The Southern V

The South is certainly known for its food. In fact you’ll hear more about Nashville’s famous hot chicken later in the tour. When the Southern V opened on Buchanan Street, North Nashville added an all-vegan restaurant to its many food offerings—all the flavors of traditional Southern foods but with no meat or animal products. The Southern V offers a classic American-styled menu and keeps its ingredients simple. It all started with Tiffany and Clifton Hancock. They prepared and sold food at the Nashville Farmer’s Market, an earlier stop on the tour. In 2017, they took their food business to the next level—opening a brick-and-mortar location here on Buchanan Street. Despite the demands of running a restaurant, the couple remains committed to a healthy work-life balance. As such, the restaurant has rotating hours and is not open every day. So be sure to check their website before your visit.

The Hancocks believe that sharing a meal should be an inclusive experience and that Black owned restaurants are a vital part of the larger community. They seek to source their food from minority-owned vendors and provide opportunity for people of color in Nashville through employment. The Southern V demonstrates the power of food as an agent of social change, economic uplift, and cultural identity. And that now includes an all-vegan option in the heart of North Nashville. 

Before we leave, we should note that Buchanan Street is part of a larger renaissance in North Nashville, complete with other Black owned food options like Ed’s Fish House and Slim + Huskies pizza. Check out all of these options as well as the Buchanan Street Arts District.

Now we’ll head back to Jefferson Street and the Caribbean-inspired Riddim n Spice, 2116 Meharry Blvd. Continue west on Buchanan Street then turn LEFT onto Dr. D.B. Todd Blvd. Continue on DB Todd approximately one mile, crossing over Jefferson Street, then turn RIGHT onto Meharry Blvd. Learn more about Meharry Medical College (and Fisk University across the street) on our Fisk and Meharry walking tour. As you drive down Meharry Blvd., be on the lookout for a historical marker in front of a nondescript brick building on your right. We’ll talk more about Z. Alexander Looby at our next stop: Riddim n Spice, just past 21st Ave N on your right.