Home to the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville has always been famous for its music. Now the Tennessee capital has also achieved status as a culinary destination and was ranked #16 on Zagat’s list of the Hottest Food Cities. While barbeque and Southern cuisine remain the city’s hallmarks, there are are dozens of other creative options on the dining scene. Here are the 10 best Nashville caterers and some of their can’t-miss favorites.
1. Tropical Smoothie Cafe (Franklin)
Find healthy Nashville catering options just south of the city at Tropical Smoothie Cafe. Their famous Supercharged Smoothies are packed with fresh ingredients. Nutrient-dense superfoods like pomegranate and acai berries will keep energy levels soaring through the morning. For lunch, order a round of salads and a tray of sandwiches or wraps. Try the Supergreen Caesar Chicken or the Tropical Chicken Salad for a twist on a traditional favorite. The Hummus Veggie Wrap, packed with greens, black beans, avocado, and pepper jack, has a southwestern flair. Top it all off with a chewy snickerdoodle or a chocolate chunk cookie.
Notable: Supercharged Smoothies, Thai Chicken Wraps, Loaded Spinach Salad
2. Smiths Catering (Lebanon)
Family-owned and operated Smiths Catering has been serving up comfort food in Lebanon, Tennessee for over 40 years. This Nashville caterer takes pride in Southern homestyle cooking with the freshest ingredients. Try the family-style Southern Hillbilly Breakfast Bake, a homey casserole packed with ham, tater tots, egg, and cheese. Or the lunchtime crowd pleaser Southern Oven-Fried Chicken with green beans and mashed potatoes. Veggie lasagna and vegetarian pasta dishes are easy tag-ons for restricted diets. Bring it all home with an order of the legendary Peach Cobbler or Banana Pudding.
Notable: Full Breakfast, Southern Oven-Fried Chicken, Cheesy Baked Spaghetti, Peach Cobbler
3. Corporate Caterers (Nashville)
Start the day with Nashville’s Corporate Caterers comprehensive Corporate Egg Scrambler which includes eggs, hickory smoked bacon, assorted pastries, butter, cream cheese, preserves, fruit salad, and orange juice. The lunchtime Taco Bar is a festive alternative to the traditional sandwich platter. Perfect for winter gatherings, the Turkey Buffet comes with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and cranberry relish. Just add drinks and a rich dessert like Creme Brulee Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, or Carrot Cake, and you’re ready to go.
Notable: Caribbean Grilled Chicken, Grilled Pot Roast, Combo Fajitas, Rosemary Merlot Flank Steak, Chicken Enchilada Bake
4. Urban Cookhouse (Nashville)
Urban Cookhouse, a midtown establishment, works tirelessly to support local farmers, loading their sandwiches, wraps, and salads with local produce and the freshest ingredients. The Berry Good Salad comes packed with seasonal berries, lettuce, tomatoes, house-made spiced pecans, feta, all served with citrus vinaigrette. Grilled Chicken, Lime-Marinated Steak, Wood-Fired Shrimp, and Grilled Pineapple Ham are all smoked on site. The meats are cooked inside Big Green Egg ceramic grills loaded with local hickory and lump charcoal, a cooking method that adds tons of flavor while sparing the fat. Add Brown Sugar Brownies and Orange Rolls to your catering order for a sweet finish.
Notable: Berry Good Salad, Sandwich Tray, Pork Tacos, Fork & Knife Platters with Grilled Chicken Tenders, and Brown Sugar Brownies
5. Chop Shop Salads (Nashville)
Impress the crowd with beautifully arranged fresh veggies from Nashville caterer Chop Shop Salads. Their most popular salad is their namesake, which layers baby spinach, bacon, feta, apples, craisins, strawberries, and walnuts. Most of the salads serve groups of four, making it easy to order a variety. Some salads, like the The Crunch Salad, with lettuce, sharp cheddar, corn, black beans, red onions, tomatoes, and tortilla strip, can be presented as a wrap with marinated chicken. Don’t forget to order the warm chocolate chip cookies, a sweet surprise for the crowd.
Notable: Crunch Wrap Platter, Steak Shop Wrap Platter, Chop Shop Salad, Thai Salad
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6. Hadley’s Catering and Events (Nashville)
Hadley’s Catering and Events caters everything from buttermilk pancakes to boxed lunches to hungry Nashville offices. Lunchbox sandwich options include chicken salad croissant, turkey, Gouda, with cranberry relish, and portobello mushroom with grilled vegetables and olive tapenade. The popular Mac N’ Cheese Bar comes with sophisticated toppings like oven roasted tomatoes, caramelized onions and peppers, grilled vegetables, herbed parmesan breadcrumbs and a choice of meat. Appetizers like Thai Shrimp Skewers, Crudite Platters, and the Middle Eastern Display make tasty and elegant passable.
Notable: Classic Continental Breakfast, Pancake Breakfast, Taco Bar, Chicken & Waffles, Roasted Banana Pudding, Mac N’ Cheese Bar
7. Tazza Restaurant (Nashville)
Tazza, the beloved, cozy Italian restaurant in downtown Nashville, is also a full-service caterer. Customers love the classic pasta dishes like Lasagna, Cheese Tortellini, and Baked Ziti, as well as unique spins on old traditions like Steak Fettuccine Alfredo or Louisiana Pasta with Parmesan-crusted chicken, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and onions. If you’re looking for something simpler to serve, this Nashville caterer offers boxed lunches pre-packed with sandwiches, chips, drink, and a cookie. Sweet tea by the gallon and a cheesecake tray are great additions for larger pasta orders.
Notable: Greek Salad, Chicken Teriyaki Skewers, Lasagna, Louisiana Pasta, Mixed Cookie Tray
8. Dickey’s Barbecue Pit (Franklin)
The history of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit goes all the way back to 1941 when World War I veteran Travis Dickey opened the first location in Texas. In those days, the Dickey family smoked meat and made sandwiches together. Today Roland Dickey continues the family tradition, supplying the Nashville area with slow smoked beef brisket, pulled pork, St. Louis-style ribs, chicken, sausage, and a host of tasty sides. Catering options are available à la carte, in boxed lunches, or as a buffet. The Barbeque Buffet includes two meats, three sides, dinner rolls, and condiments.
Notable: Pulled Pork, Beef Brisket, Spicy Cheddar Sausage, Jalapeno Beans, Waffle Iron Fries
9. Jersey Mike’s Subs (5527 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN)
For a taste of the East Coast, Jersey Mike’s Subs caters lunch across the Nashville area. It’s an easy grab-and-go option for a working lunch. Choose from classics like the Roast Beef, Turkey, Original Italian, and Veggies. Subs can be packaged in individual lunch boxes or party style, in large boxes of 10. Just add some salads, chips, and cookies or brownie and the work is complete.
Notable: Roast Beef Sub, Jersey Shore Favorite Sub, Veggie Sub, Tossed Salad, Assorted Cookies
10. Peg Leg Porker (Nashville)
Barbecue is a family tradition for award-winning pitmaster Carey Bringle. He comes from a line of famous barbequers, with Nashville roots reaching back before the turn of the century. At Peg Leg Porker in The Gulch, he specializes in smoky pulled pork, chicken, or ribs served with your choice of sauce and two sides like smoked green beans, coleslaw, or mac & cheese. It’s not all about meat, though at this Nashville caterer. Count the pimento cheese and “Cowboy Caviar” with Black beans, corn, black-eyed peas, bell peppers, onions, cilantro, and tomatoes among local favorites. Southern desserts include pecan pie, cobbler, and banana pudding.
Notable: Pulled Pork, Half Rack of Ribs, Cowboy Caviar, Pecan Pie, Banana Pudding
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