History

Banana pudding migrated South from Northern dessert columns in the late 1800s. The Nashville version that Arnold's, Loveless and most meat-and-three counters serve uses Nabisco Nilla wafers (Northern brand, fully assimilated), home-cooked vanilla custard and ripe bananas. It is the standard dessert closer at a meat-and-three. Hattie B's sells it by the cup as the heat-killer chaser to hot chicken.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Serves 8Hands-on 30 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 200g granulated sugar
  • 40g all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 700ml whole milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 30g unsalted butter
  • 5 ripe bananas
  • 1 box Nilla wafers (about 300g)
  • 240ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method

  1. Whisk sugar, flour and salt in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in egg yolks, then slowly the milk.
  2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat a spoon (about 10 minutes).
  3. Off heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Cool 15 minutes.
  4. In a glass dish, layer half the Nilla wafers. Top with half the sliced bananas, half the custard.
  5. Repeat: wafers, bananas, custard.
  6. Cover and chill 4 hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream just before serving.

Tip from the editors. Let the custard cool with a piece of cling wrap directly on the surface; it prevents a skin from forming.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat banana pudding

Banana pudding in Nashville

Arnold's Country Kitchen ★ 4.6

the-gulch

Arnold's meat-and-three lunch in Nashville delivers a protein plus three vegetables and tea for under $15. James Beard America's Classics Award winner since 2009.

Try: Meat-and-three plate

Tip: Lunch only, Monday to Friday 10:30 to 14:30; cafeteria line moves fast. Cash and card.

605 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

Hattie B's Hot Chicken ★ 4.4

hillsboro-villageDaily 11:00-21:00

The Bishop family's Midtown hot chicken counter in Nashville opened in 2012 and is the tourist-friendliest gateway to the dish. Six heat levels, pickles included.

Try: Hot chicken sandwich

Tip: Hot chicken at Hot level on white bread with pickles is the canonical order; pimento mac and cheese is the side to add.

112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

Loveless Cafe ★ 4.2

Country breakfast with biscuits$13-22south-nashvilleMon-Thu 08:00-21:00, Fri-Sun 07:00-21:00OpenTable

Loveless Cafe on Highway 100 in Nashville has served scratch biscuits, country ham and redeye gravy since 1951, anchoring the Natchez Trace's tourist circuit.

Order: Country ham with redeye gravy and biscuits

Tip: Lines build by 09:00 weekends; put your name down and shop the on-site Hams & Jams Country Market while you wait.

8400 Hwy 100, Nashville, Tennessee 37221

More cities are in research. Want banana pudding covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →