Nashville City Guide, Part 1

The Mister and I loved Nashville so much during our cross country road trip, we decided to visit the city a second time during a Mid-West trip for a friend’s wedding. We hit up several of our first-time visit favorites including the Grand Ole Opry, Robert’s Western World, and Hatch Show Print, but also made sure to check out the inside of the Parthenon, Third Man Records, and several new restaurants! Keep reading below for Part One of my Nashville City Guide and stay tuned for our tips for Memphis!Where to Stay:

The first time we visited Nashville, we stayed nearby the Grand Ole Opry. For this latest visit, we wanted to stay closer to downtown Nashville, so we stayed at both the Hotel Indigo and the Downtown Nashville Sheraton Hotel. Both were very nice, but with similar price points, I would recommend the Sheraton.Where to Eat:

While Merchant’s isn’t on anyone’s “Must Eat” list, I have to recommend it. It’s great for location when you want to be out on Broadway, but don’t want to eat BBQ or a fried bologna sandwich. And both times we’ve eaten there, the food has been excellent!Pharmacy is on everyone’s list for a good burger, and while the burger was good, it didn’t blow me away. However, the atmosphere on the back patio is great and the men loved the selection of sausages.I didn’t originally have Mas Tacos on my list because I don’t trust Mexican food in a state that doesn’t border Mexico, but since it’s on everyone else’s list (and because I was afraid of getting sick of burgers) we went anyway! And I have to say, I was impressed. The taco was tasty, but I have to warn you, if you don’t eat spicy food, beware, as my beef taco was really fucking hot!And last, but certainly not least is the fried bologna sandwich at Robert’s Western World. For just $5 you can get a sandwich with chips and a PBR. I opted for the classier hot dog, chips, and a glass of cheap wine. For about $25, we both had dinner and tipped the band!And of course I can’t forget about breakfast! While I enjoy going to Cracker Barrel for breakfast every single day that I am in a city with a Cracker Barrel (because California doesn’t have one) and having the crispy-edged pancakes, I have to recommend the Pancake Pantry or the Loveless Cafe for breakfast while in Nashville because they are both absolutely delicious!

Let’s start with the Pancake Pantry. Don’t be discouraged by the long line. It moves faster than you would think. Although we did wait for our food for about 40 minutes after we were seated, so maybe be prepared for that. But also be prepared for delicious pancakes with a heaping side of butter and hot maple syrup!And if you’re in the mood for biscuits, you have to go to the Loveless Cafe. It’s a bit further out of town (about a 30 minute drive) and the waiting list can get VERY long, so be sure to go early, like before 9 am on a weekday! But wow, what a great breakfast! The biscuits were delicious and I have to give a special shout out for the home fries!Oh, and be sure to check out the Loveless Cafe shops if you’re waiting for a table and stock up on some biscuit mix. I can’t wait to make these at home!Where to Shop:

I love shopping at antique stores, so I made sure to hit all of the antique malls in Nashville and just HAVE to share my favorite score and the Mister’s record find:And if you love antiques, be sure to check out American Pickers’ shop Antique Archeology in the old Marathon Motors building. While the shop is overpriced, the building itself and the surrounding shops are worth the visit.Instagram is pretty awesome! I saw a photograph of the amazing Katy K Designs storefront and decided I HAD to go. And unfortunately, at the time of publication, Katy K’s is closed. But I just had to share the amazing storefront and brag that I found the most amazing vintage Merona (hello, vintage Target!) fruit skirt!Katy K’s is closing because the neighborhood has become hot hipsterville and with the recent explosion of hip shops comes high rents. Within walking distance of Katy K’s is Imogene + Willie, a beautifully curated shop filled with beautiful things that I cannot afford and one cute cactus.And then further on down the street is White’s Mercantile, a slightly more affordable collection of everything from clothing and kitchen goods to stationery and toys.Oh, and be sure to catch a snap in front of the I Believe in Nashville mural!Not included on my shopping list are Hatch Show Print and Third Man Records, stay tuned for them in Part 2 of my Nashville City Guide which will focus on What to Do and What to See/Hear sections.

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