Suffering from a bit of the tl;dr ?  Scroll to the end for my Nashville cheat sheet!

A few years ago, I did something I’ve never done before.  Traveled alone.  I don’t get to do much by myself and while I’ve flown alone numerous times, I’d never taken an actual trip anywhere solo.  That changed when my two oldest Nieces were graduating from high school in Northern Alabama.  My family decided to fly out and celebrate together.   My Dad wanted to meet in Nashville and drive down.  I decided on a whim to fly out a few days early and make a solo trip to explore the city before my family joined me.  I had a few friends who live there and I’d never been before, so it was all new.  I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I vowed after that to take more solo trips.  It was AWESOME.  For someone who doesn’t enjoy Country music, I had myself a TIME in Nashville.  Over those first few days I had adventures with friends, got lost a few times when my GPS failed, saw an incredible museum, banged up my rental car (note: Always get the full coverage.  Seriously.) but the thing I did the most was eat.  I tried to hit up as many places as I could before my family got in.  I love my Dad but his idea of dining out in a new city is visiting the local Chili’s (No disrespect to Chili’s but ever since they changed the recipe of their chicken crispers, things have changed between us.  It’s still pretty painful for me.  I don’t wanna talk about it).   I spent weeks putting together lists of restaurants and record stores I wanted to visit.  Some meals were so sublime, I vowed that were I ever to return to Nashville, I would hit them up immediately.  

Last Christmas, I found myself back in Music City.   It was GO time.  

I committed myself to covering 12 restaurants in 4 days and I did it, thanks in no small part to my travelling companion, Aimee.  She was also a great help in putting together a list of places of interest.  In fact, two of the best places were her suggestions.  I was also joined by a few friends at some locations who did an admirable job of helping me explore menus.  NGL, by day 3 I was rockin’ a pretty epic case of heartburn but with grit, determination and a fistful of Prilosec, I soldiered on.  For you, I do this.  I also spent a week doing a complete reset/cleanse because I can’t be cursed with the daily meat sweats for the rest of my days.  Here’s the low down on the places we hit:

Puckett’s (500 Church Street, Nashville 37219)

We were barely off the plane before it was time for lunch at this “Southern bar with an old general store feel”.  Aimee and I shared an order of Bubba’s Bones (Deep-fried baby back ribs tossed in Puckett’s BBQ sauce).  They were smokey and spicy with a nice chew.  Aimee enjoyed the fact that they weren’t over sauced and found the meat to be tender.  For me, deep frying dried them out a bit but they were tasty. 

For lunch, I ordered the Puckett’s BBQ Sandwich.  You can get it with pulled pork, chicken or brisket, each slow-smoked with cherry wood.  When I asked our server which protein is best, she responded “PORK!” as though the other options were burnt sinew or a used Kleenex.  The pork was very good and Puckett’s does a lovely spicy BBQ sauce.  The fries are also dry-rubbed, which were also great to dip in the BBQ sauce.  Our friends Patty and Jessica were big fans of the signature fruit tea (Blackberry citrus sweet iced tea).  Fortunately, they sell it by the gallon so you can play Puckett’s: The Home Game.  The only real misfire for me was dessert.  Puckett’s offers a “cobbler of the day” and Aimee and I decided to share the chocolate cobbler.  It was somewhere between an overcooked brownie and a stale cookie.  It was sweet but super chewy and needed a sauce or something.  A disappointing to end an otherwise perfectly fine meal.

Chauhan Ale and Masala House (123 12^th Avenue, Nashville 37203)

Owned by celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan, this refurbished brick garage offers creative spins on Indian cuisine.  This was Aimee’s first suggestion for the trip and I’ll never be done thanking her for it.  Y’all.  Y’ALL.  This was the most spectacular dining experience I had in Nashville.  I will RUN back to this place when I am next in town.  As soon as you walk into the space, you are hit with the most intoxicating smell of curry and it only gets better from there.  I started with Garlic Parmesan Naan which was tender, chewy, savory and delicious.  My favorite part is dipping my naan and there were two fantastic options for that.  The first was the unexpected and life changing Saag Mac and Cheese.  I know, I know.  Everybody and their Mother has a Mac and Cheese but this was something truly special.  Tender spiral pasta surrounded by a creamy, velvety spinach-based sauce that’s grassy, herbaceous and so flavorful.  It feels weird calling it Mac and Cheese but it’s amazing.  We never saw it coming.  A real find.  

For my main course, I chose the “build your own curry” option, which allows you to pair the protein of your choice with the curry of your choice.  I wanted to veer away from my usual chicken tikka masala in favor of something new.  I chose Ginger Garlic Shrimp in Korma (Saffron and cashew-based sauce).  The shrimp were plump, perfectly cooked and there were a ton of them in that little dish.  The sauce was another home run; savory, richly spiced and velvety.  It balanced perfectly with the side of basmati rice.  Once I ran out of naan to dip, I damn-near picked it up and drank it.  It was SO GOOD.  

Aimee was feeling more adventurous and chose the Tikka Masala Pork Shank for her main course.  Her exact words were “THE GREATEST PORK SHANK EVER!!!!”.  It was huge.  Like, this thing would tip over Fred Flinstone’s car (Another knee slapper from me!-your Grandparent’s favorite comic!).  The meat just fell off the bone.  It had amazing smokey flavor, assisted by great charred marks and surrounded by a delicious, citrus-y tikka masala.  If I had one more bite of food I was going to explode.  Aimee was feeling similarly but ordered dessert to go anyway.  She chose the Gulb Jamun Cheesecake, a light cheesecake with tiny donuts inside.  She said it was very tasty.  I could spend an entire episode gushing about this place.  It is a must do.   Although, a word of caution:  Parking is a challenge.  There is a nearby pay lot but it often closes early, over charges and is crowded.  They recommend that you instead park at the Whole Foods up the street, which has an underground parking garage.  Whole Foods also validates, so you can grab something upstairs, throw it in your car and walk a block to the best friggin’ meal you’ll have that day.

Five Daughter’s Bakery (1110 Caruthers Avenue, Nashville 37204)

Family owned and operated by Isaac and Stephanie Meek and named for their five adorable Daughters, Five Daughter’s is home of the 100 layer donut, which is exactly as fascinating and delicious as it sounds.   Taking up to three days to craft, these donuts are serious business.  They are offered in a variety of recurring and seasonal flavors.  We did a few of each.  My favorite of the staple items was the Vanilla Cream donut (infused with and topped with Vanilla Buttercream).  Given the size and feel of these donuts, they are surprisingly light and airy!  Soft and sweet with the perfect ratio of frosting (For me, anyway, you people who don’t like frosting on cupcakes are weird.  Just have a muffin).  Other highlights included the Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake Donut.  Aimee praised the smooth cream that perfectly balanced the tartness of the lemon.  Another treat was the Boston Cream Donut.  It’s huge, first off.  Many of these things are sized for sharing.  What we both noticed immediately was the chocolate on top.  It wasn’t a glaze, instead it was real chocolate ganache!  We both named the same donut as our favorite and you’ll understand in a moment why telling you this is entirely unhelpful.  As we were visiting Nashville in December of last year, it was a seasonal flavor; Mini Sugar Cookie Donut.  A light, airy donut base with typical sugar cookie frosting and an absolutely delicious Vanilla Swiss Buttercream filling.  I sincerely hope if you’re able to make it to Five Daughters Around the holidays that they choose to offer this flavor again because it’s pretty incredible.  The location we went to was cute as all get out but offered no indoor seating.  I can tell you from extensive testing, these donuts eat just fine from the driver’s seat of your car.

Belle Mead Meat and Three (110 Leake Avenue, Nashville 37205)

Located inside the historic Belle Meade Winery, we came here for a traditional “Meat and Three”.  It’s a cafeteria style, elbows-on-the-table type place that offers exactly what it promises.  For my meat, I had the smoked meatloaf, which was very tasty.  Aimee had the fried catfish (her favorite).  She said they did it perfectly, crispy and flavorful with a tasty house made tartar sauce.  Speaking of which, this place has a downright impressive selection of sauces.  Tartar Sauce, White BBQ Sauce, Classic BBQ, Vinegar BBQ Sauce, Mustard BBQ Sauce and something called “Comeback Sauce”.  I tried several times to get a description for it, but all anyone could say is “It’s…Comeback Sauce!  Y’know.  Come back!”  Sure…

The three sides that I chose (no small feat for my Herculean decision paralysis) were Fried Okra, Mashed potatoes with gravy and Mac and Cheese, which I have been assured is considered a vegetable in the South.  We also had a choice of biscuit or corn cake, which basically looked like a pancake with a spray tan.  The Okra was crispy, well fried and not slimy, although I didn’t quite need the old-school-Chipotle-sized spoonful (real ones know).  Everything else was fine.  Wasn’t blown away. 

Aimee echoed my thoughts on the Mac and Cheese and mashed potatoes.  She also tried the BBQ Beans, which she said were sweet and well made.  Aimee added a dessert of seasonal Gingerbread Pudding, which was dried out from too much molasses and was in desperate need of whipped cream or ice cream.  Overall, I’m not really sure what all the hubbub was about with this place, for me it was just okay.  Also, there’s an uncomfortable footnote I would like to add here.

Belle Meade is a beautiful property; a historic landmark that is often booked for weddings, tours, parties, etc.  I’ll be clear: It’s a plantation.  While Aimee and I didn’t do the official tour, we did walk the grounds and I’m not gonna lie; I’m not a big believer in the supernatural but the place felt haunted.  Maybe there’s some energy that felt bad to me or maybe it was just my subconscious unable to turn away from the human suffering that almost definitely happened here.  When we turned a corner and saw the “servant’s quarters”, I’d had quite enough historical ick for the day and it was time to go.  Again, this was strictly my experience of being there.  Your results may vary but I wanted to arm you with that knowledge in case it informs your decision to visit.  Moving on.  

Hattie B’s Chicken (112 19^th Avenue S, Nashville 37203)

Following an afternoon Tornado watch (Tennessee pulled out all the stops for our visit), my friends and I did an impromptu late dinner at local Hot Chicken chain, Hattie B’s.  Offering classic Nashville hot chicken in varying levels of heat, it’s a great no-fuss style place to grab a sandwich and hang with friends.  Now, on the subject of me, I LOVE spicy foods but I also know myself and I was determined to not make myself the same cautionary tale as celebrity chef David Chang (Check out his Netflix Series “Ugly Delicious”, Season 1, Episode 6 for the best story about Nashville Hot Chicken you’ve ever heard in life).  I went with the traditional hot chicken sandwich with medium heat with a side of crinkle cut fries.  The sandwich was very tasty and spicy but nothing I couldn’t handle. I feel like there’s maybe a more authentic version of NHC to be found(?) But I was happy with my choice. 

I have to take this opportunity to give props to my girl Vicki, who was with us.  She ordered chicken tenders with the top 2 levels of spice to them!  She enjoyed both of them but even she had to back down from the spiciest level after a few bites.  Described the ghost pepper burn as moving clearly from the back of her throat to the front.  Love that for her.  

Aimee ordered the not-spicy Southern Fried Chicken, which she called juicy and delicious.  Perfectly crispy with lots of black pepper.  She also got fries with more “Comeback Sauce”, which, I guess that means she came back to it since lunch???  She also had cheesy bacon grits, which she said were smoky but way too thick.  We both had the banana pudding for dessert and it was…not great.  The bananas had disintegrated down to nothing and I was once again left to ponder why this city has such an aversion to whipped cream?  Aimee liked that the Nilla wafers still had some crunch to them but agreed they could only do so much to save this weak dessert.     

Biscuit Love (316 11^th Avenue S, Nashville 37203)

By Day 3 of my trip, I was firmly on the struggle bus when I woke up with heartburn radiating down to my kneecaps but nothing could stop me from today’s breakfast. This is a place I discovered in 2021 and I’ve dreamed of returning ever since.  I ordered the exact same thing I had last time because it was perfection.  We started with an order of Bonuts (a biscuit/donut hybrid that is lightly fried, rolled in sugar, topped with a lemon mascarpone and served on a bed of blueberry compote).  These things are heavenly.  They are fried to order and served warm.  One bite and Aimee was a believer.  If you order nothing else at Biscuit Love, get these.  You will NOT be disappointed.

My main breakfast was the East Nasty; a fried chicken thigh on top of a biscuit with country gravy.  I’ve never actually liked country gravy before eating this dish.  I know now that I just hadn’t eaten it made by people who make it correctly.  The chicken was perfectly fried, tender and so juicy.  The multiple layers of biscuit are buttery, fluffy and expertly baked.  It took me a little bit longer than usual to power through it but I achieved it, with help of the always-solid cup of Joe served at Biscuit Love.

Aimee ordered the traditional Biscuits and Sausage Gravy; A lifelong comfort food for this Heart of Dixie native and she grades harshly for those that don’t come correct with it.    She called it one of the best biscuits she’s ever had.  She didn’t even need to add her usual black pepper to the sausage gravy, calling it perfectly seasoned.  I swelled with the kind of pride and validation that can only come from a Yankee successfully pointing a Southerner to a great staple dish.  I chomped down on another fistful of Tums, reveling in my self-satisfaction. Shout out to the side order of Chronic Bacon, which we both loved.  Sweet and spicy candied swine at it’s best.   

Daddy Dogs (205 Printers Alley, Nashville 37201)

An event I got to attend in while in Nashville was hosted by Jackalope Brewing, featuring the food of popular Nashville food truck, Daddy Dogs.  Serving up the traditional franks with wildly creative twists (including Cream cheese or Peaches.  Yeah, they go there) and a bevy of coded dick jokes.  What’s not to love?  I ordered the “Music City”, topped with Bacon, Cheddar Cheese, Onion and BBQ Sauce.  While pretty tame compared to some of the more adventurous choices on the menu but it was really good.  Messy and very tasty.  I would totally work my way through the rest of the menu, given the chance.

The Twelve Thirty Club (550 Broadway, Nashville 37203)

A surprise last minute addition to my list was a late night visit to the Twelve Thirty Club, a massive structure hovering over the main strip of downtown Nashville.  Owned by Justin Timberlake, the irony was not lost on me that I was here with a handful of his former co-stars from a certain Disney television show in the 90’s. Full disclosure:  We met up with some other friends who had the full dinner on the 2^nd floor and raved about the food.  Others and I did cocktails and small plates on the 3^rd floor.  My small sampling of the food was far less impressive than the décor and vibe, which were stellar.  I ordered the shortrib potstickers with toasted sesame, cilantro and ponzu.  It was an underwhelming one-note flavor profile.  Potstickers need ginger, some element of citrus or another texture to the filling.  This was just shortrib in a thick dumpling.    I also had the Salt Crusted Warm Pretzels with provolone fondue. The pretzels were chewy with a crisp exterior and a velvety, rich sauce.  A pleasant enough small plate but nothing you couldn’t get at any chain restaurant.  They also had a nice selection of Ciders (a great choice for people like me who don’t drink beer)

While the food and service were a let down (Our server took major attitude when we asked her to adjust a bill that she herself screwed up.  I know, I hate doing my job too.)  This is a really gorgeous venue.  Thoughtfully designed, great live music and a fully realized vibe that couldn’t be further away from what you’ll walk back out into on the strip when you leave.  I’d come back for dinner based on my friend’s recommendation or just to have a cocktail and enjoy some live music.  

Loveless Café (8400 TN-100, Nashville 37221)

One of the places I ran out of time to visit in 2021 was first on the list this time but it required a reservation (Yes, even at 8am on a Monday morning) because it’s THAT iconic.  Boasting a rich history in Nashville spanning more than 70 years, the home open to hungry travelers by founders Lon and Annie Loveless is still serving up chicken, biscuits and all sorts of tasty dishes.  It has been frequented by numerous celebrities and covered on every food show imaginable.

While my experience with my server hours before at Timberlake’s house of apps and attitude was pretty sour, my experience at Loveless could not have been more of a skidding 180 degree turn from that.  Our server was delightful.  She gave us the history, answered questions and did it with authentic an Southern hospitality that truly impressed the former restaurant host, former server and current hospitality manager at my table.

The biscuits are legendary and it’s easy to see why.  They’re small but divinely fluffy, buttery and light.  Martha Stewart admits to putting some in her purse for her flight home because even billionaire old ladies are still gonna old lady, but I get it.  Served with butter and choices of homemade jam, I tried all of them.  Homemade jams instantly hit different.  You never realize until you have the real deal how often we’re served artificial flavors.         

I ordered the Country Breakfast Bowl, with hashbrowns, scrambled eggs, country gravy, topped with pulled pork and a biscuit).  So rich, savory and comforting with incredible pulled pulled pork.  Our server told me that the same guy has been smoking their pork for 20 years and if he ever dies, she’s done.  I agree.  Perfection.  Aimee ordered the country fried steak and eggs (another Southern classic) and declared (as Southern belles are wont to do) that it has ruined her for any other country fried steak.  Not heavy or over battered, it was tender and fried perfectly.  She also applauded their option to have the gravy on the side so it never got soggy.  She also loved the Hash Brown Casserole served on the side, which she called super cheesy and delicious.

Aimee was determined not to waste an opportunity to try it while we were here so she also had a Pulled Pork Biscuit, which she called spectacular.  So tender with the perfect amount of smoke, pairing perfectly with the smoky and sweet BBQ sauce.  This place is the authentic real deal for a phenomenal breakfast and true Southern hospitality.  We left full, happy and loved.  Do not miss Loveless.

Mattheessen’s Ice Cream (123 2^nd Avenue N, Nashville 37201)

There was a popular cookie spot we were hoping to hit up before lunch on our last day in Music City but it (and several other places) was closed on Monday, so we had to improvise.  We took our chances on a place we happened upon.  Mattheessen’s offers ice cream, baked goods and their signature ½ pound cookie.  We ordered the ½ pound M&M cookie.  Not great.  I found it chewy and dry.  It didn’t feel or taste fresh.  Aimee was less kind in her review, calling it a “Bullshit cookie”.  She said the edges were super hard.  In fact, at one point she banged a piece on the counter without breaking it.  She went on to explain that a cookie of that size needs to be thicker to keep it soft.  She also called shenanigans on an M&M Cookie that was just a sugar cookie topped with M&M’s.  I can never resist a coconut macaroon so I ordered the rather large one they had in the case.  It was sweet, tough and chewier than it should be.  Again, it didn’t taste fresh and the chocolate had bubbled and discolored.  I wouldn’t have even eaten it  had I not been with a professional baker who assured me it wasn’t moldy, just old.  Didn’t finish anything we got.  Pass.

Peg Leg Porker (903 Gleaves Street, Nashville 37203)

The other undisputed highlight of my 2021 visit to Nashville was lunch at this place.  Voted one of the best BBQ spots in the South, one visit will make clear to you why that is.  Founded by BBQ badass Carey Bringle (The name comes from Bringle becoming an amputee at age 18 following surgery for a bone tumor), Peg Leg Porker serves up pork, not brisket, an important distinction they’ll be happy to clarify for you.  The ribs are sublime; dry rubbed, fall-off-the-bone tender and served with choices of BBQ sauce.  The main dishes more than live up to the mountain of hype they’ve gotten over the years but for me, it’s all about the Soul Potato.  Yeah, you heard me right.  

A plate of crinkle cut fries, smothered in smoky BBQ pork, BBQ sauce and cheese whiz.  It is an entire meal unto itself and it couldn’t be more perfect.  So simple but done so incredibly well.  Another must try. 

While I was a die hard fan of PLP, Aimee was making her first trip here.  She also ordered the half back of ribs and loved them, praising the dry rub and great smoke.  She also enjoyed the BBQ Beans, which she called perfectly cooked.  She added a side of potato salad (a classic no-fly food for yours truly.  Cold potatoes are insane.)  Aimee said it did a great job of cutting through the rich meat with well cooked and seasoned potatoes.  Not mushy.  

Okay, so here’s where Peg Leg Porker threw us a MAJOR curveball.  We ordered dessert.  I had the Banana Puddin’ (and yeah, it appears on the menu with the apostrophe so you know they’re not messing around).  Perfect bananas, perfect pudding, crispy wafers, and YES, WHIPPED CREAM.  All was again right with the world.  Aimee saw another item that fascinated her:  Made-to-order fried pies.  She got the Chocolate and the apple pies.  You guys, these damn things had no business being this good.  To be a place that flexes that hard with barbecue to have desserts that were this dope?!  Unbelievable.

Aimee said the crust was AWESOME!  So buttery and flakey.  Someone in that kitchen knows how to make a proper pastry crust.  She said the apples were well cooked, soft and not mushy with the perfect amount of cinnamon.  And yes, A SCOOP OF ICE CREAM!  I’m so glad.  We were starting to feel gaslit by the desserts in this city.  While the apple pie was great, the real shocker was the chocolate fried pie.  The filling (which Aimee confirmed is ganache) was soft but not overly liquid.  She called this pie one of her all time favorite desserts.  Peg Leg Porker knocked it out of the park again.  In a city overflowing with great BBQ, they are truly a cut above that is a must do in Nashville.  For the soul potato alone.  And dessert.  And the ribs.  Just go.

Deacon’s New South (401 Church Street, Nashville 37219)   

Our final meal in Nashville was another place I’d been to before and really enjoyed so I was eager to return.  Located in the Printer’s Alley neighborhood of Nashville, Deacon’s New South serves modern Southern classics and great craft cocktails.  We got started with their unique take on classic skillet cornbread with Culture butter, Muldon and Soured Honey.  For me it had a nice crust, wasn’t too sweet and had a pleasant bitterness on the finish.  Aimee found it a little overbaked and dense.  

For her main dish, Aimee had the Blackened Pork Chop, which she had some issues with.  She explained that that when she orders a pork chop, she should get that chop on the bone.  Deacon’s pork chop was pre-sliced off the bone (unevenly, according to her) and tasted more like a porn loin.  She found it dry and not worth the price, instead calling her side of Handcut Fries in Tallow the best part of her meal.

I ordered the same dish I had last time (look, y’all, I’m not a complicated dude)  Spicy Crawfish Noodles.  While the dish had the same great spice and texture, it was a bit undersalted.  Plus the portion and plate were both noticeably smaller from the last time I was here.  This is one of the few times being one of those assholes who photographs their food and never deletes photos comes in handy.  I had the receipts.  

All told, Aimee said she wouldn’t return.  This is not a cheap dinner.  I, however, did enjoy what I had enough to return and explore the rest of the menu.  

And that, friends was my visit to Nashville!  I can’t wait to get back to eating my own fair city while researching more places to do special reports on.  Do I hear New York calling….?

NASHVILLE CHEAT SHEET:

Puckett’s

What to order: Pork Sandwich, Blackberry Citrus Iced Tea

Cuahan’s Ale and Masala House

What to order: Saag Mac and Cheese

Five Daughter’s Bakery

What to order: Vanilla Buttercream 100 Layer Donut

Belle Meade Meat and Three

What to order: Fried Catfish, Corn cake

Hattie’s B’s

What to order: Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich (Obvi)

Biscuit Love

What to order: Bonuts

Daddy Dogs

What to order:  Literally any dog they offer

Twelve Thirty Club

What to order: A drink

The Loveless Café

What to order: Biscuits and any dish with pulled pork

Mattheessen’s Ice Cream

What to order: skip it

Peg Leg Porker

What to order: Soul Potato

Deacon’s New South

What to order: Handcut fries in Tallow