A Tour of Some of Nashville’s Tastiest Daily Specials

Dating back more than a century, the expression “blue-plate special” is said to have originated at the Fred Harvey restaurants that dotted the railroad routes of the American West. Cheap rotating lunch combinations were served on sturdy blue plates, and that was enough to make the term stick.

While rotating specials are served on plates of all different colors these days, the concept remains a popular one — affordable, tasty meal options that rotate from day to day. Dozens and dozens of establishments throughout Nashville offer rotating daily menus, but this week, we at the Scene have gathered up some of our favorites. Read on to find our curated list of daily specials. Did we leave out one of your favorites? Let us know. Maybe we’ll feature it next time.

Monday: 

Buffalo Fried Chicken

Dandgure’s Cafeteria (538 Lafayette St.)

There’s no dearth of quirky, soulful meat-and-threes in Nashville. In fact, some might say the meat-and-three restaurant is — aside from hot chicken — our most celebrated culinary touchstone. Situated on the eastern side of the isocelean downtown neighborhood regrettably nicknamed “Pie Town,” Dandgure’s Cafeteria opened in 1991 and bills itself as “Home Cookin’s Best Kept Secret.” Aside from its massive Lafayette Street-facing outdoor mural, perhaps its best feature is its weekly menu, which features fantastic versions of all the usual suspects: Salisbury steak, meatloaf, barbecue ribs, fried pork chops, fried chicken. I recently discovered Dandgure’s Monday-only offering, the Buffalo fried chicken. As sloppy as it is tasty — and available in white and dark meat — the juicy morsels of fiery poultry offer just the right amount of kick. Pair the chicken with a couple of Dandgure’s legendary sides (I recommend the turnip greens and mac-and-cheese) and a couple pieces of jalapeño cornbread, and you’ve got yourself an extraordinarily tasty and spicy Monday special for right around 10 bucks. D. PATRICK RODGERS

Tuesday: 

Veggie Tamales

Mas Tacos Por Favor (732 McFerrin Ave.)

There are plenty of reasons to visit East Side institution Mas Tacos Por Favor. The famous pozole verde soup. The cocktails on offer in the “cantina” half of the building. Brunch-time chilaquiles. But one lesser-known lunchtime special is the veggie tamales, a great Tuesday option for non-meat-eaters and omnivores alike. Filled with roasted poblanos, grilled corn, fresh cheese and a masa that is made with whipped coconut oil rather than chicken or beef broth, the tamales are as savory and filling as anything on Mas Tacos’ regular menu. Served in traditional corn husks, they pair well with a bowl of soup or an order of the sweet plantains. And at $3 apiece, they just might offer the most bang for your buck of anything on our list. D. PATRICK RODGERS

Wednesday: 

Hot Chicken Pasta Alfredo

Amerigo Italian Restaurant (1920 West End Ave.)

Years before Nashville hot chicken hit the mainstream with menu inclusions ranging from fine-dining restaurants to national fast food joints, Amerigo on West End offered one of the first variations on traditional NHC outside of a chicken shack. Although the spice level is probably closer to Medium Plus on the local Scoville scale, the flavor profile of Amerigo’s version is legit, exhibiting plenty of cayenne punch to keep it interesting. Topped with scallions and a creamy white sauce, it’s not what you’d call the healthiest dish. But hey, you gotta die from something! CHRIS CHAMBERLAIN

Thursday: 

Massaman Curry

The Smiling Elephant (2213 Eighth Ave. S.)

Smiling Elephant gets plenty of props from Scene readers — it’s voted Best Thai Restaurant in Best of Nashville year after year (including the 2018 Readers Poll), for good reason. With a different curry every day, the Melrose eat-in is a solid lunch spot, and Thursdays feature massaman curry. The coconut-milk-based sauce is nutty and sweet — think cardamom, peanuts and nutmeg — with a kick of spice. Best of all, it’s not too heavy. No unbuttoning of pants required! Get it with chicken, pork or tofu for $11.95, or throw in a few more bucks for fish, crab, shrimp or duck. 

With fresh broccoli, zucchini, carrots and potato, it’s a hearty meal that will get you through the afternoon. Don’t forget to show the kitchen some love by hitting the gong on your way out. ERICA CICCARONE

Friday: 

Meatloaf

Arnold’s Country Kitchen (605 Eighth Ave. S.)

The food at meat-and-three diners isn’t always appealing to the eye — but that’s not really the point. The vittles at establishments like Arnold’s Country Kitchen are stick-to-your-ribs comfort foods to be gobbled down without any thought of the plating, presentation or calories involved. (A friend of mine likes to call comfort food “the browns and yellows,” all fried or cooked until they lose their color.) On Fridays, Arnold’s serves up its delicious meatloaf (a “brown,” clearly), and while it doesn’t look like much as it gets dished onto your plate, it tastes fantastic. Made flavorful by a rich Creole sauce (much better than any gravy, IMHO), it goes best with a side of Arnold’s mashed potatoes. I also get mine with crispy fried green tomatoes, but there’s a ton of great side options, including squash casserole and potato salad. And if you’re still feeling a little hungry once you’re through, they’ve got a hot pepper chocolate pie that is just the right amount of sweet and spicy. AMANDA HAGGARD

Saturday: 

Roast Pork Banh Mi

InterAsian Market and Deli (2160 Nolensville Pike)

The banh mi you can get any day of the week at InterAsian Market is already hard to beat. It features an acrobatic balance of savory, sweet, sour and spicy flavors — savory pork, pickled carrots and papaya, jalapeños, cucumber and cilantro, probably the only context in which I’ll be excited to eat liver pâté — on a chewy, flaky baguette. So the addition of bits of roast pork belly, available Friday through Sunday, is like putting the crown — a satisfyingly crisp and juicy crown — on the queen’s head. There’s a whole menu in the deli available only on the weekends, with steamed buns, spring rolls, spicy duck and more, so bring a friend and make a picnic out of it. You’re a five-minute drive from Fort Negley, so you can climb to the top of St. Cloud Hill and watch the hustle and bustle of the city while you chow down. STEPHEN TRAGESER

Sunday: 

Turkish Pizza

Anatolia Turkish Restaurant (48 White Bridge Road)

I’ve been a big fan of West Side Turkish spot Anatolia since it opened 15 years ago, but until recently I’d never tried the so-called Turkish Pizza, which is mentioned in a little aside on the menu as being available only on Sundays. (Unlike other items on this list, it’s a dinner, not lunch, option.) The dish, based on flat circles of fresh pita bread, is probably a pain to make, but management keeps it on the roster due to its enduring popularity. Now that I’ve tried it, I see the allure. First, to clarify: It’s an ancient dish, not actually a variation on pizza, and in Turkish it’s called lahmacun. In Anatolia’s modern-day version, you get two large rounds of pita, generously spread with spicy tomato sauce and minced lamb, with extra zing provided by the herb sumac. After that, it’s a “top your own” situation: You choose from a plate of veggies including chunks of fresh tomato, red onion and parsley, along with lemon wedges for spritzing the assemblage with a hint of bright citrus. Next comes the surprise twist: You roll it all into a tube and eat the whole thing in your two hands. It’s a little unwieldy, but well worth the effort, with the flavors melding into something so memorable you may wish you could have it every day. DANA KOPP FRANKLIN