“Stop licking the butter packets, girls,” said my grandparents, as my sister and I squirmed and giggled in the seats of the diner booth. Eating small cubes of butter shouldn’t be tasty for anyone, but for my 5-year-old self and 7-year-old sister — we were enjoying our appetizer. That's the first memory I have of the neighborhood eatery known as Wendell Smith’s, located at Charlotte Avenue and 53rd in West Nashville.
The Charlotte corridor is quickly progressing; restaurants seem to be popping up on every block. Hattie B’s hot chicken outpost and celebrity chef Richard Blais' Flip Burger have recently joined spots like the popular beer pub M.L. Rose. Further out on Charlotte Pike, the thriving commercial strip Nashville West attracts stores and restaurants.
But the more things change, the more some things stay happily the same, including the underrated meat-and three Wendell Smith’s, which has been a landmark in West Nashville for more than half a century. Wendell's, as most people call it, was started by the man Wendell Smith himself, and is now on its third generation of ownership with grandson Benji Cook taking the reins.
Unlike most breakfast hotspots in town, Wendell’s isn’t a stomping ground for bearded hipsters or bloggers camped out on their laptops. The restaurant cultivates a traditional Southern atmosphere with the look of a 1950s diner and friendly chatter among locals.
(I’m sure the waitresses didn’t appreciate my sister and me messing with the condiments, but they always greeted my grandparents by name every Saturday morning and cared to ask how the family was doing.)
Friendly folk and good service aren’t the only things that keep loyal customers coming back. The comforting fresh eats are what has made my family return almost every week. I can’t remember the last time I left without an aching stomach because of the hearty-sized breakfasts. Wendell’s specializes in your favorite Southern dishes such as crispy golden home fries with fluffy biscuits and sausage gravy.
Though I’m now in my 20s, I’m still greeted at the door by a familiar face and always asked how school is going. Amid Nashville's rapid population growth, a small-town feel persists at Wendell’s. The restaurant hasn’t changed a bit in the 20 years I’ve been going there. (Don't worry — I no longer lick the butter wrappers.)
Whether you're a Nashville visitor, newcomer or native, I urge you to visit Wendell’s. And now let me ask you, Bites readers, what are your favorite childhood restaurant memories?
