CAN WE AGREE THAT EATING IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN NASHVILLE?
These days, Nashville has one of the most lauded food scenes in America. Just in the past year, Sean Brock’s Audrey and June were named to the New York Times’ “50 Restaurants We Love Most in 2022,” in addition to a heap of other honors. Trevor Moran’s Locust was Food & Wine’s restaurant of the year.
All this talk about food got us wondering: what are some of the must try foods in Nashville? We set about assembling a list of some of Nashville’s most famous foods and iconic restaurants. Some of these tastes have been part of Nashville’s food story for generations now. Others arrived just in the last few years. Most are popular food spots in the city, a few are known only to locals, and some are even featured on our award winning Nashville Food Tours rated #14 out of all Culinary Experiences in the US. Read on for a delicious taste of Nashville.
SAVOR THE CITY:
Nashville Hot Chicken
Over the past fifteen years or so, Nashville has become synonymous with hot chicken. These days, chefs from Australia to New York claim to fry chicken “Nashville style.”
According to legend, the dish was created around a century ago when a man named Thornton Prince III was caught running around on his woman. She decided to teach him a lesson. The next morning, she woke up and made his favorite Sunday brunch, fried chicken. Then she infused that bird with every spicy thing she had on hand. Instead of being burned into good behavior, however, Prince used her recipe to launch the business that today is known as Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. The Prince family kept their family dish alive despite the challenges and limitations of segregation placed on their business. When the restaurant became a favorite afterhours haunt of George Morgan and other Grand Ole Opry stars, the Princes inverted the town’s racial mores, serving their Black guests in the main dining room and sending their famous white guests to eat in a little room near the kitchen.
Hot chicken is obviously a must try food in Nashville. These days, many folks claim to make Nashville hot chicken, but why settle for imitation chicken when you can have the original? Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack’s flagship restaurant is just south of downtown, but they also have a secondary location in the Assembly Food Hall at the corner of 5th and Broadway. Or you can catch their food truck out and about around town.
(P.S. Curious for more hot chicken history? Our tour guide Rachel Louise Martin literally wrote the book!)
Meat ‘n’ Three
Nashvillians believe we invented the meat ‘n’ three’s, though a few of our neighboring cities dispute that. Not sure what a meat ‘n’ three is? Well, the concept is built into the name. At these restaurants, diners are offered a choice of meat – fried chicken, pulled pork bbq, ribs, fried catfish, roast beef and the like – along with three “vegetables.” The vegetables are in quotes because the list can include mac-and-cheese, hush puppies and candied yams.
Traditionally, these restaurants were all served cafeteria style. The O.G. meat ‘n’ three in Nashville these days is Swett’s, which opened up in 1954. The restaurant began as an accident when Walter and Susie Swett bought a tavern. Though tavern didn’t serve food, these busy parents had ten kids who needed dinner every night so they sat their kids in the corner of the tavern and served a family meal each night. Other guests asked to get in on the feast, and the rest is culinary history. Similar spots include Big Al’s, the Silver Sands Café and the Belmont Bi-Rite.
These days, a few of restaurants serve their meat ‘n’ three in less traditional ways. For a dressed up take on the traditional, check out Monell’s, where passed platters served family style give you a chance to taste way more than one meat or three sides. Local chain Puckett’s offered a plated version of the traditional meal. Locals also love Wendell’s, which is another plated meat ‘n’ three that has been around almost as long as Swett’s.
Fried Bologna Sandwich:
Image courtesy of Roberts Western World
For most folks, bologna invokes memories of soggy cafeteria sandwiches, but here in the South, we’ve come up with a better way of doing things. We fry our bologna. (Online you’ll find an assortment of “healthified” versions of this sandwich, but our opinion is, if you are going to eat fried bologna, don’t bother with an air fryer. Just jump for the real thing.) After pan frying the meat, we put it between bread and add our favorite toppings to it. Some then make it fancy, slathering on pimento or mustard aioli or hot honey butter. Most folks, though, think the simplist version is the best, just a slice of bread, bologna, lettuce, Duke’s mayo and then a final slice of bread.
Many locals raised around Nashville grew up getting their fried bologna straight from the country market down the road, but never fear! You don’t have to head out yonder to find a good option. The best place in Nashville to grab a fried bologna sandwich is Roberts Western World on Broadway, which was voted Local Favorite Honky Tonk for eight years in a row. Featuring seven slices of meat, it is the epitome of the bologna experience. Your best bet is to order their Recession Special. For $6, you’ll get a sandwich, a PBR and a moon pie. Then you’ll really be eating like a local. For a breakfast take on the dish, try Elliston Place Soda Shop.
Kurdish Food:
Yep, you’re reading that right. But these days, Nashville’s residents come from a variety of places around the globe, which means that our cuisine is increasingly diverse. For instance, Nashville has the largest Kurdish population of Kurds in the United States. Wanna taste what that means?
Photo From Edessa’s IG
The House of Kabob was founded in 1997 and specializes in Kurdish/Persian dishes. In addition to the expected kabobs, falafel and gyros, the restaurant also features dishes like joojeh (whole marinated Cornish game hen served with barberry rice) and ghormeh sabzi stew (cubed beef with herb, kidney beans and sun-dried limes). Edessa Restaurant is another popular spot. So is Dunya Kabob. Some of the best Kurdish food can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores around the city, including spots like Newroz Market and Sulav Market.
DON’T FORGET DESSERT:
Goo Goo Clusters:
Whatever your favorite chocolate candy is, you can thank Nashville-based Goo Goo Cluster for it. In 1912, they invented the methodology that made mass-produced, multi-layered, chocolate-covered candy bars possible when they encased a mound of caramel, marshmallow nougat and freshly-roasted peanuts in milk chocolate.
You’ll find Goo Goos sold around Nashville, but set aside time to visit their flagship store located less than a block off Broadway. You can walk in, buy a pre-made candy and walk back out. That will take about five minutes. You can also design your own version via computer screens mounted to their wall; they will then make the candies for you. That will require about fifteen minutes. The best option, though, is taking an hour-long candy making class (which has an optional alcohol package available). Just sign up through their website!
Moon Pie:
Image courtesy of Moon Pie IG
Invented just South of Nashville, Moon Pies are a another favorite Southern treat. Supposedly, it all began in 1917 when a coal miner asked for a snack “as big as the moon.” The traditional version is a chocolate-dipped sandwich cookie made from round graham crackers with a marshmallow filling, but these days, you can also find them made with mint, salted caramel, strawberry, banana, vanilla and (of course) pumpkin spice.
Bushwacker:
Bushwacker’s are an adult option for after dinner consumption. Though the boozy milkshake was invented in the U.S. Virgin Islands, these days, Nashville claims it for its own. The basic drink is a mixture of Bailey’s or Kahlua, cream, vodka and dark rum. Many places also add some chocolate to the mix. You’ll find versions of the drink around town, but some popular spots for it are Edley’s Bar-B-Que and Broadway Brewhouse.
DRINK (WITH) YOUR MEAL:
Fruit Tea:
Fruit tea is a sweet tea punch that has been popular amongst Nashville’s lunching ladies for at least the half century. Its exact origin is a mystery, but most folks raised in the city have a deep love for the drink. It’s made by adding orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple juice and some cinnamon to sweet tea. The exact proportions vary from restaurant to restaurant, so everywhere you go, you’ll get a slightly different version. Let us know what your favorite ends up being! A few of our favorite spots include Frothy Monkey, Loveless Café, Fido, Puffy Muffin and Calypso Café.
TenNessee Whiskey:
Image courtesy of Nelson’s Greenbriar
We can’t close out this article without talking about Nashville’s favorite, Tennessee Whiskey, not just as a beverage but as a cultural and culinary icon. Distilled using a unique process known as the Lincoln County Process, where the whiskey is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before aging, it acquires a distinct and smooth flavor profile. While nearly everyone has heard of Jack Daniels, our Nashville favorites: Standard Proof and Nelson’s Greenbriar Distillery can also be tasted on both our Downtown Nashville Food Tour and Nashville Craft Cocktail Tour.
Tennessee whiskey is like Nashville's spirited best friend, and it's not just for sipping. We're talking about a whiskey that's smoother than a country ballad. You see, Nashville doesn't just love its whiskey in a glass; it likes to get playful with it in the kitchen too. From finger-lickin' barbecue sauces with that sweet whiskey kick to desserts that'll make your taste buds dance with whiskey-infused goodness, it's clear that in Music City, whiskey isn't just a drink; it's a flavor-packed ingredient that adds a bit of Tennessee twang to its culinary creations. It's all about that perfect blend of tradition and innovation, giving you a taste of the heart and soul of Nashville's food scene.
P.S. Try adding a shot of Tennessee whiskey to your fruit tea. You’ll have no regrets!