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Nathan and Caleb Followill at the Music City Eats Launch Event

How to Eat Like Kings in Nashville

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Nathan and Caleb Followill are pretty busy guys these days. As half of the rock group Kings of Leon, they are currently in a full court press promoting their upcoming album, Mechanical Bull, having just gotten back from yet another promotional trip to London. And if that weren't enough, their love of food was a driving force behind this weekend's inaugural Music City Eats Festival, where they will be performing at Petty Fest. Nathan and Caleb took a few minutes during rehearsals to give Eater the scoop on what their go-to restaurants and bars are around town, and what they order.


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City House

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Caleb: You want to say City House first, or you want me to say it? Order the chicken, seasonal salads, the pizza with the egg on top, the secret pizza called the kitchen pie. It's really a spicy pizza with like a little Grana Padano on top.

Rolf & Daughters

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Caleb: I love their pates. Nathan: Their squid ink pasta, really all of their pastas are great.
Nathan: The Etch Salad is probably my favorite salad in town. And the butter tasting is great, too.
Caleb: My wife and I went and basically ate a bunch of pig parts, but man it was so good. Nathan: I had pig heart there for the first time. Apparently I wasn't paying attention when it came out, and didn't realize that's what I was eating. But it was phenomenal.

Arnold's Country Kitchen

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Caleb: One of my favorite restaurants to take people from out of town, and one of my favorite restaurants in general is Arnold's. My wife is from California and she didn't know what a meat-and-three was, so I had to take her there.

Giovanni's Italian Ristorante & Bar

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Caleb: One that I go to every day because I have a condo right across the street, is Giovanni's. I go there for social time. I've grown to be really good friends with everybody there. We go over and watch football and drink a bunch of good wine.

Sperry's Restaurant

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Nathan: One that I just discovered in the last one and a half, maybe two years is Sperry's in Belle Meade. Just the vibe of it, like literally turning around waiting for someone to come up and put one behind your ear. Caleb: If you can go in a restaurant and see a fire place, it's good.

King Market, Laos Thai Cafe

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Nathan: It's a market, and in the back corner they have a little restaurant. Oh my god, you just eat whatever they bring you. I've had pig brains there. You eat it and you're like "This is phenomenal," and then they tell you what it is and your like, "Oh my god."

Peg Leg Porker

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Caleb: I just discovered Peg Leg, and it was great, I loved it. I'm a big dry rub man cause I'm from Memphis.

Robert's Western World

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Nathan: My go to when we have company is Robert's. The fried bologna sandwiches, even if you've just eaten dinner, you see somebody eating it and it's like "Round for the table."

Music City Tippler

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Caleb: I know it's kinda new and they are still figuring it out, but the Music City Tippler in the Adelicia is a great place to go.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

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Nathan: Gus's. There is a Gus's ten minutes from my house, so I'm partial.

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack

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Caleb: If you're talking hot chicken, it's Prince's. Nathan: I'm the reason you have to sign a waiver there saying they aren't legally responsible.

Hattie B's Hot Chicken

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Caleb: I ordered in some Hattie B's and that burned my ass up. I went for it. I was kinda buzzed so I ate it all and the next morning I was not happy.

The Slider House

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Nathan: I'm a big college football fan, so I enjoy a place where you can park on a Saturday and stay for six or seven hours and watch a couple of games. It's little bites where you can pace yourself and eat as little or as much as you want, and I'm a fan of a place that only serves beer in a can.

12 South Taproom & Grill

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Nathan: I'd say 12South Taproom that's where I am five days a week, I usually have lunch there, that's my spot. I'm a creature of habit. And their wings are amazing, their not fried.

City House

Caleb: You want to say City House first, or you want me to say it? Order the chicken, seasonal salads, the pizza with the egg on top, the secret pizza called the kitchen pie. It's really a spicy pizza with like a little Grana Padano on top.

Rolf & Daughters

Caleb: I love their pates. Nathan: Their squid ink pasta, really all of their pastas are great.

Etch

Nathan: The Etch Salad is probably my favorite salad in town. And the butter tasting is great, too.

Husk

Caleb: My wife and I went and basically ate a bunch of pig parts, but man it was so good. Nathan: I had pig heart there for the first time. Apparently I wasn't paying attention when it came out, and didn't realize that's what I was eating. But it was phenomenal.

Arnold's Country Kitchen

Caleb: One of my favorite restaurants to take people from out of town, and one of my favorite restaurants in general is Arnold's. My wife is from California and she didn't know what a meat-and-three was, so I had to take her there.

Giovanni's Italian Ristorante & Bar

Caleb: One that I go to every day because I have a condo right across the street, is Giovanni's. I go there for social time. I've grown to be really good friends with everybody there. We go over and watch football and drink a bunch of good wine.

Sperry's Restaurant

Nathan: One that I just discovered in the last one and a half, maybe two years is Sperry's in Belle Meade. Just the vibe of it, like literally turning around waiting for someone to come up and put one behind your ear. Caleb: If you can go in a restaurant and see a fire place, it's good.

King Market, Laos Thai Cafe

Nathan: It's a market, and in the back corner they have a little restaurant. Oh my god, you just eat whatever they bring you. I've had pig brains there. You eat it and you're like "This is phenomenal," and then they tell you what it is and your like, "Oh my god."

Peg Leg Porker

Caleb: I just discovered Peg Leg, and it was great, I loved it. I'm a big dry rub man cause I'm from Memphis.

Robert's Western World

Nathan: My go to when we have company is Robert's. The fried bologna sandwiches, even if you've just eaten dinner, you see somebody eating it and it's like "Round for the table."

Music City Tippler

Caleb: I know it's kinda new and they are still figuring it out, but the Music City Tippler in the Adelicia is a great place to go.

Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken

Nathan: Gus's. There is a Gus's ten minutes from my house, so I'm partial.

Prince's Hot Chicken Shack

Caleb: If you're talking hot chicken, it's Prince's. Nathan: I'm the reason you have to sign a waiver there saying they aren't legally responsible.

Hattie B's Hot Chicken

Caleb: I ordered in some Hattie B's and that burned my ass up. I went for it. I was kinda buzzed so I ate it all and the next morning I was not happy.

The Slider House

Nathan: I'm a big college football fan, so I enjoy a place where you can park on a Saturday and stay for six or seven hours and watch a couple of games. It's little bites where you can pace yourself and eat as little or as much as you want, and I'm a fan of a place that only serves beer in a can.

Related Maps

12 South Taproom & Grill

Nathan: I'd say 12South Taproom that's where I am five days a week, I usually have lunch there, that's my spot. I'm a creature of habit. And their wings are amazing, their not fried.

Related Maps