My husband and I took an overnight trip to Henderson, Tennessee to attend the Freed Hardeman Lectureship.  It was our first time visiting this little town together.  We met up with one of my husband's childhood friends and he suggested we all try a new restaurant in town called the Wall (https://www.facebook.com/ThewallHenderson/.)  The décor was perfect for a college town and for lovers of music.  Of course, Pink Floyd fans will get a kick out of the name and logo but for those of us who prefer other genres of music, they had it covered too.  We sat in a booth beside a wall filled with photos of the king himself, Mr. Presley.  There were fun light fixtures hanging from the ceiling, murals painted on the walls, and funky music coming through the speakers.  The dining room was filled with a mix of families, couples, and students meeting up in-between classes.  

For almost 40 years, the Picnic Café (http://www.thepicniccafe.com/) has been one of the most visited breakfast and lunch spots in Nashville.  It is not uncommon to see a line form outside the door with visitors hoping to find a seat.  Their menu is consistently good and the staff is dedicated to keeping people happy with salads, warm soups, sandwiches, savory quiche, casseroles, and homemade desserts.  Two of their top sellers are their frozen fruit salad and picnic tea punch.  I got the chicken salad sandwich and potato salad, which are also very popular. Oh... and I had to try their coconut cake, of course! One of my favorite things about the place is the décor.  The theme of the Picnic Café is blue and white everything.  There are blue and white plates, tablecloths, signage, you name it! You'll also find white picket fences in-between the tables in the dining room.  It's a unique environment that is perfect for ladies' luncheons, get togethers with your girlfriends, or just to come on your own during your lunch break.  Take a tour of a historic home in the area (there are several) and then stop at the Picnic Café for a unique lunch outing.  I can't wait to come back and try their breakfast menu!

If you're a lover of grilled cheese sandwiches, make a trip to Franklin, Tennessee for a restaurant dedicated to the sandwich we know and love.  The Grilled Cheeserie (https://grilledcheeserie.com/) became so popular at their Nashville locations that they decided to expand onto the square in Franklin. My husband and I have been to two of their locations many times before and knew it was the perfect lunch destination after church on Sunday.  We had taken a friend from out of town to this location three years ago but a visit was long overdue.  They have a menu that is hard to select from because everything sounds so good! I went with the "Make Your Own Melt" and selected rosemary garlic bread, house roasted turkey, swiss cheese, and herby mustard.  I usually order a cup of their old-fashioned tomato soup, but went for the cheesy tots since I'd never had them before.  This sandwich was phenomenal! I was a little unsure about the rosemary garlic bread when I ordered, but quickly fell in love with it.  It was subtle and not overpowering at all!  The combination of the turkey, swiss, and herby mustard just might be a new comfort food for me.  The cheesy tots were a mix of cheesy with a little bit of heat at the end of each bite.  One thing that we didn't order that I recommend is their milkshakes.  They typically offer a specialty milkshake at different times throughout the year and they're outstanding.  The Grilled Cheeserie is in the perfect spot to grab a delicious sandwich while shopping on the historic Franklin square.  This is a sandwich shop kicked up a notch.  

Right across the street from the Opryland Hotel is Music Valley Drive.  A road filled with a wide array of places to eat.  When we turn onto it from the interstate, I'm immediately filled with nostalgia.  My family has been eating at the Cock of the Walk restaurant (https://www.cockofthewalkrestaurant.com/our-locations/nashville-tn-menu/) since I was in elementary school.  The restaurant is designed with a riverboat feel to give you the sense that you're stepping off dry land and onto a vessel that is making its way down the Mississippi River.  There are several selections on the menu but Cock of the Walk is known for a few specific items: catfish, chicken, hushpuppies, cornbread and their sweet tea. Oh and did I mention that the employees dress in attire typically found on riverboats in the early 1800s?  Their hats have red feathers sticking out the top and your first helping of cornbread is served hot in a cast iron skillet.  Before serving, the server toss the cornbread high into the air and catches it. 

For Easter Sunday, my husband and I went to a "new to us" restaurant in Spring Hill, Tennessee.  Pig N Pit (http://www.pignpit.com/restaurant-menu.html) has been around for awhile, but we haven't had the opportunity to try it out.  I noticed on their Facebook page that they would be doing a special menu for Easter, so we thought this would be the perfect time.  When we arrived, we were the first ones there.  The server was very friendly and gave a thorough explanation of the options and pricing.  I chose smoked turkey breast, cornbread dressing, and sweet potato casserole.  The smell of smoked meat wafting through the dining room was intoxicating.  Our food arrived to our table quickly and was absolutely delicious.  The smoked flavor of the turkey combined with the sweetness of the cornbread dressing made for a perfect bite. The sweet potato casserole had a soufflé like consistency with crunchy pecans on top and I finished off the meal with a buttery, soft roll.  My husband had a similar plate but chose brown sugar ham instead of turkey, which he said was equally fabulous.  We are already planning a return visit to try their pork barbecue.  Try it for yourselves! You won't be disappointed.  

About 10 miles from Shiloh National Military Park in Tennessee, there's a town called Savannah.  It's full of small town charm and is known as the "Catfish Capital of the World." One of our favorite places burned down in 2021, so we were looking for a new place to try during our annual visit to the battlefield for living history events.  A new place had opened up called Wolfe's Cafe (https://wolfescafe.com/) and the reviews sounded great.

Finding an authentic Italian restaurant ran by actual Italians is a rare find in middle Tennessee.  Italian cuisine is my favorite type of food, so I'm always trying to find the best that I can easily access.  I'm a member of several Facebook groups for the city I live in and at least once a month someone will ask what the best Italian restaurant is in our area.  Without fail, at least 2/3's of the responses will be to check out Coco's (https://www.italianmarket.biz/location/cocos-italian-market/) in Nashville.  I've been hoping to visit Coco's for several years and since my husband finally had a Saturday off from work, we decided to go.  

My husband and I are always looking for places to eat that's delicious, but also close to the movie theater.  I had heard of Hogwood's (https://hogwood.com/) food truck, but did not realize how close we were to the actual restaurant.  This past Friday we decided to check out this local bbq joint and what a find!

I first discovered Mama Mila's (https://www.mamamilasmafia.com/) a few years ago when I walked into one of my favorite antique stores in Columbia, TN.  When I opened the front door, I was immediately hit with a fantastic aroma wafting through the store.  The lady at the counter said, "it's a new Italian restaurant on the third floor, doesn't it smell amazing?" It did, indeed.  I had the opportunity to try their food one day while visiting at lunch time, but when they relocated to their own building I had not been able to visit, yet.  My husband and I were recently in the area and knew we had to go for dinner.  

Just off the main downtown strip in Nashville, Tennessee is a soda shop that has been operating for over 83 years.  When you step into Elliston Place Soda Shop (https://www.ellistonplacesodashop.com/), you'll immediately want to grab your poodle skirt and saddle shoes.  Upon entering, a row of bright red bar stools are visible for those wanting to eat at the counter.  There's lots of seating and fun music plays over the speakers from a jukebox in the back.  Elliston Place Soda Shop is full of history.  The founder, Lynn Chandler, claims that this is the place where meat-and-three meals originated.  For those of you who are not from the South, meat-and-three means that you choose a meat and select three sides to go with it.  Celebrities have been flocking to this soda shop for years.  Check out their "our story" section of their website.  Celebrities such as Jimmy Buffett, George Jones, and Reese Witherspoon have all been seen at this local establishment.  When my husband and I visited, we were greeted with a very friendly waitress.  You know those waitresses that you instantly know would make a great friend in life?  She was one of those people.  I asked her what her favorite things on the menu were and she was more than happy to oblige.  I typically know pretty quickly what I'm going to order, but I had a difficult time coming to a decision.  Everything on the menu looked delicious! I looked around at what other tables had ordered but everything looked so good.  I finally went with the turkey and dressing with mac & cheese and green beans.  My husband ordered meatloaf, mac & cheese, chili, and fries.  Everything we ordered was outstanding.  My husband is very picky when it comes to meatloaf, so he's usually pretty hesitant to order it when we see it on a menu.  He loved it!  The dressing that I ordered was my favorite item that I ordered.  You can't go wrong with a good cornbread dressing! We finished the meal with hot fudge and strawberry shakes which were SO good!  We thought about ordering one of their delicious pie options, but you have to order milkshakes in a soda shop! Our waitress even gave us the silver cup that she mixed our shakes in, so we ended up with extra shake to pour in our glasses when we finished.  The warm hot fudge mixed with the ice cream to create a smooth, rich milkshake.  My husband said he highly recommends the strawberry shake for those not wanting chocolate.  As we were leaving, we already began discussing when we want to return to try other menu items.  They serve breakfast all day and the waitress said it was great.  We'll definitely be back to try more amazing meals at the soda shop!

Nashville, Tennessee is home to lots of delicious food options.  There's a new place in town that has a unique twist on baked goods and lunch options that I recently tried for the first time.  Fatbelly Pretzel Bakery & Deli (FatBelly Pretzel - Pretzels, Bakery, Cookies) offers more than your typical soft pretzel fix.  This restaurant offers pretzels filled with cheeses, meats, and sugary fillings.  It won't be hard to figure out where this place got its name once you take a look in their bakery case.  Their soft pretzels are long, with the bottom section being the largest part, which creates a "fat belly" appearance.  While there weren't many people eating inside, the parking lot was full of people coming and going with lots of online pick up orders (always a good sign of how delicious a place is!). 

When your favorite Nashville food truck decides to open a brick and mortar, you have to go try it out.  This was my dilemma when my parents came to visit this weekend.  When asked where we should eat for lunch, I immediately knew we had to go to Il Forno (www.ilfornowoodfired.com). Located in the heart of Nashville, Il Forno has been known for years as the best pizza around.  The business is run by Italians who want to share amazing ingredients combined to make even better food.  We arrived early enough to beat the lunch crowds, but it quickly began filling up with people not long after we arrived.  Definitely consider making a reservation online before arriving! They get very busy at night, especially on the weekends.  When we looked at the menu, I knew I would get my favorite, their margherita pizza, which consists of fresh basil, parmesan cheese, extra virgin olive oil, marinara sauce, and I added ricotta cheese because I love it. The pizza is fantastic, but the dough is an experience all on its own.  It's cooked in a wood fired oven, making the dough chewy but smoky and crunchy around the edges. It's a must try.  My dad ordered the lasagna, my husband ordered the calzone, and my mom ordered the cowboy pizza.  Everyone loved their food and said they would definitely come back.  The tables were set with beautiful, small, floral arrangements and cloth napkins.  There were shelves filled with jars of ingredients imported from Italy.  All of the staff was friendly, one of the owners even came to our table and said he remembered me from when they had their mobile food truck.  If you're looking for authentic, Italian food in a warm, welcoming environment, look no further.  

If you're in the Smyrna, Tennessee area, one thing you'll find plenty of is fast food restaurants.  However, when you've worked with the public for many years, the first thing they'll ask on their way out the door is a lunch recommendation.  There are some great, locally owned food places in the Smyrna area, but hands down, my favorite would be Hickory Falls (Hickory Falls Wood-Fired Grille & Bar - Index.html (hickoryfallsrestaurant.com)).  Located on the main strip in the town of Smyrna, Hickory Falls is a family owned business in a crowd of chain food establishments.  They'll stand out and in the best possible way.  Drive by their parking lot on any night of the week and you'll have difficulty finding a place to park.  They stay crowded, so get your reservations early.  Upon entering the front doors, you're immediately welcomed with dim lighting, friendly hostesses, and the smell of wood-fired, smoked meats.  Now, let's talk about the menu.  You won't find a bad meal here.  My go-to dish that I order every single time are the Tender Beef Medallions.  What makes this so special? Two words: garlic butter.  That's right, the beef medallions are sauteed in garlic butter.  Put way your steak sauce, you won't need it nor will you want it.  If you order this dish the way it comes, it's served over mashed potatoes, however, Hickory Falls is known for its mashed sweet potatoes.  We've brought their sweet potatoes to family functions in the past and they're always a crowd favorite.  Don't sleep on those sweet potatoes! Oh, did I mention that they also serve unlimited warm, homemade, yeast rolls at the table, as well? Be sure to leave room for dessert at the end of your meal.  Locals will tell you that the carrot cake is where it's at.  It's rich and full of delicious spices topped with an amazing cream cheese icing.  It's a huge slice, which makes it a perfect dessert to share or to take some home for later.  I can't emphasize enough how much you'll love Hickory Falls.  It's a hidden jewel in middle Tennessee that you will want to make a special trip to try.  Make those reservations and head on over!