YUM
Bacon and Caviar (B&C) Barbecue
http://baconandcaviar.com/
I worked as a Church Administrative Assistant when we lived in Nashville, so I frequently needed to cater one event or another. Our Worship Pastor recommended B&C to me. After one bite of their barbecue, I was hooked. I’m from Western North Carolina and I’m a Barbecue snob. Don’t ever try to give me any of that East Carolina/ Low Country Vinegar based stuff. Yuck. B&C Barbecue is in my list of top five best barbecues. I’m a pulled pork kind of girl, and theirs is something special! Their brisket is quite delectable as well. You know what else is special? Their cheese grits. My favorite is their garlic cheese grits. And their buffalo chicken cheese grits. Oh wow. Do it. Get you some grits. And well, this might sound like carb overload, but get their macaroni and cheese too. It ranks up there on my top favorite macaronis as well. One other thing- if you go on a Sunday, be sure you’re coming from church with a bulletin, because they’ll give you 10% off your order!
Baja Burrito
www.bajaburrito.com
This is my husband’s favorite restaurant on the planet. He could eat here every day if given the opportunity. In fact, he did do that a few times while we were still living there. And the last time I went back for a visit, I brought back several pans worth of food from there to tide him over till our next visit.
Baja Burrito is a very fresh local Mexican restaurant. Think Chipotle only 100x better. David’s favorite has always been a beef burrito on a chipotle wrap with his favorite toppings. My favorite has been the taco salad from day one. Typically I either get chicken or barbacoa. I ALWAYS get their ranch dressing. It’s one of the top three best Ranch Dressings I’ve ever had. (All of those top three are from Nashville, incidentally). Their pineapple salsa is phenomenal with their chips. Grab yourself a Coke or enjoy a nice cold glass of Horchada.
Biscuit Love
http://www.biscuitlovetruck.com
I have to admit, we found out about this gem of a food truck late in the game of our Nashville days. I can’t wait to go back to it once we return for a visit. While checking out The Farmer’s Market in Franklin, one beautiful Saturday, my husband and I stumbled upon Biscuit Love. When we took the first bites of “The East Nasty” that we had each ordered, we both experienced moments of euphoria. Home made Biscuit, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheddar, and Sausage Gravy. Shut the front door. You’ve got to try them.
Crema
http://www.crema-coffee.com/
Ever heard of a brewtique? You’re about to. Crema is a wonderful little coffee shop that not only boasts one of the best views of Nashville from their front deck, but also some of the best shippable delights. This is a great place to truly enjoy the experience and acquisition of coffee.
Demos’
http://demosrestaurants.com/
The very first restaurant we ate at when we went on our scouting trip of Nashville, was Demos’. We ate with one of David’s old pals, Nate (a Vanderbilt University student at the time). He told us this was his very favorite place to eat. After we were done, we understood why. Now, to me, steak and spaghetti sounds like an unusual combination. But that’s probably just because I didn’t think of it first. It’s amazing. I get the sirloin and the browned butter spaghetti every time. It comes with a salad and some amazing garlic bread. You’ll find that the price is great too. This is a great place to go on a date or with a group. Go ahead. Give it a whirl.
Elliston Place Soda Shop
2111 Elliston Place Nashville, TN 37203 15-327-1090
Want to step back into the 50’s? Then look no further than Elliston Place Soda Shop. They don’t even have a website, so you know you’re in the land of authentic 50’s vibes. Their burgers and fries are great, but their coke floats and milkshakes are what will lure you in. They have pretty limited hours (Mon- Sat 7 AM-3PM), but don’t let that stop you from stopping into this quaint restaurant of yesteryear that opened its doors in 1939.
Fido’s
http://www.bongojava.com/fido.php
Fido’s is a special place to us, because it’s where we began our friendship with some of our best friends, Derrick & Ashley. It was a torrential downpour outside and we noticed some familiar faces from our church running up the sidewalk in Hillsboro Village. We walked in, and there they were! It was a day in which they had received some tough news. We didn’t know each other hardly at all yet, but we shared a table over a cup of warm goodness (coffee, hot cider, hot chocolate, tea) as our souls, too, were warmed by the gift of newfound friendship. Hillsboro Village is one of the hippest areas in town. It’s not uncommon to spot celebrities there. If you want the perfect spot to perch for star watching, this is it. Bring your laptop or a good book and enjoy one of their specialty beverages, a great sandwich, or a delectable sweet.
The Franklin Mercantile
http://franklinmercantile.com
Although I love cheese, I’m not a big cheesecake fan. However, that statement is not at all true at The Franklin Mercantile. You haven’t lived until you’ve had their cheesecake with nutmeg ganache. Their Heaven Cake ain’t too shabby either. If layers of chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, and whip cream drizzled with chocolate syrup tickle your fancy, then you’re in the right place.
The Frothy Monkey
http://frothymonkey.com
Nashville is a city of lots of unique pocketed villages if you will. The Frothy Monkey is in one of the hippest areas of town. This is where we were introduced to the best chocolate milk you will EVER imbibe… Hatcher Farms Chocolate Milk. Oh. My.Word. This is another great place to plop and chill. Their beverage menu is full of great choices. The food options are plentiful as well!