The 25 Most Essential Nashville Food Experiences
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Loading... - Katrien Vliet
- 15 Apr 2022
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With so many recent new residents, sometimes it feels like we’re losing the institutional memory of Nashville’s incredible food and beverage scene. We all love something new and shiny, but the city is filled with all sorts of special experiences that the long-time locals have been keeping to themselves. No worries, we’re sharing these 25 essential food adventures—from burning your mouth at Prince's Hot Chicken Shack to indulging in farm-to-table Southern classics—that make Nashville the culinary capital it has become. Get started ASAP.
Go on an ice cream crawl
While there’s certainly nothing wrong with Ohio-based Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams (in fact, they’ve done so well that they’ve expanded to more than a half dozen locations around town), it’s always good to show a little love to our local scoop shops. Pied Piper Creamery in East Nashville has been a favorite spot for an after-school treat since 2007, and Bobbie’s Dairy Dip has been shelling out the soft-serve and shakes since the middle of the past century. A newcomer to the scene is Fryce Cream, a seasonal pop-up that pairs artisanal ice cream and toppings with perfect french fries for dipping to create a sweet and salty treat. For something different, try KOKO’s in ONEC1TY for 100& plant-based frozen treats so good you’ll nary miss the dairy. 
Enjoy seafood in a landlocked state
It’s an eight-hour drive to the closest ocean from Nashville, but luckily FedEx brings the freshest seafood to town overnight for a host of excellent local seafood restaurants. Henrietta Red is rightfully proud of the wide variety of oysters on the extensive raw bar menu along with a host of other seafood specialties. Atlanta-based chef/restaurateur Ford Fry brought an outpost of The Optimist to Germantown along with an upscale fish camp vibe. Eddie V’s on Broadway is a link in a national chain of elegant steak and seafood houses, but we’ll overlook their corporate status for a crack at their Seafood Tower or Hong Kong-style sea bass.
Enjoy dinner and a show
Nashville has had a tradition of supper clubs stretching back for decades, and the concept of dinner and a show has seen a resurgence of late. Experience close-up magic at the subterranean House of Cards or live music before or after a meal at City Winery and Skull’s Rainbow Room. Justin Timberlake is a part-owner of the Twelve Thirty Club downtown, and he insists on a classy environment at the upstairs supper club. (But you don’t have to wear your suit and tie.) Mangia throws interactive Italian dinner parties on weekends with singing and dancing between courses and “The Godfather” running on a loop on televisions to add to the ambiance.
Be part of the renaissance of “The Buc.”
Buchanan Street was once a center of the music and arts scene, but many of the buildings had fallen into disrepair over the years. A group of entrepreneurs have led a revitalization of the neighborhood, and this area north of two HBCUs Tennessee State University and Fisk is again drawing attention from drinkers and diners from other parts of town. Grab a pizza and a beer at Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria, cajun food and cocktails at Willie B’s Kitchen & Lounge or enjoy a drink and a cigar on the expansive patio at Minerva Avenue and you’ll be a part of rewriting history. Read More...
