An Unexpected Food Find in North Nashville
How a Solo Stop at Bag Lady’s Turned into One of My Favorite Nashville Discoveries
SHARING WITH MELIT'S PRETTY GOOD WITH MEL
Melissa Rose Cooper
9/6/20263 min read
I've always said traveling is one of the best forms of education. So even if I have a set itinerary, I'm always going to do my best to explore as much as I can. And that's exactly what happened during my recent trip to Nashville.
I had some free time between scheduled activities and knew I wanted to check out more of the city, especially areas outside of just downtown. I also thought it would be great to discover some of Nashville's Black culture. And one of the best ways to do that is through food.
After a little research, I came across Bag Lady's, a Black-owned restaurant located in North Nashville where fries are treated as the meal instead of the side. It certainly peeked my interest, so I didn't hesitate to grab an Uber and go.
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DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for smooth, dynamic shots
DJI Osmo 360 for immersive perspectives
DJI Mic 2 for crisp, clear audio
iPhone 17 Pro Max for quick, handheld shots
DJI Osmo Mobile 6 Smartphone Gimbal for stable walking sequences
XTRA Muse for wide angles and vlogging
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But before I even got there, my ride over took an unexpected turn.
As we approached the area, my driver, who was white, started questioning whether I really wanted to go there. He warned me about the neighborhood, suggested I shouldn't stay long and even offered to wait for me. It caught me off guard.
I'm a Black woman who grew up in Roxbury, an inner-city neighborhood in Boston. I know what it's like when people who aren't from a community make assumptions about it. So I wasn't necessarily scared by what he was telling me. In fact, I was determined to prove him wrong.
And I was right.
When I walked into Bag Lady's, someone greeted me, asked whether I'd been there before and started explaining the restaurant and how everything worked. As we talked, I realized I wasn't just chatting with an employee. It was Brandon Littleton, one of the brothers who owns the place.
I told him what I do and asked if he'd be willing to talk with me on camera. He agreed.
So before I'd even ordered the food, I was setting up an impromptu interview.
I left Bag Lady's with more than a full stomach. I had gone there because I wanted fries; I walked out with an interview, a story and another reminder of why I always try to leave room in my travels for experiences that aren't on the official itinerary.
Watch my visit to Bag Lady's below.
That's how I learned that Brandon isn't an outsider who simply opened a restaurant in North Nashville. He's from the area. He went to school nearby, attended church right up the street and told me he and his brother intentionally wanted their first location rooted in this community.
Then our conversation took me right back to that Uber ride.
Brandon acknowledged that some people are still hesitant about the area. He pointed out that people visit nearby Germantown but can be reluctant to venture to his side of the street. At the same time, he described a corridor where more businesses and Black entrepreneurs are opening and encouraged people to actually come experience it.
I couldn't help thinking about how differently my afternoon could have gone if I'd simply taken someone else's perception of the neighborhood as fact. And in that moment, I was so glad I stuck with my gut and stayed.
After our interview, I finally ordered, deciding on the chicken combo, sat down and took my time. And man... all I have to say is that every bite had me in trance: an unexpected feeling but good in every way.