Elvis Presley had a famously prodigious appetite, especially for down-home Southern food. Living in Memphis, it’s no surprise that Elvis enjoyed barbecue, whether it was smoked bologna or ribs. One of the most beloved barbecue restaurants in the city is Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous in downtown Memphis, where dry rubbed pork ribs were born. Elvis was a big fan of Rendezvous’ famous ribs and would often have them sent to his mansion, Graceland. He loved them so much, he’d also have them overnighted to Las Vegas when he was performing there.
With such a deep appreciation for the Rendezvous, you might think the King was a regular visitor — but you’d be wrong. He never dined there. Apparently, Elvis didn’t want to eat with anyone else around. “Elvis always wanted to rent the whole place out, and my father didn’t want to lose customers, so he refused,” Charlie Vergos’ son, John, recounts in author Zoey Goto’s 2016 book “Elvis Style: From Zoot Suits to Jumpsuits.” “Instead, we would courier our ribs out to Graceland for Elvis to enjoy.”
A barrel of barbecue ribs
However, some restaurants catered to Elvis Presley’s culinary quirks. Elvis and his entourage once flew from Memphis to Denver in the middle of the night for his favorite sandwich, the Fool’s Gold Loaf, and the restaurant sent over two dozen of the massive PB&J and bacon sandwiches for the King and his friends to enjoy at the airport. Charlie Vergos wasn’t as accommodating. It may have been that his restaurant was always busy. Even today, the Rendezvous cooks an astronomical 5,000 pounds of ribs per week. The secret is cooking them on high heat and adding a Greek-influenced spice blend afterwards. Whether Elvis was mad about not getting his way or not, he continued to order from Vergos’ restaurant and even turned others on to it.
Once, in the mid-1960s, he invited Major League Baseball broadcaster Harry Carey to Graceland, and after a long evening of drinking, singing, and chatting, Elvis ordered ribs from the Rendezvous. “They bring a barrel of barbecue ribs,” Carey recalled in a 1984 ESPN interview. “And I sit around ’til five, six in the morning, eating barbecue ribs and chit-chatting with Elvis Presley.” Carey soon became a regular Rendezvous customer. Elvis died in 1977, and although the Rendezvous’ ribs were a favorite, his last meal consisted of store bought chocolate chip cookies and four scoops of vanilla ice cream.
