Top 10 Places to Eat in Nashville

Last updated: October 2026

Nashville is famous for music, but the food is just as good a reason to visit. If you want the best food in Nashville, start with hot chicken, then add a meat-and-three lunch, whole-hog barbecue and a proper Southern breakfast of biscuits. The city is also home to a growing restaurant scene beyond the classics, with pasta, farm-to-table cooking and market food.

This guide covers 10 of the best places to eat in Nashville, with a practical box for each one: how to get there, how long to allow, the best time to go and one tip. Further down you will find the dishes to try, how booking and tipping work, suggested food routes, where to stay, getting around and budget guidance. The official Nashville visitor site lists current events and openings.

Opening days, menus and booking rules change, and several of these places have more than one branch, so check each one’s own information before you go. Hot chicken in particular comes in heat levels that surprise first-timers, so start milder than you think you need. If you are building a longer American food trip, our guide to the best restaurants in Chicago shows how another big US city compares.

Quick answer: What is the best food in Nashville? For the original hot chicken, go to Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, and for a busy, easy-to-reach alternative try Hattie B’s. For a classic Southern lunch, Arnold’s Country Kitchen is the one to book into your weekday. Add Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint for whole-hog barbecue and the Loveless Cafe or Biscuit Love for biscuits.

Quick comparison: places to eat in Nashville

1. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is where Nashville hot chicken began. The family says the recipe dates back to the 1930s, when the founder, Thornton Prince, was served spicy fried chicken as a revenge meal by a girlfriend and liked it so much that he built a business around it. The restaurant is still run by the Prince family, and the dish that started here has become Nashville’s signature food.

The chicken is fried, coated in a cayenne-based spice paste, and served on white bread with pickle slices to cool the heat. Heat levels run from mild to extremely hot, and the top levels are serious. The classic way to eat it is with your hands, a pile of napkins and a drink close by. The original site on Ewing Drive has closed, but the family runs several branches, including the South Nashville restaurant on Nolensville Pike, so check the Nashville visitor listing for the current locations.

Expect a no-frills setting. Prince’s is about the chicken, not the decor, and queues can form at busy times. Some branches have historically been cash-focused, so carry a little cash and a card, and check before you go. Other outlets may be useful if you are short of time, but many visitors prefer the no-frills restaurant experience.

If you want to understand why hot chicken is such a big deal in Nashville, this is where to eat it.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi to the branch you choose. The Nolensville Pike restaurant is a short drive south of downtown.
• Time needed: Allow 45 minutes to an hour, plus queue time.
• Best time to go: Early lunch or a weekday. Evenings and weekends are busiest.
• Insider tip: Order a level below what you think you can handle. You can always add sauce, but you cannot take heat away.

2. Hattie B’s

Hattie B’s is the most popular hot chicken restaurant in Nashville, and a good first stop if you want to compare heat levels. The Midtown restaurant is the best known, and it has a clear menu, plenty of seating and a heat ladder that runs from “Southern” (no heat) up to “Shut the Cluck Up”, the hottest option, made with very hot peppers.

You can order chicken as quarters, halves, tenders or wings, then add sides such as pimento mac and cheese, collard greens and potato salad. The banana pudding is a good way to finish. The sides matter, because they give you something creamy to cool down with. Many first-timers pick “Medium” or “Hot” and work up from there.

The restaurant is busy, particularly at lunch and on weekends, and the queue moves quickly. It is close to the Vanderbilt area and a short ride from the main tourist districts, which makes it easy to fit into a day of sightseeing. There are other branches around the city, so if the queue at one looks long, check the official website to find another.

Compared with Prince’s, Hattie B’s is slicker and easier, with more seating and a wider menu. Both are worth trying if you have time, and comparing them is half the fun.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi to Midtown, or use public transport to the Vanderbilt and West End area and walk from there.
• Time needed: Allow 45 minutes, longer at peak times.
• Best time to go: Weekday late morning or mid-afternoon, to avoid the lunch queue.
• Insider tip: Get a side of pimento mac and cheese and the banana pudding to balance the heat.

3. Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish

Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish is a small, no-frills counter in East Nashville that locals often name as their favourite hot chicken. It sits in a simple building on Main Street, and the focus is on food and speed rather than comfort. There is no reservation system, and you order at the counter.

The menu is short. Hot chicken and hot fish are the headline items, and you will also find Southern sides, such as mac and cheese, greens and beans. The spice is bold, and the top heat level has a reputation. The place has earned recognition from food writers as one of the best cheap eats in North America, so it is well known among serious eaters even though it looks humble.

Seating is limited, and many people take their food away. If you eat in, expect a basic setting and a quick turnover. East Nashville is a good neighbourhood to explore afterwards, with independent shops, bars and live music venues, so combine lunch with an afternoon wandering the area.

Because there is little to distract from the food, Bolton’s is a good place to judge Nashville hot chicken on its own merits. Check the current location and hours before you go, since the business has more than one site.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi to East Nashville. It is a short drive from downtown across the Cumberland River.
• Time needed: Allow 30 to 45 minutes.
• Best time to go: Early lunch, before the rush.
• Insider tip: Ask about the heat levels before you order, and consider trying the fish as well as the chicken.

4. Arnold’s Country Kitchen

Arnold’s Country Kitchen is Nashville’s best-known meat-and-three, a cafeteria-style lunch where you choose a main and three sides. It was recognised with a James Beard America’s Classics award in 2009, according to its own website, and it remains one of the places local people take visitors who want a true Southern lunch.

The format is simple. You join the line, choose a main such as roast beef, fried chicken or meatloaf, then pick three sides from a long list of vegetables, greens, macaroni and cheese, and other Southern staples. Cornbread and a dessert complete the plate. The sides are an important part of the meal, and many regulars choose vegetables they would not normally order. Pair it with sweet tea, the traditional drink.

Arnold’s is a lunch place, open on weekdays with a weekend brunch service at the time of writing, and the line forms before the doors open. The official website gives the current hours and any changes. Plan your day around it rather than trying to fit it in at the end, and arrive early.

The room is plain and friendly, and the point is the food. It sits on 8th Avenue South, near Music Row and a short drive from the centre, so it works well before an afternoon of studio and music-history tours.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi from downtown. It is a short drive to 8th Avenue South.
• Time needed: Allow about an hour, plus the queue.
• Best time to go: Weekday lunch, arriving as it opens to beat the line.
• Insider tip: Check the official site for current days and hours, because this is a lunch-only restaurant.

5. Loveless Cafe

The Loveless Cafe is the classic Southern breakfast stop, famous for its biscuits, country ham and fried chicken. It sits on Highway 100 on the western edge of Nashville, close to the northern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway, and it has been a destination for travellers and locals for decades.

The biscuits are the headline, served warm with house-made preserves. Order biscuits with country ham, scrambled eggs and a side of hash brown casserole, or try the fried chicken and Southern sides at lunch and dinner. Southern Living has called the biscuits among the most legendary in Tennessee. The portions are large, so share dishes if you want to try more than one thing.

The cafe is popular, and weekend mornings can have a long wait. Reservations may be available at some times, so check the official website before you go. A separate Biscuit Kitchen next door offers takeaway biscuits and quick breakfasts if you want to skip the wait. There is also a gift shop, and the grounds are pleasant for a short stroll after you eat.

Because it is outside the city centre, you need a car or a rideshare. It makes a good start to a day driving the Natchez Trace Parkway, or a stop on the way in from the west. Check opening hours in advance, as they vary by day.

• Getting there: Drive or take a rideshare from downtown, around 30 minutes depending on traffic.
• Time needed: Allow 1 to 1.5 hours, plus any wait.
• Best time to go: Weekday morning, to avoid the weekend queue.
• Insider tip: Use the Biscuit Kitchen takeaway if the main dining room has a long wait.

6. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint is the place to try West Tennessee whole-hog barbecue in Nashville. Pitmaster Pat Martin learned the style in Henderson, Tennessee, and opened the first restaurant in Nolensville, south of Nashville, in 2006. It has since grown to several branches, including a downtown restaurant with a beer garden.

Whole-hog barbecue means the entire pig is cooked slowly over wood, so you get a mix of meat textures in each serving. The pulled pork is the main event, served on a plate or a sandwich. The menu also features smoked wings with Alabama white sauce, and the Redneck Taco, which puts pulled pork on a hoecake with slaw. Sides such as collard greens and mac and cheese complete the plate.

The mood is casual, with counter service and plenty of space to sit. The downtown restaurant is handy for visitors, and the beer garden suits groups. Branches differ in size and opening times, so check the official website for the nearest one and its current hours.

If you want a taste of a different barbecue style from Texas or Kansas City, this is a good place to try it. Pair it with a local beer, and ask the staff how they recommend ordering if you are unsure.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi to the branch you choose, or walk from the Lower Broadway area to the downtown restaurant.
• Time needed: Allow 1 hour.
• Best time to go: Early lunch or an early dinner.
• Insider tip: Try the pulled pork plate first, and add the smoked wings if you are sharing.

7. Biscuit Love

Biscuit Love is the brunch spot for people who want their biscuits creative, sweet and stacked. The Gulch restaurant is the most visited, and it has become one of the city’s busiest brunch destinations. The menu centres on biscuits served in many ways, from classic sandwiches to dishes that borrow from other cuisines.

The signature item is the Bonuts, fried biscuit dough served with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote. Expect rich, indulgent plates, and plan a lighter dinner. Menus rotate, so check what is currently offered on the official site.

The restaurant is popular, and queues form quickly at weekends. Arriving early or visiting on a weekday makes a real difference. The Gulch is a modern, walkable neighbourhood with shops and bars, so it is easy to spend a morning here.

The restaurant started as a food truck before opening a permanent home, which helps explain its relaxed, friendly style. Service is quick even when the room is full, and staff are happy to explain the menu if it is your first visit. Menus rotate, so ask about seasonal specials as well as the regulars.

Biscuit Love is a good choice for groups with mixed tastes, since there are both savoury and sweet options. It is more modern and playful than the Loveless Cafe, so the two work as a contrast if you are in town for several days.

• Getting there: Walk from the Gulch hotels, or take a rideshare or taxi from downtown.
• Time needed: Allow 1 to 1.5 hours.
• Best time to go: Weekday morning, arriving early to avoid the queue.
• Insider tip: Share a plate of Bonuts as a starter and then order a savoury biscuit.

8. Pancake Pantry

Pancake Pantry in Hillsboro Village is a long-running pancake house, and a Nashville breakfast tradition. The original restaurant is on 21st Avenue South, close to Vanderbilt University, and it has a second location downtown. It serves a large range of pancakes, from simple buttermilk stacks to fancy flavours with fruit and sauces.

The menu is long, and many people go for a stack of pancakes with fruit or a sweet sauce, with eggs and bacon on the side. It is a classic American breakfast experience, with friendly service and a busy, old-fashioned room. If you are travelling with children, this is a good place to bring them.

The queue can be long on weekend mornings, and sometimes stretches along the pavement outside. Arrive early or go on a weekday if you can. The restaurant has changed ownership in recent years, so check its official listing for the latest information on hours and branches before you set out.

Hillsboro Village is a pleasant area to wander afterwards, with independent shops, a cinema and cafes. It is a short drive from downtown and the Music Row area, so it combines well with a morning of sightseeing in the west of the city.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi from downtown, or a bus towards Vanderbilt and Hillsboro Village.
• Time needed: Allow around an hour, plus any queue.
• Best time to go: Weekday morning, early.
• Insider tip: If the line is long at the original site, check whether the downtown branch has a shorter wait.

9. Rolf and Daughters

Rolf and Daughters is the restaurant to choose when you want a special dinner in Nashville that is not about barbecue or hot chicken. It sits in Germantown, north of downtown, and it is known for house-made pasta, seasonal ingredients and a relaxed but polished atmosphere. The restaurant is one of the most talked-about in the city.

The menu changes regularly, so what you eat will depend on the season. Expect small plates to start, then pasta and larger shared dishes, with a strong list of cocktails and wines. The mood is warm and convivial that suits a date night or a small group. It is a good counterpoint to the casual spots elsewhere in this guide.

Reservations are strongly advised, and they are usually released in advance through the online booking platform named on its official site. Check the restaurant’s website for the current days and booking details, since hours have varied between sources.

Germantown is a historic neighbourhood with brick buildings, small bars and other restaurants, so you can walk around before or after dinner. It is close to the Bicentennial Mall, so it fits well with an afternoon at the park.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi to Taylor Street in Germantown, a short drive from downtown.
• Time needed: Allow 2 hours for dinner.
• Best time to go: Early evening, with a booking made well ahead.
• Insider tip: Share several dishes between the group so you can try more of the menu.

10. Nashville Farmers’ Market

The Nashville Farmers’ Market is a good place to eat casually, try local produce and see where the city shops. It sits beside the Bicentennial Capital Mall State Park, north of downtown. It has outdoor farm sheds with growers and makers, plus an indoor market house with food stalls and shops.

The outdoor sheds are strongest at the weekend, with seasonal fruit, vegetables, honey, baked goods and crafts. Indoors, the market house has a range of food vendors serving different cuisines, so a group can eat different things and share a table. It is a relaxed place to spend a morning, especially when the weather is good.

Opening days and hours vary between the farm sheds and the indoor hall, and they change by season, so check the official market website before you go. Do not expect to find everything open every day. Parking is easy, and the market is close to the park, which makes it a good place to buy picnic supplies.

Combine a visit with a walk to the nearby state park, where you can stroll and take in views towards the State Capitol. It is an easy, cheap way to see another side of Nashville away from Broadway. Bring a bag for any produce you buy.

• Getting there: Take a rideshare or taxi from downtown, or walk from the Bicentennial Mall area.
• Time needed: Allow 1 to 2 hours.
• Best time to go: Weekend morning, when the farm sheds are busiest.
• Insider tip: Check the market’s website for the current schedule before you set out, since farm shed and food hall hours differ.

Nashville dishes to look out for

• Hot chicken: Fried chicken coated in a spicy cayenne paste, served on white bread with pickles. Choose your heat level carefully.
• Meat-and-three: A main course with three sides, usually served cafeteria-style at lunch.
• Biscuits and gravy: Fluffy biscuits with sausage gravy, a Southern breakfast staple.
• Country ham: Salt-cured ham, often served with biscuits and red-eye gravy.
• Whole-hog barbecue: Slow-cooked pork from the whole animal, common in Tennessee.
• Banana pudding: A creamy dessert with wafers and bananas, often found next to the hot chicken.
• Sweet tea: The default drink in much of the South. Ask for unsweetened if you prefer.

Booking, tipping and opening hours

Walk-in places such as Prince’s, Hattie B’s, Bolton’s and Martin’s do not take bookings, but you can expect a queue at peak times. Book ahead for Rolf and Daughters, and check whether the Loveless Cafe and Biscuit Love take reservations on the day you want to go. Arnold’s is mainly a weekday lunch place, so plan it in advance.

Tipping is expected in the United States for table service. A tip of around 18 to 20 per cent of the bill is normal for good service, and many places add a suggested amount to the receipt. At counter-service places, tipping is optional but appreciated. Prices on menus usually exclude sales tax, which is added to the bill. Opening hours change often, so check each place before you travel.

Suggested food routes for 1, 2 or 3 days

One day: Start with biscuits at Biscuit Love, have hot chicken at Hattie B’s for lunch, then barbecue at Martin’s for dinner.

Two days: Add a weekday lunch at Arnold’s Country Kitchen, and a morning at the Nashville Farmers’ Market or a pancake breakfast at Pancake Pantry.

Three days: Add the original-style hot chicken at Prince’s or Bolton’s, a breakfast trip to the Loveless Cafe, and a special dinner at Rolf and Daughters.

Where to stay in Nashville

Downtown and the Gulch put you close to the music venues, Broadway and many restaurants, and are the easiest choice for first-time visitors without a car. Midtown and Music Row are close to Hattie B’s and Arnold’s and are good for a quieter stay. East Nashville has independent restaurants, bars and a local feel, close to Bolton’s. Germantown is a smaller, historic neighbourhood close to Rolf and Daughters and the farmers’ market.

Getting around Nashville

Nashville is spread out, and a car or rideshare is the easiest way to reach many of the places in this guide. The city’s public transport, run by WeGo, covers central routes, but it is less convenient for restaurants outside the centre. Downtown and the Gulch can be explored on foot. If you plan to visit the Loveless Cafe or the Natchez Trace Parkway, consider hiring a car for the day. Check the official WeGo Public Transit website for routes and fares.

Budget guidance

Cheap eats: Hot chicken at Prince’s, Hattie B’s or Bolton’s, a pancake breakfast at Pancake Pantry and food at the farmers’ market all keep costs low.

Mid-range: Arnold’s, Martin’s, Biscuit Love and the Loveless Cafe sit in the middle, with generous plates and a drink.

Special occasion: Rolf and Daughters is the choice for a celebratory dinner. Remember to add tax and a tip to menu prices.

Discover More of the USA

If Nashville is one stop on a bigger trip, our guide to the top places to visit in the USA helps you choose where to go next. For another city where deep-dish and thin-crust pizza are part of the food scene, see our guide to the best pizza places in Chicago, or compare it with the best pizza places in New York City.

Featured image: Photo by Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons