Today I am returning from a few days in Nashville. I have always loved this city and came back with two of my sons as part of my book tour. We had a ball from the great food to the amazing music to the outstanding historical sites. Even with temperatures at 100 (and even higher with humidity), we loved every minute in Nashville.
When we arrived in the city, we immediately went to a local favorite, Hattie B’s. While Prince’s is another favorite, the sauces at this “chicken shack” are a crowd pleaser. However, be warned: when they say “hot” they mean it. There are three categories of heat with the middle being the range that most of us are used to.
I went with the “hot” option in the middle category and, despite liking hot and spicy food, it was a bit too hot for me. However, it was delicious. I particularly liked the Pimento Mac & Cheese.
For dinner, we went to Jack’s Bar-B-Que in the middle of the music scene on the West End. It was awesome. The boys had the brisket sandwiches and found them addictive. I had the ribs and loved them. (I think, however, I might go with the brisket the next time after tasting their dishes). This is some of the best Bar-B-Que that you are going to find.
That night, we went to various bars to hear the live music. When you walk down the street, it is a cacophony of sounds from live music in dozens of bars. We went to various bars and had a great deal until I let the boys head off without their buzz-kill father (There were some perfunctory objections before they ran off to a loud bar down the street).
The next day we visited the Tennessee State Museum, which has a fantastic collection. It has a impressive collections that stretches across time, including informative films on everything from the geologic history of Tennessee to the Civil Rights period. It is free and I could not recommend it more highly. (For military history buffs like myself, it was also fun to see the rifle and kit of Sgt. Alvin York from World War I). There is also a great farmer’s market and food court next door.
Near the museum is also the State Capitol. We loved the visit. You can walk into the House and Senate floor as well as the original Tennessee Supreme Court chamber. There is also the burial place of James Polk (one of three Tennessee presidents with Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson). It is a beautiful building and the staff could not be more friendly.
We also ate at a new place that is a favorite among locals. On the way back from the museum, our cab driver said that he and many locals go to Peg Leg Porkers. We immediately asked him to drive us and it was awesome. (I was a bit less enthusiastic about the pull pork string rolls). The pulled pork and ribs were fantastic and it is clearly popular with locals.
My only regret is that our trip was too short to visit the Civil War locations. However, that just gives me an excuse to come back to this wonderful city.
Thank you, Nashville.