365 Things to Do in Memphis #65: Eat At The Calvary Waffle Shop
365 Things to Do in Memphis #65: Have a Waffle (But Only During Lent)
Get ready for waffles, tomato aspic, and fish pudding, people!
Get ready for waffles, tomato aspic, and fish pudding, people!
You may be giving up chocolate, caffeine, or swearing for Lent, but there's no reason to give up waffles. Assignment #65 in the 365 Things to Do in Memphis is to have lunch at the Calvary Waffle Shop.
What Is The Memphis Calvary Waffle Shop?
Calvary Episcopal Church's Waffle Shop and Lenten Preaching Series is actually more than a tradition, it's an institution. Since 1928, the Calvary Episcopal Church in downtown Memphis has sold lunch in their basement on weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.
Many of the recipes (and some of the people in the entirely volunteer-run kitchen) have been the same for years. The Memphis Lent waffle shop opens for 2025 on March 6.
Calvary Waffle Shop 2025 Plans
- Waffle Shop dates: February 15 - April 11, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays
- 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- The Waffle Shop is at the church, 102 N. Second Street
- On Wednesday evenings, you can enjoy a community dining experience from 5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. before the live podcast recording. Learn more here.
Calvary Waffle Shop Menu
The menu changes daily, but there are some staples you can expect. There's always pie and waffles made to order from the Waffle shop's secret recipe.
And then there's the chicken hash, chicken salad, tomato aspic, shrimp mousse, and fish pudding (on Fridays). Yes, fish pudding. These vintage recipes sound like they're straight out of one of those 50's cookbooks where everything is a weird color, made of gelatin, and garnished with a curly kale leaf—but people love these dishes.
We popped by on a Friday last year to give some of these old school recipes a try and the fish pudding was good! We also ordered the Calvary Salad Plate which is a great sampler platter for the staples like chicken salad, tomato aspic, shrimp mousse, and pear with cottage cheese. Another reason to plan a Friday visit.. the delicious chocolate bourbon cake.
Check it out below:
If you're not brave enough for aspic, that's okay, there are always waffles in some form and more everyday church lunch plates like spaghetti with rye bread, seafood gumbo and cornbread, or spring vegetable soup.
See the 2025 menu schedule on the Calvary website.
Go there:
102 North 2nd Street
Memphis, TN 38103
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