Thanks to Pharmacy Burger & R PR for sponsoring our visit! All thoughts are my own.

Head out of the city for about ten minutes, and you find yourself in East Nashville. Full of historic neighborhoods, this section of the city is fun and exciting to visit for families of all ags. If you are tired of the hustle and bustle of downtown city life and want to venture out for some space and potentially peace & quiet, look no further than Pharmacy Burger. 

First off, let's learn a bit about East Nashville and how this is becoming the place to visit! East Nashville once began as an affluent neighborhood, where the rich built their grand Victorian homes, some of which still stand, testing time after the fire of 1916 destroyed almost all the East Nashville communities. More than 600 homes were destroyed, and the end result is a very eclectic neighborhood that is finally making a comeback after years of social and economic challenges.

Situated off of McFerrin Avenue in the Historic Edgefield neighborhood. Edgefield was the first affluent neighborhood and home to doctors, attorneys, educators, and the likes that make this the most desired neighborhood in the 1800s, even to the likes of bank-robber Jesse James. Today, Edgefield is still on the National Register and has withstood gentrification, commercialization, and natural disasters. 

Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden opened in 2011. Known for its craft made sauces, locally sourced meats, hand made phosphates, this iconic establishment also has an old-fashioned ice cream soda section on its menu, paying homage to the times when pharmacy's once stood as soda-shoppes as well.

 It contains an outside beer garden (currently covered due to chilly temps), an indoor soda bar, a regular bar, and of course many tables for patron to consume edible delectable creations. 

I highly recommend that your entire family check out this fascinating establishment. When I first heard about it, of course I was intrigued because I love a good burger and fries, but I also love ice cream floats and creations. 

While beer and craft cocktails might entice the normal millennial, my family gravitated towards the handmade soda syrups and phosphates. Pharmacy Burger does provide traditional sodas for purchase, but they pride themselves on creating soda syrups that are free of all the bad icky stuff, paying homage to the original pharmacy soda shoppes that had unique handcrafted syrups and concoctions. 

We were definitely impressed at the size of the burgers! None of us finished our burgers or the hearty helping of hand-cut fries that were an added side (note-fries are extra), but we loved trying unique sauces and burger creations. 

My sister and I opted to try out unique ice cream floats while my niece decided she was too full (PS- a teenager actually FULL?!! That must have been one big burger!). 

The burger selections are plentiful:

• Abbie got the Pharmacy Burger with traditional pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar, and mustard. 
• I got the Cheeseburger that comes with Swiss, yellow cheddar, Muenster, and a garlic aioli. I added a few toppings like pickles and onions. 
• Connie, my sister, got the White Oak BBQ Burger. The house made Cocoa Cola BBQ sauce is what makes this burger stand out. She said the sauce was sweet, but not overtly, and she could taste it was made from Coca-Cola syrup. 

Patrons can choose to add various toppings, cheeses and sauces to the burger, most house made. If you are really adventurous, there's extras to be added as well! 

Not feeling a burger? Check out their house made wursts. Mostly house ground, cased, and smoked, these wursts looked amazing as patrons around us grabbed them. Chicken & Salmon burgers and sandwiches are also available. 

There's even something for our vegan and vegetarian friends, as there is a plant-based grill section and VG sauces available. 

Looking for a different side than fries? No worries because sweet potato fries, tater tots, and pasta/ potato salads are all on the list, along with slaws and black bean salads. 

The Kids Menu is exactly what any child dreams of: full of burgers, chicken, grilled cheese, and even hotdogs. The best part is that the cups at Pharmacy Burger have lids, so no worries about your kiddo spilling your drink. Heck, adults might want to invest in a hearty lid, as I knocked my own water over! The server was right on it, cleaning up the mess on the table and floor, and I highly appreciated his attention.  

Of course, the beer selection is plentiful and boosts local selections along with national brands. In the mood for a cocktail? Ask the server for recommendations or check out their premade selection using their handcrafted soda syrups. 

Despite being busy, we were seated right away, and our server was great at checking on us throughout our time. Selections were suggested, favorites were told to us, and he was patient as we tried to navigate our way through the menu to determine what exactly our tummies were rumbling about.

 I loved how there was a carafe of water on every table, knives in the center along with condiments, and plenty of napkins as this establishment has definitely figured out what's on the wishlist for most families! Parents-you don't need to worry about your kiddos getting restless because it's a fun place to be that welcomes noise and chaos! 

End your experience with a handcrafted soda or float. I opted for the Strawberry Ice Cream Float while my sister dived into the Cherry Ice Cream soda float. Vanilla ice cream, soda water, and the syrup of your choice means that this delicious creation will quickly find its way to the soul of your stomach, enticing you to finish the entire mug! 

Both floats were mugs full of hefty scoops of ice cream with very tasty syrups to make them up. In case you didn't know, the word Phosphate is related to soda water. 

Originally made with fruit flavorings, egg, malt, in combination with seltzer water, they were really popular among children and teens in the late 1800s and well into the 19th century.

 It's what we derive our soda products from, but ours today are full of harmful stuff while Pharmacy Burger's are still pretty pure syrups, using soda water as the carbonation. I love me a good coke zero, but the Strawberry syrup in my float was great! 

I highly encourage you to venture outside the city center to visit the Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden. It's a great way to spend a lunch, a late afternoon, or an evening. Grab a burger, order up a phosphate soda or beer, and enjoy your meal! 

Want to visit?

Find the original Pharmacy Burger at 731 McFerrin Avenue.  

Parking is located behind the building (they basically own the entire corner, so don't worry about which section) or if that's completely filled, find a spot along the street. Don't worry if a stranger standing out in the parking lot talks to you- that's just the owner greeting his patrons! 

Other locations include the Assembly Food Hall (downtown) or the Nashville Airport. 

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What menu item do you want to try?