If you’re sticking around town for the school break and are experiencing some FOMO while looking at your friends’ meals in far-flung locations, we’re here to show you that you can eat like world travelers without leaving the 615 area code. Here are some staycation dining ideas that might cure your restlessness and let you try some new spots and dishes, all without TSA hassles or BNA traffic delays.
If you wish you were in Hawaii …
Aloha Fish Co. was born when Jennifer Cheung Cline and Jerry Cline moved to Nashville and missed the fresh fish they used to get in Hawaii. From their oneC1TY location, they offer all sorts of seafood from Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, served with that friendly Hawaiian Aloha. (For more on the Clines, listen to this past City Cast Nashville episode.)
If you wish you were in Vail, Colorado …
Despite all the snow and ice we already had this year, some of our neighbors wanted more and headed west to go skiing. If you wish you were with them, head to Embers Ski Lodge, a 12 South neighborhood bar with an apres-ski vibe. Don your favorite sweater and order big burgers and drinks designed to warm your toes.
If you wish you were in Puerto Rico …
With nationwide appreciation for Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico is getting lots of love. If you’re craving some of the tastes of the island territory, Berry Hill’s Mofongo Café offers Puerto Rican specialties, including the eponymous mofongo with plantains. Also try the empanadas with shredded beef and yellow rice.
If you wish you were in Gatlinburg …
If there’s one thing people like to do in the Smoky Mountains, it’s eat pancakes. Even before the national park was established, pancakes were the go-to breakfast of loggers working in the woods. The Pancake Pantry opened there in the 1960s. You won’t have the same mountain air if you head to one in Hillsboro Village or downtown, but you can still grab a tasty stack covered in syrup.
If you’re happy to be in Nashville …
Like we said, we live in a destination that’s the envy of many. Want to spend some time exploring Music City? The Listening Room Café is a great option for hearing singer-songwriters talk about what makes this town great, and the biscuits served at brunch are some of the city’s best.
