Homefront: Nashville

Feb 19

I’ve traveled on the other side of the U.S., to islands, Europe and no matter what corner of the Earth I go to, there’s one place that everyone wants to visit: Nashville.

I’ve lived in and outside suburbs of Nashville for almost 21 years and this placed has changed and grown unlike any other city I’ve seen before. To be honest, a lot of people only know it as being Bachelorette party central, raging honkey tonk bars, and country music. But there is so, so much more this city has to offer. Downtown Nashville is normally avoided by residents (except when out-of-towners come and want to be shown the touristy experience), but there are many more treasures to be found beyond the bounds of Broadway.

Whether you’re in Music City for a weekend, week, or live here and are looking for new places to check out, here are some recommendations for food & drink, shopping, and entertainment:

The newest experience that just opened in January 2021 in the heart of downtown is the National Museum of African American Music. This museum is unlike a normal museum — besides its educational timeline of how African Americans migrated their musical culture from Africa to America and how it grew, this place is immersive. It dives into & celebrates spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, and hip hop. Everywhere you look there are stations where you put on headphones and not only learn about specific Black artist over history, but the influencers that helped shape their craft and their artistic followers that continued on after them. You can also pick and choose on these screens different eras of American history where African American music was prominent and which artists / songs spoke to that specific time.

Each corner you turned also showed glass cases of memorabilia saved over time. A Grammy belonging to Ella Fitzgerald, a trumpet of Louis Armstrong, a dress of Whitney Houston’s and so much more! Plus, you can record your own beats, dance in a room guided by a music video, hit up a recording booth and more. Do yourself and favor and book your ticket here! (More info on the museum, ticket pricing, etc. can be found here: National Museum of African American Music)

Here are a handful of restaurants and such that I’d recommend around Nashville — most are local to Music City only so swing by any of these to support local! A favorite spot for me and my friends is Baja Burrito. It’s cheap and the burritos are on point. If you’re looking for other Mexican spots to eat, try: Taqueria del Sol, Mas Tacos, or Rosepepper Cantina. For burgers, pizzas, and beer combos check out Tailgate Brewery, Five Points Pizza, The Pharmacy (or Dino’s if the wait at Pharmacy is too long — it’s also East Nashville’s oldest dive bar!), and Burger Up. For wine & charcuterie afternoons, go outside of the city to Arrington Vineyards. I’m not a hot chicken gal (self-admitted wimp), but my peeps who love it recommend Prince’s — ditch the Hattie B’s crowd! And the best ramen can be found at Otaku Ramen.

If you’re a major sweet tooth like me, look no further. Get your fix from Baked on 8th, HiFi Cookies, or Gracie’s Milkshake Bar (and honorary mention: Jeni’s because….. it’s Jeni’s).

Coming soon (spring 2021!) is the Nashville Public Market on 5th and Broadway. The Assembly Food Hall will feature an array of options along with shops — but do yourself a favor and hit up Slim & Husky’s. It’s a Black-owned pizzeria that are run by Tennessee State University grads. They started the fast & casual joint as a way to serve unique pies and provide jobs to their neighborhood in North Nashville. And it is damn good.

Find nifty & vintage Nashville trinkets down at Cool Stuff, Weird Things, Two Old Hippies, and White’s Mercantile. If you’re looking for something different from the Country Music Hall of Fame, try Third Man Records owned by Jack White. And swing by Grimey’s Records, too (you just might spot a celeb hangin’ around).

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Sometimes if you’re in a new city and have that afternoon lull, it can be difficult to figure out what to do. Here’s a few ideas on how to fill & chill in that time:

-If you’re looking for a snack with a view, order a charcuterie + cheese picnic box from the Cheese Gal and head up to Love Circle

-After getting your inevitable selfie in front of the I Believe in Nashville mural on 12 South, head down another couple of blocks to Sevier Park and hit up a food truck! I used to work for Retro Sno so I’m biased on their sno-balls (the raspberry wedding cake might change your life) and my other favorite trucks are The Grilled Cheeserie, Music City Brisket, and Hoss’ Loaded Burgers. But, Roaming Hunger is a great tool to see where all of the Nashville food trucks are located!

-Rooftop restaurants are all the rage these days, so if you’re lookin’ for a nice hang head to the Gulch for cocktails at LA Jackson on the top floor of the Thompson Hotel or just a little ways over is White Limozeen atop the Graduate. Reservations are required for that one!

Lastly, I wanted to do a shameless plug of where I work! Anderson Design Group is a graphic design firm that focuses on poster illustration and has over 28 collections including Spirit of Nashville, National Parks, American Travel, World Travel and more! Unfortunately, our retail shop has been closed since last March. So many regulations fluctuated throughout the year and to be honest, our team overall didn’t (and hasn’t) felt safe opening up to the public. But, the good news is: all of our posters that are in our shop are also sold online. Curbside pick-up is available and it’s the perfect place to bring a little piece of Nashville home with you! We ship all over the U.S. as well so if you don’t have room to pack our items, we can send it to ya :)