Though Big Al's Deli opened in the fall and had to endure the brutal winter—notoriously the slowest season for restaurants—Al Anderson wasn't worried. After all, he had his food to rely on. And it worked; word of mouth spread quickly, and soon there was a line out the door during lunch. Anderson mans the grill himself, and has earned the attention and praises of Native, The Tennessean, and Nashville Scene for his laid-back American food. Open for breakfast and lunch, he builds plates with thick-cut french toast, hand-patted cheeseburgers on a fluffy brioche bun, or classic meat-and-threes, which change daily.