"They also mean these businesses have been perfecting their crowd-pleasing recipes for decades. Tennessee is already known for its barbecue and comfort food, so it stands to reason that the state's oldest restaurant would be one that thrives on simple American classics. And that's just the case: The oldest operating restaurant in Tennessee is Varallo's Restaurant, and it's a chili parlor and southern grill."
"Varallo's was founded by Italian immigrant Frank Varallo, Sr., who worked as an interpreter at Ellis Island before moving to Nashville to fulfill his dreams of a music career. After a hunting accident made that impossible, Varallo began cooking up his delicious chili at a saloon, and then opened Varallo's Chile Parlor in 1907. "Chili (or chile) parlors" were a common restaurant type at the time, and chili was as much a signature Nashville dish then as hot chicken is today."
Varallo's Restaurant opened as Varallo's Chile Parlor in Nashville in 1907 after Italian immigrant Frank Varallo, Sr. transitioned from an attempted music career and saloon cooking following a hunting accident. Chili parlors were once common in Nashville and chili was as signature a dish then as hot chicken is today. Varallo's grew into a beloved local institution known for chili, southern grill fare, and hospitality, attracting politicians and city workers. Ownership remained in the Varallo family until 2019, when Bob Peabody purchased the business and made small operational changes to focus on core menu strengths.
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