8 Top Restaurants in Nashville
Nashville is known for country music, a bustling nightlife, and great food. And there truly is no shortage of wonderful restaurants for almost any type of food you could be craving. But with so many choices, it can become difficult to decide where to grab a bite.
We’ve put together a list of some of our favorite restaurants around the city. They aren’t ranked in any particular order — each establishment is unique. Just know that you won’t be disappointed no matter which restaurant you choose to visit.
1. Husk
Husk provides an “ingredient-driven” menu that explores the ideas of Southern food a little more deeply than previously done. Their offerings are dictated by the available products from regional producers. You can expect items such as potato wedges, hamburgers, fried chicken, and other items you might find in a typical southern restaurant.
The difference is the fresh quality of the ingredients along with innovative takes on these classic dishes. They are open for lunch and dinner, but be aware they close for a few hours in-between to reset their kitchen and dining room.
Go for a ride with Tommy’s Tours and work up an appetite!
2. City House
City House is located in the burgeoning Germantown area just outside of downtown Nashville. They serve a delicious and intentional menu based around Italian classics such as pasta, pizza, and housemade sausages. Their menu is built around southern ingredients to give these classic dishes a unique twist.
They offer an extensive selection of wine, cocktails, and beer to accompany their delicious food. Visit for a unique take on classic dishes.
3. Rolf & Daughters
Rolf & Daughters is located just a few blocks away from City House in Germantown. They focus on seasonal ingredients which vary not only day-to-day, but occasionally table-to-table. This variability in ingredients also means there is a large variability in menu offerings. Their dishes are served either on small plates or large plates to share. The food has been called Italian-French fusion, but there is also a slight Asian influence to the dishes as well.
No matter when you visit the restaurant, you can be sure to find something unique and well-crafted.
4. Bastion
Bastion has become a staple of local cuisine. They’re located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood just south of downtown. The establishment is broken up into two sections — half craft cocktail bar, and half restaurant. They offer a dining experience quite unlike anything else in the city. The dining area consists of 24 seats. Groups of one to three people can make use of the counter seating to watch the chefs as they enjoy a five course meal. Larger groups between four to six people can make a reservation and sit down to a two hour meal. This option includes fifteen dishes between five courses.
5. Butcher & Bee
What began as a sandwich shop has grown to one of the best restaurants in the city. Butcher & Bee is located on Main Street in East Nashville and focuses on using local farmers for their ingredients. Their menu changes with the seasons and depends on what is available from these local vendors. These vendors offer responsibly-sourced meats and local vegetables. The high-quality sandwiches are still on the menu, but they are now surrounded by more intricate and delicious entrees, appetizers, and desserts.
6. Virago
Virago has set the Nashville standard for Asian-fusion food for almost 20 years. They are located in a hip area called the Gulch, which is just a little outside of downtown. The interior design of the space is gorgeous and does a great job of setting the tone for the dining experience offered by the food. They serve some of the best sushi in the city along with other Asian-inspired dishes. Pro tip: A late-night menu kicks in after 10 pm. It offers a lot of their classic dishes at a lower price. This is a perfect option to get a bite to eat after catching a concert in the area.
7. Peg Leg Porker
Peg Leg Porker is down the road from Virago, but offers quite a different dining experience. A lot of people want to try some local barbecue when visiting Nashville, and Peg Leg Porker offers an authentic Southern barbecue experience. The meats are smoked fresh daily. The sides are made from scratch. The bread and desserts come from local bakeries. Pull up a chair, grab a napkin, and dig into some delicious Nashville barbecue.
8. Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria
Sometimes you just want a slice of some really good pizza in a really cool environment. Slim & Husky’s is themed around hip-hop and R&B from the 90’s. They serve up delicious specialty pizzas which can be enjoyed with a selection from their craft beer menu. Get a slice of one of their favorites such as the California Love, P.R.E.A.M., or the Red Light Special—or simply build your own pizza with their available ingredients.
