Johnny Cash Frequented This BBQ Gem Sandwiched Between Nashville And Gallatin

A favorite food haunt need not be fancy or far away. Case in point is Johnny Cash, who is said to have regularly frequented a barbecue spot less than fifteen minutes from his lakeside home. Though the country music legend has since passed and his old house burned to the ground years later, Center Point Barbecue endures. A mecca of sorts for the avid country fan looking to sink their teeth into a better understanding of what made "The Man in Black," tick or tickled his fancy. This nostalgia-laden hole-in-the-wall is family-owned and has been serving up locals, and local legends, since the mid-1950s.

Cash moved into the area around 1968, remaining there, with his family, for 35 years, until his passing. Guy Fieri visited the diner on a 2013 episode of the Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." Best known for their pulled pork and holiday hams, Fieri sampled their "Black as Night," ham on his visit. It consisted of ham brined 4 days and then smoked for 6 hours before finally being glazed with brown sugar and a handheld blowtorch, creating a hard crust so black and toffee-shell crisp, Fieri called it "ham brittle."

By no means the only barbecue joint in Hendersonville or Tennessee (Nashville alone boasts at least 13 absolute best barbecue restaurants) rumors of Cash's patronage are at least a testament to Center Point's bygone era of pit barbecue fandom. But he is far from the only celebrity to visit the "Home of the 3 Little Pigs" at the corner of Center Point Road and Main Street.

If you're a fan of Cash or old-timey barbecue and thinking of paying a visit to Center Point Barbecue,  you'll find it red-roofed and festooned with cartoon pigs on the outside. Outside of Cash fans, other celebrities have made the pilgrimage, too. Including Taylor Swift, Conway Twitty, Willie Nelson, and Elvis, among others. Though Center Point's walls are lined with autographed photos of celebrities, you won't find any mention of Cash or any other famous patrons on their website. What you will find is one hefty menu. 

Located in downtown Hendersonville, Tennessee, wedged between the country music hub of Nashville and the historic city of Gallatin, it's not much to look at inside, but that just might be because it's the food that keeps 'em coming back, right? Reviews like most things nowadays, are mixed. Folks either love it or hate it. Scores on Trip Advisor, Google, Food Network, and Yelp all run the gamut, leaving the final tally vacillating between 3.5 and a 4.2 rating, with comments echoing sentiments like, "beyond excellent," "Not what it used to be," and "NOT good at all." 

What they agree on is that the sauces are thin and the prices are high. As far as service goes, it all depends on the day or time you visit, with some noting the friendly staff, while others complain of feeling altogether "abandoned." Redditors, however, weren't as kind, labeling it far from the best BBQ in the state. I guess in this case, smokiness and friendliness may just be in the eye of the beholder.