Varallo’s is a weekday breakfast-and-lunch counter on 4th Avenue North in downtown Nashville. It traces its roots to 1907, when Frank Varallo Sr. began selling chili in the city, which makes it one of Nashville’s oldest family-run restaurants. Office workers, courthouse regulars, and comfort-food devotees come for honest Southern cooking at modest prices, served without ceremony.
The room is plain and practical. You order at the counter, grab a seat, and eat. Breakfast centers on fluffy biscuits smothered in peppery sausage gravy, plus eggs and country ham. At lunch, the steam line turns to Southern fried chicken, meat-and-three plates, and rotating vegetables like greens and mac and cheese. Regulars also order the house chili, the dish that launched the business more than a century ago. The famous “three-way” layers chili over spaghetti and a tamale. The Varallo family still runs the place, and photos and newspaper clippings on the walls trace its long history downtown.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Varallo’s opens weekdays only and closes after lunch, so plan your visit for a Monday through Friday morning or early afternoon. Call ahead to confirm current hours before you go. The downtown lunch rush peaks between about 11:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. Arrive by 11:15 for the best pick of fried chicken, or come mid-morning for a quiet biscuit breakfast. Expect counter service and quick turnover. Printers Alley, the Tennessee State Capitol, and Broadway’s honky-tonks are all a short walk away. Street parking is limited, so use a nearby garage or walk over from your hotel.
