Nashville Food Guide: Where to Eat
Eat your way through Nashville, Tennessee by visiting the top restaurants for brunch, dinner and appetizers.
Tennessee Cobbler Company. If you’re lucky enough to spot this food truck, run don’t walk. We found them parked outside of Draper James, so we were able to enjoy some delicious peach cobbler before shopping.
Five Daughters Bakery donut.
Five Daughters Bakery. This cute little donut shop is located in the 12South District. All of the donuts look incredible, but I went with the maple bacon (and definitely didn’t regret it). They’re very sweet though; that being said, I found one donut can feed two people.
Old Red. One item here is mandatory: Jalapeno Kettle Chips and Dip. This appetizer is large, delicious, and the perfect hint of spice to accompany a sweet cocktail (like a strawberry mojito). Not only is the food good, but the atmosphere is one of my favorites in Downtown Nashville. Interested in rooftop bars? Check out my list of Nashville’s Best Rooftop Bars.
Blue Sky Cafe. If you don’t start your meal with a latte, you’re doing it wrong - they’re incredible. As for food, I’d skip the omelet and instead opt for french toast. I went with the PB&J french toast (which was great & pictured above), but the nutella and banana seemed to be the real winner - also, this is an insanely large portion (you can’t tell, but it’s two pieces of french toast placed between two pancakes), and can absolutely be shared.
This cafe sits on the corner of a residential neighborhood, making it difficult to spot, and not well-known by tourists (a major plus). The only downside is that it’s smaller, so you’ll likely be waiting outside before your table is ready. But if the weather is nice, this isn’t an issue.
White Horse Saloon. A large, theater style restaurant houses a dance floor (swing dance classes included), live music and good BBQ. If they aren’t hosting a concert, there’s plenty of seats throughout each level - day and night. Because it’s located right off of Broadway, this is an easy spot to come back to when you need a break from the hectic bar scene.
Opry Backstage Grill. This restaurant, located inside The Inn at Opryland hotel, features live music and the best chicken and waffles I’ve ever had (I’d recommend ordering an extra side of syrup and buffalo sauce). Even if you aren’t staying at the hotel, I’d say make the drive - great food and atmosphere.
The Flipside. As seen on the Travel Channel, this brunch spot summed up everything I admire about Nashville’s culinary side. Absurd bloody marys (stacked with crab legs, cheese curds, chicken and so much more), butter soaked poutine and a large portion of chicken and waffles. This spot looks like any other house on the street, until you get inside. You’ll likely encounter a wait time, but it went much faster than estimated - so wait it out on the porch with drinks, or pop into a few boutiques until your call time.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. This ice cream shop has tons of innovative flavors. It’s located right across the street from The Flipside, so I’d highly recommend stopping in after brunch (or before and after - yeah, we did that.)