Nashville Hot Chicken The icon
Hattie B's / Prince's · $$
Photo: Hattie B's Hot Chicken - Nashville - East
Why it made the list: The dish that made the city famous, fried chicken doused in a cayenne-and-lard paste, served on white bread with pickles to cut the heat. It ranges from mild to a genuinely punishing 'shut the cluck up.' It's a rite of passage and the single most Nashville thing you can eat.
A Meat-and-Three The soul
Arnold's Country Kitchen · $
Photo: Darren Garner
Why it made the list: The heart of Nashville home cooking: pick a meat and three sides from a steam-table lineup of Southern classics, fried chicken, meatloaf, greens, mac and cheese, fried green tomatoes, cornbread. Arnold's is the James Beard–honored institution, and it's cash-and-comfort at its best.
Nashville Hot Fish The deep cut
Fish fries & fish joints · $
Photo: Yusuke
Why it made the list: Hot chicken gets the fame, but hot fish is the older, more local tradition, fried whiting or catfish, spiced and stacked on white bread with hot sauce and slaw. It's a north-Nashville soul-food staple that most tourists never try, which is exactly why you should.
Southern Biscuits Best breakfast
Loveless Cafe · $$
Photo: The Loveless Cafe
Why it made the list: Tennessee runs on biscuits, and the Loveless Cafe, a former motel diner on the edge of town, has been turning out feather-light, scratch-made biscuits with homemade preserves and country ham since 1951. It's a genuine Nashville institution and worth the short drive.
The Goo Goo Cluster The sweet
Downtown · $
Photo: Goo Goo Chocolate Co
Why it made the list: Invented in Nashville in 1912, the Goo Goo Cluster, caramel, marshmallow nougat, peanuts and milk chocolate, was the first-ever combination candy bar. The downtown Goo Goo Shop sells fresh, premium versions and runs a little dessert bar and classes. A only-in-Nashville sweet.
⭐ Bonus Pick: Barbecue & the Original Hot Chicken
Two more essentials: Nashville does its own smoky barbecue, Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint is the go-to for whole-hog and a 'redneck taco', and if you're serious about hot chicken, make the trip to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, the family spot that invented the dish generations ago. Hattie B's is the crowd-pleaser; Prince's is the history.
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