It’s hard to picture the Scenic City with just a handful of restaurants, but any Chattanoogan over age 40 has witnessed a remarkable transformation of the dining-out scene.
Picture your part of town 30 years ago with nothing more than a Krystal, a McDonald’s and maybe a pizzeria. The whole Hamilton Place universe of restaurants didn’t even exist.
Now, fast-forward 30 years, and the picture is much different.
Jeff Messinger, owner of Mount Vernon Restaurant on South Broad Street and former president of the Tennessee Restaurant Association, said the dining-out trend has fueled an explosion in restaurants.
“Years ago, our mothers cooked more,” he said.