I Hit The Backroads Of Tennessee To Try 10 Meat-and-Three Spots (And 6 Were Southern Perfection)
Growing up, my grandmother always said the best Southern cooking happens where nobody’s trying to impress you, just feed you right.
That wisdom sent me cruising Tennessee’s backroads, hunting down authentic meat-and-three restaurants where locals actually eat.
I visited ten spots total, armed with an empty stomach and high hopes. Six of them absolutely nailed that perfect balance of tender meats, soul-warming sides, and the kind of hospitality that makes you feel like family.
1. Arnold’s Country Kitchen⭐
Walking into Arnold’s feels like stepping into your aunt’s kitchen if she happened to feed 200 people daily. This Nashville institution doesn’t mess around with fancy menus or Instagram-worthy plating.
You grab a tray, point at what looks good, and trust that everything tastes even better than it looks. My fried chicken practically fell off the bone, and the mac and cheese had that golden crust on top that signals somebody actually baked it with love.
The turnip greens came swimming in pot liquor so flavorful I nearly asked for a straw. Jack Arnold’s family has been perfecting this formula since 1982, and honestly, they’ve cracked the code on what makes Southern comfort food genuinely comforting.
2. Swett’s Restaurant⭐
Swett’s has been dishing out soul food perfection since 1954, back when Walter and Susie Swett opened the doors with recipes passed down through generations. This North Nashville landmark serves food that tastes like Sunday dinner, every single day.
I ordered the smothered pork chops, and they arrived buried under gravy so rich it could probably solve world peace. The candied yams hit that sweet spot between dessert and side dish, while the cornbread came out warm enough to melt butter on contact.
What really got me was the banana pudding—layers of vanilla wafers softened just right, with meringue piled high like fluffy clouds. This place earned its perfection status fair and square.
3. Wendell Smith’s Restaurant
Wendell Smith’s sits in a spot you’d drive past if you weren’t specifically looking for it, which pretty much guarantees the food inside. The meat loaf showed up thick-sliced and covered in tomato-based sauce that tasted homemade, not squeezed from a bottle.
My three sides included mashed potatoes, green beans, and fried okra that crunched perfectly without being greasy. Everything tasted solid and satisfying, exactly what you’d expect from a reliable neighborhood spot.
Here’s the thing though—nothing made me want to write home about it. The service was friendly, portions were generous, and prices were fair. It just didn’t have that magical something that separates good Southern cooking from transcendent Southern cooking.
4. City Cafe East
City Cafe East promises home cooking, and they deliver on that promise—sort of like how your cousin who’s still learning to cook delivers on Thanksgiving. The fried catfish had decent flavor, though the breading slid off in places like it hadn’t fully committed to the fish.
I picked butter beans, coleslaw, and cornbread as my sides. The butter beans were tender enough, but they needed more seasoning than what they got. The coleslaw was fine, nothing memorable.
My server was sweet as pie, constantly refilling my sweet tea before I even asked. The atmosphere felt genuinely local, with regulars chatting across tables. It’s the kind of place that works if you’re hungry and in the area, but not worth a special trip.
5. Silver Caboose Restaurant & Soda Fountain⭐
How often do you get to eat spectacular Southern food in a historic, train-themed cafe on Collierville’s town square? Silver Caboose nails the quirky charm factor while simultaneously serving up some seriously legit meat-and-three plates.
My country-fried steak arrived bigger than my head, smothered in white gravy that tasted like somebody’s grandmother whispered the recipe directly into the cook’s ear. The collard greens had just enough vinegar tang, and the mashed potatoes were whipped smooth as silk.
But the real showstopper? Their homemade pies sit in a display case near the old-timey soda fountain, calling your name like sweet Southern sirens. I demolished a slice of chocolate meringue that nearly brought tears to my eyes.
6. The Cupboard Restaurant⭐
The Cupboard has been feeding Memphis since 1943, operating out of a casual, homey spot that still feels like someone’s home. You walk through pointing at whatever catches your eye, and trust me, everything catches your eye.
I went with roast beef, and it came sliced thin with brown gravy that had clearly been simmering for hours. My sides rotation included squash casserole, fried okra, and creamed corn that tasted like summer in a bowl.
The biscuits deserve their own paragraph, but I’m working within word limits here, so just know they’re fluffy, buttery, and absolutely worth whatever carb guilt you might feel later. This place understands that Southern perfection isn’t about being fancy—it’s about being consistently, reliably delicious.
7. Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store
Brooks Shaw’s operates inside what looks like a time capsule from 1950s rural Tennessee, complete with a country store selling everything from cast iron skillets to homemade jams. The restaurant portion serves up classic meat-and-three options in generous portions.
My fried chicken was crispy and well-seasoned, though not quite reaching those heavenly heights that make you close your eyes and sigh. The sides were competent—green beans with bacon, mac and cheese, and coleslaw—but nothing jumped off the plate demanding attention.
The atmosphere carries most of the charm here. You’ll find yourself browsing the store before or after eating, which adds to the whole experience. It’s enjoyable and authentic, just not quite perfection territory.
8. Countryside Cafe
Countryside Cafe sits along a quiet stretch of Tennessee highway, the kind of place truckers and farmers stop for lunch. The daily specials board listed all the classics, and I went with meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fried apples.
Everything arrived hot and in generous portions, which I appreciated. The meatloaf held together nicely and had decent seasoning, though it lacked that special something that makes you want seconds. The mashed potatoes were real, not instant, which automatically earns points in my book.
My server knew half the customers by name, which always signals a genuine community spot. It’s solid, dependable food that fills you up without breaking the bank. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need, even if it doesn’t reach perfection status.
9. Miller’s Grocery⭐
Miller’s Grocery proves that the best food sometimes hides in the most unexpected places—like inside what appears to be just a country store. Don’t let the exterior fool you; the kitchen in back cranks out Southern cooking that’ll ruin you for lesser versions.
I ordered the pulled pork, which had been smoked low and slow until it practically dissolved on my tongue. The potato salad had that perfect balance of creamy and tangy, while the baked beans tasted like they’d been simmering with bacon since dawn.
The blackberry cobbler for dessert nearly made me weep openly. This place gets it—truly gets it—understanding that perfection comes from patience, quality ingredients, and recipes that have been tested by time and hungry customers.
10. Bell Buckle Cafe⭐
Bell Buckle Cafe operates in one of Tennessee’s most adorable small towns, and somehow the food lives up to the storybook setting. This place serves breakfast and lunch, but their meat-and-three lunch offerings hit every nostalgic note perfectly.
My plate featured country ham that was salty in all the right ways, paired with red-eye gravy that tasted like coffee and pork had a delicious baby. The skillet cornbread came out hot and crumbly, perfect for soaking up every drop of gravy.
I added fried green tomatoes and white beans to complete my three. Everything tasted like somebody’s great-grandmother was back in the kitchen making sure nobody left hungry or disappointed. That’s Southern perfection, plain and simple.