You know that I didn’t drive all the way to Nashville from Ohio without finding a diner or two. Today, I want to tell you about one just down the street from Centennial Park in Nashville.
One of these days I’ll write about Centennial Park and the full scale replica of the Parthenon that resides there.
But not today.
Instead, I want to show you Elliston Place Soda Shop. This is one of the few stops this weekend that didn’t feel like a tourist trap. In fact, it was busy with a lot of neighborhood folks picking up take out. At one point, a group came in to celebrate a child’s birthday and some teenagers had seemingly taken up residence but I appeared to be the only tourist in the house.
Opened in 1939, Elliston’s feels like a monument to a slower time. A slice of Americana.
The tile and chrome, the booths and counter all appear to be original. Small jukeboxes hang on the wall at each booth and the red and yellow decor is simply happy.
Like any good diner, your food is made fresh to order and comes pretty quick. I was passing by between meals so I settled for a chocolate sundae the size of my head. Seriously friends, this sundae was huge. It would probably be best to share with someone else but, being alone, I took one for the team and ate it by myself. Yup. I ate the whole thing.
I sat for a while, resting after walking miles and miles that day. That birthday party? Some of the kids wanted to see their milkshakes be mixed. There’s a picture below of three little kids kneeling on stools at the counter while they anxiously awaited their treats.
It was just fun to see.
This place is family owned and operated. Their prices skew a bit higher than you might expect at a diner but sometimes you have to pay the price to support a neighborhood joint. You might get better prices at a fast food chain but you won’t find the atmosphere and caring service that Elliston’s provided me.
I’m told it’s been featured in some movies which I need to look up soon. I badly hope it’s still there if I ever go back to Nashville.
Have a look at some more pictures!
Want to know more? Visit their website!
Make the Journey Fun 
You ate ALL of that?!? 😀 Well done you – it’s huge! Looks like a great little place, I really like little family run places like that.
Appalling, isn’t it? My waitress didn’t seem too impressed. She indicated that you don’t really get to brag until you eat their banana split by yourself.
To be fair, my Fitbit claimed I walked about twelve miles that day so I probably walked it off!
Ah… 12 miles.. well – that’s fair enough, it’s not food it’s fuel 😀
Precisely!