53 Best Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee

AVO

$$ | West End Fodor's choice

AVO is the culinary jewel in the crown of a new, mindful-lifestyle district called OneCity; as such, it offers decadent vegan options, a generous afternoon happy hour, and a thoughtful waitstaff trained to offer helpful information for those with specific nutritional needs. On sunny days, diners can enjoy a locally sourced afternoon meal just minutes from downtown, and top it off with a game of volleyball on a court just off the restaurant’s patio.

Bella Napoli Pizzeria

$$ | Edgehill Fodor's choice

Bella Napoli is one of the few authentic Neapolitan pizzerias in the city, and its brick-oven baked pizzas, decadent pasta dishes, and inexpensive happy hour will send you searching for this quaint eatery tucked in an alleyway on the back end of Edgehill Village. On warm nights, you can kick back on the romantically lit patio and enjoy good food, your favorite bottle of wine, and occasional live music.

Chauhan Ale & Masala House

$$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Chopped judge and beloved celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan made a splash when she announced that she would be opening her first restaurant not in New York or Chicago, but right here in Nashville. Her playful global Indian fusion is not to be missed, and although you'll find some of the best food in the city here by far, the ambience is never stuffy. Tired of the usual bacon, eggs, and waffles for breakfast? Then head over on Saturday or Sunday to check out a daring brunch menu like no other.

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City House

$$ | Germantown Fodor's choice

James Beard Award–winning chef Tandy Wilson has built a Nashville institution with City House, one of the first restaurants to take hold in Germantown. The menu changes seasonally but always features thoughtful salads, unusually delicious pizzas, and creative protein options, most of which lean heavily on pork. Visitors on Sunday are treated to the special Sunday Supper menu, which changes each week.

Folk

$$ | East Nashville Fodor's choice

Chef Philip Krajeck's first Nashville restaurant Rolf and Daughters has been a runaway success since opening in 2012, and he has another success on his hands with new spot Folk, situated in East Nashville's Cleveland Park neighborhood. Seasonal salads and small plates round out a well-balanced menu.

J. Alexander's - Redlands Grill

$$ | West End Fodor's choice

This Midtown location has a decidedly upscale feel, with dark-wood paneling and low lighting. The menu includes hardwood-grilled beef, chicken, and pork; hearty salads; and fresh seafood.

Jamaicaway Restaurant and Catering

$$ | Midtown Fodor's choice

A longtime favorite sit-down spot in Nashville’s Farmer’s Market, Jamaicaway now has an additional location just off West End Avenue, one of Midtown’s main thoroughfares. Its cozy setting, friendly owners, and scrumptious curried dishes make this dining experience feel like you’ve stepped onto the island itself, where serenity and home-cooked food abound.

Nicky's Coal Fired

$$ | The Nations Fodor's choice

Quality ingredients and uncommon preparation come together at Nicky’s Coal Fired for a unique pizza and Italian food experience. While their coal-fired pizza—made in the only coal-burning oven in Tennessee—is their speciality, Nicky’s also offers house-made pasta, upscale antipasti with local ingredients, and delectable Italian desserts.

Otaku Ramen

$$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Although ramen has always been hiding in Nashville's under-the-radar Japanese spots, Sarah Gavigan returned from 20 years in L.A. and made it her mission to get more Nashvillians interested in slurping it up (and although it isn't the city's only high-end ramen shop, it is the only one that lets you take a bowl to go). Don't miss out on the limited-time bowls or the Sunday Okonomiyaki.

Party Fowl

$$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Most Nashville hot chicken joints are smaller grab-and-go affairs, but this spacious sports bar provides table service and full bar. Heat levels on these hot chicken dishes—you can find everything from nachos and tacos to salads—range from mild to the scary spicy "Poultrygeist."

Rolf and Daughters

$$ | Germantown Fodor's choice

Chef Philip Krajeck has devised a simple, innovative menu at Rolf and Daughters, a pillar of dining in both the Germantown neighborhood and greater Nashville. Menu staples include assorted seasonal, house-made pastas, like guest favorite garganelli verde, and creative takes on small plates and vegetable salads. Don't skip bread, either—the house-made sourdough with seaweed butter is to die for.

12 South Taproom & Grill

Part of the 12 South scene before there was one---and still a favorite with a large, covered street-facing patio and small performance space inside---12 South Taproom has a menu that's surprisingly large with seemingly endless variations of quesadillas (rib-eye!), tacos, salads with vegetarian options, and a kids' menu. Your fellow diners will include families, couples, friends, local college kids, and visitors. Enjoy the walls papered in Hatch Show and other concert posters.

417 Union

$$ | Downtown

You wouldn’t guess from its understated, antique-looking exterior that the restaurant opens up into a bit of an antebellum relic on the inside. This restaurant envelopes you in rich woodwork common in old Southern homes, featuring fireplaces original to the building, white tablecloths, waiters in white coats, and chandeliers, while also serving traditional Southern cuisine.

51 North Taproom

$$ | The Nations

With a menu nearly as broad as its beer selection, the entrées featuring lamb, seitan, and goat cheese alongside more traditional pub food favorites will surprise anyone who imagines 51 North Taproom to be a run-of-the-mill bar and grill. With ample options for vegans and vegetarians, there is something for everyone, plus beer to go with it.

55 South

Named for Interstate 55, which cuts through the Mississippi Delta toward New Orleans, this Gulf-inspired restaurant pulls out all the stops: gumbo, po’boys, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, oysters (char-grilled, fried, or in the shell), and even fried green tomato–shrimp rémoulade. Tables are first come, first served, but it’s worth the wait—especially for weekend brunch: Their build-your-own-Bloody-Mary bar has all the fixings for the hair of just about any dog. And their daily cocktail menu, including gems like Honey Hush and the Garden District, drips with Southern twang and Southern flavor.

Answer

$$ | Sylvan Park

This chef-driven restaurant, with its relaxed yet upscale feel and menu full of character, fits seamlessly into the Sylvan Park neighborhood that surrounds it. Their laid-back Sunday brunch has familiar favorites with thoughtful touches, and their dinner entrées tout flavors that can satisfy even refined palates.

bartaco

This open yet cozy space, with woven baskets as light fixtures, serves upscale bites influenced by the street food and beach cultures of Southern California, Uruguay, and Brazil. Tacos and rice bowls dominate the menu, as well as fresh-squeezed juice and cocktails.

Bastion

$$ | Wedgewood-Houston

Opened in February 2016, this small restaurant (and bar) seats only 24 diners (RSVPs are encouraged; walk-ins are welcomed when space is available). Parties of four to six are offered a five-course, prix fixe meal; smaller groups may order à la carte from a selection of American fare.

Blue Moon Waterfront Grille

$$ | Charlotte Park

This floating restaurant and bar is on a secluded marina, tucked away in a combination neighborhood and industrial area in true Nations fashion. The dockside dining options include many seafood options, large salads, and shareable appetizers.

Burger Up

A comfortable neighborhood hangout (there’s a second location in east Nashville) serving—you guessed it—burgers, as well as soups and salads, Burger Up is popular with all ages, including young families. Beef and other meats are sourced from a local farm and butcher shop; some desserts feature Nashville-made Pied Piper ice cream.

Butcher and Bee

$$ | East Nashville

Though it only opened in 2015, Butcher and Bee is already a Nashville culinary mainstay. The restaurant is convenient both to downtown and to East Nashville's Five Points, and offers guests a variety of dining options, from a casual weekend brunch to an elegant dinner of small, shared plates, all of which find the middle ground between Middle Eastern and Southern American influences. The whipped feta is a must-try.

Caffe Nonna

$$ | Sylvan Park

A long-standing staple of Sylvan Park, Caffe Nonna serves Italian dinner in an inviting and intimate café setting. Pizzas are baked fresh in a brick oven, pasta is served with house-made sauces, and the wine list rounds out the experience.

City Winery

$$ | Downtown

As a restaurant, concert venue, and wine bar, the versatility of City Winery’s offerings make it a standout in the city. The Barrel Room restaurant and wine bar within City Winery serves hearty, Southern-inspired fare for brunch and dinner with an extensive wine list.

Coco's Italian Market

$$ | Sylvan Park

Part grocery market, part travel agency, part restaurant, Coco’s Italian Market is dedicated to and passionate about all things Italian. Their house specialities remain proudly authentic to original Italian recipes that won't break the bank.

Germantown Café

$$ | Germantown

One of the early restaurants to open in the now-bustling Germantown neighborhood was Germantown Café. Now a pillar of the neighborhood, the popular dining spot serves inventive takes on an eclectic Southern menu, serving up meals for lunch, dinner, and brunch (on the weekends). Don't miss the bar's happy hour, either, as it's one of the city's most generous.

Henrietta Red

$$ | Germantown

New restaurants have popped up all over Nashville in recent years, but few are as promising as Henrietta Red. The project of chef Julia Sullivan and sommelier Allie Poindexter, the hip Germantown spot is a new go-to destination for creative seafood and craft cocktails. Bonus: their happy hour tends to include Jell-O shots.

Lockeland Table

$$ | East Nashville

Equipped with a wood-burning stove, a smoker, and a garden of fresh vegetables, Chef Hal Holden-Bache gets down to business preparing some serious down-home cooking at his popular neighborhood restaurant, which serves comfort-gourmet food in a relaxed setting. Don't miss their cocktail menu, which features seasonal-inspired mixed drinks.

MAFIAoZA’s

This fun pizza place is where all ages gather for deep-dish pizzas made in an open kitchen. Beyond pizza they serve meatballs, sautéed spinach, and salads, and for dessert, cannoli of course.

Margot Café and Bar

$$ | East Nashville

In 2001, when Nashville native Margot McCormack brought her Culinary Institute of America/New York City café–pedigree back home to establish Margot Café, she sparked a food revolution that has since swept through East Nashville. Her local dining institution consistently offers a delightfully inconsistent menu, with Southern-influenced rustic Italian and French dishes served daily. Ingredients are seasonal and always fresh; and fish, chicken, and meat dishes are prepared in an accessible, gourmet-meets-comfort-food style.

McCabe Pub

$$ | Sylvan Park

Burgers, beer, and pub food done right are the focus of this classic Sylvan Park establishment. The brick-laden interior feels vaguely European while the plant-filled outdoor patio looks out onto Sylvan Park’s main business intersection.

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