When you’re booking tickets to a show, you’re probably paying attention to the artist and the experience — singer-songwriter night vs. honky-tonk vs. arena show vs. rock club. You’re probably looking at the ticket prices. Maybe you’re considering how you’re getting there — if it isn’t near a bus line, is parking limited? What you’re probably not thinking about is the food. In fact, you’re probably scrolling through Resy booking a table before you go.
But there are some good reasons to eat while you watch a show. Most importantly, many venues count on cash from food and drink sales to keep their doors open. At The Bluebird Cafe, for example, all of the ticket money collected at the door goes to the performing artists. So to keep the lights on at the historic Green Hills listening room, they need to ring up the tabs at the tables.
It can also be fun to make an evening of it, where you don’t have to coordinate an early-bird dinner and getting to a show on time. What’s more, many venue kitchens take their food seriously, and there are some eats you shouldn’t pass up. We at the Scene pulled together a (subjective) list of the best eats at 10 Nashville music venues. Our main criterion was that you have to be able to eat while you watch performers. Thus we had to exclude some obvious favorites, like the shepherd’s pie at Eastside Bowl — which, of course, you should eat before or after a show as often as possible.
City Winery Nashville
City Winery is designed for food and drink (hello, it is in the name), and the space has tables and generally tends to feature a crowd that likes to sit and eat and listen. (That was me shouting, “Get up and dance, people!” when I saw Dave Wakeling with the English Beat there years ago.) That means you get choices of lots of dishes, served with utensils, and you don’t have to hold the plate on your lap. Highlights include the fig and pear flatbread pizza and the seared airline chicken.
Recession Special at Robert’s Western World
Robert’s Western World
If your reason for eating at home before heading out is lack of cash, you’ll never do better than Robert’s Western World’s famous Recession Special. That’s a fried bologna sandwich, chips, a Moon Pie and a PBR for just $6. It’s a selfie-worthy bargain and a quintessential Nashville experience. If you want a meat-free option, try a $5 grilled cheese.
The Station Inn
Does frozen pizza and popcorn constitute dinner? It does on some nights when I’m not out researching for the Scene. But it also does when I’m at The Station Inn. The menu at the best bluegrass bar in the country also includes Goo Goo Clusters, Daddy Bob’s pimento cheese and nachos, but some things are classics. Like The Station Inn and frozen pizza.
Rudy’s Jazz Room
My Scene colleague Chris Chamberlain is a fan of the chicken, andouille and shrimp gumbo at Rudy’s Jazz Room, which is available in either a cup or a bowl. Rudy’s has an extensive menu that will put you in a NOLA state of mind, including po’boys. There’s a separate limited late-night menu, which includes a $10 pairing of a cup of red beans and rice with beignets, and there’s an option for vegan beans, which is my personal pick.
AB Hillsboro Village
As I recently reported for the Scene, the restaurant formerly known as Anzie Blue is now a music venue and event space called AB Hillsboro Village. From the venue’s catering kitchen they’re whipping up cheese and charcuterie boards for $20. They’re meant to serve two people … or one if you’re really hungry, says co-owner Marcie Allen Van Mol.
Bridgestone Arena
If we’ve had a conversation about restaurants closing since 2021, I’ve probably told you how much I miss Rotier’s. I miss the neon sign, the hash brown casserole, the dark interior that kept seven decades of city secrets. But I don’t have to miss their burgers on French bread: They’re available as a concession inside Bridgestone Arena.
Chivanada empanadas at The Basement East
The Basement East
I’ve also told anyone who will listen about my love of Chivanada empanadas. So I got very, very excited that the food truck is now going to be parked outside The Basement East on Tuesday through Saturday starting at 6 p.m. They’re the “official food truck of the Basement East,” and you can take the warm gooey goodness inside with you.
Frito Pie at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge
Few things make me feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be more than sitting at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge eating a $5 Frito Pie out of a Frito’s bag while listening to a favorite band. There’s even a veggie version if beef isn’t your thing.
The Southern Peach ’n’ Brie Salad at The Bluebird Cafe
The Bluebird Cafe
The aforementioned Bluebird Cafe has a menu worth eating your way through. (There’s an added bonus: The more you’re eating, the less likely you are to be talking, and therefore can abide by the listening room’s policy to keep quiet while performers are singing.) The old-school baked brie and baguettes are a longtime local favorite. The Southern Peach ’n’ Brie Salad, with a raspberry vinaigrette, is a lighter, summery choice, made with fresh peaches.
The Listening Room Cafe
Like at the Bluebird, at The Listening Room Cafe, the idea is that you’ll keep quiet and let the singer-songwriters do their thing. The brunch menu is one of the most popular, with legit Southern biscuits, served on their own or with gravy and sausage, plus a chicken-and-waffles dish. The lunch and dinner menus have plenty of sandwiches, salads and Southern-style entrees. There’s a $15-per-person food and drink minimum, which is easy to meet when you come hungry.
