![The Loveless Cafe sign](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/The_Loveless_Cafe_sign.jpg)
The Loveless Cafe is a restaurant in southwest
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, on
Highway 100
Several highways are numbered 100:
Australia
* Great Ocean Road, Victoria
* Surf Coast Highway, Victoria
* Flinders Highway, South Australia
* Lincoln Highway, South Australia
Canada
* Alberta Highway 100 (Sherwood Park Freeway) (unsigned)
* ...
just east of the northern terminus of the
Natchez Trace Parkway
The Natchez Trace Parkway is a national parkway in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Natchez Trace and preserves sections of that original trail. Its central feature is a two-lane road that extends 444 miles (715  ...
. It is known for its
Southern cooking
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 sprea ...
, especially for its
biscuits
A biscuit is a flour-based baked and shaped food product. In most countries biscuits are typically hard, flat, and unleavened. They are usually sweet and may be made with sugar, chocolate, icing, jam, ginger, or cinnamon. They can also b ...
,
fruit preserves,
country ham, and
red-eye gravy. The establishment has received acclaim from ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
'', ''
Southern Living'',
Frommer's
Frommer's is a travel guide book series created by Arthur Frommer in 1957. Frommer's has since expanded to include more than 350 guidebooks in 14 series, as well as other media including an eponymous radio show and a website. In 2017, the company ...
, and a number of other prominent national publications.
[Frommers: Nashville]
/ref> It was purchased by Charles A. Elcan and his wife Trisha Frist, the daughter of Thomas F. Frist Jr.
Thomas Fearn Frist Jr. (born August 12, 1938) is an American billionaire physician and businessman. He is a co-founder of HCA Healthcare, and the wealthiest person in Tennessee. , in December 2014.
History
In 1951, Lon and Anne Loveless purchased the "Harpeth Valley Tea Room" on Highway 100 and renamed it the Loveless Motel and Cafe. 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. They owned the motel and cafe for eight years before selling it to Cordell and Stella Maynard in 1959. In 1973, the Maynards sold the business to Charles and Donna McCabe. Their 12-year-old son George became a full business partner at Loveless in 1982. He expanded the services of the Loveless by creating Loveless Motel and Cafe's "Hams & Jams" mail-order business and catalog.
Motel operations ceased in 1985 and the 14 units were converted into rooms for mail orders, storage and a special dining room. In 2003, the Loveless Cafe was sold to a few committed Nashville natives. They closed the cafe in February 2004 for restorations. The five-month project included a new kitchen, new restrooms and additional seating. The two buildings containing the old motel rooms were converted to Hams & Jams Country Market and the Loveless Motel Shops. The renovation was awarded the Critic's Choice for Best Resurrection of an Institution by the Nashville Scene later that year.
Awards and recognition
Print publications
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."
-People Magazine: The magazine declared the Loveless Country Ham "the best in America."
-Bon Appetit: Jefferson Morgan wrote that "On a scale of 1 to 10, my breakfast came in at about a 14."
-Southern Living: Told readers that the, "biscuits and gravy are good enough to sing about."
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'', ''Martha'', ''NBC's Today Show'', ''Throwdown! with Bobby Flay'', ''CBS's The Early Show'', and ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''.
Furthermore, the Loveless Cafe was named the "Best Country Restaurant in America" by ''The Home Show'' on ABC in 1993,
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
''Today'' (also called ''The Today Show'' or informally, ''NBC News Today'') is an American news and talk morning television show that airs weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on NBC. The program debuted on January 14, 1952. It wa ...
) who stated that the restaurant has the "world's greatest scratch biscuits," and Martha Stewart
Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. As founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, she gained success through a variety of business ventures, encompassing pub ...
who said "it was the best breakfast I've ever had." In a volume of Country America, the magazine noted "Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Gore was the Democratic Part ...
, Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal (Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise; born 15 August 1950), is a member of the British royal family. She is the second child and only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the only sister of K ...
, and just about any Country Star you could name have all pulled up a chair to Loveless Cafe's red checkered tablecloths."
Food and menu
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. Many of the ingredients are farmed and produced in Tennessee, and all menu items are made from scratch. Loveless serves a full breakfast all day, every day and the supper menu is served from 11 a.m. until closing daily. The Loveless Cafe also provides a catering menu for large group events.
The Loveless Barn
Designed by architect Seab Tuck, th
Loveless Barn
is a 4,800 square foot event venue located on the grounds of the Loveless Cafe. It opened in 2009 and was home to th
Music City Roots Festival
a live concert series that takes place every Wednesday at 7 p.m. The Loveless Barn is also available to rent for parties, weddings and other occasions. At a maximum, it can host 1,000 people.
See also
* List of motels
This is a list of motels. A motel is lodging designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles. Entering dictionaries after World War II, the word motel, coined in 1925 as a portmanteau of ''motor'' and ''hotel'' or ''mot ...
References
External links
Loveless Cafe
{{DEFAULTSORT:Loveless Cafe
Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee
Motels in the United States
Natchez Trace
Restaurants established in 1951
Frist family
1951 establishments in Tennessee