Nashville might be the Music City, but with its millions of visitors each year, somebody’s got to feed all those people. Maybe you’re aware of hot chicken–add that to your list of post-iFLEX eats–but there’s plenty more to check out. The following are all minutes away from the Music City Center.
Prince’s Hot Chicken at Assembly Food Hall
5055 Broadway
princeshotshicken.com
Profiled by The New Yorker in 2019 and credited as the original hot chicken joint in Nashville, Prince’s Hot Chicken is a must eat, especially if you’re looking to turn up the heat, according to Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. Get a bite of the restaurant’s more than 100 years of cooking by checking out its second-floor location in Assembly Food Hall, where you’ll find spicy fried chicken sandwiches served with slaw and pickles, wings, fries, baked beans, mac & cheese, and more. The food hall Prince’s Hot Chicken location also offers breakfast (it opens at 10 a.m. daily) with options like hot chicken biscuits and wraps, other breakfast sandwich options, and more.
Eddie V’s
590 Broadway
eddiev.com/nashville
Plan your big dinner with seafood and steak at Eddie V’s, billed by Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp as offering a “charismatic vibe” with “world-class wine and service.” The fine dining eatery boasts that seafood is its specialty, with daily deliveries including swordfish from Block Island, scallops from Georges Bank, and yellowfin tuna from the Caribbean. If turf is more your flavor, order a 28-day aged USDA Prime steak. With live musical performances offered in the restaurant’s The V Lounge, Eddie V’s is right at home in Music City.
Etch
303 Demonbreun St.
etchrestaurant.com
Headed by award-winning chef Deb Paquette, Etch describes itself as a globally inspired restaurant offering eclectic and innovative dishes–its aim, according to its website, is to “leave a lasting impression, an etch, on every diner.” How’s that play out on its menu? As a dinner appetizer grab a curried monkfish tart; your entree could be venison with feta filo clutch in pomegranate walnut sauce; grab a side of fried Brussels sprouts for the table with chili sauce; and finish things off with a mocha bar for dessert. Etch offers lunch, dinner, a full bar, and happy hour.
Chauhan Ale and Masala House
123 12th Ave. N.
chauhannashville.com
Southern cooking meets the subcontinent at the award-winning Chauhan Ale and Masala House. Dinner appetizers include tandoori chicken poutine with cheese curds and masala fires, and lamb keema papadi nachos; as an entree, try the tandoori pork chop or ginger garlic shrimp. According to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, Chauhan Ale and Masala House has been celebrated by USA Today, The Huffington Post, The Food Network, and more. “Co-owner and Executive Chef Maneet Chauhan’s Indian roots, zest for travel and affection for Southern cuisine have beautifully collided to offer a menu featuring globally influenced Indian cuisine that highlights aspects of the culinary scene not only in Mumbai or New Delhi, but Nashville as well,” says TDTD.
Peg Leg Porker
903 Gleaves St.
peglegporker.com
This list would not be complete without some slow and low Tennessee barbecue. Billed as “a star on the Nashville BBQ scene since opening in 2013,” by Thrillist.com, Peg Leg Porker, backed by pitmaster Carey Bringle, is the place to be. Ribs, chicken, BBQ nachos and Peg Leg’s Memphis Sushi–that’s a kielbasa sausage and cheese platter, paired with Saltine crackers–all await. Peg Leg Porker serves dry-rub barbecue with Memphis-style sauce on the side, and if you go home still craving it, don’t worry–Peg Leg Porker ships its food nationwide.
