Just right outside of Nashville city limits at 8400 Highway 100 is one of my favorite places in Nashville, The Loveless Cafe. Any time anyone asks me for recommendations on where to visit as they are passing through town, they will be referred here right away. It may be a little bit of a drive and there might be a wait, but trust me it is worth it.
The biscuits are absolutely delicious. The Strawberry jam is my favorite to pair with them. The location is gorgeous, surrounded by lots of trees. Hosted inside the cutest little house with shops and activities surrounding the property. Even if you find yourselves having to wait for a table there are plenty of things to keep you entertained – game of cornhole anyone? Playing cornhole while I wait is one of my favorite things to do when I visit. Yes, even as a ‘local’ I still love to visit! Loveless Cafe is a must on your list of things to see and do in Nashville.
Loveless began as a restaurant in 1951 by Lon and Annie Loveless. Primarily focusing on serving fried chicken and biscuits, but became so popular over the years that they built a 14-room motel for guests who were staying overnight. You can still see the motel building next door to the main house but you won’t be able to make an overnight reservation as it no longer functions as a motel.
In addition to the main house, where you will be eating, there is a ham-and-jams shop that has the cutest little gifts and you can also pick up some great treats like hams, bacon and even piggy popcorn: bacon popcorn! There are a few other shops as well that you can check out while you are waiting. If you are not a shopper, stop into one of the stores and check-out a set of bean bags to play a round of corn hole.
From breakfast to fried chicken or brisket dinners, you won’t find yourself disappointed in whatever you order. Bacon and eggs. Fried Catfish. Chicken Tenders. Fried Okra. Watermelon Ribs. Beef Brisket. You can’t go wrong! I have never had a bad meal. One of the main highlights, no matter what you order, are their famous biscuits. The biscuits are so great that you will be finding more room in your already full belly to have more! After you fall in love with the biscuits you can pick up a bag of the biscuit mix at the Ham and Jam shop next door. Another favorite of mine is their bacon – but you can’t really go wrong with bacon. All of the meats are smoked on site in the bbq pit next to the main house.
Oh, and another thing to highlight is FREE parking! It always seems to be a struggle in Nashville to find a place that offers free parking, or at least a decent parking lot.
If you are looking for a great place to eat that also doubles as a must see/do in Nashville, you need to make sure you have Loveless at the top of your list. If you are still not convinced then maybe the fact that MSN has named it one of the most ICONIC restaurant in Tennessee, the Loveless Barn has been named one of the top wedding venues in Nashville by Southern Living and Southern Bride and has been featured by other major media outlets like The Tennessean, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Taste of the South and Thrillist. Numerous artists, bands, actors and actresses have stopped by as well. You will be greeted by many of their faces when you walk in the front door to their autograph wall. You will see Easton Corbin, Kellie Pickler, Taylor Swift, Dolly Parton and Martha Stewart. Not too shabby of a resume.
Loveless, you are are a true gem of Nashville. I love you. And your biscuits.
