Copper Branch, 601 Church St., Nashville
Hours: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. daily
Menu: https://www.eatcopperbranch.com/restaurants/nashville/
Suitable for: Vegans, vegetarians, lovers of Southern food
I can’t believe I’ve gone four decades without having ever traveled to Nashville, but it’s sadly true. So when LeeLee and I found ourselves there a couple of weekends ago for me to run a half-marathon, we embraced all the city had to offer (well, much of it, anyway – we didn’t get to as many honky tonks as I might have liked) during our whirlwind trip. First stop: I was keen to find some Southern vegetarian food, and readers, the city did not disappoint!
The first tourist site we wanted to see was the state Capitol, so I set my sights on veg-friendly restaurants near the statehouse. The first one that popped up was Copper Branch, and reader, they had me at “breakfast sandwich” and they had LeeLee at “hot chik’n sandwich.”
We ordered both, plus some nachos, because life is short and who knows when we would pass that way again?
Those of you who have been on these pages for a while might remember that I am a breakfast and brunch person. So when I saw a vegan breakfast sandwich filled with tempeh bacon, Just Egg and vegan cheese, all on an English muffin, I knew I had to order it, and I was definitely not disappointed. I was a little worried it might not be hearty enough, but I needn’t have been concerned; this was one substantial sandwich! I was thrilled.
LeeLee, meanwhile, ordered the vegan hot chik’n sandwich, which came with a passel of fries. The sandwich itself was teeming with hot chik’n, situated atop a bed of cole slaw cabbage, nestled between two sides of a huge bun. LeeLee devoured every morsel and proclaimed it a winner.
And then there were the nachos – plentiful chips and vegan cheese with all the fixings. Given the amount of food that came with our sandwich orders, we didn’t need the nachos per se, but we wanted them, and we LOVED them. So good. With plenty of guac and sour cream on the side for dipping, it was hard to believe these were vegan!
The staff, too, was a joy – so cheerful and can-do. Even when LeeLee spilled a copper cup of water atop one of the checkout stands (don’t ask!), the Copper Branch team just laughed it off, allaying my embarrassment at my husband’s antics. (No harm done, by the way, and the checkstand was working just fine for other customers afterward!)
The next time I’m in Nashville, I’ll definitely visit Copper Branch again. What a refreshing joy we found this shop to be – in the shadow of the statehouse, at that! Definitely make time for it when you find yourself in the area – you won’t be disappointed.
:)