"Why Cook When You Have Haven’s?" That’s what the sign on the board behind the register reads at Haven’s Diner, across from AutoZone on Highway 58.
And they’re right. At Haven’s, you can have home cooking like your grandmother made — without spending all afternoon in a hot kitchen.
Though Haven Rakestraw and his family have only been in the Highway 58 neighborhood for three years, they’re well-known in the Chattanooga area. The family restaurant has been earning accolades and newspaper writeups since they opened in the early 1980s. As they moved from East Lake to Shallowford to Brainerd, the business, started by Haven’s father LeBron Rakestraw, his wife Gwenda, and chef Lucious C. Simmons, carried the tradition of soul food across the city.
“In Brainerd, we became the first Black-owned business in Chattanooga to hold more than 300 people,” Haven says. However, he downsized after his father’s death, working for other employers for a while until he realized his heart was really in owning his own business. Starting back up again with a food trailer, he opened the brick-and-mortar store on Highway 58 and became an instance success. Now, as the couple’s daughters grow older, it’s once again a multigeneration business, with Gwenda still presiding over the kitchen.
The menu attests to the fact that Haven’s Diner serves everybody’s favorites. Meats include BBQ chicken, fried pork chops, fried whiting and catfish, neckbones, oxtails, meatloaf, and of course, fried chicken. Side dishes include candied yams, green beans, collards, cabbage, fried okra, mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas, potato salad, cucumber salad, a varied of casseroles, and macaroni and cheese. You can also grab a country style sandwich containing a thick pork chop or some fried fish. Of course, there’s peach cobbler for dessert.
The menu varies from day to day, but it always features Haven’s most famous selling point — fresh vegetables, especially hand-picked greens and ripe tomatoes. The vegetable plate is a popular order. They get much of their produce from Linda’s Produce on Highway 58, says Haven appreciatively.
In fact, they fit right in with the neighborhood.
“They love us,” Antoinette says. “We love it out here, too. These are great people, and they’ve been good to us through the pandemic. We have lots of repeat customers. We really get to know them.”
It’s no wonder the business has been a big hit. Besides the excellent food, it’s just a pleasant place to be. The dining room is attractive, with relaxed music playing. The family’s daughters will welcome you with a smile and make you feel right at home. When you smell the delicious foods cooking inside, you’ll definitely be hooked.
Call Ahead or Come on By!
As well as indoor dining, Haven’s Diner does a brisk take-out business at their easy-to-find location at 4817 Highway 58.
- Dine in or carryout Wednesday–Friday noon–7 p.m.
- Dine in or carryout Saturday noon–8 p.m.
- Carryout only Sunday noon–8 p.m.
Call (423) 468-3829 to place an order. Search “Haven’s Diner” on Facebook to see the menu board each day.