225 Best Restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee

Tucked away in nearby Salemtown is Big Al's Deli, a neighborhood deli in every sense of the word. Owner Alfonso Hamilton serves home-cooked Southern food out of an otherwise nondescript converted house, making for a dining experience that feels like you're right at home. Seating is limited inside but the food—especially the breakfast—is well worth the wait.

This classic ice cream and burger stand feels like a blast from the past with retro decor, classic diner fare, ice cream, and milkshakes that can be enjoyed on their covered patio. The family-friendly staple embraces their throwback energy, even naming their delicious signature shake flavors after 1950s rockers.

One of Nashville's oldest restaurants still in operation, the famed Brown's Diner first opened its doors in 1927. This spot, housed in a large trailer, is popular with celebrities and regular ol' locals, and the burger is one of the best in town.

Casual healthy dining that is easy on the wallet is Calypso Cafe’s focus, making it a popular laid-back lunch spot. The menu features Caribbean influences, with an emphasis on chicken and fresh produce, creating tropical flavor combinations like their Lucayan salad and famed corn muffins that easily satisfy nutrition-focused eaters and those with dietary restrictions.

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.

James Beard–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.

An early adopter of sustainable sourcing and zero-waste coffee bean roasting, Crema has introduced Nashville coffee lovers to new brews for years. Intentionally partnering with small farmers around the world, Crema advocates for living wages and also brews a fine cup of java to accompany a short list of breakfast dishes. Their specialty espresso drinks are among the most creative in town, and they also offer ground beans to go, as well as educational coffee classes.

Internationally acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten brings his thoughtful approach to regional cuisine to The Hermitage Hotel's architecturally interesting flagship restaurant. Classy but not stuffy, the kitchen serves three meals a day to hotel guests and smart Downtown denizens who know that a meal here is a surprisingly affordable indulgence—the delightful wood-fired pizzas benefit from fresh produce toppings, and the seasonal menu features the freshest and most exciting local vegetables uniquely prepared alongside premium seafood and meats. Wondering about the name? Children of the hotel’s former general manager, Drusie and Darr Hall lived at the property in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Edley’s offers a taste of Southern cooking, and their sides are just as delicious as their melt-in-your-mouth meats. Make sure to try their brisket before it sells out for the day in either taco, sandwich, or platter form, and enjoy a craft beer or a signature spiked milkshake called a Bushwacker for refreshment. There are also locations in East Nashville and 12South.

Open since 1939, Elliston Place has retained much of its mid-century decor, including vintage jukeboxes at the tables (though the boxes themselves no longer play) and a lovely soda counter, complete with a fountain. Come for great burgers, frothy ice-cream sodas, and delicious chocolate shakes—or breakfast.

It's rare that a fine-dining restaurant is best known for an appetizer, but this is definitely the case for Etch's legendary roasted cauliflower dish, a work of art on a plate with browned florets atop a palette of three colorful and flavorful sauces. It's an ideal representation of the food at Etch, full of internationally-inspired flavors and artfully plated with precision. A seat at the chef's bar looking into the kitchen offers the opportunity to see the talented kitchen staff at work as they execute a menu of elegant dishes that draw inspiration and flavors from cuisines across the globe.

Local favorite Fido is part of the Bongo Java family and has one of the coffee shop group's more extensive food menus. In addition to Fido's own take on the creatively made, ethically sourced espresso drinks found at other Bongo locations, the restaurant serves locally sourced breakfast, lunch, and dinner; try the burger.

You know the offerings are good when the hours include a "or till sold out" proviso, and that's the case with this locally-owned bakery located just off 12th Avenue South. Pastries and cookies fill the cases, but the large, beautifully decorated gourmet donuts are what people talk about most (mini versions are also available).

A lively strip of bars wouldn't be complete without a pizza joint, and Five Points Pizza fills that void in the Five Points neighborhood, slinging slices, pies, and brews to the crowds heading to nearby Duke's or The 5 Spot. For the late-night set, Five Points offers a walk-up window for ordering slices to go. The prosciutto and basil slice is a sure bet, as are the big greasy garlic knots.

Chef Philip Krajeck's first Nashville restaurant Rolf & 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 of wood-fired pizzas, locally sourced proteins, and vegetable-forward dishes.

Giant warehouse windows hearken back to The Nations’ industrial roots and shed light on the stylish wood-laden interior of this coffee shop and all-day café. The variety of seating options makes Frothy Monkey a favorite for remote workers with laptops, and their health-focused menu features locally roasted coffee, fresh pastries, and farm-sourced ingredients for all meals. There are multiple locations around the city. 

Gabby’s is where locals go for really good burgers (grass-fed beef or vegan) and addictive sweet potato fries. The ever-present line moves quickly; eat at the tables or small counter overlooking the grill, or grab and go; just remember the portions are HUGE!

Look no further than Hattie B's Lower Broadway location to get your Nashville hot chicken fix. Customers pick their level of heat (from no-heat "Southern" to "Shut the Cluck Up!!!"), chicken (bones or no bones, dark meat, white meat, or wings), and sides (pimento mac and cheese to black-eyed pea salad), and delicious platters are delivered to your table. Leave room for dessert. 

One of four Nashville Hattie B’s locations, the Melrose Hattie B’s provides the hot chicken hookup, often with less of a line than at the other outposts. Enjoy hot chicken of varying heat levels, wash it down with a sweet tea or craft brew, and finish off your meal with a delicious Southern-inspired side or two like Southern greens, bacon-cheddar grits, or pimento mac and cheese.

The nonprofit enterprise that runs this bright pleasant shop was established in 2008 to train and mentor students. In addition to prepared coffees and teas, the shop sells the beans, soaps and scrubs made by the students, and mugs and T-shirts bearing the coffeehouse's logo. Baked goods from a neighborhood bakery are usually also available here. All profits support programs and scholarships for the students. There's now a second location Downtown.

Southern charm abounds in both the decor and flavors at Husk, located in a converted historic home. With seasonal ingredients sourced from in and around Tennessee, the menu at this must-try restaurant staple (with other locations in Charleston and Savannah) is elevated and dynamic.

A longtime favorite sit-down spot inside the Nashville Farmers' Market, Jamaicaway has a cozy setting, friendly owners, and scrumptious curried dishes. This dining experience makes you feel like you’ve stepped onto the island itself, where serenity and home-cooked food abound.

This bustling brewpub serves more than 90 varieties of craft beer, focusing on local and regional brews and seasonal flavors in a warm setting featuring an ivy-covered back patio with picnic tables. Their food is simple pub food done well, with a focus on juicy burgers and waffle fries.

Martin's proudly proclaims that they don't own a microwave or freezer and that they are committed to the western Tennessee style of whole-hog barbecue, smoking their hogs for a full day and serving them until they run out—period. This is the type of place where you may find yourself stupefied by just how much you've managed to eat.

Barbecue in the South is a very regional cuisine, with fans of each variation claiming their favorite to be the best. Martin’s offers up authentic Tennessee Bar-B-Que with in-house prepared dry rubs and a massive whole-hog cinder-block pit that perfumes the air with the scent of hickory and pumps out delicious pork after a 24-hour slow cook. A stop here will allow you to decide for yourself if Tennessee does it best.