Nashville: Looking Pretty, Music City 🎶

Welcome to Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, renowned for its vibrant music scene, warm hospitality, and diverse culinary offerings.

The city, named after American Revolutionary War hero Francis Nash, was the first city to receive an FM broadcasting licence in 1941. This helped create Nashville’s iconic music scene, a vital aspect of its identity, often dubbed the "Music City," globally renowned for a diverse range of genres, especially country and rock music.

Nashville wasn't actually the birthplace of country music - the genre has far-reaching origins - but it undeniably matured within the city. Nashville boasts a deep-rooted history closely interwoven with the genre, having been the residence of numerous country music icons like Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Hank Williams.

In modern times, urban development has reshaped the skyline, adding skyscrapers and revitalising downtown with new entertainment venues and eateries. The city's culinary scene embraces a fusion of flavours, reflecting its evolving tastes.

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Must-Try Staple Foods 🐓

From a culinary perspective, Nashville is most commonly associated with being the birthplace of Nashville hot chicken and home to comforting Southern American cuisine. Nashville’s culinary landscape has evolved into a fusion of decades-old Southern cuisine with the influence of immigrants from all corners of the world.

Nashville Hot Chicken 🔥

Nashville hot chicken consists of fried chicken coated in a cayenne pepper paste that gives it a vibrant red look. Typically served with white bread to soak up the spice and pickles or coleslaw, this culinary creation dates back to the 1930s and is attributed to Thornton Prince.

The dish's origin story involves a lover's quarrel, where Prince's girlfriend sought to make the chicken too spicy for him to enjoy, but it had the opposite effect, leading him to share the flavourful recipe with his brothers.

Nashville hot chicken's popularity has surged over the decades, becoming a fixture in the city's restaurants and even meriting its own annual festival. The dish's legacy continues through Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, plus many other establishments:

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack (South), the founder of hot fried chicken, attracts visitors from across the world and is a must-visit for its legacy alone. Their chicken boasts a crispy, spice-dusted crust and can be customised to your desired heat level (mild to extra hot, but first-timers are warned not to go higher than medium!). Prepare to join the line, embrace the spice, and get ready to cool down your taste buds with sweet tea.

Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish in East Nashville is a truly unpretentious setting (a bungalow). Expect an exceptional hot chicken experience at Bolton's - even a medium packs quite a punch. Sample Nashville hot fish sandwiches whilst you’re there, too.

Hattie B’s Hot Chicken is a family-run restaurant named after three women in the Bishop family named Hattie. Their chicken is noted for having a slightly sweeter batter than other competitors. Their spice levels range from spiceless Southern to Damn Hot and the super spicy Shut the Cluck Up.

Southern Food and “Meat and Three” 🍗

Southern cuisines come from a region of the United States, including states like Tennessee, Kentucky, and Louisiana, below the Mason-Dixon Line. Southern food includes dishes like fried chicken, shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, jambalaya, and pecan pie, often accompanied by staples like sweet tea.

"Meat-and-three" is a Nashville and Southern dining tradition involving a main dish and three sides. This dish is typically served from a cafeteria-style meal selection, still a vital aspect of local lunches.

• Big Al's offers classic Southern breakfast and lunch with a personal touch.

• Monell’s family-style dining lies in a historic Victorian manor where guests share fried chicken, cheese grits, and more.

• Swett’s provides exceptional smokehouse offerings, including ribs, pulled pork, and brisket.

• Silver Sands Cafe is hidden near the Nashville Farmers’ Market, a soul food haven. Try unique offerings like chitterlings and oxtail.

• Wendell Smith’s has been a classic meat-and-three spot for 70+ years.

Southern BBQ

Tennessee is barbecue territory, and the conversation around the best barbecue spot in town is hotly debated, with many award-winning barbecue joints to pick from. Here are some top-rated spots in Nashville:

Martin’s Bar-B-Que is a rare whole hog cookery with fast casual dining, including their famous "Redneck Taco." Upstairs, an open-air beer garden features bars, games, and the enticing aroma of hickory-smoked pigs.

Peg Leg Porker specialises in West Tennessee-style dry rub pork ribs, praised for their tender, flavourful quality. Their 16-ingredient rub and smoky, slightly spicy sauce enhance the ribs' smoky meat.

Three pitmasters combined efforts to fill a gap in Nashville's barbecue scene with Shotgun Willie's BBQ. Renowned for exceptional Texas-style beef brisket, it's all about slow-cooked meats and unique treats like Bournana pudding.

10 Further Recommendations 📝

1. Start the day well with southwestern breakfast tacos at Redheaded Stranger.

2. Go to The Southern V in North Nashville for vegan and vegetarian Southern comfort foods.

3. East Side Bahn Mi creates an incredible Vietnamese sandwich using Xiu Mai Impossible meatballs.

4. Skilled bartending, great cocktails and an old-school charm are found at The Patterson House.

5. Combine a perfect pint from New Heights Brewery with a pizza from 312 Pizza.

6. The beer and cheeseburger combo at Brown’s Diner has been going since 1927.

7. Food & Wine magazine awarded Locust their Best Restaurant in America 2022.

8. Dive into Nashville’s vibrant ethnic culinary community on Nolensville Road.

9. Skull's Rainbow Room, a '40s hotspot for 60 years, reopened in 2015 downtown, featuring live jazz and weekend burlesque.

10. Sample Southern classics, particularly coconut cake, at Adele’s.

A Recipe to Make at Home 🧑🏻‍🍳

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken

Or you can find a web version recipe for hot fried chicken here.

Go one step further: Take your cooking beyond this recipe with Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville’s Beloved Bird.