Rock Inn Restaurant, an icon of the Black community since 1945, reopens in Palmetto
Creamy grits, pork chops for breakfast, home-grown collards and some of best hamburgers in town are a few of the offerings at Rock Inn Restaurant, which recently reopened in the Memphis neighborhood of Palmetto.
Although not exactly new — Rock Inn Restaurant dates back to 1945, when Pearl Isom opened it — the Black-owned eatery at 2112 Second Ave. E. had been closed since about 2016.
Now, it’s time for a new generation of Isoms to take the reins, said Sharon Isom Scott, 62, Pearl’s granddaughter.
“My dad (Ninous Isom) built this building with his own hands,” Sharon said.
Rock Inn — so named because it was a place to eat in the daytime, and a club after hours — is a neat white, concrete-block building with red trim and seats 16 inside.
It might be small, but its importance to the neighborhood can’t be overstated.
Rock Inn offers a sense of community and some beloved tastes, ranging from the familiar one-two-three all-day breakfast of one pancake, two eggs and three sausage links for $7, to the more esoteric offerings like hog maws/chitterlings and oxtails.
Chef Lawrence “Bono” Isom, 67, Sharon’s brother, learned cooking from their mother, Ruby Lee Isom. Their father was a migrant worker crew chief, harvesting crops across several states, and their mother cooked for over 800 workers a year.
As the oldest child in the family, Bono got up in the morning when their mother got up and helped with the cooking.
“It’s a passion of mine. The secret ingredient is always love,” he said.
Among Ruby Lee’s specialties were creamy grits, tomato gravy and fluffy eggs, Sharon said.
“My mom’s grits are not like normal grits, they are creamy grits. We have great grits. When we’re out of them, we close breakfast,” she said.
Rock Inn is geared for takeout service, but does a lot of sit-down business as well.
Jarvis Isom comes in daily for a pork chop breakfast after working the overnight shift at Walmart. That includes your choice of grits or potatoes and choice of bread for $11.
“It settles me and takes me back to where I came from,” Jarvis said of eating at Rock Inn.
Another breakfast regular, Jason Harrell, comes in after his shift at Tropicana. Harrell was having a breakfast of link sausage, bacon and salmon patty. But he is also a fan of oxtails and the Rock Inn cheeseburger.
“The cheeseburgers are phenomenal. The flavor will make you eat two of them,” Harrell said. “I come in every chance I get.”
Lashera Isom, Bono’s daughter, works at Rock Inn as waitress, cashier and inventory specialist.
“I was excited when the restaurant was reopening. It seems like we’re always in the kitchen. There’s nothing like working with family,” Lashera said.
Rock Inn is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Lunch is served starting at 11 a.m.
Friday and Saturday, the restaurant reopens at 6 p.m., serving ribs and chicken from the grill along with sides like greens, baked beans and corn on the cobb.
Soul Food Sundays is from 3-7 p.m. and features the oxtail dinner, cooked down tender and served with gravy and yellow rice.
Everything is cooked in advance for Soul Food Sundays, with the exception of when there is fried chicken.
“It’s cafeteria style on Sunday,” Sharon said.
“The community is happy and excited that we’re back and with the work that we have done here. The people say it’s the best they have ever seen. They are happy to have a Black restaurant in the area,” she said.
For more information, call 941-981-9721.
