The days of a sleepy Nashville are gone.

What was once a quiet downtown corridor — a small strip of neon-splashed honky-tonks hosting incredible musicians who worked their whole lives to play an empty room lit by beer lights — has become a bustling business district. In this new Nashville, top colleges, country music pilgrimages to the Grand Ole Opry and tourist-friendly bars owned by today’s country (and not-so-country) stars lure some 17 million tourists annually.

But even amidst all the change, it’s still possible to taste the old Nashville flavor. Across the city, homegrown restaurateur legends are preserving a tradition of soulful cooking alongside fresh culinary talent. No wonder Music City’s food scene is the best it’s ever been.

Here’s how to nosh in Nashville like an in-the-kno

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