Bell Buckle Cafe — Restaurant in Bell Buckle

Bell Buckle Cafe

Thank you for so warmly inviting me into your wonderful little town. A town that, for the most part, doesn’t appear to have changed for well over 100 years. It has the same population today as it had in 1910. The friendly spirit is intoxicating. As we were walking back out to our car I ran into a very friendly gentleman who has lived here for forty years and a part of me really wished I could have taken more time to talk. Towns like this are nothing less than a national treasure. I wish I could have stayed a little longer however we just has enough time for breakfast.

Here is what I had:

Lemonade + I started with the Fresh Squeezed Lemonade. I love this. I could drink this everyday. I assume it had as much sugar as a Coke but it’s got to be better for you. I Loved it! Chicken Fried Steak + This is always my goto when it’s on the menu. This CFS is right at the top. If you think you sometimes enjoy a CFS this can’t be missed. Everything is perfect on this classic. The steak is a good slice of meat tenderized just enough. The breading is thin enough to not overpower the meat and just enough to cover it up and give you the flavor you’re looking for. The gravy is some of the best I’ve had. Please understand; I’m from San Francisco. We do have all kinds of great food but I don’t think gravy is our specialty. In the past I’ve always loved a ton of gravy so the CFS is drowning in the stuff but I’m here to tell you I have changed my ways. The best way, in my opinion, to have a quality CFS, is to have less gravy. It’s not a soup. Fried Okra + The first time I had fried okra I didn’t know what it was and I don’t think the guy that prepared it for me knew how to make it. Bell Buckle knows what this is and also knows exactly how I like it. I do recommend this for one of your sides. It was a perfect side to the CFS. Turnip Greens + I had to have our waitress explain it to me as I’d never had it before. I like it! Next time I see it on the menu I’ll get it. I think there was a little ham(?) mixed in. I think there was a tiny bit of sugar too, for happiness. Great. Carrot Souffle + Sugar! I’m going to have to start cooking with a lot of sugar going forward. I learned a lot while in Tennessee. Mostly about myself and what I like in my food. Maybe the most life changing is that I’m not using enough sugar when I cook. This little dish very well could have been put directly into a pie as filling it was so good. I couldn’t eat all of it but the few bites I did have I’ll likely remember for the rest of my life.

I hope to one day return for breakfast but it’s a 2, 346-mile drive door to door so it may be a little while before I return.

Thanks...

The area itself has plenty of small town appeal. We waited over an hour and 20 minutes for our food. Our server would look at our table and when we would try to ask for more water she would hurry away. We couldn’t get anyone to help us. The people next to us left their party early waiting. We decided time to go as well, then our food showed up. I asked if everything was okay and our server said there were 36 take out orders ahead of you. I should have told you that. She then said my advice: “don’t order anything from the grill, especially burgers”. She was visibly upset. Additional waiting period to get our check, a to go container, water. Part of our orders were missing and when we pointed it out our server she said why didn’t you say anything? Our response, we tried. It’s not a large restaurant. We were blatantly passed by, it was degrading. Still we could see the place was short staffed, we tried to see it from every point of view. It was chaotic and stressful. When we were paying we said our server advised us not to order from the grill, how come? The lady at the register said, “yes, orders from the grill will take longer”. We were just visiting the area, we did not feel welcome at all. Bottom line, be understanding there is a significant wait. Parking is limited. If you decide to stay, remember what the establishment advised about their grill. This is an area that primarily caters to locals, great. It was a beneficial...

OMG if I could eat every meal here for the rest of my life I most definitely would and I would stop cooking completely but then the family might not be too happy about that part or I could be being to naive about their continued desire to eat my cooking after having eaten here . These people also catered my daughters wedding a couple of years back and I could almost swear that the food almost upstaged the bride . But she was extremely beautiful and exceptionally glowing and happy that day . The food definitely upstaged our hard work on the decor and other details , not that it made them look bad it’s just nobody seemed to notice anything else but the food and the bride once they got a taste of this food. The poor groom ,Sam kind of got left out almost if it wasn’t for the saving grace of his devotion to his new bride they might of would forgotten he was there . And he is a pretty unforgettable person. The Bell Buckle Cafe is gaining more legendary status every day . It is already famous in the mouths and stomachs of the grateful that have had the opportunity to dine here . You have not eaten Southern cooking at its finest until you have eaten here . And you have been truly deprived if you miss it . I...