Eat Like A Local: Nashville, Tennessee (Slideshow)

The tagline for Loveless Café lists only two things, "Hot Biscuits" and "Country Ham," which leads us to our first item on our essential list: biscuits. Manager Hope Donnelly says, "people are always shocked to know we make 5-7,000 biscuits a day, but what often surprises them even more is knowing that the recipe has never been written down, just passed verbally from generation to generation."  A Music City staple, Loveless Café is a well-known spot among tourists and locals alike. The biscuit and strawberry jam is classic and simple, and is a must-try for visitors.

Hot chicken is one of those iconic items that's on almost every tourist must-try list. While most lists will send you to Hattie B's, locals know that the best place to get hot chicken is Prince's Hot Chicken. Owner Andre Prince told The Daily Meal, "This family business has been in Nashville for more than 72 years. We're definitely not fast food. Customers can wait up to two hours for their order. And once you take a bite, feel that slow burn, then it hits you like a missile. Whatever you do, don't touch your eyes. It's a 24-hour chicken." Hours can be irregular, so be sure to check their Facebook page or call before you go. 

Though the name might suggest international cuisine, the spicy pig ear waffle is a whole lot of Nashville. This item on our list caters to a more adventurous traveler, but should not be overlooked. A mix of spicy and sweet, this starter is sure to scare away any timid Tennessee tourists.

Voted the Best Coffeehouse by Nashville Scene for nine separate years, Fido and its coffee selection may be no secret to the regular Nashville tourist. But what those tourists don't know is that the coffeehouse boasts an impressive burger. John Stephenson of Fido Café says, "The local burger is grass-fed lamb and beef, with parsley, feta, Tennessee Cheddar, fig and fennel aioli, pickle, fried onion, and lettuce."

You might be surprised to learn that Nashville has one of the highest populations of Kurds in the world, which will explain the Joojeh Kabob from Nashville's House of Kabob. Order this special whole, as a bone-in Cornish game hen, for the full experience.