A Guide to Indulging in Nashville.

We spent last weekend in Nashville with our best friends from Ohio, and had the best time hanging out, laughing and eating lots of food. With the internet being what it is these days, there are so many ‘things to do’ guides for basically every city in the world, so instead of trying to tell you how to spend a weekend visit to Nashville, I’m just going to share the places we visited, and you can decide just how many calories you want to take in on your next visit.

Heavy, bar food aside, my favorite thing about our weekend in Nashville was our Airbnb. If there was ever a time to take a recommendation for where to stay, this is it! The house we stayed in was a literal dream, and honestly our group probably would have had just as an amazing of a weekend if we never left the house. If you’re looking for a place to stay on the East Side of Nashville I would definitely recommend Kim and Brian’s place - which you can book here. This two bedroom historic home which also had two living spaces, was decorated to the nines, and we spent the whole weekend discovering new, artistic details perfectly placed in every corner. We felt so at home with the large kitchen, shelves of books, and vintage record player that was also bluetooth compatible so we could play music while we were hanging out. I’ve never felt so welcome in anyone else’s home!

Our first day in Nashville started by meeting our friends for lunch at Arnold’s Country Kitchen - a super Southern, cafeteria style restaurant that’s been serving up good eats for over 30 years. For under $15 dollars you can get an entree, two sides and a slice of pie and everything is homemade. Arnold’s is only open on weekdays til 2:45, so if you’re coming or going on Friday or Monday, that’s your chance to squeeze it in. Located right next to a recently renovated block of The Gulch which makes it easy to also pop by Jackalope Brewing Company or Rudy’s Jazz Room for a drink after lunch. Also nearby is Superica a tex-mex spot that we didn’t get a chance to try, but is on my list for next time! Sadly our dinner Friday night at newly opened, Lou left something to be desired. Aside from loving the atmosphere (an intimate, old house) and their wine centric drink menu I don’t think we would be visiting again.

Saturday is when our eating started to get really indulgent. A little drive from our Airbnb, our morning started with the most delicious, fresh donuts from McGaugh’s Donuts in Madison. The perfect kind of old time donut shop, complete with daily goers enjoying their coffee along with the newspaper at the bar. If you have a car during your visit, take the ten minute drive and go crazy with a mixed dozen for under $12.

Lunch for us included two stops, starting with, a spicy chow chow covered dog for me, and a buffalo mac and cheese hotdog for Andrew at what now may be our all-time favorite hotdog shoppe, I Dream of Weenie. A little hotdog stand operating out of an old VW bus in Five Points. Followed by Dino’s Restaurant, one of the only need-to-go spots on Andrew’s list when we were planning. A hole in the wall dive bar also in the Five Points area, known for their burgers and hearty bar food. We shared cheesesteaks, cheeseburgers and fries, but what really took the cake was their classic BLT - so good!

If you are in fact looking for something to do to break up all the eating while in The Gulch area - paying a visit to Third Man Records is a fun way to pass some time. You can pay $20 for a tour of the studio, but they also have a store and museum that’s free to the public and fun to check out. It’s walking distance to Tennessee Brew Works which has a good ambiance inside and out with a large patio if you’re there in warmer months, but also a loft style upstairs overlooking the brewery and small stage for live music. They also have a full food menu, but we all need a break once in a while ya know?

Our departing indulgences included, classic breakfast with a twist at Sky Blue Cafe and a Vanilla Bourbon Latte for the road from Barista Parlor. Located in Historic Edgewood, Sky Blue Cafe is a narrow little joint with a fresh take on traditional breakfast foods, my favorite part about the place? They serve you hot coffee outside while you wait for a table! And one last visit to The Gulch before heading back to Asheville to visit one of the Barista Parlor locations housed inside the old Golden Sound Recording Studio. My latte was delicious, but this ethically sourced coffee roaster doesn’t just make a great drink, their parlor is a fun and funky artistic space where you can hang out or work, and admire small remnants of past tenants.

We didn’t make it on this trip - and it’s really much more of a treat when it’s nice out, but would also recommend The Pharmacy, a something for everyone burger joint. Pinewood Social for dinner and some bowling. Christie Cookie Co. over on 12th ave by the ‘I Believe in Nashville’ mural for a cookie that will literally bring tears to your eyes. And we didn’t make a reservation in time, but Rolf and Daughters comes highly recommended as well!

I’m not sure when we’ll be headed back to Tennessee, but I would love to hear your recommendations as well! Let me know your favorite places to eat in Nashville in the comments down below!