Food

Food  RESTAURANT

Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store and Kitchen

Find a flurry of Southern fare, live music on Saturday or early breakfast during the week

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO PHOTOS BY SARAH MAYO

The Dish

RESTAURANT Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store and Kitchen LOCATION 13995 Murfreesboro Hwy., Beechgrove PHONE 931-394-2328 HOURS Monday–Friday: 5 a.m.–2 p.m.; Friday: 5–9 p.m. Saturday: 7 a.m.–2 p.m., 5–9 p.m. PRICES Bacon cheeseburger: $7.50; Grilled chicken salad: $8; Fried okra: $3.75; Hot chicken sandwich: $8.50; Fried green tomatoes: $7; Fries or tots: $2.75; Strawberry cake: $3

In a quaint, circa-1938 store building in the heart of Beechgrove, Tennessee, Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store and Kitchen serves sausage and biscuits, chicken and dressing, burgers, fried fish, cakes and other traditional Southern treats.

The interior contains about a dozen tables, plus a bar with a few more seats, and sports a vintage vibe packed with old signs and antique pieces. Gregory’s opens early for breakfast—at 5 a.m. on weekdays—offering the standard bacon, eggs, pancakes, biscuits, sausage and such. Try a pork tenderloin biscuit; add egg and cheese to any biscuit with meat, if you like.

“Absolutely the best biscuits in Middle Tennessee,” Stephen Agostino said after trying Gregory’s. “Come hungry because these babies are twice the size of your fast food version!”

Then for lunch, beginning at 10:30, the restaurant serves burgers, salads, a hot chicken sandwich, crispy fried okra and more. Various daily specials include chicken and dressing, meatloaf, chili, chicken and dumplings, country fried steak, bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and other rotating selections.

The everyday menu is not incredibly large, but combined with the daily special, most anyone should be able to find something to suit them.

Under the sandwich category, aside from the burgers and chicken sandwiches, find a BLT, hot chicken, club, bologna or barbecue sandwich.

“I had breakfast and lunch here several times this week. Everything was very good and I will be back,” another customer, Lance Hickerson, said.

Gregory’s also serves fried green tomatoes, chicken wings, onion rings, jalapeño corn nuggets and fried pickles.

For dessert, have a very moist and generously iced slice of strawberry cake, perhaps, or other rotating choices of cakes, pies and brownies.

The establishment closes at 2 p.m., but on the weekends Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store and Kitchen hosts a fish fry every Friday night, and live music during the dinner hours on Saturdays—the only two nights the establishment opens—from 5–9 p.m.

Recent Saturday night musical performers include Zone Status, Sisters Wade Revival and Tyler Powell.

A few picnic tables sit outside under a covered area for outdoor dining during nice weather.

Over the years, the building on Highway 41, about 18 miles south of downtown Murfreesboro, formerly housed a feed shop, a hardware store and other businesses.

Caleb Gregory took over ownership of the restaurant in August 2022. Now, a large map of the area, produced by his mother, Marlena Gregory, decorates one of the walls of the business. This map gives the location of HooDoo and Fudge Around—two actual nearby communities, according to a Beechgrove Country Store employee—as well as Bradyville, Manchester, Milton and other towns in the area.

The store offers a variety of local products for sale: honey, floral bouquets, peanuts, products from Woods Viking Barbershop and other items, all produced in the area.

So the next time you want some country cooking in a cute, quaint setting, and want to head away from town or happen to be near the Beechgrove area, just off of I-24 at exit 97, pay Gregory’s Beechgrove Country Store and Kitchen a visit.

“It’s my favorite place to stop when I’m out this way! The Gregorys did an excellent job remodeling making it a warm and cozy little restaurant,” Jacob Shaw said. “I pray God blesses them, and their little Beechgrove Country Store. Their BBQ is excellent.”

Food

Overfl ow Brews & Bakes

115 N. Maple St., Murfreesboro 615-900-1676 Open Mon. 7 a.m.–5 p.m.; Tues.–Wed. 7 a.m.–7 p.m.; Thurs.–Sat. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. ONLINE: overfl owb.com This scratch bakery offers premium coffee & freshly brewed tea and bubble (boba) tea. Overfl ow is a veteran-owned business that is partnered with Narrow Gate Coffee in Franklin, a company whose mission is to train and equip young men, including those recovering from addiction, to learn sustainable business skills.

The Coffee Shops of Murfreesboro

Where to go for coffee, cappuccino, latte, tea and other delicous brews

BY LAURA LINDSAY

Sure, nearly every corner of Murfreesboro—and many other towns across the nation—contains a Starbucks or Dunkin’, but if you look, the area has many independent coffee houses, too. Here are some of the local businesses to try for coffee, tea, specialty drinks and donuts, breakfast, lunch and other options.

Coffee Fusion

836 N. Thompson Ln. #1F, Murfreesboro (in The Gateway Village) • 615-900-1515 Open Mon. and Wed.–Fri. 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat. 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sun. 8 a.m.–6 p.m. ONLINE: thecoffeefusion.com Coffee Fusion serves a variety of drinks including bubble tea, caramel macchiato, coffee and teas. The restaurant features breakfast sandwiches and waffl es, and Asian selections like stir fry, soup, pad Thai and curry.

The Bean Loft Coffee Company

2136 Middle Tennessee Blvd., Murfreesboro 615-603-7382 Open daily 7 a.m.–7 p.m. ONLINE: beanloft.com The coffeehouse near MTSU offers coffee, iced & hot lattes, cappuccino and more. It serves Belgian waffl es, and The Bean Loft also has a food truck available for events.

Brass Horn Coffee Roasters

410 W. Lytle St., Murfreesboro 615-624-7060 Open Mon.–Sat. 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

ONLINE: brasshorncoffee.com Brass Horn likes to provide a positive coffee experience to patrons, and supports coffee importers and farmers by sourcing green coffee responsibly with careful roasting and brewing.

Donut Countr y

1311 Memorial Blvd., Murfreesboro 615-890-3129 Open daily 4:30 a.m.–midnight 1691 Middle Tennessee Blvd., Murfreesboro 615-893-2801 Open Mon.–Fri. 5 a.m.–11 a.m., Sat.–Sun. 6 a.m.–12 p.m. ONLINE: donutcountry.com This family owned and operated shop has been serving handmade donuts for more than 40 years. This location on Memorial Boulevard serves hot and iced Just Love coffee, hot and iced tea, sandwiches, cinnamon rolls, fritters and more. The smaller Donut Country location on Middle Tennessee Blvd. serves donuts and coffee.

Carpe Cafe

115 Front St., Smyrna • 615-984-4040 Mon.–Thurs. 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m. ONLINE: carpe-cafe.com Carpe Cafe’s extensive coffee menu includes cold brew, Americano, breve, cappuccino, lattes and hot chocolate. Try the Canon—a 20-ounce drink with a punch—with four shots of espresso, milk and Irish cream syrup. The cafe frequently hosts live music and it has a packed menu. It also serves as a way to give real-world business, management experience to students and young adults.

217 N. Thompson Ln., Murfreesboro Open Sun.–Thurs. 5:30 a.m.–10 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 5:30 a.m.–11 p.m. ONLINE: 7brew.com This drive-thru coffee chain serves coffee and specialty drinks like the white chocolate and Irish cream Smooth 7 and a coconut caramel mocha German Chocolate, and energy drinks, smoothies, shakes and sparkling water.

White Bison Coffee

110A John Rice Blvd., Murfreesboro (Inside the Shell gas station) 615-893-4321 • Open 24/7 ONLINE: whitebisoncoffee.com Make a quick stop here for a hot or cold coffee beverage, a waffl e sandwich, and other breakfast and lunch sandwiches. 1220 E. Northfi eld Blvd., Murfreesboro • 615-397-0784 Open: Mon.–Fri. 5 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Sat.–Sun. 6 a.m.–3:30 p.m. ONLINE: joedough.cafe Joe and Dough offers handcrafted doughnuts that the shop says will delight and surprise. Stay awhile and enjoy a coffee, latte, nitro cold brew or Americano, or a full meal. The cafe serves soup and paninis for lunch.

Joanie’s Murfreesboro

1733 St. Andrews Dr., Murfreesboro • 615-900-3627 615-900-3627 Open Mon.–Wed., Fri. and Sat. 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; Thurs. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. 13 South Public Square, Murfreesboro • 615-900-3282 Open Mon.–Sat. 7 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sundays 8 a.m.–4 p.m. ONLINE: joaniesboro.com Both Joanie’s locations feature gourmet coffee, fl avored lemonades and other drinks, and made-from-scratch breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Its entire menu is served all day; French toast or a breakfast burrito for dinner is no problem. The menu also includes crepes, salads, burgers and tacos.

Simply Pure Sweets

128 N. Church St., Murfreesboro • 615-962-8086 Open: Tues.–Fri. 6:30 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sat. 8 a.m.–2 p.m. ONLINE: simplypuresweets.com Serving coffee made from locally roasted beans for a variety of espresso-based drinks and coffee. Unlimited dine-in brewed coffee is available for $3. The café offers bread baked in house daily including bagels, buns and hoagies, plus a weekly rotating lunch menu featuring local produce. The shop can also fi ll large orders of specialty crafted baked goods.

Just Love Coffee Cafe

129 MTCS Rd. • 615-624-8169 Open daily 7 a.m.–7 p.m. 1440 Medical Center Pkwy., Murfreesboro (at The Fountains at Gateway) • 615-900-2254 Open Mon.–Thurs. 7 a.m.–7 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.–6 p.m. 2863 Old Fort Pkwy., Murfreesboro • 615-900-3324 Open daily 6:30 a.m.–8 p.m ONLINE: justlovecoffeecafe.com This cafe serves a large menu of breakfast, lunch and dinner options along with drip coffee, cold brews, specialty drinks and teas. A rapidly expanding brand with locations across the country, Just Love aims to maintain a relaxed community atmosphere.

The Cool Beans Co.

615-887-1437

ONLINE: thecoolbeansco.com This locally owned food truck offers iced coffee, cold brews, smoothies and more. To book the food truck for an event, call or email thecoolbeansco@ yahoo.com; Follow The Cool Beans Co. on Facebook to fi nd out where the food truck will be next.

Q & R Cafe

1798 W. Northfi eld Blvd., Murfreesboro 615-962-8681 Open Mon.—Sat. 7:30 a.m.—8:30 p.m., Sundays 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m. ONLINE: qrcafeus.com Q & R Cafe serves a large variety of drinks including coffee beverages, teas, slushies, ade (sparkling water), smoothies and more, along with breakfast, lunch and sweet treats.

The Abbey Public House

215 N. Church St., Murfreesboro • 615-482-0543 Open Wed.–Fri. 11 a.m.–8 p.m. • ONLINE: tastytable.net This restaurant and pub serves drip coffee, cappuccino, latte and espresso. The pub also features a wide selection of craft beer and wine and a menu of sandwiches, wraps, soup and a salad (with steak, salmon or chicken add-on options).