottles that are done by the glass pour so you’ve got a nice option for any region or varietal you want though I’d like to have more «higher end» options if it were up to me. As for food, the gumbo is excellent (says a guy who lives in New Orleans) and just about everything is house made and very good including the chips which come with 3 different dipping options that are all good and is one of the best values around. The only thing I haven’t liked is the Beef Wellington which at 3 ounces is virtually impossible to not overcook and of course mine came out well done. That being said, the mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts served with it were very good but based on the Wellington I wouldn’t order again.
Overall it’s a friendly, local place that reminds me of some of my favorite wine bars in Portland and San Francisco (which is tough to find in most places). The «small plates» food options are excellent and typically very reasonably priced, and drink options are great. What a great find, bravo to the owners and staff at Café Pontotoc!

I came here on a summer sunday for sunday brunch. This is a cute little spot down on s. main next to that nice artsy mural. It has cutesy hipster décor on the inside, and is nice, clean, and simple.
Food: Items ordered /​tried:
MEXICAN TACOS: These were made out of chorizo, if I recall correctly. there were 2 to an order, and you get a free side (choose from hashbrowns, bowl of fruit, grits, etc.) The tacos weren’t small /​tapa like tacos, they were pretty decently sized. They were pretty good, not gonna lie! The sauce that comes with it complements the dish and puts it all together. NOTE: do not get this if you are looking for authentic tacos. This is definitely not an authentic mexican taco… its a take on it and is very americanized. These tacos also weren’t ones I would absolutely die if I didnt have, but definitely was very well made and tasted delicious too! ($ 9)
FRUIT BOWL (side): now THIS is not your average «side order of fruit bowls.» This bowl came heavy in fruit! It contained: strawberries, blueberries, grapes, melons, and bananas. The bowl wasnt small either and they filled it up about 75% of the way! My co-​diners remarked how they originally didnt want to order the fruit bowl because they were afraid it would be the small scanty size that you typically receive, but then they were jealous when I got mine! Definitely get the fruit bowl for your side. It was so good.
BREAD BASKET: Okay. first of all, the entire table gets 1 free bread basket that comes out before your meal comes. so DO NOT ORDER A BRD BASKET YET. Instead, wait until that one comes out and then if you’re still craving it (which i bet you will be, bc that thing is DELICIOUS), then order another one (only $ 4!). This bread basket was AMAZING. it came with an abundant amount of tiny cute not-​dry, luscious biscuits and beautiful delicious blueberry muffins, jam and butter. omg. this bread basket is definitely the winner for the day. (Those that know me well know i LOVE me some free AND GOOD bread baskets.) ⁵⁄₅ for this bread basket.
Service: The service was fine, nothing unremarkable. Our waitress was pretty busy so we had to wait sometimes for her to come ask for our checks or come back with a take out box, but it wasn’t anything to knock stars for.
Overall, I would recommend this place if your’e looking for a quick, not too expensive, not greasy, standard food type brunch place. Its not too expensive and has a cutesy atmosphere for a nice girls brunch or a stop before strolling around downtown.

Where have you been all my life!!! I had no idea a place like this existed. Everything was amazing, from service to food. We initially came downtown to visit Bass Pro Shops for the hundredth time, and to eat at the restaurant in there. We were starving, due to a 2 hour wait we left. Not having anything particular in mind, drove downtown and was in between this place or a deli across the street.
It’s funny how my husband knows I’m on Unilocal all the time. He asked me to go on there to find out if this place was good. My fellow Unilocalers stirred me in the right direction. You guys just don’t know how much I appreciate the reviews and tips. As soon as I walked in this place it took me by surprise. We were greeted by friendly faces and from there I knew that this place was a good pick.
My husband is a big Grizzlies fan so he was happy to see a Grizzlies inspired drink called, «We don’t bluff». He ordered it so I decided to order it as well. This drink exceeded our expectations, and we both had 2. For an appetizer we had the black bean hummus, entrée I had the Asian wings and brussel sprouts. My food was really good. If you know me you would know that I cannot resist dessert especially if it’s cheesecake. The cheesecake took my breath away. I would give this place 6 stars if I could.

This place is pretty sweet! We went with friends on a whim when the restaurant across the street had a ridiculous wait and we’re all glad we did.
Since our friends were game we decided to split everything at the tables and there wasn’t any food that we didn’t like — we tried most things except for the tacos.
The guys had beer and I had a yummy cocktail, I forget the name but its themed after the grizzlies and only $ 6.
The service was friendly but have us plenty of space. For a night on the town we were pleased to spend $ 40 per couple with tax and tip.
My only suggestions would be a few more food options as the menu is small. The seating is not the most comfortable for lingering with friends so just something to consider.

I got the catfish fritters and my wife got the blackened catfish tacos. She also got a couple of the Grizzly drinks (I can’t remember the exact name).
This is in an area of town that I don’t frequent. I liked it though. It had a cool vibe to it and you could definitely tell that businesses were trying to setup shop and bring it back to life. The actual restaurant was nice and new. It had that hipster type feel that a lot of places have today, but it was comfortable. The service was great. We couldn’t have asked for much better there. To be honest, I can’t say much of anything bad when it comes to the food. I enjoyed my side salad and fritters. They were just spicy enough and had pretty good flavor. I thought the little paper serving basket was a little odd for a place like that, but whatever… it is food. My wife wasn’t a huge fan of her tacos and I have to agree. The portion was small and I can understand the corn tortilla mixed with the asian twist blackened catfish not tasting that great.
I definitely wouldn’t mind giving it another shot. We were a little scared of the black and blue salad as well as the shrimp and grits. I think we might give both of those a shot next time. Good job guys, I will be back.

I ended up coming here on a whim and am definitely glad I did. The atmosphere in here is great. The service is fantastic as well. I didn’t feel hovered over nor did I feel neglected.
The food itself was great. I went during brunch hours and tried the summer rolls. They were pretty awesome, definitely a different take on them compared to other places.
Definitely gonna have to come back again and try more things on the menu.

This is a nice chill place on S. Main to grab a drink and some good food. The black bean hummus is delicious and the fries are great. The drinks are tasty and they offer a great wine selection. The staff is beyond friendly and very hospitable. I want to try the brunch in order to pass final judgment, but this is one more cool option for your S. Main venture.

Have you been yet?! This is the new kid on the block, and let me tell you, he is going to be the new BMC (big man on campus for those of you who have no clue what I am talking about).
Perfect for a girls night or date night! I love the atmosphere, and of course, the location, simply adore South Main. If I had to do it all over again I would have bought a condo downtown so I could walk to places like this every night.
The cheese plate is to die for and the tacos were yummy. The chicken wings were good but I was way too aware that I was eating a carcass… but for those of you who don’t care about eating meat off a bone, go for it — it is very flavorful!
Oh, and the waitstaff is baller. The bartender was so sweet to charge my phone for me. I hate being that person… but I was at 1%…**mortified**

Café Pontotoc isn’t what it could be. It’s a wine bar with tapas but the list of offerings for both is relatively limited. Settled on the bar snacks which is a bowl of trail mix, but for a $ 1 it’s worth it.
Stopped in with some friends late night for a night cap and snack and was left wanting more so we left after a few drinks.
It’d be nice to see desserts on the menu and maybe coffee or tea.
In response to the owners comments about my review:
We didn’t have a bad time at Café Pontotoc it just didn’t have what we wanted, which was dessert. According to owner in his reply they have it now, but they didn’t when we were there so I’m not sure why that’s up for discussion.
As far as limited wine selections, there was one Riesling, one Malbec, one rose. They did have maybe 3 or 4 Chardonnays along with a few other whites and some reds. But for a wine bar, yes, I expected more options.
Again, café Pontotoc is a perfectly suitable place to hang out and grab a drink. It’s cute and intimate, but it didn’t meet our needs that evening. But if I were in town again I would give it another try.

Delicious chicken tacos. Loved the wings also!
Sleek, adult atmosphere at dinnertime.
The chef clearly takes pride in his product, the staff was extremely professional and attentive.
Looking forward to more menu choices.
#Yelp901