I’d guess that most of us envision the same things when we think of the best food in Nashville: hot chicken, barbecue, and biscuits. Southern comfort soul food stacking high on meat plus three plates. Deep-fried everything.
Maybe you have the inside scoop and know that Nashville is also known for epic doughnuts and brunch spreads. What you might not know is that Nashville is home to the most delicious scratch-made crunchwrap that you will ever eat in your entire life.
I’m talking about the original crunchwrap at Redheaded Stranger.
Redheaded Stranger: A True Hidden Gem
Situated between Downtown Nashville and East Nashville, Redheaded Stranger feels like a best-kept secret. The restaurant is nestled within a residential neighborhood and surrounded by homes, churches, schools. Contrary to many of the best restaurants in Nashville, Redheaded Stranger is removed from the hustle and bustle for which the city is known.
In fact, Redheaded Stranger never revealed itself while I was planning our weekend and searching for the best food in Nashville. We came to the restaurant on a (failed) mission to track down one of Conny and Jonny’s limited banana horchata donuts. Sadly, they sold out of the donuts almost instantly, but NOT-SO-SADLY, our journey led us to discover the mouthwatering, incredibly-delicious original crunchwrap the Redheaded Stranger gifts to the world.
When Conny and Jonny’s Instagram announced that their donuts would be sold at Redheaded Stranger and tagged the account, I checked out their feed. My eyes instantly landed on their homemade crunchwrap photos, and I knew we had to get one while there to pick up our donut.
Without that collaboration and our resulting donut chase, who knows how long it would’ve taken us to find this hidden gem of a restaurant!
A Casual Tex-Mex Joint with Unique Twists
Redheaded Stranger actually offers four types of homemade crunchwraps. There’s a vegetarian option, with guacamole, black beans, refried beans, pico, jalapeno hot sauce, Fritos, cheddar and whipped feta. Or the pork green chile option, which adds queso and jack cheese to the mix. You can also try the “x-mas style” crunchwrap, made with both red and green chile.
And then there’s the original crunchwrap, which is what we ordered. It’s made with Texas red chili, fritos, pico, cheddar, whipped feta, dreamweaver hot sauce, and refried beans. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think I would’ve ever ordered this option if I had read the menu myself.
Since our toddler had fallen asleep on the drive over, my husband was the one who ran into the restaurant by himself. Since I simply told him to “grab a crunchwrap to go,” and there were four options to choose from, he chose the original.
AND THANK GOD HE DID. Because I would’ve been turned off by words like “Frito” and confused by the thought of whipped feta inside and the flavor profile it all creates, but holey moley. This original crunchwrap is literally thee. number. one. best thing we ate in Nashville.
High-quality Food At Affordable Price-Points
I am the queen of finding amazing, budget-friendly food, and Nashville is the perfect city for delicious cheap eats. The menu at Redheaded Stranger is actually very affordable, especially for what you get in portions and quality of ingredients. Each crunchwrap is super heavy and costs an even $10. We shared one to try it, but next time I am definitely getting my own.
….And maybe a second one for the road.
Redheaded Stranger’s crunchwraps are encased in from-scratch, house-made tortillas. As SOON as you experience these tortillas, you’ll immediately notice the stark difference in quality. Nothing about these tortillas feel, taste, or smell processed. These tortillas are absolutely perfect. They’re stretchy, seasoned, chewy, and quite-simply the most delicious tortillas we have ever tasted.
PRO-TIP SIDE NOTE: Redheaded Stranger sells their house-made tortillas a la carte! I didn’t learn this until after we left. Only $2 for three of them! I could seriously eat them plain, and next time, I’ll get an extra order to do just that.
On one side of the crunchwrap lives a griddled cheese crust– yes, A GRIDDLED CHEESE CRUST– that seals the heavy, fully-loaded pocket of Heaven shut.
The inside of the original crunchwrap packs a powerful taste. The Texas red chili explodes with flavor and pairs with the refried beans to create a rich, savory, smooth foundation. The whipped feta adds a salty, creamy depth that truly surprised me. If I didn’t read it on the menu, I would’ve never guessed that feta played a role involved in this masterpiece.
The same can be said for the Fritos: in a blind tasting, I would have never known. They definitely provided a varied textural element that we all expect from a well-made crunchwrap. Finished off with the bite of sharp cheddar, and the slightly spicy, bold dreamweaver sauce, this singular food item presents its audience with every taste you could hope for with each bite.
The Classic Flavor You Crave, But Better
Somehow, both mysteriously and magically, Redheaded Stranger’s original crunchwrap delivers nostalgic notes of the classic Taco Bell creation….. Except in the fact that it is about 1000x better.
Imagine the crunchwrap that you only WISH you could get from Taco Bell for $3 at 2 a.m. A thicc mama crunchwrap crafted with high-quality ingredients, made perfectly for you every single time.
That’s the crunchwrap that you can get at Redheaded Stranger. It’s the best thing ever.
And the signature hot sauces! There are three to choose from: the dreamweaver sauce, the spiciest of the bunch, made with habanero, citrus, and curry. The jalapeno hot sauce, aka the “greenweaver,” which is the most mild and made with cilantro and avocado. And then the Dr. Pepper hot sauce, right in the middle, a combo of spicy and sweet, with notes of arbol chiles.
You have to get one of each sauce with whatever you choose to order!
Try One of Everything When You Go
Ordering a crunchwrap is an absolute must when you go to Redheaded Stranger. However, word on the street is that the tacos are also supreme.
And don’t sleep on the a la carte sides! Every choice is under $10 and sounds delicious. On that note, here’s a second push to get some extra tortillas to munch on because they’re that good.
After we accidentally discovered Redheaded Stranger’s homemade crunchwrap and experienced this life-changing entrée, we’ve officially entered the lifelong fan club. This is one of those stops that will forever be a “must eat food in Nashville” every time we visit.
While you’re there, don’t forget to take a picture under their giant sombrero!
If you’re looking for the best food in Nashville, then you absolutely MUST add the original crunchwrap from Redheaded Stranger to your list. You’re welcome, and I love you!!
If you’ve ever had a scratch-made crunchwrap, tell me about it on Instagram!
