This spring, the editors of Esquire set off on a cross-country journey to discover the best of what the United States has to offer. From style to food and drink and other distinctly American oddities, we scoured this land by car from New York to L.A. Here is a sampling of what we encountered on our journey from Cincinnati, OH, to Nashville, TN.
Coming into Nashville from the Kentucky side, with a brief stop at the Corvette Museum to view their th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee;imogeneandwillie.com.
MAS TACOS
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You'd be excused for not immediately thinking of Nashville when you were pondering delicious tacos, but you'd also be missing out. Located in East Nashville, the quietly understated Mas Tacos is nothing short of an institution. Cheap, beyond high quality, and unique options put it at the head of the pack for a quick and delicious bite to eat. Everything from classic chorizo to sweet potato to catfish can be had via tortilla delivery system, and none of it will disappoint. Breakfast tacos? Yep, Those too. Which means you can, conceivably, eat here three times in one day. Which sounds like a damn good idea to us.
732 McFerrin Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee; eatmastacos.com.
GRIMEY'S
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Of course Music City has its share of record stores, not the least of which is Jack White's excellent Third Man Records, but Grimey's is the real go-to. Thriving in a digital age that sees their peers slowly being Internet-shopped into oblivion, Grimey's has expanded into a second location by offering an undiluted conduit to the music their customers want, transforming their locations into destinations. Carrying a staggering span of new and used records, CDs, and books, they also host shows and have an attached coffee shop—because what goes better with books and music than a cup of Joe?
1604 8th Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee; grimeys.com.
SILLY GOOSE
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Silly Goose, tucked away in an intimate shopping center, is easy to overlook, except for the lines that can form outside. What would make people queue up in the legendary Tennessee heat? Damn good food, that's what. What Silly Goose lacks in seating they make up for with a broad menu of locally-sourced, thoughtfully paired plates, with something for every palate. While everything will look amazing, not to be missed are the sweet potato hash, various takes on couscous, and their Fox Trot—duck pastrami, pork belly, and pistachio pesto on sourdough. Have the Reverse Cowgirl for dessert, and don't worry, it's okay to blush a little when you say it.
1888 Eastland Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee; sillygoosenashville.com.
EDLEY'S BBQ
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With one of their two locations conveniently located across the street from the Imogene + Willie boutique, Edley's is just sitting their waiting for you to saunter over and spill BBQ sauce all over your new jeans. And you know what? You won't even care. It's that good. Sure, delicious BBQ is to be expected—you're in the South—but they take it to the next level here. Get a whiskey milkshake, the BBQ nachos—thick cut house made potato chips with pulled pork and fixins—and a Tuck Special sandwich, consisting of butter-tender brisket, spicy pimento cheese, a fried egg, and pickles. Sure, you wont' have to eat again for a day or two, but it'll be well worth it.
Two locations; edleysbbq.com.
THE CANNERY
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Featuring three venues—each with an exceptional bar—under one historic roof, there's always something happening at the Cannery building. Between the Mercy Lounge, the Cannery Ballroom, and the High Watt, you can catch the best in local and touring acts, often seven days a week. These stages have held everyone from Katy Perry and Jack White to their all-local music showcase 8 Off Eighth, and, while generally pretty packed, the crowds are friendly, eschewing the sort of cooler-than-thou vibe you'd find in a city like New York.
1 Cannery Row, Nashville, Tennessee; thecanneryballroom.com.
