Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwich
Photo: Thogru · CC BY-SA 3.0

Slow-smoked pork shoulder pulled into tender shreds, piled on a soft white bun with creamy slaw and a thin Tennessee-style tomato-vinegar sauce.

Tennessee whole-hog and pulled pork barbecue traces to West Tennessee's pit traditions, codified in Memphis by the 1920s and adopted in Nashville's BBQ joints from the 1950s. Pat Martin opened Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint in Nolensville in 2006 and grew it into the Nashville flagship; Peg Leg Porker (Carey Bringle) and Edley's Bar-B-Que round out the city's BBQ trinity.

4 editor picks for Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwich in Nashville, ranked by editorial score. All Nashville signature dishes · Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwich across every city.

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint ★ 4.6

$$Whole-hog BbqDowntown

Pat Martin's Nashville BBQ joint in downtown runs old-school whole-hog barbecue, a massive beer garden and live music nightly behind the Music City Center.

OrderPulled pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce on top, and a side of mac.

TipThe beer garden out back is the move on warm nights; live music starts at 19:00 most days.

Husk Nashville ★ 4.6

$$$SouthernDowntown

Sean Brock's Rutledge Hill institution in Nashville cooks ingredient-driven Southern food on a wood hearth, run today by chef de cuisine Brian Baxter.

OrderThe cornbread skillet, then whatever the menu lists from the wood hearth.

TipLunch is a quieter seat with the same kitchen. Book the porch in spring; it overlooks downtown.

Peg Leg Porker ★ 4.5

$$BarbecueThe Gulch

Carey Bringle's Gleaves Street BBQ joint in The Gulch, Nashville smokes Memphis-style dry-rub ribs since 2013. Family-owned, catering-strong, taproom-tight.

OrderHalf rack of dry-rub ribs, smoked beans, banana pudding.

TipLines build by 12:00; come at 11:00 for an easy table. Bourbon list is unusually deep for a BBQ joint.

Edley's Bar-B-Que ★ 4.3

$$Barbecue12 South

Edley's 12 South barbecue counter in Nashville smokes pork shoulder over hickory and serves the city's reliable BBQ-and-beer lunch since 2011.

OrderThe Tuck Special: smoked brisket with pimento cheese and bacon on Texas toast.

TipLate-night kitchen runs Friday and Saturday until 22:00; patio gets the runoff from 12 South strolling.

Learn to cook it, or eat it with a guide

Tennessee Pulled Pork Sandwich makes more sense with someone from Nashville explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.

Book food experiences in Nashville

Dishing on Downtown: Nashville Food Tour★ 5.0 (3)

Guided tour · 3 hours

Dishing on Downtown: Nashville Food Tour

Walk through Downtown Nashville with five food tastings, lively stories, and sights like the Ryman, Country Music Hall of Fame, Broadway’s honky tonks, and hidden gems...

from$145 Check dates
Nashville: Beer, BBQ, and Bourbon Bus Tour★ 3.5 (2)

Guided tour · 4 hours

Nashville: Beer, BBQ, and Bourbon Bus Tour

Experience the best of Nashville on a bus tour. Visit a local distillery for a guided tour and whiskey tastings, enjoy a meal at a local BBQ joint, and sip on a flight...

from$200 Check dates

See all 188 food experiences in Nashville