Feeding the Hungry, Hungry Tourists

With CMA Fest in full swing this week, the city is overflowing with visitors drawn in by the festivities. Tourism is the second largest industry in Tennessee, raking in over $23 billion a year. That means Nashville is no stranger to hosting a crowd - or feeding one. 

After being named as one of the top travel destinations in the world by National Geographic, Nashville will be expecting lots of hungry visitors during the busy month of June. And there are plenty of Nashville favorites throughout the city that may be on your bucket list.

Broadway is often a "must-visit" place for many who come to town. One of the newest developments on the busy strip is Fifth and Broadway, which opened in 2021. It features a “complete” Nashville experience as a hub for shopping, dining, culture, and entertainment. Above the shopping center, the rooftop food assembly hall provides a space to enjoy live music, views, and an abundance of food options from 32 different vendors. 

The development gives local vendors such as The Pharmacy, based in East Nashville, a chance to shine in the high-profile downtown area. 

Daniel Frazier, the General Manager at The Pharmacy and a part of the start-up team for the Fifth and Broad location, said “the development was really built for locals, and that's something we were really excited to be a part of.”

“Downtown is growing a lot and changing in a way that, if you’re a local, there’s more to do now than just bring people visiting with you,” he said. “Fifth and Broad is a great space; it's a place where I actually enjoy being. 

The Pharmacy is best known for their German-style burgers, brats, and beers, which can be found at both their downtown and East Nashville locations.

Similar to The Pharmacy, Hattie-B’s and Prince’s also have additional storefronts in Fifth and Broadway, and you wouldn’t be doing Nashville right if you left without trying the famous hot chicken. 

Though the best place to get Nashville’s famous food is a topic of heavy debate, both places are great choices. Prince’s hot chicken is known as the ‘gold standard’ and credited with creating the popular dish, which has been served at their original location for over 70 years. 

If you’re looking for some good ole’ southern hospitality, the highly-visited Loveless Cafe is the spot.

The cafe, which started as a hotel off of Highway 100, has been serving “scratch-made Southern meals” for more than 65 years. It now serves half a million guests each year, according to Merrell Peck, the Executive Director. Best known for their biscuits and fried chicken, you can find most of your favorite breakfast classics in the morning as well as some Loveless originals. 

Peck said Loveless takes pride in their long history and tradition in the Nashville area. 

“We started the same way Nashville did, from the ground up, evolving and gaining fame over several decades,” said Peck.

If you want a look back at some "Old Nashville," the Elliston Place Soda Shop is worth a visit. Originally founded in 1939 by Lynn Chandler, it was purchased and restored to its original glory in 2019 by Tony and Lisa Giarratana. It's part soda shop, part "meat-and-three" if you need a good meal. For those George Jones fans out there, it was also the place featured on his "Alone Again" album cover in 1976.

No matter what your culinary tastes are or where you stop in Nashville, we’re all here to enjoy the best of what the city has to offer. As it continues to grow into a top destination for travel, entertainment, and culture, an MLB team could be the cherry on top.

“Baseball is one of the best live sports and having a team here would be great for the city. I think it's something that Nashville deserves,” said Frazier.