Everyone knows Maggiano’s has some amazing Italian food, but those who haven’t yet tried Coco’s are missing out. In my opinion, Coco’s is one of the most under-rated restaurants in Nashville. It is a very neat place because it is not simply a restaurant but also a market. Coco’s offers a selection of Italian grocery items as well as baked goods, fine chocolates, and even gelato! To those looking for a little piece of Italy in the heart of Nashville, you have found your stop.

My favorite part about Coco’s is the unique selection of menu items. Coco’s has everything–salads, subs, paninis, pizzas, pastas, and the list goes on. The item that peaked my interest most the first time I visited was the “Timpano” (pictured above). There are two different versions of this dish. Coco’s uses their own homemade lasagna sheets to form some of your favorite Italian ingredients into a pie. The “Nordico” is filled with chicken, spinach, ricotta cheese, and penne noodles, and it is served in Alfredo sauce. The “Meridionali” contains a giant meatball, a boiled egg, penne noodles, Parmesan, provolone, and mozzarella cheeses, and it is served in marinara sauce.

I have actually tried both versions, and I honestly can’t choose a favorite. The meatball in the “Meridionali” was very tasty, but I loved the combination of cooked spinach and Alfredo sauce in the “Nordico.” The baked lasagna shell wrapping was even delicious all on its own.

When its time for dessert, the plethora of options only continues! The menu offers several different cheesecakes, tiramisu, cannolis, and more. The “Chocolate Eruption” is described as chocolate brownie cheesecake inside of a chocolate mousse, and it tastes even better than it sounds!

Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. There are some negative things about Coco’s. First is the speed of service. There is a large amount of seating at the restaurant, so waiting to be seated has not been an issue for me. However, once I was seated, it took a very long time before my waiter came to take my order, and it also took awhile to get my food. Additionally, the menu is slightly pricey. For example, the timpano is $16 by itself, and the chocolate eruption is $7. However, the portions are the perfect size for sharing which make the prices more reasonable. Both times I have been, I split a timpano with a friend and got out for around $10 after tax.

In my opinion, the slow service and more expensive prices are only a small hindrance to the overall experience with dishes like the timpano being available. I would definitely recommend Coco’s to anyone looking for an authentic Italian meal, especially if you have a friend who will split an entree with you!

If you know me, you know I am very passionate about Jeni’s ice cream. It was definitely love at first taste. Ice cream from Jeni’s is unlike any other ice cream you will ever find. Jeni’s uses locally sourced ingredients which means they rotate their flavors on a regular basis and introduce new flavors all the time. They also have signature flavors which are available all the time. There are 3 storefronts in Nashville; one on the infamous 12 South strip, one on 21st Avenue, and one in east Nashville. I have been to Jeni’s many more times than I can count and consider myself a bit of an expert when it comes to which flavors are most worthy of your money because unfortunately, it’s not cheap.

Brambleberry Crisp is a classic that is a favorite of most of my friends. It is like grandma’s blackberry cobbler in the form of ice cream. It has a sweet vanilla base with chunks of cobbler and swirls of swirls of blackberry and black current jam. It tastes even better than it sounds, if that is even possible.

Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks is another signature flavor I get almost every time I go. Your taste buds definitely won’t be disappointed by this combination of peanut butter ice cream and chunks of dark chocolate.

Texas Sheet Cake is a newer flavor and probably my current favorite. It’s also dairy free for all of you lactose-intolerant individuals out there! It is made with coconut milk which gives the chocolate base a hint of coconut flavor. There are numerous chunks of chocolate cake accompanied by rich fudge swirls — truly a chocolate lovers dream.

Sweet Cream Biscuits and Peach Jam is the best flavor Jeni has every created, without question, and no one will ever convince me otherwise. Just imagine a creamy vanilla base layered with peach jam and flaky biscuit crumbles. Yes, you read that correctly. There are actual pieces of biscuit in the ice cream. I know it sounds weird, but just trust me here. Unfortunately, this flavor is usually only available in June, so you will have to wait awhile to assess my judgement on this one.

I could go on for dayyyyys about all of the unique and delicious flavors at Jeni’s. However, I don’t have time for that, and I’m sure you would rather go try the ice cream for yourself than read about it any more anyway. So, go do yourself a favor and order a “standard” (two small scoops) in a waffle cone (or bowl — pictured below). That last bit of instruction is very important, so let me emphasize the importance of the waffle cone one more time. Getting your ice cream in one of their freshly made waffle cones (or bowls) will take your Jeni’s experience from a 10/10 to a 12/10. It is worth the extra $1, no doubt.

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Hello blog readers! My name is Samie Anderson. I currently live in Nashville, but I was raised in the smaller town of Columbia aka Mule Town (look it up, its a cool place). I am in physical therapy school, but secretly, my dream would be to become a food critic. I enjoy hitting up all of Nashville’s trendy eateries as well as trying dishes at places that aren’t as well known, and I decided to finally share some of my thoughts. If you are in Nashville and trying to decide where to find the best burger for dinner tonight, the sweetest spot for ice cream afterwards, or the coolest cafe for brunch in the morning, you have come to the right place!

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