75 Best Restaurants in Tennessee, USA

Adele's

$$$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Fresh, open, airy, and never too buttoned-up, Adele's is a favorite for business lunches and date-night dinners alike. This high-end Southern eatery was an early part of the neighborhood's revitalization, and James Beard–winning chef Jonathan Waxman continues to dazzle with his accessible but polished cuisine.

Applewood's Farmhouse Restaurant

$$ Fodor's choice

The owners of this restaurant have never romanticized "the good ol' days" just for the sake of marketing, but they do capitalize on the sucess of their family recipes developed over time, perfected with effort, and prepared with fresh ingredients. Homemade apple butter, apple fritters, and fruit juleps feature here, as well as signature menu items such as the famous Southern fried chicken, chicken potpie, and chicken and dumplings. You'll feel welcome from the minute you sit down inside the Kilpatrick family home, converted to a restaurant in 1987, and it's certainly worth sticking around long enough to try some apple cobbler for dessert. Wait times can sometimes extend to an hour during busy seasons.

Barista Parlor Golden Sound

$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Serious coffee connoisseurs shouldn't leave the city without a visit to one of Barista Parlor's outposts. The Gulch location is housed inside a former transmission shop, and everything inside, from the wood tables and platters to the art and barista aprons, are sourced from local makers and craftspeople, so you better believe they're serious about keeping it bespoke. The coffee and food options take time, so don't stop by in a hurry, but the attention to detail is worth it.

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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.

Edley's Bar-B-Que

$ | Sylvan Park Fodor's choice

Edley’s offers a delicious taste of Southern cooking in the classic meat-and-three tradition, 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 milk shake called a Bushwacker for refreshment.

Fido

$ | Hillsboro Village Fodor's choice

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. Pro tip: try the burger.

Frothy Monkey

$ | The Nations Fodor's choice

Giant warehouse windows hearken back to The Nations’ industrial roots and shed bright light on the stylish wood-laden interior of this coffee shop and all-day café. The variety of seating options make 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.

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.

Oliver Royale

$$$ Fodor's choice

Dining outside at this swank bistro feels like settling into a sidewalk café in France with a Southern twist. The extensive whiskey menu tempts you to order an old-fashioned—with sugar muddled slow to perfection—before digging into a plate of local rainbow trout with aged ham and whipped polenta, all sourced sustainably from regional farms.

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."

SoKno Taco Cantina

$ Fodor's choice

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.

Sunda New Asian

$$$ | The Gulch Fodor's choice

Celebrity chef and actor Billy Dec has brought his Chicago-based Sunda to Nashville with the recent splashy opening of this new sister restaurant, 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 selection of dim sum, a full sushi bar, crispy rice topped with tuna, and quite a few expertly cooked pork dishes. Don't miss their unique weekend brunch.

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.

Alcenia's

$ | Pinch District

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.

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.

Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant

Even if it plays up the "good 'ol days" kitsch, the Applewood is a welcome respite from the other places on the parkway. The two restaurants at either end of the complex have nearly identical menus that feature family recipes developed over time, perfected with effort, and prepared with fresh ingredients. You'll feel welcome from the minute you sit down. Wait times can sometimes extend to an hour during busy seasons, but there are shops and a winery on-site to fill the time.

Biscuit Love

$ | The Gulch

What started as a beloved Airstream food truck is now a brick-and-mortar staple in the neighborhood that's hailed for its daily scratch-made Southern-style biscuits. There are nine different biscuit sandwiches to choose from, made with a variety of meats, gravies, and toppings, but there are plenty of tempting "Without a Biscuit" options like the surprisingly tasty egg-topped Lindstrom made with shaved brussels sprouts, hazelnuts, and shredded Parmesan.

Biscuit Love

$ | Hillsboro Village

Biscuit Love opened its first outpost in the Gulch, with the hip new breakfast spot so popular that lines poured out the door each morning. Now the popular eatery is open in Hillsboro Village, serving up homemade biscuits and breakfast plates until 3 pm each day. Be warned: unless you get there early, be prepared to wait in line.

Biscuit Love

What goes better with buttermilk biscuits than a historical Queen Anne Victorian home? This one, affectionately known as the Corn House (after the Corn family who lived there from 1920 to 1980), is home to some of the best Southern brunch around, from the traditional (biscuits and sausage gravy with a side of cheese grits) to the unconventional (a biscuit burger with pimento cheese and tomato jam).

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.

Bongo Java

$ | Hillsboro Village

The Belmont Boulevard location of Bongo Java is a popular hangout for Belmont students. Accordingly, its food menu is more college-centric (think breakfast sandwiches) than Fido's, though in recent years the local coffee favorite has expanded its menu (and remodeled its building) to suit the needs of the rapidly growing neighborhood.

Bongo Java East

$ | East Nashville

The eastern outpost of the local Bongo Java empire, this location is in East Nashville's bustling Five Points neighborhood. Stop in for coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches, and more, served up in a refreshingly unpretentious environment by a friendly, knowledgeable staff. Bongo also has beer on tap and a selection of board games (thanks to a 2017 merger with Game Point Café), so it's the perfect spot to transition from daytime work to evening play.

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.

Chateau West

$$$ | West End

A Southern answer to French cuisine, Chateau West serves French-inspired lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Their upscale yet relaxed setting matches the quality and accessibility of their entrées.

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.

Crockett's Breakfast Camp

Heaping plates of flapjacks aren't hard to come by in Gatlinburg, but they're not all served on rough-hewn tables in a dining room modeled after an early-20th-century logging camp. But the rustic digs and taxidermied animals—including a coyote lying over the fireplace—aren't the primary appeal: that's the skillets of sausage, scrambled eggs, and towering "griddle cakes."

Dose Café and Dram Bar

$ | East Nashville

Located in East Nashville's Riverside Village neighborhood, Dose Café and Dram Bar serves up some of the city's finest espresso drinks. In addition to a caffeine fix, you'll find a full food menu, baked goods, beer, wine, and cocktails, making Dose the perfect one-stop shop for exploring the neighborhood.

Dozen Bakery

$ | Wedgewood-Houston

This small space is airy and bright, and maintains a bit of its pop-up-shop origins. Serving breakfast and lunch items—including soups and sandwiches—the best options are the cookies and pastries made on-site and also sold at a number of Nashville eateries. Marble-topped tables and black café chairs inside; outdoor seating in warmer months. The baking room is cloaked in a wooden shell that also wraps the counter. Only basic coffee, but it’s from local coffee shop Crema.

Tennessee

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