A perfect example of Nashville’s diverse dining scene is Nolensville Pike. With just a straight out-and-back from downtown – a drive of less than a dozen miles total – it is possible to travel culinarily around the world. Increasingly popular, Nolensville Pike draws locals and tourists alike, little wonder the number of restaurants and the assortment of cuisines along this vibrant strip continue to expand. There are far more worthy choices along Nolensville than we have room to cover here; it would literally take a book. Nevertheless, here are seven standouts for flavor and flair; vibe and authenticity.
1. Nashville Venezuela Food
If you don’t know what an arepa is, then the eponymously named Nashville Venezuela Food’s claim to make the best arepas in Nashville might not register. That is until you actually eat an arepa, an indigenous dish with origins going back to before the arrival of Europeans. Its base is masarepa, a type of cornmeal that griddles up into corn cakes that are soft and smooth and somewhat starchy, perfect platforms to hold any number of good things to eat: shredded beef or chicken, fried plantains, yellow cheese, black beans, avocado and cilantro, carrot and cabbage salad. Tying it all together is a creamy jalapeño sauce, the last few drops of which left on your plate can be easily absorbed by the last bits of corn cake left between your fingers.
Expert tip: Pair your arepas (or empanadas) with a cold, sweet chicha, a Venezuelan drink made from milk and either pasta or rice and topped with cinnamon.
@nashvillevenezuelafood
2. Gojo Ethiopian
Don’t come expecting fast service – typically only one server staffs the entire space – but do come here expecting friendly service, the scent of frankincense, and lots of authentic Ethiopian food. For those not familiar with this amazing cuisine, Ethiopian food is served communally, typically on a round tray placed in the middle of your party’s table. Further, if you wait for the cutlery to arrive, you’ll be sitting there a long time; your eating utensils are already on the palms of your hands. To help scoop up the savory stews and succulent sauces, the base of the meal is made up of injera, a somewhat spongy, slightly sour, fermented flatbread that is easy to tear into pieces and dunk into all the deliciousness.
With dishes such as red and yellow lentils and Ethiopian cabbage, vegans will be happy here. However, if dietary restrictions allow, don’t miss the doro wat. Just don’t. Arguably the most emblematic dish of Ethiopia, doro wat – which literally means “chicken stew” in Amharic – is nothing like the chicken stew your grandma used to make. (Unless your grandma comes from Addis Ababa.) Doro wat’s punching-above-its-weight flavor profile owes its impact to niter kibbeh, a spiced, clarified butter, and to berbere, a spice blend that typically includes fenugreek, paprika, hot chiles, cardamom, and coriander.
Expert tip: If the place isn’t too busy, request the traditional Ethiopian coffee. As much a ritual as it is an extraordinary cup of joe, the beans themselves are roasted and ground at table and served in a traditional coffee pot called a jebena.
3. OSH Restaurant & Grill
It is reasonable to assume that most folks in Nashville have no idea whether or not they like Uzbek cuisine. It is also reasonable to assume that, outside of Uzbekistan itself, there are few places on the planet better than this town to discover the answer. That is because Nashville is home to OSH, a gleaming gem of a restaurant tucked inside a basic strip mall. In early 2022, this place took 9th in the nation on Yelp’s Top 100 list. Not bad for a family-owned restaurant that only opened in 2020.
As for the food, Uzbekistan once straddled the Silk Road, the perfect place to blend the flavors flowing back and forth between Asia and Europe across the Middle East. A great way to dive into this cuisine is simply to select from all the courses. For starters, try the lamb somsa, a crispy pastry filled with lamb and onions and spices. For salad, consider the vinegret, a colorful combo of diced beetroots, boiled potatoes, onions, pickles, and green peas. The lagman soup is next, a tomato-based soup with lamb and vegetables and noodles. The main is osh itself, the most traditional Uzbek dish. It is a heaping plate of rice pilaf with braised lamb, carrots, and spices, served with homemade yogurt and achichuk, thinly sliced tomatoes, and onions seasoned with spices and basil.
Expert tip: With ample parking and large private rooms, OSH is an ideal place to feast with a group of friends.
@oshrestaurantgrill
4. Pupuseria Reina la Bendición
If you can read Spanish, then you already know that this little El Salvadorian restaurant bills itself as “Queen of the Blessed Pupusa Makers.” Well, the crown fits; the pupusas here are outstanding. Considered the national dish of El Salvador, pupusas are thick corn cakes cooked fresh on a griddle and filled with beans, cheese, and meat and typically served with Salvadoran salsa roja. However, there is much more to this charming slice of Salvadoran authenticity than just pupusas. Reina la Bendición is also known for its mojarra frita and its camarones a la diabla, its fried fish and its spicy shrimp.
Expert tip: Brush up on your Spanish before sitting down to dine. Your efforts would be both appreciated and helpful.
5. Degthai
From mild to native hot, this place – always clean and bright and pumping out pop music – makes Nolensville Pike part of the Thai street food scene. From its traditional Pad Thai to the more fusion-forward stir fry of the Jay’s Special (owner / chef), Degthai packs fountains of flavors into the food. Known for its friendly and attentive service, and for its generally sufficient parking (except for the busiest times when swamped), Degthai presents an ever-growing number of locals with a dilemma: the green curry or the red? The problem is that both answers are correct. Further, vegans can feast happily here; the crispy, spicy tofu will tempt even the more ardent carnivores.
Expert tip: Save the plane ticket to Bangkok and just hang at Dengthai instead, munching on something like kra prao moo kai dao, a Thai stir fry with pork, holy basil, garlic, and Thai chili pepper, all topped with a Thai fry egg.
@degthaistreetfood
6. Edessa
Named for an ancient city in Mesopotamia, Edessa’s large dining room and Middle Eastern music sets authentic Turkish and Kurdish dishes before Nashville patrons. For those unfamiliar with this delectable cuisine, or for those who already are, a great place to start is with an appetizer platter. On it are familiar items such as grape leaves, tabbouleh, and hummus, but also some items less familiar: ezme, a mixture of fresh tomatoes, red and green peppers, onions, parsley, olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, and Turkish spices; baba ganoush, roasted eggplant puree mixed with garlic and seasoned with fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt; and haydari, a creamy yogurt mixed with walnuts, garlic, mint, and melted butter.
For the mains, consider the tavuk sis, the chicken shish kabob, or the adana kabob, chargrilled lamb and beef mixed with herbs and spices.
Expert tip: Don’t leave without enjoying the Turkish kunefe (a sweet cheese pastry) for dessert.
@edessa.nashville
7. King Tut’s
While this wonderful food truck is not parked along the Nile, it’s parked along the Nolensville, there’s no denial that King Tut’s will make you believe you are near the Nile. In any case, the hyper-charming, fenced-in patio could easily make you think you are sitting in some Cairo bistro, and the authentic, flavorful food might even convince you that you are. To get a wide variety of tastes, start with the sampler, a plate piled with hummus, pickle, fried eggplant, falafel, and cabbage slaw. For the main, consider the Royal Plate, a generous serving of gyro chicken and lamb with saffron-enhanced basmati rice.
Expert tip: One word: falafel. Even if you don’t order them anymore because they always disappoint, King Tut’s falafel will make up for it.
@kingtutsnashville
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