Loveless Cafe: A Killer Breakfast

I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day. One of my favorite characters on TV is Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) from NBC's Parks and Recreation. He has framed photos of bacon and eggs in his office on the show. That's my kind of decor!

I am so excited today for two things: 1) We are meeting some brand-new friends for lunch, and 2) We are going to meet them at the Loveless Cafe here in Nashville. Loveless is one of the places to bring visitors on their first trip to Music City. It doesn't have much to do with country music, but just about every country music star has a signed promo picture hanging on the entrance wall, often included are a few handwritten words complimenting the great food.

The unassuming sign out front is a reminder of the cafe's beginnings. In 1951, Lon and Anne Loveless purchased the Harpeth Valley Tea Room on Highway 100, near the historic Natchez Trace, and renamed it the Loveless Motel and Cafe. The food became the highlight and folks from all around came for the excellent meals the owners cooked up. The place changed hands a few times, but in February 2004, after being purchased by a local restauranteur, the beloved eatery closed its doors for renovations and opened five months later with an expanded dining area; retail shops were made from the former hotel room spaces.

I love to visit every so often with the family. We all fill up on the exquisite biscuits loaded with butter and jam (health food freaks need not visit, nor scorn those who do...we don't care).  My daughter Betsy was interviewed while visiting the Loveless with friends on a Food Network show a few years back. She said what everybody does: "It's a great place to eat breakfast!" And who, like me and Ron Swanson, doesn't like a killer breakfast as often as possible?