Loveless Cafe

Last updated
The Loveless Cafe sign The Loveless Cafe sign.jpg
The Loveless Cafe sign

The Loveless Cafe is a restaurant in southwest Nashville, Tennessee, on Highway 100 just east of the northern terminus of the Natchez Trace Parkway. It is known for its Southern cooking, especially for its biscuits, fruit preserves, country ham, and red-eye gravy. The establishment has received acclaim from USA Today , Southern Living , Frommer's, and a number of other prominent national publications. [1] It was purchased by Charles A. Elcan and his wife Trisha Frist, the daughter of Thomas F. Frist Jr., in December 2014. [2] [3]

Contents

History

In 1951, Lon and Anne Loveless purchased the "Harpeth Valley Tea Room" on Highway 100 and renamed it the Loveless Motel and Cafe. [4] They originally served only chicken at picnic tables on their front porch, but eventually converted rooms in the house to accommodate a bigger menu and a need for more dining space. [4] They owned the motel and cafe for eight years before selling it to Cordell and Stella Maynard in 1959. [4] In 1973, the Maynards sold the business to Charles and Donna McCabe. [4] Their 12-year-old son George became a full business partner at Loveless in 1982. [4] He expanded the services of the Loveless by creating Loveless Motel and Cafe's "Hams & Jams" mail-order business and catalog. [4]

Motel operations ceased in 1985 and the 14 units were converted into rooms for mail orders, storage and a special dining room. [4] In 2003, the Loveless Cafe was sold to a few committed Nashville natives. They closed the cafe in February 2004 for restorations. [4] The five-month project included a new kitchen, new restrooms and additional seating. [4] The two buildings containing the old motel rooms were converted to Hams & Jams Country Market and the Loveless Motel Shops. [4] The renovation was awarded the Critic's Choice for Best Resurrection of an Institution by the Nashville Scene later that year. [5]

Awards and recognition

Examples of recognition for the Loveless Cafe by national publications include: -USA Today: The newspaper suggested that the "miraculously flaky and feathery biscuits" from Loveless Cafe, were "Nashville's second-most-important contribution to American culture." [6] -People Magazine: The magazine declared the Loveless Country Ham "the best in America." [5] -Bon Appetit: Jefferson Morgan wrote that "On a scale of 1 to 10, my breakfast came in at about a 14." [5] -Southern Living: Told readers that the, "biscuits and gravy are good enough to sing about." [5]

Television

Carol Fay Ellison, locally known as "the biscuit lady," demonstrated Southern cooking on several television programs such as Late Night with Conan O'Brien, [7] Martha,[ dead link ] [8] NBC's Today Show, [9] Throwdown! with Bobby Flay, [10] CBS's The Early Show,[ dead link ] [11] and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. [12] Furthermore, the Loveless Cafe was named the "Best Country Restaurant in America" by The Home Show on ABC in 1993,[ dead link ] [13] and was awarded the "Best Biscuits" award by the Food Network in 2010.[ dead link ] [14]

Celebrities

Many of the celebrities who have eaten at the Loveless Cafe have left signed photographs which now adorn the entry way. Some of Loveless's fans include Willard Scott (of NBC Today) who stated that the restaurant has the "world's greatest scratch biscuits," and Martha Stewart who said "it was the best breakfast I've ever had." [15] In a volume of Country America, the magazine noted "Al Gore, Princess Anne, and just about any Country Star you could name have all pulled up a chair to Loveless Cafe's red checkered tablecloths." [15]

Food and menu

Loveless Cafe biscuits Lovelace Cafe Kurman 11.jpg
Loveless Cafe biscuits

The Loveless Cafe serves Southern style cooking, and is most famous for its biscuits, country ham, and red-eye gravy. The biscuit recipe was created by Anne Loveless and is still closely guarded today. [4] Many of the ingredients are farmed and produced in Tennessee, and all menu items are made from scratch. [16] Loveless serves a full breakfast all day, every day [17] and the supper menu is served from 11 a.m. until closing daily. [18] The Loveless Cafe also provides a catering menu for large group events. [19]

The Loveless Barn

Designed by architect Seab Tuck, [20] the Loveless Barn is a 4,800 square foot event venue located on the grounds of the Loveless Cafe. [21] It opened in 2009 [21] and was home to the Music City Roots Festival, a live concert series that takes place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. [22] The Loveless Barn is also available to rent for parties, weddings and other occasions. [21] At a maximum, it can host 1,000 people. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

Cuisine of the Midwestern United States Regional cuisine of the United States

Midwestern cuisine is a regional cuisine of the American Midwest. It draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and Native North America, and is influenced by regionally and locally grown foodstuffs and cultural diversity.

Cuisine of the Southern United States Overview of the cuisine of the Southern United States

The cuisine of the Southern United States encompasses diverse food traditions of several regions, including Tidewater, Appalachian, Lowcountry, Cajun, Creole, and Floribbean cuisine. In recent history, elements of Southern cuisine have spread to other parts the United States, influencing other types of American cuisine.

Chicken fried steak American breaded cutlet dish

Chicken-fried steak, also known as country-fried steak or CFS, is an American breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of beefsteak coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried. It is sometimes associated with the Southern cuisine of the United States. It is breaded and fried with a technique similar to the more common fried chicken, hence "chicken-fried". When deep-fried, it is usually referred to as "chicken-fried steak". Pan-fried versions are typically referred to as "country fried steak".

Waffle House Restaurant chain in the United States

WH Capital, L.L.C. , doing business as Waffle House, is an American restaurant chain with 2,100 locations in 25 states in the United States. Most of the locations are in the South, where the chain is a regional cultural icon. Waffle House is headquartered in Norcross, Georgia, in the Atlanta metropolitan area.

Krystal (restaurant) Fast food burger chain in the Southeastern US

Krystal is an American regional fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Dunwoody, Georgia, with restaurants in the Southeastern United States. It is known for its small, square hamburgers, called sliders in places other than the Southeast, with steamed-in onions. Krystal moved its headquarters from Chattanooga, Tennessee, where it had been based since 1932, to the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody in early 2013.

Dillard House

The Dillard House, is a restaurant in Dillard, Rabun County, Georgia, known for its "family style" menu and Southern cooking. It traces its origins to the 1910s, when A.J. and Carrie Dillard opened their stone house to boarders. With the improvement of local transportation infrastructure after World War II, it evolved into a major tourist attraction. Since 1954, it has expanded its dining facilities and added a hotel, cottages, petting zoo, and other attractions. The New York Times wrote in 1983, "[T]he Dillards dug themselves into the land, hung on through good times and bad, and in time turned homecooking and mountain hospitality.. .. into a big business."

Breakfast sandwich Sandwich with e.g., eggs, sausage

A breakfast sandwich is any sandwich filled with foods associated with the breakfast meal. Breakfast sandwiches are served at fast food restaurants and delicatessens or bought as fast, ready to heat and eat sandwiches from a store. Breakfast sandwiches are commonly made at home. Different types of breakfast sandwich include the bacon sandwich, the egg sandwich, and the sausage sandwich; or various combinations thereof, like the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. The breakfast sandwich is related to the breakfast roll.

Biscuit (bread) Type of bread

In the United States and Canada, a biscuit is a small piece of quick bread, which after baking usually has a somewhat firm, dry exterior and a soft, crumbly interior. They are actually made with baking powder as a chemical leavening agent rather than yeast, and may be called baking powder biscuits to differentiate them from other types. Like other forms of bread, they are often served with butter or other condiments, flavored with other ingredients, or combined with other types of food to make sandwiches or other dishes.

Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant American bakery and restaurant

The Clinton Street Baking Company & Restaurant (CSBC) is an American bakery and restaurant. It is located at 4 Clinton Street, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York.

Hominy Grill

Hominy Grill was a restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina. It was located at 207 Rutledge Avenue, in the heart of historic downtown Charleston. Just a few blocks away from the iconic Rainbow Row, the restaurant has been delighting tourists and locals alike for almost 24 years. Chef Robert Stehling has been honored by the James Beard Foundation Award as the best chef in the Southeastern United States in 2008 and the restaurant has been featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate, No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, Amazing Eats (shrimp & grits and the "Big Nasty" and Man v. Food. The restaurant features amped-up Southern classics and Lowcountry cuisine with an elevated twist.

Charles A. Elcan, also known as Chuck Elcan, is an American business executive. He is the founder of Ardent Health Services, and the co-founder and president of the China Health Care Corporation.

Screen Door (restaurant) Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Screen Door is a popular Southern and soul food restaurant with two locations in Portland, Oregon, in the United States.

Biscuit Love American restaurant chain

Biscuit Love is an American restaurant chain in Nashville, Tennessee founded by husband and wife team, Karl and Sarah Worley. The company specializes in southern-inspired breakfast and lunch dishes that are locally sourced and made from scratch.

Byways Cafe Defunct diner in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Byways Cafe was a diner in the Pearl District of Portland, Oregon, United States. Owners, Collin McFadden and Megan Brinkley, opened the restaurant in 1999, serving American breakfast and brunch comfort foods such as corned beef hash, omelets, and pancakes. Guy Fieri visited the diner for a 2007 episode of the Food Network show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Byways received generally positive receptions and was voted the city's "best brunch spot" by readers of The Oregonian in 2016. It closed in late 2019, after the owners were unable to reach a lease agreement with the landlord.

Cricket Cafe Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Cricket Cafe is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The cafe's slogan is "champions of breakfast", offering the meal throughout the day with additional lunch options. It has received a generally positive reception, especially for its Bloody Marys, vegetarian options, and biscuits and gravy. Previously owned by Dan Bartkowski, the cafe closed unexpectedly in June 2017. Gordon Feighner and Katie Prevost reopened Cricket Cafe months later.

Genies Cafe Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Genie's Cafe, or Genies Cafe, is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

Joes Cellar Diner and dive bar in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Joe's Cellar is a diner and dive bar in northwest Portland, Oregon. Former names include Nimar Cafe, the Dinner Bell, the Ace of Diamonds, and the Smoke Stack.

Bread and Ink Cafe Restaurant in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Bread and Ink Cafe, or simply Bread and Ink, is a restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

Lauretta Jeans Bakery in Portland, Oregon, U.S.

Lauretta Jean's is a bakery and pie shop with two locations in Portland, Oregon.

References

  1. ↑ Frommers: Nashville
  2. ↑ Gold, Adam (December 23, 2014). "Breaking: Mike Curb, Chuck Elcan Join Deal to Save RCA Studio A". Nashville Scene. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  3. ↑ "CHUCK ELCAN: RETURNING BOARD MEMBER". The Land Trust for Tennessee. Archived from the original on January 7, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "History of the Loveless". Loveless Cafe Website.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Famous Quotes". Loveless Cafe Website.
  6. ↑ "Great food awaits on the open road". USA Today. 2005-05-24.
  7. ↑ "Late Night with Conan O'Brien". Loveless Cafe Website. Archived from the original on 2011-08-20.
  8. ↑ "Martha Stewart". Loveless Cafe Website.
  9. ↑ "The Biscuit Lady". NBC's Today Show. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  10. ↑ "Biscuits and Jam Throwdown". Throwdown! with Bobby Flay. Archived from the original on 2011-09-25. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  11. ↑ ""Lesson From the Biscuit Lady",". CBS Early Show.
  12. ↑ "The Biscuit Lady". The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Archived from the original on 2011-02-18.
  13. ↑ "Best Country Restaurant/ABC Home Show". Loveless Cafe Website.
  14. ↑ "Best Biscuits Award". Food Network Press Release.
  15. 1 2 "Famous Quotes". Loveless Cafe Website. Archived from the original on 2013-01-27.
  16. ↑ "Menu and Catering". Loveless Cafe Website.
  17. ↑ "Supper Menu" (PDF). Loveless Cafe Website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-18.
  18. ↑ "Supper Menu" (PDF). Loveless Cafe Menu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-02-18.
  19. ↑ "Smokehouse To Go Menu" (PDF). Loveless Cafe Website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21.
  20. ↑ "Loveless Barn". Loveless Barn Website. Archived from the original on 2011-12-24.
  21. 1 2 3 "Events". Loveless Barn Website. Archived from the original on 2011-11-10.
  22. ↑ "Music City Roots: Live From the Loveless Cafe". Music City Roots Press Release. Archived from the original on 2014-06-05. Retrieved 2011-09-01.
  23. ↑ "Rentals". Loveless Barn Website. Archived from the original on 2011-03-05.

Coordinates: 36°2′7.2″N86°58′19.3″W / 36.035333°N 86.972028°W / 36.035333; -86.972028

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.