Nashville Best Of 2026 · Best Meat-and-Three
Arnold’s Country Kitchen
Grab a tray, point at what looks good, and settle in for the definitive Nashville lunch. A James Beard America’s Classic and a Michelin Guide pick, Arnold’s is our choice for the best meat-and-three in town.
The Verdict
Why Arnold’s Earns the Title
The meat-and-three is Nashville’s signature way to eat, and no one does it better than Arnold’s. Pick one meat and three sides from a cafeteria-style tray line loaded with Southern classics, from slow-roasted beef to turnip greens studded with smoky pork. It’s simple, affordable, and deeply comforting, exactly the way it should be.
The accolades are serious for a place with plastic trays. The James Beard Foundation named Arnold’s an America’s Classic in 2009, the Michelin Guide recommends it, and it’s been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Still, the best proof is the line of office workers, construction crews, and out-of-towners that forms every day at lunch.
1982
The Arnold Family Takes Over
2009
James Beard America’s Classic
Michelin
Guide Recommended
1 + 3
One Meat, Three Sides
What to Order
Build Your Plate
The menu changes daily, so check the chalkboard specials. Here’s where to start.
Roast Beef
Carved right on the line, Arnold’s slow-roasted beef is a house signature and a must for first-timers. Pair it with your three favorite sides.
The Vegetables
Sides are the real stars here: turnip greens with smoky pork, black-eyed peas, and a hunk of cornbread. Pick three, or skip the meat and go all vegetable.
Chess Pie
Save room for a slice of chess pie, the rich Southern custard pie that makes the perfect ending to any proper meat-and-three.
The Story
From Dishwasher to James Beard
Jack Arnold started his restaurant career as a dishwasher at 12 years old. While studying art at Vanderbilt, he managed the campus cafeteria. In 1982 he bought a concrete-block cafeteria on Eighth Avenue South, and with his wife, Rose, and their children, he turned it into Arnold’s Country Kitchen, complete with a steam table and a tray line.
Jack’s son Kahlil took over in 2008, and a year later the James Beard Foundation came calling. When the family announced a closure in 2023, Nashville mourned, but Arnold’s came back, and today the tray line is once again the heart of lunch in The Gulch.
“Although he roasts a beautiful haunch of beef, vegetables are Arnold’s specialty.”
James Beard Foundation
Plan Your Visit
Lunch in The Gulch
Arnold’s is a lunch-only affair, Monday through Saturday. The line can stretch out the door around noon, but it moves quickly.
Location
Hours
Mon–Sat: 10:30 am – 2:45 pm
Sun: Closed
Lunch only. Arrive early for the best selection.
How It Works
Grab a tray, slide down the line, and point to your meat and three sides. Check the chalkboard for the day’s specials, pay at the end of the line, and find a seat.
Get in Line for Lunch
Swing by The Gulch any day but Sunday, grab a tray, and eat like a true Nashvillian.