terrific tennessee food edition

places to eat in tennessee

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tennessee has a lot of good food! i dont know about yall, but when i plan a trip a lot of it revolves around where i want to eat. i can’t pass up a good meal! the list below has some great tacos, burgers, bbq, breakfast and desert.

nashville

mas tacos por favor: this hole in the wall taco shop is awesome! they have it all: breakfast tacos, regular tacos, elote, aguas frescas, soups, coffee. i have tried most of them at this point and they were all great. this place can get packed so i suggest getting there early.

pancake pantry: so this restaurant is actually located in both nashville and gatblinburg and i have been to both! they have amazing pancakes in about any flavor you can dream up. i’ve had the pecan which were amazing and a breakfast platter which was also awesome. this is also one of those places that gets totally packed too, so if you’re an early riser get there early!

jenny’s ice cream: i have since learned that this is a chain (we ate at one in chicago too). this ice cream place is great! they have totally unique flavors and everything is so creamy and delicious! eat here at least once, if not multiple times!

pharmacy burger: i ate here with my husband and i have to say my burger was just ok, but my husband made a much better choice and even shared some. it is a place for specialty burgers before so many other places started doing it too. if you love a good burger check it out. there is also a great outdoor area to sit and really make a night of it. it seems to have a cult following, so be sure to get there early if you don’t want to wait forever.

five points pizza east: a great pizza place with amazing garlic knots! we made it a stop on both trips and were not disappointed either time. it is in a great location in east nashville where all the cool and trending things are!

sky blue cafe: this is another great trendy place in east nashville for breakfast. they have amazing vegetarian options for when i was there with my sister and also make great bacon and eggs for my husband! it is a tiny cute little place, but again be prepared for a wait!

gatlinburg

the best italian: this place just off the main strip in gatlinburg is pretty tasty! they have humongous calzones! seriously, my husband got one and it was approximately the size of a football! they also have delicious garlic knots. i might just have an obsession with garlic knots, but i can never pass them up!

memphis

the beauty shop: this was an amazing place to eat! a great and unique space with actual hair dressing chairs for some of the seats. they have a fun drink menu and the food is amazing! i even splurged for creme brulee for dessert and i was not disappointed. this is also in a very popular area with other restaurants and bars and i would not miss it!

gus’s: some great spicy fried chicken! it is a fast food restaurant and a great place for lunch! they even opened a location right here in kansas city recently so i can enjoy it at home! 

central bbq: a very popular spot for bbq. i liked their ribs and pulled pork and it has a great outdoor/patio area! unfortunately it was raining while i was there, but it is a must see in memphis!

the rendevous: this was my favorite bbq spot in memphis! the dry rub on the ribs was to die for, i even bought some to bring home. it is also a special location with an underground entrance in an alley right next to the minor league baseball stadium. 

parting thoughts

enjoying food while you travel is a great way to get a taste (literally!) of the local culture. you can learn a lot about a city by their most popular restaurants and dishes and so many great memories are made over a shared meal. make sure you take the time when you travel to really enjoy the local flavor and try to skip out on the big chains that you can find anywhere. it will give you a more memorable experience and might even inspire some cooking once you’re back home!

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did i get your favorite places to eat in tennessee on my list? do you have another favorite place we should check out next time we make it to tennessee? let me know!