Best Spots for Lunch in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, is not just the home of country music, but also a culinary hotspot with a diverse food scene. From traditional Southern comfort food to innovative fusion cuisine, the city offers a plethora of options for a midday meal. Whether you're a local looking for new places to try, or a tourist wanting to experience the city's gastronomic delights, this article will guide you through the best spots for lunch in Nashville. We've curated a list that caters to all tastes and budgets, ensuring that your lunchtime in Music City is nothing short of delicious. So, get ready to embark on a culinary journey through Nashville's vibrant lunch scene.
Sun diner
4.5
(1972)
Classic Southern favorites & breakfast specialties served in a nostalgic Sun Records–themed diner.
Reviews:
I was here visiting, and this was one of the last spots I ate at. I want to say it is worth it, from start to finish. The service was great! The seating is different, but I truly enjoyed it. The food was amazing definitely have to try the chicken and waffles. The French toast was out of this world. This is a must stop if you are just visiting.
HJC Car
What a great place! Tucked away on 3rd Ave next to Luke’s place. Ambiance was awesome - Memorabilia adorned the walls. Stand along the wall to wait for an open spot. Stool seating around wood tables. (Two booths in the back.). We went on a Friday morning and waited maybe 5 minutes. Food was excellent - Million Dollar Breakfast was great amount of food. Get the sausage - so good. Belgian waffle - large enough for two! And the peanut drizzle .. so good. Servers were fantastic. Hustling, taking care of every need and attentive. A definite must when you’re in Nashville.
Roberta Cappon
Five stars all around! Went here for lunch during the Titans vs. Vols game and it was a pleasant experience with phenomenal food. Wait staff was extremely attentive. Due to the busy nature of the street, they won't seat you until all of your party is with you, but is completely understandable. Would be back again! The chicken fried steak was delicious and filling.
Peter Reckling
Wow!! I was blown away with the food! It has great atmosphere with some great artwork and amazing food! Our waitress Mariana was awesome and so helpful with helping on deciding what to order couldn’t decide between a couple dishes! The place was packed but we got seating within 5 minutes. Definitely would recommend you try if your in the Nashville area.
Ceaz G
Ah, the Sun Diner, Nashville's little gem that marries retro charm with modern culinary flair. One step inside and you're hit with a layout that seems plucked straight out of a 1950s sitcom with its bar-style tables encircling a centralized hub where the staff hold court. But you don't achieve iconic status on nostalgia alone—your hash browns better have game. And the Sun Diner does not disappoint. Their menu might not require a table of contents, but what it lacks in length, it makes up for in flavor. In a nutshell, the Sun Diner is like that classic album you can listen to on repeat—every track is a hit.
Y. Cherski
107 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201, USA
Lockeland table
4.7
(1088)
Rustic, rehabbed storefront setting for Southern-accented American grub & wood-fired pizzas.
Reviews:
I really liked the aesthetic and intimacy of the restaurant here. It’s a small main dining room with a smaller side room plus a bar. Visit during the community hour for great small plate specials and $7 drinks. There is also a $22 pizza of the day. Ours was really really good with sausage, jalapeño, and honey. It was really well balanced and filling. Our server recommended an after dinner drink across the street at Urban Cowboy and that was also a blast. 5/5 food, service, and vibe. Make sure to make a reservation! The pork belly tacos would be an immediate order on future visits. The queso fundito was good but would be a pass to try something different. The sauce on the wings were also really unique and some of the best I’ve had even if the wings themselves were small. 5 wings for $7 was still an excellent value. It’s easy to see why this restaurant consistently makes “best of” lists
Scott Moore
We went to celebrate a birthday and everything was delicious! We got a steak, the pork chops, and the spinach fettuccine. Oh, and of course we got the banana fosters bread pudding AND the skillet cookie for deserts. Our waiter, Bo, was super friendly and attentive.
Julie M
We stayed in East Nashville and decided to come here for happy hour! We were not disappointed; it was a cute & cozy neighborhood spot with wonderful and attentive service, dishes served on eclectic local pottery, and great apps/cocktails! We tried a variety of things on the menu - hummus, maple glazed wings, pork belly tacos and the steak! We were most impressed by lovely and balance cocktails and an excellent wine selection. Don’t sleep on the blackberry mezcal drink (pictured)!!
Janine Burdette
We happened to be staying in East Nashville, very close to this neighbourhood gem.. We decided to share a few dishes from the menu as there were too many good ones to choose from.. particularly recommend the pork belly! The staff were very friendly and attentive and even gave us great advice on venues to visit after dinner.. 🥳
Nicholas Ryan
Ventured over to the east side of Nashville to indulge at a restaurant that supports locally grown produce. Our reservation was for 6:45 pm. The host graciously seated us early to partake in their community hour. Shout out to the lovely hostess! Go all in for the wings and embrace that beautiful sweet/hot and a delicate crunch from the peanuts. I wanted to gnaw on the bones, but did not want to appear un-ladylike. I went in like a warrior and ordered the dry-aged NY strip steak. The Chef recommended medium rare. Let me just say, I wanted to find the chef and curtsy before him, because he prepared my steak as if I was royalty. The steak was well rested, juicy and bursting with flavor. The ensemble of green beans, sweet tomato, pecan sauté and chimichurri provided a delicious bed of flavor for the steak. My bestie ordered the grilled pork chop and all I heard her say repeatedly is: “This is Amazing!!!!” I will be back to try the pizzas and other palete pleasing options on the menu.
Lowanda Hill
1520 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206, USA
The diner nashville
4.1
(5928)
Large diner serving American classic fare & drinks, plus sushi & oysters, in modern digs. Open late.
Reviews:
Visiting this joint presented an intriguingly diverse concept, catering to a range of preferences and budgets. On the ground floor, you can revel in the ambiance of a classic Southern diner, and for those desiring a more sumptuous experience, the upper floor offers a lavish dining setting, complemented by breathtaking views of the city. We found the service to be swift, friendly, and the food, particularly the Nashville hot chicken, was of excellent quality and arrived promptly. My only slight qualm was the overly zealous air conditioning, which might be a tad excessive for some, though this is, of course, subjective.
Y. Cherski
Parking is tricky around here. We ended up paying $40 for 1 hour. Very hard to find a spot if you are only coming to the restaurant and not exploring the area. This place has multiple floors and is very nicely decorated. Our sever was friendly and kind. They were busy but still had open tables. Food was very fresh and delicious but the portions very small for the price you are paying. It felt like a classy place.
Alex Alex
Had breakfast on the top floor with the wife. I got the Diner Scrambler and the wife got the Chicken n Waffles. Mine was pretty standard, but the wife's was awesome. The chicken was plump and had the right amount of zing. The waffle melts in your mouth. And the view is pretty cool too 😎
Tommy Tegu
Amazing experience! The idea of a 6 floored restaurant is insane to my small town mind. The food was amazing and the prices were pretty good for what we got. I got the spicy chicken and waffles, and it did not disappoint. The sweet tea is nice and sweet and my wife loved her milkshake. The service was impeccable and the waitress had a wonderful attitude.
Kaelan Weaver
Pretty nice place and great food. Simple but enjoyable. The salads are filling. The Hot Chicken Wraps are truly hot and tasty. We were on the ground floor and it was a nice view, good decor inside and quick service. Washrooms are clean and we'll maintained. Cocktails are nice and strong. Highly recommend.
Chanaka Hettige
200 3rd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201, USA
The stillery
4.6
(3612)
Mason jar cocktails, burgers & brick-oven pizza in a modern space with live music on weekends.
Reviews:
We were really surprised at how awesome the service and the food were so delicious. Especially after we had a bad experience at the Black Tap in Nashville. We will not be going back there again. We were treated well at The Stillery also and felt very comfortable in the atmosphere. Recommended it to anyone to "The Stillery." Chicken wings were little 😋 hot, but delicious with a nice flavor and my lady's fish was awesome 👌🏿 too. You saved our day. We give it a 10 yo.....
NY
Some of the best food we all had! The spicy chicken pizza was probably in my top 5 pizzas I ever had. The spicy mac and cheese was the best Mac and cheese I ever had! The wontons were incredible as well. The Brussels were a little soft but still tasted good. The service was quick, professional, and made great recommendations. Ambiance was quieter but could still talk at a normal level.
Eric Graham
Great place to eat in the heart of Nashville! They also have a rooftop bar. We waited 45 minutes for a table. All the staff were friendly. The food was definitely worth the wait. We loved the Hot Chicken sandwich and Sonoran burger. The fries were not very good. They seemed a little soggy. I would have preferred them with some crispness.
Wanderluster
There was no wait, a nice comfortable booth, service was quick, though our food came out a few minutes apart it was fresh and well made. We enjoyed the bacon and jalapeno rangoons to start. The Mac n cheese is very creamy and they toast up the top for a little extra crunch. The hot chicken comes in house and Nashville hot so you can adjust the heat level, I'm not a fan of the cheese they used on the hot chicken sandwich but it was mostly easy to scrape off. The steak sandwich with greens was very tender and thinly sliced to make it easier to eat, it was one of the best constructed higher quality steak sandwiches I've seen.
Cary Pool
We got in around 8pm so it’s pretty crowded, we waited for 45 minutes before getting seated. Since it’s our first time, we chose the special and recommended dishes. I got myself the Mac & Cheese with Hot chicken- the popular one in the restaurant. We also got a Hanger Steak (pic not included), Catfish & Chips- as my waiter’s favorite one, and Steak’Sand Burger. My Mac&Cheese is creamy and makes a great combination with spicy chicken wings, which is understandable why people love it. Personally, I love and recommend the Steak’Sand Burger because of its crunchy bread and juicy meat with cheese and greens. Great amount and all is delicious. Got so full quickly. Our waiter is friendly and helpful. Good atmosphere.
DbGA지안
113 2nd Ave N, Nashville, TN 37201, USA
Adele's nashville
4.5
(1959)
Farm-to-fork restaurant with a cool vibe offering New American dishes, cocktails & patio seating.
Reviews:
This might be my new favorite brunch spot in Nashville. Make sure you have reservations and if you want an earlier time, it’s a good idea to book on open table a few weeks out. Brunch runs from 11-2 on Saturday and Sunday. All the food was great, but I especially loved the bacon made in the wood fired oven and the shrimp and grits. The shrimp has enough flavor to enhance the grits. The home fries are also really good. The food was replenished several times throughout the service, so everything was fresh. The desserts were also really good. The aesthetic is clean, basic and low key. Dress is casual but you wouldn’t look out of place in a nice brunch dress, or a dress shirt tucked into khakis. I enjoyed my mocktail very much and we both enjoyed the service throughout the meal.
Scott Moore
Upscale American place with good service and overpriced mains with small portion size. We got the meatballs , sourdough bread with the butter as our appetizer to share at the table. Was decent, not a lot to complain. The cocktails were okay , nothing to rave about. The mains was disappointing. The vegan and gnocchi options were very okay and the meat options were very small for the price we are paying . I had to go to my room and eat a cookie because i wasn’t full. Not recommending this place unless your company is paying for it!
Gaurav Hegde
Best. Meal. Ever. Travis was such a great waiter We LOVED him. So attentive! We felt as if we were his only table. He handled all of our food allergies. The food was a great mix of a healthy gourmet meal and incredibly delectable. The pumpkin dessert was Christmas in my mouth. There is not one thing that was bad. Delicious. Plus…we got to see Bob Jovi!
Tara Beauchesne
Sunday Brunch is amazing. It’s all you can eat from 10-2 for $32. The dishes are incredible. Some of the best salmon I’ve had. Coffee is nice and strong. The truffle Mac N Cheese was my favorite.
Sarah Upton
We enjoyed our evening at Adele’s. Great cocktails, highly recommend the meatballs and the new peach salad was delicious. We all had something different and everything was really good. The salmon and the gnocchi were our favorites. Our server, Kimberly was fantastic!
Sherri Crandall
1210 McGavock St, Nashville, TN 37203, USA
Henrietta red
4.5
(943)
Airy, chic spot for oysters & elevated seafood small plates, plus a separate bar for cocktails.
Reviews:
Instantly one of my favorite restaurants in Nashville. I think i finally understand what someone means when they say "the menu is an experience." They take so many familiar ingredients and elevate your expectations of how they can taste. I'm still having dreams of the desserts I had, they were...perfect. Lastly, if you like oysters there is no better place. The variety is great and the flavors made me fall in love with oysters again.
Elias West
If you want a great variety of fresh oysters, Henrietta Red is your place. The Oyster Rockefeller’s has a fresh taste, complex flavors and textures that create an explosion of flavor on your palate. Although I avoid bread, I can never turn down the wood fired bread with the mouthwatering anchovy spread. Eat the bread, slather the anchovy spread on top and ask for forgiveness later. Forget what you thought about radish’s and try the Radish Salad. The salad has complex flavors of sweetness, tart and savory. I could not resist the scallops seared to perfection with a savory light citrus sauce. For dessert, I ordered a piece of art, the Chocolate Marquise. It was so beautiful to look at, and wonderfully decedent. Henrietta Red serves great shareable plates, craft cocktails and wine. I highly recommend Henrietta Red.
Lowanda Hill
Came for Sunday brunch and left pretty disappointed. I don’t know what was going on, but it took 45 mins to get any food. The waitress barely checked in on us and came off as really unconcerned; no updates, no apologies. Food came out haphazardly with some people getting everything they ordered while others had nothing. Ultimately, the food itself was pretty good (except the room temp shrimp & grits and stale maritozzi). Here’s hoping it was just a really off day, but I can’t imagine anyone in our group ever going back. #firstimpressions
Steven A
Henrietta Red is a trendy spot in Germantown serving up flavorful & unique seasonal menus loaded with vegetables, seafood and oysters. Portion sizes are fairly small (especially considering the pricing) - if looking to share amongst even a small group you’ll want to order multiple appetizers and entrees. Our group was particularly fond of the scallops & gnocchi with the desserts also a big hit!
Matt Oliver
Always pass by this bar so stopped in to try the cocktails. Right away had a very pleasant conversation at the hostess stand. Both of them were very knowledgeable about the bar and it's history. Waiting for the waitress and observing the staff I notice the work flow is efficent and purposeful. It becomes clear to me after watching them for just a bit that everyone here is a professional at service. The waitress recommends 2 cocktails based on our spirit preferences. We ordered Civil Service and Soft Cadence. One was an elevated egg white lemon drop-esque Up cocktail with cracked black pepper on top. Think light fluffy. Very sophisticated and balanced. The other one was a tequila mule riff that was unfortunately overpowered by the ginger. Bucks are easy to make so most bartenders will free pour them. I just wish the bartender had straw tasted it before sending it out. The one thing that kept and otherwise 5 star visit one star short. Update*** Came back to try the "Up-to-Date" a Manhattan riff with sherry. Right away orange on the nose...so I know it is a well executed expression. On the sip it's Angostura and orange Right in front with the sherry chasing on the back end. It's smooth and sophisticated with juts enough bite to make it intriguing. The Demerara is there but not overbearing all in all a well made well built balanced cocktail. Not the best Manhattan riff in town but certainly top 10.
Oceanthebartender
1200 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208, USA
Etch
4.7
(1566)
Open-kitchen setting for eclectic, upscale dining, plus a rich cocktail & wine list.
Reviews:
Had to swing into Nashville for celebration of life for one of my best friends mom's who recently passed. On my way out I stopped by etch, I heard they have a really decent menu I was impressed. lunch and my cocktail were excellent. I had the Korean fried chicken Sandwich with housemade potato chips and a bourbon based cocktail called snake eyes. Look forward to trying diner.
Michael Estes
My experience at Etch restaurant was nothing short of extraordinary, and I'm excited to share the details: Culinary Delight: Etch is a culinary gem. The menu is a masterful blend of flavors and textures, showcasing a range of options for vegetarians and omnivores alike. The creativity in each dish is truly remarkable. Ambiance: The restaurant exudes a high-end, yet welcoming ambiance. It's perfect for a special occasion or a memorable dining experience. The staff is attentive and knowledgeable, ready to guide you through the menu. Pro Tips: Reservations are highly recommended, especially for dinner. The place is quite popular, and it's not surprising why. As for parking, there are nearby garages, but you might find it more convenient to use valet service. Vegetarian options: As a vegetarian, I was spoiled for choice. The chefs here truly understand how to make vegetables shine. Don't miss the Roasted Cauliflower, a delightful explosion of flavors. Signature Dishes: The menu is ever-evolving, but some signature dishes are consistently outstanding. The Brussels Sprouts are legendary, and the Gnocchi is a must-try. Etch is more than a restaurant; it's a gastronomic adventure. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply savoring the finer things in life, this place delivers on all fronts. Just be prepared for an unforgettable dining experience in the heart of the city. 🍽️🍷🌟
Sahaj Parekh
Every single thing we got was delicious. The star of the show was the "From the Sea" special with salmon. My husband got the scallops and they were perfectly cooked. Fried Brussel sprouts were outstanding. Our cocktails were excellent. We made room for the "Ice cream sundae" for dessert and it was delicious and light, perfect for after a big meal. Service was excellent as well. Our waitress was personable, knowledgeable, and attentive. Highly recommended!
Beth Hamilton
Had a larger group that I tried to make dinner reservations for and was too late to book them, so my wife and I decided to make lunch reservations the following day just for ourselves. So very glad we did. Service was impeccable, all the food was well prepared, flavorful, and just the right size. We had the roasted cauliflower and all the sauces that came with it were amazing. The smoke truffle pea puree was astounding. The half size Mediterranean salad my wife had was incredibly flavorful and we appreciated that they come in half sizes. The Korean chicken sandwich I had was perfectly seasoned and well balanced with the additional toppings and flavorings on the sandwich. The old fashioned cocktail I had was well mixed and priced well. The original and completely in house made sundae at the end of the meal was original, and delicious. Can't recommend etch high enough.
Joshua Saari
Been a couple of times years ago before Covid. Loved it then when they had the butter tasting. Had to come back as it was one of our favorite restaurants. Server was awesome. Very friendly and knowledgeable. Started with gluten free bread which was really good. However the entrees were just ok. I had the steak and my wife had the scallops. Not as flavorful as they could be. The chai ice cream was good though. Not sure if we would go back.
George Davis
303 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37201, USA