Why Is Nashville Considered the Capital of Meat-and-Three Dining?
- 2 sections
- 1 table
- 3 sources cited
Because the format’s roots trace to Nashville. “Meat-and-three” is a Southern term for both a meal and the restaurants that serve it: you pick one meat and three side dishes from a daily lineup. Wikipedia notes that variants exist across the United States, but “its roots can be traced to Tennessee and its capital of Nashville.” It adds that the format is also associated with soul food (Wikipedia). One well-known example has national recognition. Arnold’s Country Kitchen, opened by Jack and Rose Arnold in 1982 at 605 8th Avenue South, received a James Beard American Classics Award in 2009. Its site says the food is made fresh daily from scratch (Arnold’s Country Kitchen).
The Format at a Glance
| What the sources say | |
|---|---|
| The meal | one meat plus three sides, chosen from the day's lineup |
| Where it comes from | roots traced to Tennessee and Nashville (Wikipedia) |
| Related traditions | associated with soul food; similar to a blue-plate special, with a more fixed menu (Wikipedia) |
| A Nashville landmark | Arnold's Country Kitchen, open since 1982; James Beard American Classics Award, 2009 |
| A family-style variation | Monell's in Germantown serves Southern classics piled on shared plates, family style |
Sources: Wikipedia; Arnold’s Country Kitchen; Monell’s.
How to Order at a Meat-and-Three
- Pick your meat first, then three sides; the lineup can change from day to day.
- Go at lunch: Arnold’s, for example, is open Monday to Friday 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., per its site.
- Choose restaurants from the best meat-and-three restaurants in Nashville.
Other local dishes are in what foods Nashville is known for besides hot chicken.