The city's creative core. Five Points anchors Lockeland Table, Margot Cafe and Mas Tacos; Gallatin and Eastland run natural wine, ramen and pizza.
Sean Brock's East Nashville Appalachian fine-dining room opened in 2021, named for his grandmother. Recommended in the inaugural 2025 Michelin Guide American South.
Signature: Heritage pork, Cornmeal and grits
Order: The full tasting if you can; otherwise heritage pork from Brock's own farm.
Tip: June, the upstairs tasting counter, is on hiatus for guest chef sessions in 2026. Audrey itself runs nightly.
Chef Hal Holden-Bache's East Nashville room in Nashville opened in 2012 in a Lockeland Springs corner storefront, running wood-fired pizzas and Southern plates.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Pork chop
Order: Margherita pizza from the wood oven, the pork chop with redeye gravy.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 17:30 runs half-price pizza and pours at the bar; a James Beard nominee for Community Kitchen.
Margot McCormack's Five Points room in East Nashville has cooked French-Italian country food since 2001, with a daily menu and a wood-burning fireplace.
Signature: Daily-changing menu, Cassoulet in winter
Order: Whatever the daily menu lists; the cassoulet in cold months is the move.
Tip: The bar runs an aperitivo menu Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday brunch books out a week ahead.
Philip Krajeck's casual East Nashville sibling to Rolf and Daughters opened in 2018, running naturally leavened pizza and a vegetable-forward menu with natural wine.
Signature: Naturally leavened pizza, Vegetable plates
Order: The mushroom pizza and whatever bitter green is currently on the menu.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays. Walk-in seats at the long marble bar are the best move on a weeknight.
A converted East Nashville church running 150 artisan wine selections and seasonal small plates, named to the New York Times 50 Best Restaurants list in 2024.
Signature: Seasonal small plates, Wine pairings
Order: Tell the sommelier your price range and let them build a flight with snacks.
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins; named Michelin American South Sommelier of the Year 2025.
Patrick Burke's Eastland Avenue ramen and izakaya counter in Nashville opened in 2014. The tonkotsu and miso ramens are the canonical bowls in East Nashville.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Izakaya small plates
Order: Tonkotsu ramen with extra egg and chashu, plus the karaage chicken.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 runs $5 plates and discounted sake; counter seats easier than booths.
Brian Lea and Leina Horii's 40-seat Highland Yards Japanese comfort-food room earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand and Garden and Gun Hot List in Nashville.
Signature: Okonomiyaki, Curry rice
Order: Okonomiyaki with bonito flakes, plus seasonal curry rice and karaage.
Tip: Lunch only Wednesday through Sunday. No reservations; queue starts before opening on weekends.
Teresa Mason's McFerrin Avenue taco counter in East Nashville opened as a converted Airstream and now runs full kitchen service. Cash-friendly, no-reservations.
Signature: Fried avocado taco, Tortilla soup
Order: Two fried avocado tacos and a bowl of chicken tortilla soup with avocado.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Lunch lines build by 12:00; arrive at 11:00 or after 14:00 for an easy seat.
Bolton Polk's Main Street hot chicken shop in East Nashville is the editor's pick on the hot-chicken map: smaller, cheaper and darker-fried than Hattie B's.
Signature: Hot chicken, Hot fish
Order: Hot chicken thigh sandwich with slaw, plus the hot whiting fish.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Cash and card; tiny counter, takeaway is the move.
Sean Brock's Appalachian fine-dining room in East Nashville opened 2021. Recommended in the 2025 Michelin Guide American South for thoughtful sourcing.
Order: Heritage pork from Brock's own farm and the cornmeal program.
Tip: June, the tasting counter upstairs, is on hiatus for guest-chef sessions. Audrey downstairs runs nightly.
Chef Hal Holden-Bache's Five Points room in East Nashville opened 2012 in a corner storefront, running wood-fired pizzas and Southern-accented neighbourhood plates.
Signature: Wood-fired pizza, Pork chop with redeye gravy
Order: Margherita pizza from the wood oven and the pork chop.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 17:30 runs half-price pizza and pours at the bar; James Beard Community Kitchen nominee.
Margot McCormack's Five Points room in East Nashville has cooked French-Italian country food since 2001, with a daily menu and a wood-burning fireplace.
Signature: Daily-changing menu, Cassoulet in winter
Order: Whatever the daily menu lists; the cassoulet in cold months is the move.
Tip: The bar runs an aperitivo menu Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday brunch books out a week ahead.
Philip Krajeck's casual East Nashville room in Nashville opened 2018, running naturally leavened pizza and a vegetable-forward menu with natural wine on tap.
Signature: Naturally leavened pizza, Vegetable plates
Order: The mushroom pizza and whatever bitter green is currently on the menu.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays. Walk-in seats at the long marble bar are the best move on a weeknight.
Patrick Burke's Eastland Avenue ramen and izakaya counter in Nashville opened 2014. The tonkotsu and miso ramens are the canonical bowls in East Nashville.
Signature: Tonkotsu ramen, Izakaya plates
Order: Tonkotsu ramen with extra egg and chashu, plus karaage chicken.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 runs $5 plates and discounted sake; counter seats easier than booths.
Brian Lea and Leina Horii's 40-seat Highland Yards Japanese comfort-food room earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand and Garden and Gun Hot List in Nashville.
Signature: Okonomiyaki, Curry rice
Order: Okonomiyaki with bonito flakes, plus seasonal curry rice and karaage.
Tip: Lunch only Wednesday through Sunday. No reservations; queue starts before opening on weekends.
Barista Parlor's Gallatin Avenue flagship in East Nashville set the city's third-wave coffee aesthetic when it opened 2012, all reclaimed wood and motorcycles.
Signature drink: Single-origin pour-over
Tip: Closed for a 2025 refresh; reopened with the roastery moved on-site. Pastries from Dozen Bakery; the breakfast biscuit is the underrated order.
Yeast Nashville's Woodland Street counter in East Nashville bakes Czech-style kolaches with sausage, cheese and fruit fillings since 2014. Cash and card; small queue.
Tip: Closed at noon every day. Mornings only. Sausage and cheese is the canonical order; cherry kolache is the sweet move.
Worth the queue: Sausage and cheese kolache
Crema's roasting operation in East Nashville at Duke Street pulls in green coffee from Ethiopia, Colombia and Guatemala. The flagship cafe sits downtown at Hermitage Ave.
Tip: The roastery is open to visitors with notice; the public coffee classes happen at the Hermitage Avenue cafe instead.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Barista Parlor's East Nashville Gallatin Avenue flagship moved its roasting operation on-site in 2025. The aesthetic-led cafe opened in 2012 and franchised across the city.
Tip: Single-origin pours rotate weekly; ask the bar for the lightest roast on bar that morning.
Sources from: Ethiopia, Honduras, Kenya
How they serve: Espresso, Filter, Pour over, Whole bean retail
Brian Lea's converted East Nashville church running 150 artisan wine selections and seasonal plates. 2025 Michelin American South Sommelier of the Year award.
Signature pour: Whatever the sommelier is geeking out on
Wine focus: 150 artisan selections, natural and classic
Food: Seasonal small plates and a tasting menu
Tip: Bar walk-ins available; named to the New York Times 50 Best Restaurants in 2024.
Rosemary and Beauty Queen on Forrest Avenue in East Nashville pours natural and orange wines alongside Mediterranean small plates from a tight kitchen since 2019.
Signature pour: Natural orange wines
Wine focus: Natural and orange wines
Food: Snacks and Mediterranean small plates
Tip: Bookings on Resy; the back patio is the best seat. Snacks-only menu Sunday after 21:00.
The New York-born Attaboy opened its East Nashville McFerrin Avenue outpost in 2018: no menu, no cocktail list, bartenders build drinks to your spec.
Signature drink: Bartender's choice (no menu)
Food: Snacks only
Tip: Doors at 17:00 Sunday to Thursday, 16:00 Friday and Saturday. Press the buzzer to enter; first-come-first-served bar.
Pearl Diver on Gallatin Avenue in East Nashville is a multi-time Spirited Awards Best US Cocktail Bar honoree and tiki-style room with a deep rum programme.
Signature drink: Tiki classics
Food: Bar snacks and brunch
Tip: Reopened March 2026 with weekend brunch service, greatest hits cocktail list and a refreshed food menu.
Teresa Mason's McFerrin Avenue taco counter in East Nashville opened as a converted Airstream and now runs full kitchen service. The canonical Nashville taco shop.
Try: Fried avocado tacos
Tip: Closed Mondays. Two fried avocado tacos and a bowl of tortilla soup is the canonical order.
Bolton Polk's Main Street counter in East Nashville cuts a smaller and darker-fried hot chicken than Hattie B's, with hot whiting fish as the secondary order.
Try: Hot chicken thigh
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Cash and card; tiny counter, takeaway is the move.
Southern Grist Brewing's East Nashville Porter Road taproom in Nashville opened 2016 and runs experimental hazy IPAs, milkshake stouts and rotating barrel-aged releases.
Tip: Bottle releases run monthly; the Brunch House series in stout form is the cult drop. Outdoor seating in summer only.
East Nashville Farmers' Market runs Wednesdays in Shelby Park, May through October, with Tennessee producers and prepared-food stalls. Cash and card welcome.
Tip: Get there at 15:30 sharp for the freshest produce; tomato season July to September is the peak weekend.
The Turnip Truck's Woodland Street store in East Nashville is the local-organic grocer of choice, with a hot food bar, sandwich counter and Tennessee-made groceries.
Tip: Hot bar lunch is the move; salad bar runs cleaner ingredients than most cafes for the same money.
Nashville's free Music City Hot Chicken Festival in East Park celebrates the city's signature dish each July 4 since 2007, plus a fire-truck parade, amateur cook-off and Yazoo beer.
Tip: Arrive by 10:30 for the parade; bring cash and sunscreen. The amateur cook-off is the unsung draw.
Tomato Art Fest in East Nashville's Five Points runs free over two days each August, with costumes, tomato-themed art, food vendors and concerts. Held since 2004 in Nashville.
Tip: Costumes are encouraged; tomato red is the unofficial dress code. Bring cash for art and food vendors.
ABI Cooks With You runs intimate Mediterranean and Middle Eastern home-cooking classes in East Nashville. Founder Abi teaches eight students at a time at a private studio.
Tip: Private classes for parties of six; small public classes typically run Friday evenings only. Email to book.
Mas Tacos in East Nashville feeds you two tacos and a bowl of chicken tortilla soup for under $13. Closed Mondays; line builds by noon.
Try: Two tacos and a soup
Tip: Two fried avocado tacos and a bowl of chicken tortilla soup is the canonical order.
Bolton's on Main Street in East Nashville plates a hot chicken thigh sandwich and slaw for under $12. The cheapest serious hot chicken option in Nashville.
Try: Hot chicken sandwich
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. Tiny counter; takeaway is the move.
Yeast Nashville's Woodland Street kolache counter in East Nashville builds a breakfast or lunch around savoury and sweet kolaches for under $10. Open mornings only.
Try: Kolache and coffee
Tip: Closed at noon every day. Sausage and cheese kolache plus a cherry kolache is the lunch order for $8.
I Dream of Weenie's school-bus hot dog counter on Woodland Street in East Nashville builds loaded dogs with house chili for under $9. Cash and card; outdoor seating.
Try: Loaded hot dog
Tip: Combo with chips and a fountain drink under $11. Gluten-free buns the same price; ask at the window.
Margot McCormack's Five Points room in East Nashville runs a Sunday brunch with a single rotating menu and a wood fireplace, since 2001. Reservations a week ahead.
Order: Daily brunch menu (changes weekly)
Tip: The bar takes walk-ins. The daily brunch menu prints fresh each week; never the same plate twice.
Patrick Burke's Eastland Avenue ramen and izakaya counter in East Nashville serves the city's reliable late-night bowl: tonkotsu, miso, karaage and sake until 23:00.
Try: Tonkotsu ramen and izakaya plates
Tip: Friday and Saturday kitchen runs until 23:00; happy hour 16:00 to 18:00 covers $5 small plates and discounted sake.