I love it when new restaurants open. It makes me so happy to see people bring their food dreams to life. The restaurant industry is cutthroat so my hat is off to anyone who even attempts to get into it; I definitely do not have the guts or courage to get in it. This year, I want/need to do more restaurant posts – they’re some my favorites to write about. John and I always love going to new (and old) restaurants and I’ve made a promise to myself and my readers to *try* and do a better job of documenting those adventures. I’ll say this though: I do not plan to (nor do I want to) become a restaurant critic; that’s not what this blog is about. I do, however, want to share my restaurant experiences and recommendations. Here’s the last restaurant post I did.

So STIR is a restaurant that opened last November and though I’ve been there quite a few times, I’m really looking forward to dining there in the warmer months. You can access their bar from the outside and they have an awesome patio – I live for outside dining. You may remember me mentioning this place last year because I got an opportunity to takeover their Instagram account for their grand opening party, which was a lot of fun. Since then, John and I have been back a few times to take advantage of their happy hour and yummy cocktails.

So, off the top, STIR has an oyster and raw bar. I haven’t indulged in that part of the menu quite yet but I’m sure it’s great.

taken at STIR’s grand opening party

OK, let’s talk other food.

I’m a sucker for French fries and tacos. I know, French fries…really? But seriously, I hate when I go to a restaurant (especially one that offers burgers and sandwiches) and the fries suck. Just to be clear: the fries do not suck at STIR. John loves them and so do I. They’re Parmesan white truffle fries so they’re not playing around here.

Another favorite of mine are the blackened fish tacos and the baja tacos. Won’t go wrong; can’t go wrong with those.

I’ve been told the fried green tomato burger is quite tasty. I’m not a fan of tomatoes especially fried green ones, so I’ll trust my sources on this. Our last two visits to STIR, I’ve been drawn to the shrimp and grits. It’s very rare, in my opinion, to be able to find a shrimp and grits dish that DOES NOT HAVE HAM IN IT. I just don’t want ham in my shrimp and grits. Maybe I’m alone in that thinking but I don’t want it and STIR doesn’t offer it so I was already a fan before even tasting them. I think STIR’S shrimp and grits and mine are my favorites so far. Haha – shameless plug.

Moving on…drinks!

Oftentimes, when I go to a restaurant, I look at their beverage offerings before I even look at anything else. What can I say, I love a good cocktail. STIR does have an “ice chef”. Yes, you read that correctly. STIR takes pride in their ice production; there’s a whole process to producing perfect, purified ice. My favorite drink is the whiskey bramble.

The cocktails are tasty with prices ranging from $10 – $14. If a cocktail from the menu isn’t your thing, they have over 300 types of liquors so there’s definitely a little something for everyone.

the lights!

We haven’t tapped into their dessert or brunch scene yet (yes, they have brunch) but we’ll definitely be adding it to our to do list soon. I hear the seasonal cobbler is a good dessert option but I’ve usually been too full to even attempt a dessert.

If you go:

STIR
1444 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN
Monday-Thursday 11am-midnight
Friday & Saturday 11am – 1am
Sunday 10:30am-midnight

TIP: go for happy hour. Monday-Friday, 4-6:30pm (bar & cocktail area only)

Have you been to STIR? What did you think?

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