Nashville’s food scene is almost as famous as the Music City’s top attractions like the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Though it may be the birthplace of Nashville hot chicken and a bastion for biscuits and BBQ, the Nashville food scene is more eclectic and diverse than it appears at first glance. That’s not to say visitors can’t still grab Southern homestyle cooking and killer fried chicken, it just means that the city’s cuisine scene has also gone global with an influx of international influences that have elevated local favorites and birthed new and exciting food niches all their own.
And one of these niches is without a doubt the city’s parade of incredible food trucks—a bevy of meals on wheels that ramble throughout the city providing a veritable smorgasbord of mouthwatering street food to satisfy any traveler’s craving for on-the-go bites. Serving up an array of delish cuisine that goes way beyond the standard Southern faves, Nashville’s food truck sitch is as exciting as the Music City itself.
Note: Nashville’s food trucks are always on the go, so it’s difficult to say where (and when) they might roll up. A handy tip is to check their social media for menu listings, hours, and specials; there’s also this handy Nashville Street Food Finder where potential diners can scope out where their faves might be on any given day.
The Best Empanadas In Nashville
This may seem like a bold claim, but to Chivanada, it’s simply a way of life. Bringing the best of Colombia to Nashville in the form of crispy, cheesy, meat-filled pockets of deliciousness (aka empanadas), the good people of Chivanada describe their food truck as “a party on wheels” serving up excellent empanadas all over town to the beat of scintillating salsa music.
- Where To Find Them: Chivanada neighborhood hops on the regular, so the best way to track them is by checking out their schedule on their website.
- What To Try: Pollo Empanada with buñuelos (cheesy yuca hushpuppies) and agua de panela (house-made sugarcane tea)
- The Star Of The Show: Handmade, gluten-free, stuffed cornmeal empanadas with your choice of filling (beef, cheese, chicken, lentil, shrimp, chocolate & cheese)
- Price: $
- Order Online? Yes
Grilled Cheese For The Win
Now with three brick and mortar locations in the Nashville area, it’s now easier than ever before to score a sammy of melty cheesy goodness from The Grilled Cheeserie. However, before it became the sensation it is today, The Grilled Cheeserie was one of Nashville’s OG food trucks and they can still be found throughout the city serving up the gooey goods to this day.
- Where To Find Them: Location changes daily and the schedule is updated weekly. The schedule can be found on their website and IG page @thegrilledcheeserie
- What To Try: Pimento Mac & Chee (with house0made pimento cheese) with a side of cheesy tots and a Tennessee sweat tea
- The Star Of The Show: All of their fab specialty melts are stars
- Price: $
- Order Online? Online ordering is available for the brick and mortar locations
Authentic Mexican Eats
Tacos and tamales are some of the best food truck grub around, and the Saguaro Shack makes some of the best in the city. Though the menu is simplicity itself, the ingredients are uber-fresh and the result is delish handhelds that are authentically amazing.
- Where To Find Them: Weekly schedule can be viewed on IG @thesaguaroshack
- What To Try: Taco fried potato with a side of carne asada fries
- The Star Of The Show: The Cactus Tamale (!)
- Price: $
- Order Online? Yes
Hot Dog Heaven
The humble hotdog is an icon of food truck fare, and in Nashville, the best place to score one on the go is at Nash Dogs. Fresh, Angus beef franks topped with any number of yummy toppings, all on a soft, honey roll? Add homemade chili made with love and you’ve got one of the best doggone food trucks in the Music City.
- Where To Find Them: Weekly schedule can be viewed on their website
- What To Try: The Bear (chili, cheddar, grilled onions) and the Herman (crushed original Lays potato chips, grilled onions, and green pepper, mustard)
- The Star Of The Show: The Nash: Simple, and delicious, the namesake dog is topped with a pickle spear, mayo, and mustard
- Price: $
- Order Online? Yes
Say Aloha To Awesome Hawaiian Food
Taste of Aloha’s authentic Pacific Island food truck is serving up the goods with their from-scratch island faves. A husband and wife duo plating up Kine Grindz (that’s Hawaiian-style regional cuisine, BTW), Taste of Aloha’s delightful fare is just further evidence of Nashville’s food truck domination.
- Where To Find Them: Weekly schedule can be found on Facebook @TasteOfAlohaFoodTruck
- What To Try: Kalua Pork Sandwich with Hawaiian Mac Salad and some Malasadas for dessert
- The Star Of The Show: Spam Musubi (original Hawaiian seaweed sandwich)
- Price: $
- Order Online? Yes
I’m Laovin’ It
Any list of Nashville’s crème de la crème of food truck finds would be incomplete without some awesome Asian eats—and Laovin It certainly fits the bill with their epic Southeast Asian cuisine that is fresh, inventive, and totally delish.
- Where To Find Them: Laovin It’s location can be found on Facebook @LaovinIt
- What To Try: Stir-Fried Ramen Noodles, Fried Chicken Wings, Fried Egg Rolls
- The Star Of The Show: Lao Spicy Sausages and Sticky Rice
- Price: $
- Order Online? Yes
Other Food Truck Faves
The Music City has a plethora of great food trucks to try that go beyond the list above—these are just a few of the most notable Nashville noshes for visitors looking who want to try a meal on wheels on their next trip. All of the food trucks below can be found with the Nashville Street Food Finder.
- Persian Flame Persian and Iranian cuisine at its finest
- The Rolling Recipe Nashville-inspired Southern fusion sammies and sides
- Greedy’s 100% Angus Beef Burgers and hand-cut fries
- Creole Roll Authentic New Orleans faves
Visitors to Nashville will love the city’s eclectic and inventive food scene that goes way beyond its brick-and-mortar restaurants. With an equally distinctive battalion of food trucks spinning their way throughout the city waiting to serve up the best on-the-go goods, foodies everywhere will find something to smile about when prowling the streets of Tennessee’s capital city.