Germantown: History, Baseball, and Grand-Slam Dining
You’ll find a lot to love in Germantown/Bicentennial Mall neighborhood–and most is pretty tightly compressed. Park for free adjacent to Farmers Market and set out.
What to do
Tennessee State Museum It’s free and gorgeous with engaging displays on state history and rotating exhibits on culture. Allot 1-1.5 hours to enjoy it.
Bicentennial Mall State Park Our smallest state park, the walkways are packed with interesting anecdotes about the state and the role its rivers played in the territory’s development. Great views of the state capitol from the lawn. Listen to the carillon play a snippet from “The Tennessee Waltz.” If they’re operating, cool off in the dancing fountains and watch trains pass. The amphitheater sometimes hosts special events. It’ll take around 30 minutes to walk the grounds.
Nashville Sounds Our Triple-A baseball team offers a lot of bang for the buck. Even if you’re not a fan, they make it fun. Good eats.
Historic Germantown We love strolling around the neighborhood where great care has been given to maintaining and renovating dozens of century-old homes.
Brooklyn Bowl Popular spot for bowling and live music. My musician friends say it’s one of the city’s best mid-sized venues.
Star Rover Sound Interesting little place for food, drink, and an eclectic line-up of live music.
100 Taylor Art Crawl Nashville’s only monthly indoor art crawl happens on the third Saturday of the month. Usually 20+ exhibitors. Plus live music and food trucks. The gallery is also open daily.
Where to eat
You have a ton of options in Germantown–ranging from dessert specialists to award-winning foodie spots.
Nashville Farmers’ Market Visit the stalls offering fresh produce and, especially on weekends, you may find local artisans displaying their creations. Step inside the food court for local beers, ice cream, barbecue, vegan tacos–pretty much something for everyone here. Plus souvenir shops.
Monell’s A real crowdpleaser for both locals and visitors. Unless your party is large enough to fill one of their long tables, you’ll be seated with others. Bowls and platters of food start arriving. Serve yourself and pass to the left. It’s a great communal all-you-can-eat experience with excellent southern staples. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Big Al’s Parking is a challenge but the rewards are great at this spartan, budget-friendly breakfast and lunch spot.
Cupcake Collection Treat yourself to a little bit of heaven. Lots of interesting flavors you might not see elsewhere.
Spread Market Craving less than a sitdown meal? Stop in this unassuming little cottage for a stellar sourdough cinnamon roll, baguette, or one of their artisan sandwiches.
Barrel Proof An expansion of a New Orleans bar, it’s a small spot that offers a short food menu and a full bar with whiskey as its house specialty.
FOODIE/CHEF-DRIVEN RESTAURANTS
For a number of good choices, check out my Germantown listings here.
BREWERIES
Bearded Iris Brewing Co. Even if my wife didn’t know the owners, I’d recommend this brewery and taproom noted for its homestyle IPAs. Food trucks often set up shop in the parking lot. TIP: Don’t pay for parking next door if there’s space on their property.
Monday Night Brewing Atlanta-based brewery has set up shop in a renovated century-old meat packing plant overlooking the Cumberland River.
Where to shop
Aside from the souvenir-skewing shops in Nashville Farmers’ Market, there’s not a lot of retail in the area. The exceptions:
Bits and Pieces It’s a boutique, an antique store, a collectibles retailer, and bric-a-brac emporium all in one.
Olive & Sinclair Should I have posted this premium-quality chocolatier under “What to Eat”? Maybe. After you sample their delicacies, think about a gift because…well, it’s chocolate.
