6 Best Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee

Martin's proudly proclaims they don't own a microwave or a freezer. They are committed to the west-Tennessee style of whole-hog barbecue, smoking their hogs for a full day and serving it until it runs out—period. This is the type of place where you may find yourself stupefied by just how much you've managed to eat.

Owner and longtime pit master Carey Bringle says it all in his biography: "Smoke is in my veins." The line for the lunch rush is often out the door, but many agree that the dry ribs, hickory-smoked for more than 18 hours, are well worth the wait. Peg Leg's wings—offered dry, hot, and extra-hot—also keep people coming back again and again. Standout sides include the smoked green beans and the barbecue baked beans, and as an appetizer you can prime your palate with a platter of sausage, cheese, and saltines—aka Memphis Sushi.

At Edley's it's first come, first served for their mouthwatering brisket. If you miss the brisket, there are plenty of other delectable Southern barbecue favorites, quickly made to order and enjoy on polished-wood picnic tables inside or on the large patio; you can wash it down with a local craft beer or their signature Bushwacker, a chocolate rum milk shake.