You can find pancakes, burgers, and grits on most menus across Nashville, from trendy restaurants atop the city’s tallest hotels to dive bars on sleepy streets. But there’s something about a diner — that nostalgic slice of Americana filled with comfort food and decor that time forgot — that feeds the soul as much as the stomach. Whether they’re open early, late, or both, these inexpensive, casual restaurants tend to welcome all ages and types of people to come as they are, a notion at the heart of Southern hospitality. From a converted roadside motel to a renovated street car, these are Nashville’s essential diners.
Note: In general, meat and threes are diners, but not all diners are meat and threes, so this list focuses on diners that aren’t meat and threes. Track down one of the South’s most enduring culinary traditions with the guide to Nashville’s best meat and threes.
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