276 Best Restaurants in Tennessee, USA

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. 

Mitchell Delicatessen is one of the pillars of East Nashville's Riverside Village neighborhood; having relocated from across the street to a larger space in 2014, it's one of the more spacious delis in town (with a large covered patio, to boot). Come for classics like the Turkey Avocado, and come back for Mitchell creations like the Turkey Brie and Asian Flank Steak.

Occupying the space left by longtime Italian restaurant Pomodoro East, Noko serves creative, Asian-inspired wood-fired dishes, bringing an array of new flavors to the east side. Outfitted in sleek decor with wood accents, Noko also has a lively beverage program, including expertly made and supremely refreshing traditional Japanese highballs.

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. Start with either a salty clear shio broth or a richer shoyu, then choose one of three protein options plus additional toppings like burnt miso butter. There's another location in East Nashville. 

Most Nashville hot chicken joints are smaller grab-and-go affairs, but this spacious sports bar provides table service and a full bar. Heat levels on these hot chicken dishes—you can find just about everything from a half bird to tacos to salads—range from mild to the scary spicy \"Poultrygeist.\" All-day happy hour takes place on Tuesday and Sunday.

Owner and longtime pitmaster Carey Bringle says it all in his biography: \"Smoke is in my veins.\" The line for the lunch rush is often out the door, but many agree that the dry ribs—hickory-smoked for more than 18 hours—are well worth the wait, as are Peg Leg's wings which are offered BBQ, dry, or hot. Standout sides include the smoked green beans and barbecue baked beans; as an appetizer, you can prime your palate with a platter of piled-high nachos.

If you have a hankering for good burgers and good beer, look no further than The Pharmacy to cure what ails you. The outdoor beer garden is hard to beat for both its size and ambience, and the food itself is fresh, locally sourced, and thoughtfully served. Though burgers are the name of the game, there are vegetarian-friendly options. Be sure to try The Pharmacy's house-made phosphates (sodas) and milkshakes.

Place your order for “fancy and whimsical” cookies at the window of this teensy space that produces small batches of large cookies that are big on flavor and inspiration. Current offerings are indicated by photos taped to the wall, with notes on flavors and vibe or inspiration; some cookies are mini works of art, like the optimistic Rainbow Brownie, a beautiful cookie covered in chocolate frosting, mini chocolate chips, and “bits of rainbow.” Meanwhile, the backstory of this little cookie place is magical: the brand was born during lockdown when pastry chef Matthew Rice found himself at a crossroads. A former Chopped contestant, Rice started baking cookies that customers retrieved from outside his—you guessed it—pink front door.

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

Minutes from Ijams Nature Center, this bustling taco joint fills up on weekends with bicyclists, climbers, hikers, and paddlers scarfing down tortillas stuffed with ground beef and chorizo and slugging crisp margaritas.

What started as a beloved nomadic pop-up has now become Nashville's premiere destination for Sicilian cuisine, most notably Sicilian-style pizza—each pizza starts with a handmade focaccia base and is brought to life with toppings like rich tomato, potato, and lemon or a four-cheese blend with pistachio. Shareable plates of veg rotate according to the season, and a choice selection of desserts and drinks make this a great choice for a chill and intimate evening. Seating is quite limited, so it's best to book ahead or saddle up at the bar and watch the magic happen in the open kitchen.

Nashville is known for its meat-and-three-style restaurants, and Swett's is one of its most famous; past patrons run the gamut from presidents to pop stars and everyone in between. If you’re looking for Southern staples like collard greens, baked mac and cheese, and entrées that range from fried catfish to barbecued ribs, this family-owned restaurant is the place to be.

Tempered Café is unlike any other café in Nashville, serving an extensive selection of handcrafted chocolates alongside a full menu of espresso drinks, breakfast and lunch plates—and yes, homemade hot chocolate and drinking chocolate. Tempered also has a full bar and offers chocolate and beverage pairings that are unlike anything you've ever tried before.

Enjoy some of the city's finest craft beers at this chilled-out multilevel taproom where the masterful brewing process—an in-house chemist is employed for ideal fermentation—is matched with a passion for locally sourced ingredients and history. The attention to detail also extends to their solid food menu with standout items such as their Five Beer Burger, hot chicken sandwich, beer bread grilled cheese, and more. Brewery tours are offered on Saturdays, but be sure to book online ahead of time.

Utilizing products from local farmers and producers, this bright and airy café caters a healthy menu of all-day breakfast and lunch dishes, ranging from berry bowls, smoothies, and breakfast sandwiches to pad Thai noodle bowls and house-made hummus. Grab-and-go options include wellness shots, juice cleanses, boba tea, and specialty coffee drinks.

Chic yet inviting, the fresh Vietnamese fare at Vui’s Kitchen includes favorite dishes like pho and dumplings garnished with local greens, as well as a seasonal selection of local beer and wine. The kitchen sources seasonal local produce whenever possible.

Yassin Terou and his family quickly became local legends after opening their falafel joint, thanks to infallibly friendly service and quick-serve Mediterranean cuisine that begs for a repeat visit. There are additional locations in West Knoxville and Alcoa.

Part of the 12South scene before there was one, this perennial favorite of families, local college kids, and visitors has a large, covered street-facing patio and small performance space inside. The surprisingly large menu has a seemingly endless list of quesadillas (rib eye!), tacos (tilapia), and salads with vegetarian options, plus there's a kids' menu. Check out the walls papered in Hatch Show and other concert posters.

Big on visual presentation and earning high marks in overall aesthetics, The 404 Kitchen is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a sumptuous evening. The menu is focused on elegant yet hearty Southern dishes like catfish and fried chicken, and everything is carefully laid out to ensure that every order lives up to the kitchen's high bar for quality. Fair warning: there's no on-site parking, so prepare to pay for valet or a spot in a local garage.

This family-friendly spot delivers a comprehensive beer selection (30 rotating taps), traditional pub favorites like poutine fries and burgers, and elevated entrées like street-style tacos and lamb pops. A neighborhood gathering place, 51 North Taproom also offers a hearty weekend brunch and ample outdoor patio seating.

Named for I–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 and 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 drips with Southern twang and flavor.

Housed in a large artsy space, 5th & Taylor is a culinary playground for chef Daniel Lindley to push the boundaries of modern American cuisine. The menu often includes a number of Southern favorites, like tomato pie and beer-can chicken, all elevated by Lindley's finesse and knowledge of flavor. The center sculpture, which serves as a focal point in the dining room, is a depiction of General Francis Nash, for whom the city is named.

Look no further for a caffeine kick than 8th & Roast's ethically traded coffee with decadent flavor profiles. Small bites and syrups are made in-house, and natural light flows in through the shop’s large windows.

Set in an old wooden church smack dab on the Little River, this idyllic craft-beer-and-pizza joint attracts a post-tubing crowd and weekend revelers. The beer selection includes 10 Tennessee brews on tap, and the menu of flatbreads is rounded out by steamed subs, wings, and pulled pork BBQ.

The food at this hole-in-the-wall lunch spot just north of downtown is as down-home and funky as the decor—walls lined with eclectic artwork and a jukebox stocked with Memphis hits. The kitchen turns out its own versions of "meat and two," including fried chicken and pork chops served alongside sweet-potato fries, fried green tomatoes, and other vegetables. Desserts, including pecan pie and sweet potato pie, bread pudding, and pound cake, are as sinfully rich as the sweet tea Alcenia's serves up in tall glasses.