276 Best Restaurants in Tennessee, USA

With upscale American dining featuring elevated entrées, inventive cocktails, and a bottomless brunch, Sinema is housed in the stylish setting of a former movie theater, with screens inside that still play classic movies. The design of the dining room, lounge, and even the restrooms is eclectic yet elegant, much like the menu. The sultry upstairs lounge is an intimate hideaway, and the ladies' room is one of the most popular selfie spots in town.

Arguably Nashville’s most popular Thai restaurant, The Smiling Elephant serves classic Thai dishes featuring a daily rotating curry menu in a quirky cottage-like environment. Given its popularity and no-reservations policy, expect a moderate wait, especially at peak mealtimes. The talented cooks in the kitchen are working those woks as fast as they can, but quality usually takes time.

Chicken has become kind of a thing in Nashville, and Smokin Thighs has lots of it on its menu—wings, quarters, and, of course, thighs—all smoked or grilled using a signature applewood blend. There's also salads, chicken burgers, and tacos available, as well as pimento mac and cheese. There's now a second location in Sylvan Park.

An energetic addition to Nashville's dining scene, The Southern is an airy restaurant on the ground floor of The Pinnacle with a menu that features burgers and sweet potato fries, steak and oysters, salads, and a selection of creative cocktails. Its proximity to a number of major sights, including Bridgestone Arena, Lower Broadway, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum means a steady stream of sports fans, locals, and visitors—and live music.

This cozy market combines the convenience of an urban bodega with the charm of a neighborhood market whose shelves are stocked with various sundries, food and drink items, and locally crafted souvenirs. But the real gem is that the butchers who cut the steak and chops for the attached Southern Steak & Oyster restaurant also prepare excellent deli sandwiches to carry out or eat at one of the few small tables in the shop. This is an especially handy spot to purchase locally made culinary items to take home as a memento of a trip to Nashville, ranging from barbecue and hot sauces to hot chicken spice rubs and sweet treats.

If you're looking to pack a picnic lunch or grab a few things to eat on the go, stop by this neighborhood market for homemade bread and pastries, daily sandwiches, and other pantry items. There's a carefully curated wine, beer, and cider selection as well.

In the kitchen here, four-time nominee for Best Chef in the Southeast, Daniel Lindley, choreographs his culinary pas de deux with fresh, locally sourced ingredients and refined technical skill to present an elegantly balanced menu that is unquestionably en pointe with his loyal dining audience. Pad your wallet and prepare your palate for upscale Southern preludes like smoked trout hush puppies with Benton's bacon remoulade. Seafood dishes, by the way, are fresh as a ballerina's bouquet. And muscular entrées like Wagyu beef zabuton steak are outfitted with colorful accompaniments such as potato gratin, Brussels sprouts, and king trumpet mushrooms. Vegetarian selections are thoughtfully orchestrated too.

A beautiful and historic 24-room town house built in the 1840s is the setting for this unique restaurant, where dinner is served among fireplaces, oak floors, antiques, and paintings. Specialties include homemade crab bisque, grilled rack of lamb, and fried green tomatoes.

This deli specializing in bagel sandwiches serves breakfast all day. In addition to bagels, the café offers granola, baked goods, coffee, and smoothies.

Founded by veterans of the Nashville coffee scene, Stay Golden is a stylish and sophisticated spot to sip on single-origin coffee and teas, try a craft cocktail, or check out local brews on draft; there's even a prosecco bar to get the day off to a festive start. In addition to their beverages, seasonally inspired breakfast and lunch options are available.

Germantown's Steadfast Coffee offers up the usual assortment of espresso drinks and café-style food options, but they also have some tasty menu items you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Their coffee soda, for example, is an unusual blend of espresso, soda water, and orange peel and has to be tried to be understood, while their \"rested\" coffee drinks bring out new flavors in old classics.

A city that can party all night needs hangover recovery options, and that’s where Sun Diner comes in, with Southern favorites and breakfast food options until late afternoon. Located steps away from the music of Broadway, the diner takes its name from legendary rockabilly and country record label Sun Records from Memphis.

Celebrity chef and actor Billy Dec has brought his Chicago-based Sunda to Nashville, and the neighborhood is all the better for it. Characterized as Southeast Asian fusion, you can find a menu of shareable plates that includes twists on classic Filipino dishes, a full sushi bar, dim sum, and quite a few expertly cooked pork dishes. Don't miss their unique weekend brunch.

Welcoming and straightforward, Sunflower Cafe feeds the vegans, vegetarians, and gluten-free eaters of Nashville with mouthwatering veggie burger options, vegan barbecue, ample salads, potato bowls, and enticing daily specials. The menu features both Southern staples and international-inspired flavors, providing many options for diners who are used to feeling restricted by other menus.

Atlanta-based chef Ford Fry has brought a location of his popular Tex-Mex chain to the Gulch, and the neighborhood is all the better for it. Customizable queso fundido makes for an ideal appetizer, and the tortillas are all made in the restaurant, taking their three different styles of tacos—street, al carbon, and traditional Tex-Mex—to new heights.

Diners at Tailor have the pleasure of enjoying one of the city's truly unique dining experiences. Chef Vivek Surti creates seasonally rotating menus inspired by his South Asian heritage that are served prix fixe over the course of a lively but leisurely two-and-a-half hours, with optional wine and beverage pairings for an additional cost. Reservations are required and tables tend to book quickly, so plan ahead.

Although the street view isn't much, jewel-toned hanging lanterns, cozy wraparound booths, and upbeat tunes await inside one of Nashville's top spots for Chinese fusion. The Chinese roasted duck is can't-miss, but order ahead or prepare to settle in and have a few cocktails while it's being prepped. Shorter on time? You can't go wrong with speedier mains like lobster fried rice or kung pao cauliflower.

Don’t let the spartan appearance of this hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant trick you: their authentic dishes are anything but plain. With an extensive curry menu, multiple dishes featuring duck, and a range of sushi choices, your taste buds and wallet will be pleased.

This quiet oasis on an otherwise bustling block beckons with a relaxing interior characterized by warm brick, weathered wood floors, and string lights. Pop in for solid brewed coffee and all the classic espresso drinks, plus quick and satisfying breakfast and lunch bites.

This perennially popular (and affordable!) spot features carefully sourced comfort food with ample vegetarian options. The extensive menu includes generously sized salads and pizzas with toppings like basil ricotta, house-pickled banana peppers, and sun-dried tomato pesto. Seating spills out into public tables in the square during busy lunches and weekends.

If you can drag yourself away from the pulled pork, smoked out back and served on a potato bun, this inviting new downtown joint offers a full menu that includes house-made smoked sausage and fried catfish. Two dozen beers and ciders are sold by the ounce from a pour-it-yourself wall of taps.

Need quick access to a natural market in the middle of town? Head to Turnip Truck for Nashville's best local produce; hot bars filled with fresh and healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; locally made bath and beauty products; and plenty of tables inside and out for enjoying a quick and healthy meal or midday snack. Most locals skip the trip to Whole Foods altogether since the staff here is always friendly and helpful, the shelves are always stocked, and the local owners are staples of the community. There are also locations in East and West Nashville. 

Native Tennessean Justin Timberlake is an investor in this top-floor supper club, which harkens back to the day when dinner and a show were a regular option in Music City. Guests dine in opulent velvet and leather booths, enjoying a classic steak-house menu while small combos entertain during the dinner hour. Later, bigger headliners take the stage as patrons enjoy elevated cocktails and one of the best wine lists in the city. An adjoining rooftop bar serves lighter fare including weekend brunch and is an excellent aerie to take in the nonstop party below on Broadway. The upscale honky-tonk at street level features live music from morning til night and offers refined bar food and sandwiches.

Ugly Mugs is a neighborhood coffee shop on the edge of East Nashville's Lockeland Springs neighborhood. For those staying in the area, it's a great spot to grab coffee, breakfast, or a simple lunch or dinner. It's also a popular hangout for local musicians, so you never know who you might run into.

Located on the site of a former car wash, Urban Grub is now a sophisticated dining space serving seafood and locally sourced meat that's cured in-house. Wait times can soar to two hours, so reservations are strongly encouraged, especially if you're coming with a large group, but there is also seating available at the bar and oyster bar. The patio and beer garden are popular spots when the weather is nice; the oversized outdoor fireplace is used for cooking during some special events.

Fresh locally sourced ingredients are front and center at The Urban Juicer, which focuses on fresh juices, smoothies, and superfood-laden bowls. Whether grabbing a breakfast sandwich and made-to-order juice or signing on for a cleanse, the helpful staff will guide you through their health-food options.

The concept was born when Mike and Terry Monen brainstormed a place that would combine their love of bourbon and burgers. The result is this vibey burger bar and lounge, in the circa-1827 former Southern Railway baggage building. The menu combines not-for-sissies Southern appetizers like Smokin' Hot Pimento Cheese Dip (sharp and white cheddars blended with roasted red peppers, smoked jalapenos, and bacon) and urban classic sandwiches, including Hamberguesa Mamacita (crumbled chorizo, red onion, avocado, pickled jalapeno, brushed with chipotle aioli, dressed with lettuce and tomato, and frosted with Fiesta cheese). Liquid accompaniments include craft beers and signature cocktails such as "Down and Dirty"—16-ounce PBR with a shot of Old Crow.

The best place to go for a lively night of cocktails and inventive sushi rolls, step inside Virago's new location with an updated sprawling modern interior and get ready for some of the freshest fish you can find in the entire landlocked state. Make a reservation if you're smart, and be sure to follow the business-casual dress code.

While Nashville has a range of Vietnamese food options, VN Pho & Deli is a standout for its baked goods selection and emphasis on traditional ingredients and preparation. The pho in this plainly decorated, family-owned, cash-only joint is a must-try.

Von Elrod's Beer Hall & Kitchen was a welcome addition to the Germantown neighborhood when it opened in 2017. Housed in a large group-friendly space, the restaurant offers a casual alternative to the neighborhood's more-elevated offerings, serving house-made sausages and sides alongside a truly extensive beer menu. As a plus, it's right next to First Horizon Park, making it the perfect spot for dinner before a baseball game.