O&AN | February 2020

You may have this idea that Nashville cuisine is 5-alarm hot chicken, an endless basket of biscuits, excellent barbeque, a Willy Wonka waterfall of sweet tea, and enough banana pudding to land a high dive into. And you’re not wrong. But the thing is, Nashville’s ever-expanding food scene brings with it such variation and excellence that one would have to work hard to a.) ever experience all of it or b.) ever grow tired of it. Between the hallmark restaurants that exemplify the best of Nashville cooking and all of the new kids on the block, dining delights await you at every turn.

Nashville Hot Chicken has become something of a national phenomenon in the past few years. When KFC knocks you off, you know you must be doing something right. There are so many excellent options to light your taste buds on fire that

it would be impossible to pick only one. Party Fowl, Prince’s, Bolton’s, and Hattie B’s each have their devotees and it would be all but impossible to pick a favorite. The only warning I can give you is this: Pack your antacids!

There’s another peculiarly Southern dining concept you may run into: the Meat and Three. It’s a fairly simple concept of two menus, one with meat selections and the other with an enormous list of side dish options. White-tablecloth fine dining this is not. But you’ll get to experience the widest variety of greens and vegetables the Southern table has to offer. Among the best known are Arnold’s Country Kitchen (605 Eighth Ave. South) and Wendell Smith’s (407 53rd Ave North). Two Nashville institutions merit their own category: The Originals. I speak of Monell’s and The Loveless Cafe. In short, if either

of these restaurants ever lock the doors for good, we might as well just pack up our biscuit cutters and move to… I don’t know… Louisville? Either way, bring your patience and prepare to wait if you’re going to eat in either of these restaurants.

Monell’s (1235 Sixth Ave. North) is situated along a picturesque Germantown street and allows you the unique circumstance of getting to know some strangers. The family-style dining setup involves passed side dishes and a rotating nightly lineup of meats. But the fried chicken… oh, the fried chicken… it’s always there and always kept hot and fresh by the attentive staff. Monell’s also has two other locations, one of which is cafeteria style (2826 Bransford Ave.) and a quick lunch stop.

The Loveless Cafe (8400 Highway 100) is a bit of a trek from downtown at 18 miles out, but we’ve never taken anyone there who has been left hungry at the end of the meal or disappointed in their choice. The biscuits are legendary, always served hot from the oven with butter and three types of preserves: peach, blackberry, and strawberry. The hashbrown casserole will put you in direct communication with the divine entity of your choice. And then there’s the turkey barbeque served with cranberry barbeque sauce. We’re loath to tell you about this dish because we don’t want them to run out when we go, but just trust us on this.

Talking about your favorite barbeque in this town is akin to choosing a bear trap you want to stick your foot into. Everyone’s got their favorite and will defend it mightily. Suffice it to say, when food writers decided in 2019 that Nashville’s barbeque was better than what you’ll find in Memphis, we just shook our heads in agreement. We already knew. Edley’s (multiple locations), Martin’s (multiple

locations), Peg Leg Porker (903 Gleaves St.), and Jack’s (multiple locations) hold down the fort, but we’ve had Memphis-style plant its flag here recently, with Central BBQ opening a location at 408 Eleventh Ave. North.

If you’re looking for fine dining, Nashville’s smash hit lineup of current offerings won’t disappoint. With names like Husk (37 Rutledge St.), The Catbird Seat (1711 Division St.), Rolf & Daughters (700 Taylor St.), and Bon Appetit mag’s Hot 10 Best New Restaurants for 2019 entry Tailor (1300B Third Ave. North), you might have to fight for a prime reservation, but you’ll remember the experience. Among our favorite fine establishments are Josephine (2316 12th Ave. South), Germantown Cafe (1200 Fifth Ave. North), and Silo (1121 Fifth Ave. North). Look over the menus and let your tastebuds lead the way!

But then there are times when you just want something comforting, quick, and perfectly Nashville. Here’s a few favorites: The Belgian burger at M. L. Rose (multiple locations). The Meatball Pie at Five Points Pizza (two locations). Absolutely any of the doughnuts at Status Dough (921 Gallatin Ave.) or Five Daughters Bakery (multiple locations). A pasta bowl from Nicoletto’s with any of their fresh homemade pastas (two locations). A late-night grilled sandwich at Duke’s (1000 Main St.). The perfect Pad Thai from The Smiling Elephant (2213 Eighth Ave. South). A morning-after-the-party breakfast at Sky Blue Cafe (700 Fatherland St.) or brunch at The Lipstick Lounge (1400 Woodland St.)

Whatever food soothes your soul, you’ll find it here in Nashville. While we do Southern hospitality and serve it with a liberal dose of sweet tea, we do pretty much everything damn well. So, sit down, open that biscuit, and let’s have a meal to remember!