Food · Nashville · United States
What to eat in Nashville
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Nashville, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
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Quick answer
Start with Nashville hot chicken, Meat-and-three and Biscuits. Try hot chicken at two or three places, starting mild or medium; keep bread and pickles to cool the burn. Popular restaurants book up on weekends; reserve ahead in Germantown, East Nashville and the Gulch.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Nashville hot chicken
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink…
- Food experiences
- 4
9 foods to try
Dish
1.Nashville hot chicken
Fried chicken coated in a cayenne-laced paste, served on white bread with pickle chips. Heat levels range from mild to almost inedible; the dish is credited to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, which has served it for decades.
Where: Hot-chicken shops across the city, including Prince's and several newer specialists; start at medium.
Dish
2.Meat-and-three
A cafeteria-style Southern lunch: one meat such as fried chicken, meatloaf or catfish, plus three sides from macaroni and cheese, greens, fried okra, mashed potatoes and stewed tomatoes, with cornbread.
Where: Long-running lunch spots such as Arnold's Country Kitchen near the Gulch; many serve lunch only on weekdays.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
3.Biscuits
Fluffy buttermilk biscuits served with country ham, gravy, preserves or fried chicken, a breakfast staple across the South.
Where: Breakfast spots across the city and the Loveless Cafe near the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway.
Dish
4.Whole-hog barbecue
Tennessee barbecue often means pulled pork from whole hogs smoked over wood, served on sandwiches with slaw or by the plate.
Where: Barbecue restaurants downtown and in the suburbs.
Snack · Vegetarian
5.Goo Goo Cluster
A round candy of marshmallow nougat, caramel and peanuts covered in milk chocolate, made in Nashville since 1912 and long advertised on the Opry.
Where: The Goo Goo Chocolate Co. shop downtown and souvenir shops across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
6.Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey is filtered through sugar-maple charcoal before ageing, known as the Lincoln County Process. Jack Daniel's and George Dickel are made a short drive away, and Nashville has its own distilleries.
Where: Bars across the city and distillery tours in Nashville, Lynchburg and Tullahoma.
Dish
7.Fried catfish
Cornmeal-crusted catfish fillets served with hushpuppies, coleslaw and tartar sauce, common at meat-and-threes and fish shacks.
Where: Meat-and-three restaurants and Southern diners.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Banana pudding
Layers of vanilla custard, sliced bananas and vanilla wafers, often topped with whipped cream or meringue — the classic dessert at barbecue joints and meat-and-threes.
Where: Barbecue restaurants and meat-and-threes citywide.
Dessert · Vegetarian
9.Chess pie
A simple Southern pie of butter, sugar, eggs and a little cornmeal with a crackly top, often flavoured with lemon or chocolate.
Where: Bakeries, pie shops and meat-and-threes.
Food experiences
Hot-chicken comparison
Try hot chicken at two or three places, starting mild or medium; keep bread and pickles to cool the burn.
Meat-and-three lunch
Queue cafeteria-style at a weekday meat-and-three and choose your meat and sides from the steam table.
Nashville Farmers' Market
Next to the Bicentennial Mall, the market has farm stalls and a food hall of local vendors, from Caribbean and Southern to Asian.
Distillery tour
Visit a Nashville craft distillery or drive to Lynchburg for the Jack Daniel's tour and tasting.
Quick bites and street food
- Biscuits — Breakfast spots across the city and the Loveless Cafe near the start of the Natchez Trace Parkway.
- Goo Goo Cluster — The Goo Goo Chocolate Co. shop downtown and souvenir shops across the city.
Vegetarian options
Of the 9 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Biscuits, Goo Goo Cluster, Tennessee whiskey, Banana pudding and Chess pie. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Popular restaurants book up on weekends; reserve ahead in Germantown, East Nashville and the Gulch.
- Many meat-and-threes are lunch-only and some close at weekends.
- Hot chicken heat levels vary hugely between shops; ask before ordering hot.
- Downtown restaurants are crowded with groups on weekends; neighbourhoods are calmer.
- Brunch is popular, especially in 12 South and East Nashville; expect waits.
Tipping
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink, and cash in the tip jar for bands; 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Y'all | You all |
| Bless your heart | Sympathy, or polite criticism, depending on tone |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Nashville famous for?
Nashville hot chicken, Meat-and-three, Biscuits and Whole-hog barbecue. Fried chicken coated in a cayenne-laced paste, served on white bread with pickle chips.
+Is Nashville good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Biscuits, Goo Goo Cluster and Tennessee whiskey.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Nashville?
Tipping is expected: about 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, a dollar or two per drink, and cash in the tip jar for bands; 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.