Silver Sands Café

"He recommends the mac and cheese at Silver Sands Cafe — “I want real Southern mac and cheese, and this is the only place I know to get it”." - Travel + Leisure Editors

"Germantown’s Silver Sands Cafe has been perfecting its recipes for three generations, and the meat and three serves soulful Southern fare starting as early as 6 a.m. on weekdays. The unfussy cafeteria’s collection of staples includes catfish, beef tips, mashed potatoes, and corn, but the showstoppers appear as daily specials: oxtail on Sunday, Thursday, and Friday, meatloaf on Wednesday. On weekdays until 10:30 a.m., you can also order a meat-and-two plate of breakfast items like bacon, ham, apples, eggs, and pancakes." - Kellie Walton

"For more than 70 years, regulars have been lining up here five days a week from morning until the tail-end of lunchtime for the classic meat-and-three. Sophia Vaughn, the third woman in her family to run the place, makes everything from scratch daily. Offerings vary depending on the day of the week, but always consist of soul food classics, made with immense care. By her own account, Vaughn wakes up at 2 a.m. and starts cooking an hour later in order to have everything ready for the first breakfast customers. Silver Sands Cafe has weathered more than its share over the years, including a tornado in March 2020 that threatened to put it out of business right as the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up. An outpouring of support from the local community helped keep the restaurant afloat. While part of that loyalty is due to Vaughn, who calls customers her “babies” and knows many by name, much of it is simply because the food is phenomenal. Chitterlings, neck bones, pig’s feet, and other slow-braised cuts are front and center here, along with pork chops, fried catfish, and other rib-sticking fare. The oxtails are tender enough to yield to the gentlest tap of a plastic fork and come swimming in a deeply savory, collagen-rich gravy. Don’t sleep on any of the sides, from the collards speckled with generous shards of ham hock to the slightly sticky, impeccably cooked okra to the mac ‘n’ cheese, which has just the right kick of sharp cheddar. After you’ve crafted a plate with a main meat with two sides, they’ll ask if you want “hot water” or “flat,” which refers to two different types of cornbread—the former is a torpedo-shaped, skillet-fried cornmeal dumpling; the latter is an oven-baked buttermilk cornbread. Pay at the front to receive your parcel of treasure, then grab a booth and obliterate it. Know Before You Go Check the website for daily specials. Portions are abundant, but even if you can’t imagine taking another bite, grab a slice of sunflower-yellow caramel cake for the road." - rachelrummel, Diana Hubbell

"Even more than hot chicken, Nashville is known for the meat-and-three–a cafeteria-style diner where you order one meat and three sides. And for more than 70 years Silver Sands has been a Nashville meat-and-three soul food institution. It is nothin’ fancy inside or out, and that utilitarian time-loved ambiance fits the place. The food, made daily by Sophia Vaughn, changes based on the day of the week; meatloaf on Wednesdays and barbecue chicken on Thursdays, for example, and each day includes several lunch options. At breakfast, biscuit sandwiches are built to order, as are pancakes, bacon and other classics. While the word is out among visitors who travel for good food, the majority of customers lining up for breakfast and lunch are locals. The wait can be long, but the vibe is convivial and you'll get to know your neighbors. Nothing here is fancily plated or garnished—it's just classic, delicious eats." - Margaret Littman

"Silver Sands Cafe was mentioned as a black-owned business in Nashville." - Delia Jo Ramsey