Lower Broadway honky tonks and SoBro hotel restaurants. Husk on Rutledge, Drusie and Darr at the Hermitage, plus the Assembly Food Hall.
Sean Brock's Rutledge Hill institution in Nashville cooks ingredient-driven Southern food on a wood hearth, run today by chef de cuisine Brian Baxter.
Signature: Cornbread skillet, Pork belly with peas
Order: The cornbread skillet, then whatever the menu lists from the wood hearth.
Tip: Lunch is a quieter seat with the same kitchen. Book the porch in spring; it overlooks downtown.
The Joseph Hotel's Italian fine-dining room in Nashville opened August 2020 with refined regional cooking. Located in Downtown. Priced at $$$$.
Signature: Handmade pasta, Whole grilled fish
Order: Pasta tasting and the whole fish; pair with the Italian-leaning wine list.
Tip: The espresso bar on the ground floor serves the same kitchen at half the price for an aperitivo.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Hermitage Hotel restaurant in downtown Nashville opened 2022 with seasonal cooking, Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
Signature: Plant-forward tasting, Wood oven pizzas
Order: The plant-forward plates the kitchen builds around Tennessee produce.
Tip: Breakfast at the Hermitage is the unsung meal: best biscuits in the hotel dining circuit.
A 22-seat counter on the fifth floor of the Bill Voorhees Building in Paseo South Gulch, Nashville, awarded a Michelin Star in 2025 under Ortiz and Doubrava.
Order: The full chef's counter tasting; the menu shifts seasonally.
Tip: Reservations open one month in advance on Tock. Wednesday through Saturday only; one seating per night.
The Joseph Hotel's Italian fine-dining room in downtown Nashville opened August 2020 with refined regional Italian cooking. A Forbes Star award-winner.
Order: Pasta tasting paired with a deep regional Italian wine list.
Tip: The espresso bar on the ground floor serves casual antipasti at half the price; counter seats welcome walk-ins.
Sean Brock's Rutledge Hill institution in Nashville cooks ingredient-driven Southern food on a wood hearth, recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide American.
Order: Cornbread skillet, then whatever the menu lists from the wood hearth.
Tip: Lunch is quieter with the same kitchen. Book the porch seats in spring; they overlook downtown.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Hermitage Hotel restaurant in downtown Nashville opened 2022. Order the plant-forward small plates built around tennessee produce.
Order: Plant-forward small plates built around Tennessee produce.
Tip: Weekend brunch at 11:00-14:00 is the Hermitage's quieter face; the bar pours top by-the-glass selections.
Pat Martin's Nashville BBQ joint in downtown runs old-school whole-hog barbecue, a massive beer garden and live music nightly behind the Music City Center.
Signature: Whole-hog pulled pork, Redneck Taco
Order: Pulled pork sandwich with Alabama white sauce on top, and a side of mac.
Tip: The beer garden out back is the move on warm nights; live music starts at 19:00 most days.
Strategic Hospitality's 13,000 square-foot Peabody Street complex in downtown Nashville combines a restaurant, copper-bar cocktails, six vintage bowling.
Signature: Burgers, Brunch with bowling
Order: Burger at the bar; banana cream pie on weekends.
Tip: Bowling books out for weekend nights; the patio with mini bocce takes walk-ins year-round.
Crema's downtown Hermitage Avenue flagship in Nashville opened 2008, runs the city's longest-tenured third-wave espresso programme and a coffee education lab.
Signature drink: Espresso
Tip: Public coffee classes run from this location; sign up online. The patio is small but quiet on a weekday morning.
Crema's downtown Hermitage Avenue cafe in Nashville houses the company's Coffee Education and Events Lab, where all public classes and cuppings happen.
Tip: Coffee classes run monthly; book online. Pourover flight tastings let you try three single origins at one sitting.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Subscription
Robert's Western World on Lower Broadway in Nashville has anchored the honky-tonk strip since 1996. Free live country music from 11:00-02:00 every day.
Signature drink: Beer with fried bologna sandwich
Food: Bologna sandwich and snacks
Tip: Tip the band $5 or $10 if you stay through a set. The Recession Special is fried bologna with chips and a PBR for $7.
Assembly Food Hall at Fifth and Broadway in downtown Nashville opened 2021 with 30 stalls including Prince's Hot Chicken, Hattie B's, Hattie Jane's Creamery.
Tip: Prince's Hot Chicken inside is the easy way to try the original without trekking to Nolensville. Rooftop bar is the move at sundown.
Walk Eat Nashville's flagship downtown tour visits five restaurants and shops in Nashville over three hours, named a Top 15 US Food Tour. Small groups.
Tip: Sunday and Monday brunch versions run a slightly different stop list; arrive 10 minutes early at the meeting point.
Dabble Tours' Nashville Hot Chicken and Whiskey route in Nashville visits three hot chicken counters and a whiskey distillery, the dish's defining pairing.
Tip: Tour size is intentionally smaller than competitors; book a private group route for parties of six or more.
Sidewalk Food Tours runs two Nashville routes in either downtown or East Nashville, with authentic Tennessee cuisine and history stops. National operator.
Tip: Tours run rain or shine. The downtown route is the better first-time-visitor option; East Nashville suits return visitors.
Dabble Tours' Nashville Hot Chicken and Whiskey route in Nashville visits three hot chicken counters and a whiskey distillery, the dish's defining pairing.
Tip: Eat a small breakfast; the three stops add up fast. Tour includes transport between stops.
Nashville Wine Auction's l'Été du Vin gala in Nashville is the city's longest-running wine event, founded 1980. Funds cancer research; the 2026 edition ran.
Tip: The Patrons' Dinner in June and the Vintners' Tasting in late July are smaller, easier to book than the August gala.
The Nashville Predators Wine Festival and Tasting in Nashville benefits the team foundation, with 200 wines, signature pours and chef stations inside.
Tip: VIP tickets get early access and access to a special grand-cru room; general admission opens 60 minutes later.
Sidewalk Food Tours runs the Nashville Cuisine cooking class downtown: a two-hour hands-on session covering Nashville hot chicken, biscuits and gravy.
Tip: Twelve-ticket minimum even for smaller groups; bachelorette parties of six or seven typically still book the full twelve and split a couple of guest slots.
The Recession Special at Robert's Western World on Lower Broadway in Nashville is fried bologna with chips and a PBR for $7, plus free live country music.
Try: Fried bologna sandwich with chips and beer
Tip: Cash for the bar; tip the band $5 per set. The Recession Special is one of the city's most reliable cheap meals.
Strategic Hospitality's 13,000 square-foot Peabody Street complex in downtown Nashville serves weekend brunch with bowling lanes, copper-bar coffee cocktails.
Order: Brioche French toast
Tip: Family groups book the lanes; brunch + a game runs about $40 per person. Reserve 10:00 lanes for a quieter time.
Robert's Western World on Lower Broadway in Nashville stays open until 02:00 every night with free live country music, the Recession Special and a fast-pour.
Try: Fried bologna sandwich with chips and beer
Tip: Tip the band $5 per set if you stay. The Recession Special: fried bologna sandwich, chips and a PBR for $7.
Honky Tonk Central at 4th and Broadway in Nashville is the three-floor honky-tonk that holds 840 dancing bodies under live country bands every night.
Tip: Open 11:00-03:00 daily, 10:00 open on Friday and Saturday. No cover, kitchen runs until 22:00.
AJ's Good Time Bar on Lower Broadway in Nashville is Alan Jackson's three-floor honky-tonk, with country bands on each level and a rooftop overlooking the strip.
Tip: Live music starts at 10:00 daily and runs until last call at 03:00. The rooftop opens later and is the easier dance floor on Saturdays.
Whiskey Bent Saloon on Lower Broadway in Nashville pairs country dance bands with a deep bourbon list, two stages running back-to-back acts all night.
Tip: No cover and free entry until close. Bourbon flights are the move; cash and card both work at the saloon-style front bar.
Tin Roof on Demonbreun Hill in Nashville opened in 2002 next to Music Row, with a live music stage, a DJ-led Green Room dance floor and four bars under one roof.
Tip: No cover any night. The Green Room DJs spin until 03:00 Thursday through Saturday; weeknight live bands start at 21:00.
Tootsie's Orchid Lounge on Lower Broadway in Nashville is the purple honky-tonk that fed the Ryman backstage since 1960, with live country on three stages daily.
Tip: Open 09:30-03:00 every day with no cover. The upstairs stage is the easier walk-up; tip the band a few dollars per song.
Robert's Western World on Broadway in Nashville is the honky-tonk in a former Sho-Bud guitar shop, with classic country bands and the Recession Special at the bar.
Tip: Recession Special is a fried bologna sandwich, chips, Moon Pie and a PBR for $6. All-ages until 18:00, then 21+ only.
Legends Corner on Lower Broadway in Nashville lines its walls with country album covers and runs live honky-tonk bands from 10:00-03:00 every day with no cover.
Tip: Open 10:00-03:00 daily, all-ages until 18:00 then 21+. The corner location at 5th and Broadway puts you closest to the Ryman.
Rare Bird on the 13th floor of the Noelle hotel in downtown Nashville pours craft cocktails on a wraparound deck above the Cumberland River and State Capitol.
Tip: Weekend hours run to midnight, weekdays close at 22:00. Cabana seating books out by 19:00; the bar rail walks in easy.
Acme Feed & Seed on Broadway in Nashville is the 1890 feed-store turned four-floor music hall, with a top-floor rooftop framing the Cumberland and Nissan Stadium.
Tip: Rooftop runs 12:00-20:00 Sunday to Friday, 11:00-22:00 Saturday. No cover; arrive before sunset to catch the skyline turn.
The Nash Rooftop Lounge above Printers Alley in downtown Nashville is the ten-story backyard with a retrofitted 1956 Scenicruiser bus, cabanas and a bag-toss lawn.
Tip: Open to the public except the pool. Live music on the backyard stage runs most weekend afternoons; Friday closes at midnight.
888 at the base of the JW Marriott in Nashville is the Japanese kissa-style vinyl bar with 2,000 records on a wall chosen with Grimey's and United Record Pressing.
Tip: Open 17:00-23:00 Sun-Wed, later Thu-Sat. Happy hour 16:00-18:00 at the bar only; full sushi menu on the dining side.
Skull's Rainbow Room in the 1948 Southern Turf basement in Printers Alley Nashville is the only downtown jazz lounge, with nightly bands and late burlesque sets.
Tip: Jazz nightly from 17:00, burlesque Thursday to Sunday at 23:00 with a $25 cover from 21:00. Reserve via OpenTable for dinner first.