Midtown/Central: Memphis

The Midtown area stretches from I-240 on the West to the University of Memphis area on the East, and from Southern Avenue to Jackson Avenue. This lively neighborhood harbors beautifully restored residential areas, the city's highest concentration of ethnic restaurants, trendy clubs and live theater, along with some of the best places for antiques shopping. At the heart of Midtown lies the Overton Square Entertainment Complex, home of Playhouse on the Square, the Malco Studio on the Square movie house and wine bar, Loony bin Comedy Club, and a selection of restaurants and funky shops. To the north are the rolling lawns and shade trees of Overton Park, home of the Memphis Brooks Museum, and the Memphis Zoo. The Cooper-Young Historic District forms the south border of Midtown. There are annual tours of the neighborhood and its Cooper-Young Festival show off the turn-of-century homes, which have been lovingly restored. The area supports some first-rate restaurants, too. Farther East is Pink Palace, which houses exhibits on natural history, the Sharpe Planetarium and an IMAX Theater. © Wcities