Irish chef Trevor Moran's 12 South dumpling and kakigori counter in Nashville earned a Michelin Star and 20th place on North America's 50 Best Restaurants 2025.
Must order: Pork dumplings in chicken broth and the seasonal kakigori shaved ice.
Tip: Friday through Sunday only, lunch and dinner. Moran wants his team to have weekends; midweek bookings are not an option.
Address: 2305 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
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.
Tony Mantuano's Joseph Hotel Italian room in downtown Nashville opened August 2020 with refined regional Italian cooking, awarded a Michelin Star in 2025.
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 South.
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. Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence 2025 and Modern Luxury hotel pick.
Order: Plant-forward small plates built around Tennessee produce.
Tip: Weekend brunch at 11:00 to 14:00 is the Hermitage's quieter face; the bar pours top by-the-glass selections.
Strategic Hospitality's Gulch steakhouse in Nashville cuts dry-aged beef tableside, runs a deep American wine list in a slick warehouse-converted dining room.
Order: 32oz dry-aged ribeye for two; cotton candy foie gras as the starter.
Tip: The bar runs walk-in service with a $25 burger that pairs with the same wine list at half the spend.
Philip Krajeck's Germantown Italian-American kitchen in Nashville earned a Michelin Recommended listing in 2025 for its handmade pastas and wood-fired plates.
Order: Squid ink chitarra with octopus and chickpea, plus seasonal vegetable plate.
Tip: Reservations on Resy 30 days out; the bar takes walk-ins from 17:00 and serves the same menu.
