By some stroke of luck (ok, and deliberate planning), I was able to spend a few days (or 48 hours, to be exact) in Nashville for the second time this year. I must say, going in December is far more pleasant than being there in the thick of summer when you could cut the air with a knife. While a lot of the places I visited this time weren't necessarily new to me, since I was on a work trip the first time, I was able to enjoy everything in a different context this time around. But in short, I love spending time in Nashville and hope this mini-guide will be helpful for anyone who plans on visiting soon. [Disclaimer – if you're looking for music recommendations, I'm afraid this isn't the guide for you. If you're looking to eat well, read on!]
930AM SUNDAY
We drive straight to
Pinewood Social after landing at BNA. You won't find a space like this in NYC. The place is massive with multiple seating areas and a bowling alley in the back. Along with the Pot Roast Hash and Buckwheat Waffles, we try a Windsor Fleet, a cortado with bergamot, vanilla, and demerara – surprisingly good. We finish and grab more coffee to go.
11AM
We make the 14-mile drive south to
Loveless Cafe on Highway 100. This Nashville classic known for its biscuits and thick cuts of country ham is well worth the trek (if you can even call it that). Four of some of the best biscuits in Tennessee for under $3.00 with your pick of jam? Again, you ain't finding that in NYC.
1230PM
We find ourselves taking a little detour to historic downtown
Franklin, just another 20 minutes southeast of Loveless. We walk through the holiday fair and some of the cute small businesses lining Main Street.
130PM
We're back in Nashville shopping our way through
Imogene + Willie, where it's a sight for sore eyes all around. I bought a pair of jeans from them back in June and they're still some of the most comfortable I've ever had.
230PM
To cure a serious case of hanger, we head to
Hattie B's Hot Chicken. What is widely considered as Nashville's signature dish, hot chicken is pan-fried chicken in a skillet with a cayenne pepper-paste, which gives it that brick red skin. The wait can be long, but it's worth it. I get a side of greens for balance of course.
4PM
We check in to
The 404 Hotel, one of the only real boutique hotels in Nashville we could find. There are only five rooms, and each has a loft space with a seating area. I love the mix of modern design and vintage furniture, but the only real downside is the lack of natural light in the rooms. There's a narrow window near the top of the room, but that's about it. I do, however, appreciate the extra-roomy bathrooms and soft towels. We digest our hot chicken as fast as we can.
730PM
Dinner is at
City House over in Germantown. Open since 2007, this was one of, if not, the restaurant that kickstarted the new wave of restaurants in Nashville. Pizza and pastas highly advised, but save room for desserts.
10PM
For a nightcap, we find ourselves at
Patterson House. It's a beautiful space and a quiet way to end the night. The cocktail menu is lengthy and there's something for everyone. Had our trip not fallen on a Sunday-Tuesday, our first dinner would have likely been at
The Catbird Seat, which sits above Patterson House.
9AM MONDAY
First things first. Coffee. We head to East Nashville for the original location of
Barista Parlor. The space used to be an old transmission shop, so it's super open and a bit warehouse-y feeling. We chow down on a biscuit with ham, egg, cheese, and chile-infused maple syrup. Not complaining about that.
11AM
I am excited to visit
Elizabeth Suzann's studio and try on some of her clothing in person. I had admired a number of her pieces online and it was great to meet Elizabeth herself. I pick up these (crazy)
pants and
sweater.
1230PM
We're not remotely hungry, but we man up and head to lunch at
Husk. Located in an 1895-era house in downtown, Husk Nashville is the second location of chef Sean Brock's acclaimed restaurant in Charleston. We have a little reverse price shock at the lunch menu and have a total eyes-bigger-than-stomach moment. We order, like, 80% of the menu and watch table after table get turned over as we continue to stuff our faces. (Only half of the food we had is pictured here.)
330PM
Regret. Pain. Must unbutton jeans. And I need more coffee. Since my last visit, a second location of Barista Parlor in the Gulch opened up, so we check it out. I'm sipping my cortado in a dire food coma when I bump into
Tiffany, which makes that the second accidental time seeing her in Nashville (when the girl doesn't live there either!). It's a very small town.
5PM
We attempt to get hungry (come on, metabolism). We visit a few more shops, like
White's Mercantile and
Cadeau, both well-curated shops with a great selection of homewares and gifts.
6PM
Still reeling from lunch, we head to
Rolf & Daughters, where we meet up with the lovely Chelsea of
Fenway Journal. We start easy and just have a few drinks, which are all cleverly named, so you're ordering something like a 'Silence of the Lambrusco' or a 'Nothing Camparis 2 U' (well, I got a real kick out of them). Don't miss the pastas here.
1030PM
We end our night at Pinewood Social with Ferraris (Fernet and Campari, that is) and dessert. Please don't ask me how many calories were consumed this day.
8AM TUESDAY
One final coffee before our flight back to NYC.
Crema is my other go-to for coffee in Nashville (they also provide the coffee at Pinewood Social). Until next time, Nashville!
