Foodie Crash Course: Nashville, TN
Intro
Most people know Nashville as a party destination, and for good reason. Lower Broadway is an iconic place to catch live music from artists that may one day be playing in your car speakers. However, as Music City has grown in popularity amongst stag and hen parties, it has also attracted and forged some of the best culinary talents in the country. Yup, don’t be surprised to find out that the city known most for hot chicken isn’t ONLY ransacked with spots serving gut-bubbling fried bird.
I’ve been to Nashville a few times and had plenty of forgotten experiences at Tootsies Orchid Lounge, but this is not what this blog post is about. This is a look into Nashville’s culinary side. From heritage pork in Germantown to fire cocktails in East Nashville, to, yes of course, hot chicken, I’ve built a crash course to Nashville’s foodie scene to inspire your next adventure.
Thursday – Dive Right In
A late flight on a Thursday was a necessity not to miss too much time at work. Luckily, Nashville’s airport is a convenient trip 15 minutes from our stay at Thompson Nashville in The Gulch, which makes for a quick turnaround once we landed. The Gulch is a trendy little corner of the city that always seems to be lively. A good location away from the sometimes-suffocating crowds of downtown with easy highway access to get anywhere in the city in under 15 minutes.
Once checked-in, there is no time to waste. Off to Rolf and Daughters in Germantown. An 8-minute drive from Thompson, this modern, Italian-leaning spot is everything you want after a day of traveling. Think easy and approachable drinks and food in a just-lively-enough atmosphere. Set yourself up for success with an order of a couple small plates, a pasta or two, and a large dish if you’re feeling it. We opted for the heritage pork as a large dish because, why the heck not. A few drinks to loosen up and to celebrate the first night of a foodie trip, and we’re off to the races.
Friday – Vanderbilt, Cocktails and Hot Chicken
For those who know my trip planning style well, breakfast is usually the least planned meal of the day. I like to leave it up to chance depending on how after it I got the night before. This Friday morning is no different. Breakfast this day landed in the lobby restaurant at the Thompson, Marsh House. I can’t say anything about the rest of their menu, but the avocado toast I had was as good as avocado toast really can get.
Now that we’re fueled up, it’s time for a morning stroll. There is no better way to explore a city than on foot. A 30-minute walk from The Gulch through Music Row gets you to the edge of Vanderbilt’s campus. For me, there’s nothing more fun than aimlessly wandering through a college campus. Call it a weird hobby, but they’re all so unique and have their charm. It is fascinating how each campus has its own architectural style and history that dates back to the early years of higher education in the U.S.. I enjoy fading away into memories of my early 20s, secretly wishing I was back to a life of little responsibility and keg parties. You could spend a solid hour or so meandering through the quads and wondering which students are studying and which are skipping class.
From there, cross the west side of Vanderbilt over to Centennial Park. Centennial Park is home to the world’s only exact-size, full-scale replica of the Athenian Parthenon. Built in 1897 as a temporary structure in celebration of Tennessee’s 100th year of statehood, this structure was adored so much by the community they wouldn’t let the city take it down. It’s a cool piece of Tennessee history that now houses collections of art from throughout time. Admission is $10 per adult and it’s open 7 days a week. You shouldn’t need more than 1 hour here.
Okay, did you think I would have brought you to Centennial Park just to see an art exhibit? Absolutely not. The real reason I had you walk this way is to experience one of, if not the, best hot chicken joints in the city (in my book). Housed inside of (or attached to) Springwater, Tennessee’s oldest continuously open and operational bar, Red’s Hot Chicken serves hot chicken with a quality and spice unlike any I’ve ever had. Order yourself 2 hot and juicy thighs with white bread and pickles alongside a rockstar pimento mac & cheese and another side of your choice. Then grab a seat inside the bar, order a cold beer and wait to be served spicy fried chicken in its perfected form. General disclaimer…hot means hot. Don’t ruin your meal by trying to be machismo and ordering “Nashville Fire”. It’s just not fun.
After your stomach is all fired up, it’s time for you to decide if you’re going to nap or rally. Your choice, you can’t go wrong either way. If you rally, it’s pick your poison. You can go shopping in the Gulch or take a stroll through Pie Town. If you’re really feeling it, make your way downtown and join the all-day drinkers on Lower Broadway. You might find yourself in Printers Alley as well, which is a cool hidden strip of bars slightly away from the chaos, but with its own style of fun. Just make sure you’ve got enough energy for the evening of high-end cocktails and bougie food menus ahead of you.
That’s right. Time to make your way over to The Fox Bar and Cocktail Club. You can make a reservation here in advance, but they also take walk-ins. Just get there early enough to make sure you snag a spot. I’d recommend between 5-5:30pm. This for my money is on my list of best cocktail bars I visited in 2023. The bartender was one of the most skilled I’ve ever seen. He was able to serve us articulately crafted drinks while having full blown conversation with us and our fellow bar goers. The menu is broad enough to cover all palates, but if you want something specific, they’re talented enough to make you anything you want. Maybe start the ordering off with an Irish Coffee or Espresso drink for a double dose of buzz and see where the night takes you?
Now that you’re loosened up, food probably sounds pretty good. How about one of the most talked about and hardest tables to get in the city? Yup, we’re going to Locust. Settle in and get ready for a great meal. Locust is everything you want a good meal to be without being stuffy or full of itself. Think a small, rotating menu of both raw and cooked specialties like razor clams, beef tartar handrolls, and lobster rice made to perfectly warm you up on a winter night. Finish the meal off with a signature shaved ice dish of theirs which also rotates with the menu. On another visit, you can try to join them on Sunday night between 6-9pm for a casual evening with an even more special menu than other nights.
Saturday – Whiskey Class & Street Cart Quesadillas
Alright, time to gear up for day 3. Consider this a lazy morning or, if you’re a savage, maybe get a workout or a run in. That might not be such a bad idea knowing where we have you lined up for breakfast. Five Daughters Bakery is best known for their 100-layer croissant style donuts. They’ve got a few locations in Nashville proper and 10 between Tennessee and Georgia. Normally, I’m in the camp that when popular places expand, they tend to lose quality. However, somehow Five Daughters have managed to still crank out drool-worthy desserts that make the sugar high (and crash) worth it. There’s a location in The Gulch near the hotel, but I suggest heading over to the 12 South location to get some walking and shopping in after a filling breakfast. Stroll up and down 12th Ave S for your pick of boutique shops that fit most fancies.
That should keep you busy enough until you’re hungry again. Today’s pick for lunch is another dealer’s choice. There’s great Tennessee BBQ at Peg Leg Porker, or maybe you’re feeling a classic Italian deli hoagie from Little Hats Italian Market in Germantown. My go-to, though, would be one of Nashville’s traditional southern meat and threes. That simple, cafeteria style home cooking puts a smile on my face every time. Pick your poison out of any from this Eater list, or just head straight to Arnold’s Country Kitchen in The Gulch to experience an institution that’s been going strong for over 40 years. Enjoy southern hospitality in it’s truest form here.
Maybe a quick power nap will recharge the batteries before we head out for the evening? Because next up is a small group Tennessee Whiskey Workshop in East Nashville. This 90 minute crash course will teach you everything you need to know about the history and traditions that have made Tennessee whiskey as popular as it is today. Spend time with Chris, a chef and director for the local US Bartenders Guild chapter, as he teaches you how to make the (or 3) perfect whiskey cocktails. Strap in for a fun experience that culturally immerses you into the spirit of the south.
As if 3 drinks aren’t already enough, there is still 60 minutes to kill before dinner, so let’s keep the party going. Luckily, Chopper is right across the street! Chopper is the tiki bar that you’ve been waiting for the whole trip! Think fun, festive drinks filled with copious amounts of spirits, (some) served up in wild and crazy glasses, just like you’d expect from your favorite neighborhood tiki bar. Now what you wouldn’t expect is for your favorite tiki bar is to see a bangin’ Mexican food truck hanging in the parking lot. Yup, Maiz de la Vida specializes in flawlessly executed and authentic birria, tacos, quesadillas, and tamales. You can skip a fancy dinner and order food here, which might be what you need in order to soak up all of that whiskey and tiki drinks.
However, if you are craving one last sit down meal, continue to Pelican & Pig. P&P offers a solid menu of sharables ranging from uplifted veggies like broccolini Caesar with anchovy breadcrumbs and big hearty meats like their bear creek ribeye with smoked bleu cheese. You can’t go wrong no matter which way you go.
Sunday – Departure
After this trip, no one can argue that you haven’t seen the real Nashville. Look, rooftop bars and live Country music do have their place, and man are they a ton of fun. But sometimes it takes understanding what a city is really like before you can form a true appreciation for it. Nashville can be considered a lot of things. A party destination is surely one of them. What it also has, though, is a history and culture that can be lived through it’s food, drinks, and most importantly, its people. That is what will keep me coming back to this city.
