A Little Bit of Italy in Music City

The first Maggiano’s Little Italy opened in Chicago in 1991, and now there are locations sprinkled across the country—one of them being right here in my favorite town. 

Located on West End Avenue, Maggiano’s is a Music City favorite for locals and tourists alike. It brings the perfect amount of swank—with an atmosphere and menu of true fine dining.

There’s a lunch, dinner, family style, and kid’s menu, plus dessert and beverages. And if you’re wanting to grab food to go or get an event catered—Maggiano’s is there for you. 

Listen: this menu is stocked full of mouth-watering options, but I want to highlight a few of my favorites. Start the night off by sharing an order of the three cheese fondue, crispy zucchini fritté, or stuffed mushrooms. Then pick from the pasta, seafood, steak, or chicken menus. You can’t go wrong with the mushroom ravioli, lobster carbonara, beef tenderloin medallions, or the classic chicken parmesan.

The pastas are divided into “classics” and “specialties,” and one of the reasons to come to Maggiano’s is their incredible “buy one pasta entree, take home one classic pasta free” deal. So you get two (maybe three) meals out of one night out!

Make sure you leave room for dessert. Gigi’s butter cake, tiramisu, warm apple crostada: the hardest part of your night will be picking how to end your meal. And if you really can’t decide, go for the mini dessert sampler and test out individual-sized portions of five favorites. 

Parking is often a worry in Nashville, but Maggiano’s has a garage right there! You’ll have to pay to park, but won’t have the hassle of searching the city and then walking forever. Also, it’s best to make a reservation if you can. The place has a great reputation and stays pretty full. 

I nearly forgot to mention the beverage menu (which would have been a huge shame). Maggiano’s has a full selection of wines, and you can ask your server for help picking what will pair best with your meal. And there are cocktails like a frozen peach bellini, pomegranate martini, negroni, and a citrus mule. 

Basically, you need to prepare yourself for three things when you come to Maggiano’s: eat well, get full, and have a great time. Plus, if you order pasta, you’ll eat well again tomorrow. 

So whether you live in the area or plan to come on vacation, make sure you enjoy your own little slice of Italian-American fare at Maggiano’s.

Hey, if you’ve already been to this spot, what did you think? Send me your thoughts! I’d love to hear.