116 3rd Ave S.
Nashville, TN 37201
615.490.6685
website
The city of Nashville is growing all the time, and as it has continued to evolve some of its longstanding traditions have been left behind. Not so with the much-beloved Goo Goo Cluster; a giant chocolate confection that had been made in the Music City for over 100 years thanks to the Standard Candy Company. You can find them in most stories around town, or if you like, a single storefront in downtown near Honky Tonk Row where you can watch the candies be made. The shop gives a ton of insight into how this great Nashville tradition came to be.
So the candies themselves come in a few different varieties, but all have the same basic makeup, nougat, peanuts and caramel all dipped in chocolate. Some of the options you can get:
- Original: The classic combination which is much loved for its simplicity. It’s a combination of all the most lovable things together; that marshmallow gives the whole thing texture, then the nuts give it a nice crunch and the chocolate ties everything together. Wonderful.
- Supreme: The supreme is a fan favorite. It’s got the addition of pecans instead of peanuts. These make it a bit mess salty and a bit more sweet a candy bar.
- Peanut Butter: Instead of marshmallow and caramel, this one is based in peanut butter, and then topped with nuts and chocolate. The most recent addition to the candy bar, and it’s the one I miss the most!
The Goo Goo Cluster candy bar has grown to a few other kinds of things sold at the shop if you like it, such as coffee and other more classic chocolates. But the shop itself is a fun experience; it’s got a counter where you can watch the chocolate being made, and you can get other little mementos like shirts and mugs and things like that.
If you have spent any time in Nashville, this name will be at least familiar to you. And for good reason, it’s a well-loved local tradition. This city has a lot of history; with all the growth and change in the city, that historuy should be appreciated. Give one a try!
Recommendations
- Goo Goo Clusters are sold individually all over Nashville. If you like them — like a lot — you can get a big box of them.
- Plenty of these things can also be bought online.
- The shop itself is a nice tourist attraction, and it’s very close to some of the high profile tourist areas, next to Honky Tonk Row.
Another Food Critic 