Two Bonafide Foodies Share Their Favorite Nashville Hot Spots

Jeni Britton-Bauer and Ellen Bennett know good food, and they know good business. Britton-Bauer is the founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, (get it for your next sundae-session, stat) and has grown her business from one shop in Columbus, Ohio to 23 shops in eight cities, including one in East Nashville. Bennett is the founder and Creative Director of Hedley & Bennett, a company that makes “proper badass aprons,” as its Instagram account attests. And did we mention that they’re also stylish, handmade, and shipped in eco-friendly packaging? She started selling her aprons at a farmer’s market while working as a line cook and now her designs are rocked in over 3,000 restaurants in 500 cities.

These two amazing women recently embarked on a nine-day, five-city road trip across the South to connect with communities and engage them with their brands. We knew that they would have the lowdown on the best eats in the neighborhoods they visited, so we asked them to keep a food diary during their travels.

Below, they share their favorite spots in Nashville for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every snack in between.

Breakfast

Marché Artisan Foods
“Marché is a Nashville O.G., an elegant breakfast experience run by a badass lady, Chef Margot McCormick.” –Britton-Bauer
1000 Main Sreet; www.marcheartisanfoods.com

Barista Parlor
“It's my office when I’m in town. They play amazing music that keeps me inspired to knock it out of the park. Their coffee is impeccable and their biscuits are incredible.” –Britton-Bauer
“Nashville is so cool and you can't even fake it! Barista Parlor is the epitome of that.” –Bennett
610 Magazine Street; baristaparlor.com
Biscuit Love
“Biscuit Love is where you go when you spend too much time on Broadway the night before, and you need a hearty plate of biscuits and gravy. The owners, Karl and Sarah, are as lovely as the food that they make.” –Britton-Bauer
316 11th Avenue South; biscuitlove.com

Lunch

Mas Tacos
“Not just one of my favorite Nashville spots but one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. Their tacos and tortilla soup are the stuff of dreams.” –Britton-Bauer
“What Jeni said. It's the one place we managed to go to twice in Nashville. That should tell you something about how delicious it was. I loved the chicken tortilla soup and the ground beef taco. None of the food is pretentious at all. It's just really, really tasty.” –Bennett
732 McFerrin Street; facebook/mastacos

Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
“Lemon Buttermilk is definitely my favorite flavor because it's tart and sweet and so creamy. I love walking into a Jeni's Ice Cream because you feel so welcome. It's definitely an extension of Jeni. Plus, you can try as many flavors as you want!” –Bennett
1892 Eastland Avenue; jenis.com

Dinner

Adele's
“Adele's is Jonathan Waxman's amazing restaurant in Nashville. The space is a former auto repair shop, transformed into a beautiful restaurant with garage doors that open when the weather is warm. Make sure to order the steak and gnocchi.” –Bennett
1210 McGavock Street; adelesnashville.com

City House
“A Nashville original before Nashville was on everyone’s radar.” –Britton-Bauer
1222 4th Avenue North; cityhousenashville.com

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Rolf & Daughters
“Another not-to-be-missed Nashville restaurant, located in the Germantown neighborhood. Rolf & Daughters is a super bustling restaurant, and they nail it all the way around—great food, great drinks, great vibes.” –Bennett
700 Taylor Street; rolfanddaughters.com