Guests often stop by the desk seeking something sweet. If you’re like me and have a constant sweet tooth, there are some great places to find candy made right here in Music City. Depending on the your craving, you may be seeking chocolate or a new mixture of surprising eats. Here are a few of my recommendations to help find the perfect Nashville delight:
Goo Goo Cluster
Let’s start with Goo Goo Cluster. This is the country’s first multi-ingredient candy bar. Many people think the Goo Goo Cluster is named after the country’s longest running radio show, the Grand Ole Opry (GOO) but this confection has been around longer than the Opry, making the theory yet another Music City myth.
The Goo Goo Cluster store can be found downtown on 3rd Ave where its in-house confectioner cooks up daily batches of the peanut-laden treats. The Goo Goo kitchen has developed specialty clusters that are only sold here in Nashville. They have even concocted a few limited-edition giant clusters (the size of a medium-sized dinner plate) that you can buy right off the shelf! Samples are available for patrons to try.
If you have braces or major dental work in progress, please eat your Goo Goo Cluster with care. You may want to start out with the bite-size Mini Goos that come in small bag. All forms of this treat make great presents and fit well in a suit case. If you can’t quite make it over to the Goo Goo Kitchen, these treats can be found right inside your Hutton Hotel guest room in the mini-bar.
Oliver Sinclair Chocolate
Stand on Fatherland Street in East Nashville and take in a distinctly sweet aroma that flows through the neighborhood. Follow your nose until you reach
Oliver Sinclair Chocolate, the neighborhood chocolatier. All the different chocolates are on display right upon walking in the door – how anyone resists buying something I will never know. I know you aren’t supposed to take candy from a stranger, but we are the friendliest city according to Travel and Leisure, so I tried all the samples. My two favorites are Sea Salt Chocolate, The Cinnamon Chili, and another I can’t quite recall, but featured a very interesting texture. Stop in and see if the nice folks at Oliver Sinclair can help me remember.
Something to note: They give tours on Saturday and provide a complimentary hair net!
Colts Chocolates
Colts chocolates; let’s see there are so many different kinds of Colts chocolate to choose from…The original is like a homemade peanut butter cup that is delicious. It is a lot to eat it all in one sitting, but it can be done (believe me). They have Butter Grahams, like a gourmet graham cracker dipped in chocolate. The Bumble Bee has smooth caramel surrounding nuts and chocolate. One of my favorites is a gourmet peanut butter bite size shaped dome, dipped in chocolate with an almond in the middle. Please avoid drooling on your keyboard.
It is acceptable to list all of these treats in the healthy category of snacks because there is a lot of good protein there in one big bite. Colt’s Chocolates has a small storefront on Overton Street in the Gulch neighborhood, which is only a mile from the hotel. In addition to getting Colts chocolates at the store, Hutton Hotel guests may find them in the room for special occasions.
The Bang Candy Company
I used go to the grocery store a buy a candy bar. Now, for the same price, I go to Bang Candy Company and buy a gigantic marshmallow; to be even more specific, a ‘mallow’ from Bang Candy Company. There are no preservatives and it is gluten free and melts in your mouth. The shop is in Marathon Village on Clinton St and features several flavored mallows. Most of them are half dipped in something like wonderful like milk chocolate. “Fluffy,” a word I happen to love an use often, is also a very appropriate term for the perfect marshmallow, found specifically at Bang Candy Company.
The owner of Bang Candy Company, Sarah, stopped by our concierge desk a few years ago before there was a store front. She delivered small boxes of various flavors of marshmallows in four-packs. Now she has a popular store, a candy truck (or food truck), and pretty sweet small empire that all started with a marshmallow.
I think this is enough sugar for now. When you come to Nashville please save room after dinner and space in your suitcase for all of the sweet treats you can find in Music City (and there is no clause saying you have to give them up as gifts when you get home).
Safe Travels,
Laura
Goo Goo Cluster Store
116 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 490-6685
Oliver Sinclair Chocolate
1628 Fatherland St, Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 262-3007
Colts Chocolates
609 Overton St, Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 251-0100
The Bang Candy Company
1300 Clinton St #127, Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 953-1065