There is a place on Thompson Lane at Mill Creek--1/2 mile west of Murfreesboro Road. It used to be called Dairy King, and is very popular for frozen confections and food. It's right past Wimpole Drive (on the right) and Currey Road (on the left.)

I'll third Marlowe's, but suggest staying east--around Mt. Moriah or Poplar Ave. area.

You'll have to be careful anywhere in Memphis--sorry to say. It's not a walking kind of town.

I can tell you of a quirky kind of place that's really good for lunch--Colletta's Restaurant on South Parkway. It's on South Parkway East (exit 28A off I-240) that goes due north out of the Elvis Presley Blvd. area. The restaurant is right beside I-240 on the right going north.

When I lived in Memphis, we'd go there weekly for their barbeque pizza and salad lunch special. It was especially tasty--and one of my favorite lunch places.

I promise you won't find barbeque pizza anywhere but Memphis. I love the stuff.

Another great place for BBQ is the buffet at Leonard's--the original Memphis BBQ restaurant.
Go East on I-240 to the Mount Moriah south exit--turn right; Go right on Mendenhall (fork in road) right past Dobbs Ford. Take the first left on Fox Plaza Drive and it's on the right. The BBQ is to die for, and the ribs are very underrated.

Be careful around the airport/Elvis Presley Blvd. area, and don't travel alone at night around there.

You're not kidding about restaurants being off the Trace. The above reply has a bunch of restaurants way, way off the Trace. If you'll follow his list, I'll pick up at Houston, MS going north.
Tupelo is the only major town you'll find on the Trace in North Mississippi, and most of their good restaurants are East on McCullough Blvd. and North on N. Gloster.
There are few restaurants close to the trace in Tennessee, but one that's worth visiting is Puckett Grocery's original location in Leipers Fork, rt. on Pinewood Road--10 mi. SW of Franklin, TN. They're on the internet, and have music some nights.
At the end of the Trace, turn right on Hwy 100, and you'll find Loveless Motel--a big breakfast/biscuits and fried chicken home cooking kind of place. Many music people have eaten here, including Paul McCartney and others. Check them out on the internet, as they have live music and a live radio show during the week.
A great dinner theater, Chaffin's Barn, is closeby on Hwy 100--if you happened to come through at dinner. Fabulous plays.
If you want fancy food, come east on Hwy 100 into Belle Meade. There are a couple of great restaurants in that community-- Sperry's is the one for steak.
Nashville is well written about on this website, and is a great restaurant town.
We ate last weekend at Maggiano's Little Italy, 3108 Broadway, and it was absolutely fabulous.
I think we got five full meals including take outs from that one dinner.

You are correct that once someone goes to Italy, you'll be back. Italy is just so much different from the rest of Western Europe--which has become completely modernized.

I took classes at the University of Innsbruck in college, so I naturally migrate back there--and come into Italy from the north. Most of my travel has been to Venice (5x), Cortina, Verona and Udine.

Funny thing about Udine is a general lack of restaurants, but plenty of bars and gelatina places. We like to have never found a place to eat.

We're looking forward to getting back to Italy in April, and finding another favorite place to go.

Cleo: You're a little vague about where you're wanting to go, and I would suggest reading in Rick Steves.com and BobtheNavigator.com to find sample itineraries. Many experienced travelers would suggest you fly into Venice before taking in Florence and Tuscany on a rail/car package. You could then end up in Rome before flying home.

April, 2012, I'm taking in Milan, Lugano, Florence, the Hill Country/Chianti and Rome.

It's very, very easy to research the restaurants, however you first need to establish an itinerary. Half the enjoyment of an international trip is researching the places to go, places to stay and the restaurants.

Goodness gracious. That's some kind of list.

My choice is Puleo's, which is next to the LaQuinta, which is possibly exit #385. May be the Cedar Bluff exit. It's Italian/American--and they really know how to run a restaurant. I usually go for a great small pizza and salad lunch special. Its voted most favorite Knoxville restaurant year after year.

Famous Dave's is across the street, and it's also no slouch.

Another alternative would be to take the Germantown Parkway South exit as soon as you get into Memphis and stop at Corky's BBQ @ 1740 South Germantown Parkway (on the left.)

The best ribs I ever ate (bar none) were there.