The story of ACRE

When ACRE opened its doors early in the summer of 2011, Memphis diners had some idea of what to expect. Chef and general manager, Wally Joe, is a mid-south culinary legend, having put Mississippi on the national dining map with KC’s in Cleveland and translating that success to his eponymous restaurant in Memphis, Wally Joe.

What those guests encountered, however, was a complete dining experience—from the inventive cuisine and one-of-a-kind décor to the home-like atmosphere and warm, welcoming service—unlike anything they’d experienced in Memphis or anywhere else in the country.

 

ACRE’s location in a home nestled in a lush, tree-lined acre of land in largely residential East Memphis coupled with the restaurant’s eclectic, sophisticated and unique interior design set it worlds apart from both independent and corporate restaurants in Memphis, inspiring more than one guest to declare, “This doesn’t feel like Memphis.”

But ACRE is Memphis, through and through. Joe and executive chef Andrew Adams are dedicated Memphis residents and are committed to sourcing food products from as many area producers as possible.

Partners Frank and Mary Stanley, longtime Memphians, were driven to create a dining destination near home—and that FELT like home. Local residential architect Doug Enoch designed a renovation of the existing home that at once make it seem both extraordinary and right at home in the neighborhood.

Mary enlisted the expertise of Memphis native Gwen Driscoll to design ACREs interiors and the two have crafted environments that simultaneously compliment the cuisine, put diners at ease and create a sense of excitement and anticipation. Many of the unique design elements – from wrought iron accents to light fixtures – were commissioned and created by local artisans and craftsmen.

Finally, ACRE’s main entrance and main dining areas are dominated by breathtaking images of Sable Island horses produced by photographer Robert Dutesco. These wild horses that live on an island off Nova Scotia’s coast can be seen as a parallel for the unique and indefinable nature of ACRE itself.