Cheap Eats: Garden Fresh Food Market: Quesabirria Tacos — $3.99 Each

There’s no shortage of great restaurants in Nashville, but only a few of them exist inside of markets. Taking a pit stop to have lunch while buying groceries is the kind of indulgent turducken situation I can’t get enough of. Plus you’re multitasking, so you can feel a little smug about the whole thing. My new obsession is Garden Fresh Food Market in Madison, which is almost directly across the street from another Cheap Eats favorite, Tacos y Mariscos Lindo Mexico. (There’s also a stellar Michoacana ice cream spot nearby, but that’s for another column.)

Garden Fresh bills itself as a neighborhood Latin grocery store, but in reality it’s pretty massive, with a produce section that rivals Kroger’s and an aisle dedicated to uncommon sweets (including various candies coated with spicy tangy chili powder). But the real treat is the meat-and-three-style cafe in the back corner. It has weekly specials, like Torta Mondays and Beef Soup Saturdays. For my money, the stars of Garden Fresh’s show are the quesabirria tacos, which are served with a side of consommé for dipping. The small but mighty tacos are grilled fresh, with tender birria-style beef covered with just enough melted cheese, topped with red onions and cilantro. It’s delectable, and at $3.99 apiece, there’s no reason not to simply add one to every order, every time you visit. Hell, you might as well get one every time you’re in the neighborhood — they’re that good. 

Visit the Garden Fresh Instagram account (@gardenfreshfoodmarket) to watch videos of how quesabirria tacos are made — plus you can keep up with daily specials and new offerings like an insanely overstuffed carne asada crunch wrap.