Nashville Food Tour: Barbecue, Hot Chicken & Spirits Tasting

Whole-hog barbecue, hand-made spirits, and the stories locals tell about their city.

A 3-hour guided food and sightseeing tour of Nashville where you taste barbecue, Nashville Hot Chicken, hand-made spirits and bakery items while passing Capitol, Bicentennial Mall, Marathon Village and neighborhoods like Germantown and East Nashville. A local guide leads the route in a comfortable high-roof van, and all featured food and drink is included. The itinerary may shift based on daily closures or events.

Step-by-step itinerary

Nashville food and sightseeing tour

• Visit hands-on distillery and tasting
• Pass by Bicentennial Mall and Farmers Market
• See Germantown, 12South, East Nashville, Sobro
• Visit Centennial Park and learn history
• Enjoy Hot Chicken, Barbecue, bakery goods
• Travel in air-conditioned touring van

The experience

The tour starts with a visit to Nashville's hands-on distillery, where you'll see the distilling process, order a frosty cocktail and taste several handmade specialty spirits. From there the van moves through the city's neighborhoods (Germantown, 12South, East Nashville, Sobro) stopping at five destinations for the foods that define Nashville: whole-hog barbecue cooked to its best, the heat of authentic Nashville Hot Chicken, and bakery items or confections along the way. You pass by sights including the Capitol, Bicentennial Mall, Marathon Village, Centennial Park and Nissan Stadium, and your guide shares the history and culture behind each stop.

The route runs three hours in an air-conditioned, high-roof passenger van with a knowledgeable local guide who has been showing visitors around since the company started in 2012. The guide may be one of the owners. A family-run business that has hosted over 100,000 guests in small groups. All featured food and drink is included. Water is provided at every food destination. Guests 21 and older can consume the alcoholic beverages included in the tastings. Those under 21 or not inclined to drink will receive a substitution.

Because the itinerary can shift based on daily closures or events, the specific stops and foods may vary, but the core experience (barbecue, Hot Chicken, spirits tasting and local stories), stays the same. The van does the moving, so you're not walking between neighborhoods or navigating on your own.

What’s included

• All food tastings including whole-hog barbecue, Nashville Hot Chicken and bakery items.
• spirits tasting with a cocktail at the distillery.
• three hours of guided tour in a comfortable high-roof van.
• a knowledgeable local guide who shares Nashville's history and culture.
• water at every food stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00 and 14:00

Book up to9h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Under 14: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Music City Bites and Sites

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying downtown or don't have a car. The van handles all the moving between neighborhoods, and your guide knows which stops are open that day, so you taste the real Nashville without navigating or planning the route yourself.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What neighborhoods do you actually drive through on this Nashville food tour?

The van passes through downtown Nashville, Germantown, 12South, East Nashville and Sobro, stopping for food at five destinations along the way and passing sights like the Capitol, Bicentennial Mall, Marathon Village, Centennial Park and Nissan Stadium.

Is the spirits tasting included, or do I pay extra for the cocktail and whiskey?

All featured food and drink is included in the tour price, so the cocktail at the distillery and the handmade spirits tasting are covered. Water is provided at every food stop. Alcoholic beverages may be available for purchase at your own expense at some locations.

Can I go on this tour if I don't drink alcohol?

Yes. Guests under 21 or not inclined to drink alcoholic beverages will be offered a substitution at each tasting stop, so you'll still taste the full range of Nashville's food without the alcohol.

How long does the whole tour take?

The tour runs three hours from start to finish, including all five food stops, the distillery visit, the van rides between neighborhoods and the guide's stories about Nashville's history and culture.

What is Nashville Hot Chicken, and why is it such a big deal?

Nashville Hot Chicken is the city's signature dish: fried chicken seasoned with a spicy heat that defines the local food scene. The tour includes an authentic version and your guide will explain the secrets that make it so central to Nashville's food identity.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to meet the tour, or is pickup included?

You'll meet the tour at a set location in downtown Nashville (ZIP 37219). Transportation by van is included once the tour begins, but you'll need to get to the meeting point on your own. Public transportation options are available nearby.