Lin NormanIf there’s one thing I could recommend doing in Downtown Nashville as a lifelong local, it would be trying out its different restaurants. This vibrant area leaves several rooms for discovery, but let’s be real, not everybody has the time to scour the streets and find the best place to eat!
That’s where my team and I come in! As my family’s designated weekend dinner planner (which eventually ends in karaoke nights), I’ve discovered more than a handful of excellent restaurants in downtown Nashville that offer spectacular food and great vibes.
So, if you’re ready to dig into some amazing Nashville hot chicken sandwiches, steaks, or anything in between, you’ve come to the right place! Continue reading to discover Downtown Nashville’s best places to eat!
Etch
Media credit: etchrestaurant
Address: 303 Demonbreun St.
Contact details: +1 615-522-0685
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday: 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM
- Saturday: 4:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Cost: $$$
Etch lures its guests into its tables through its interesting open kitchen, where chefs work like a well-oiled machine to create fantastic, bold dishes with inventive flavours. It’s not a surprise to see it succeed as well, as it’s helmed by the famous Chef Deb Paquette.
With that said, you can expect every dish to come out of their kitchen to look like those from Masterchef episodes. The pork gemelli is a prime example of this, featuring roasted pork, flavoured and decorated with sweet drop pepper, peas, carrots, and saffron.
The same innovative presentation and flavour can be said about their dessert selection, more particularly, the apple upside-down cake, which is exactly what it sounds like. They also offer a classic sundae, made more lavish with the addition of tahini caramel and sesame streusel.
| Pro tip: Spend an extra CAD3 to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your chocolate mousse bar! The coldness and creaminess will go perfectly with the warm buckwheat brownie. |
The 404 Kitchen
Media credit: the404kitchen
Address: 507 12th Ave S, Fl 2
Contact details: +1 615-251-1404
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday: 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Cost: $$-$$$
The 404 Kitchen will immediately catch your attention with its striking brick-walled exterior and beautifully lit patio. This setting makes it a perfect spot for catching up with friends all night long—not to mention that this place also offers an amazing selection of beers and cocktails!
Your taste buds are in for a treat here as well, as the restaurant features an expansive farm-to-table menu. It’s completely seasonal as well, and one of the dishes we wait for all year long is the delicate duck breast, which is flavoured with a rich pomegranate syrup.
We also love that they offer group meals, including a whopping two-pound porterhouse beef, which has been dry-aged for 72 hours. Its extremely tender texture, paired with the delicious charred onions, is a match made in heaven!
| Pro tip: Visit them on Sundays from 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM to enjoy their extensive brunch menu! They offer staples like omelettes, French toast, Caesar salad, and their signature 404 Burger. |
Harper’s Steakhouse
Media credit: harpers_steakhouse
Address: 2 Lea Ave
Contact details: +1 615-208-6435
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 4:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Cost: $$$
It wouldn’t be a complete Nashville food crawl without a steakhouse, and Harper’s is one of the best options in Downtown. For starters, it differentiates itself from other steakhouses by choosing a more elegant interior in place of the usual rustic and roadhouse motif.
As you can expect, their menu mostly consists of amazing cuts of meat, thrown on the grill to get that perfect pink centre and char marks on the exterior. However, you’d be surprised at their various seafood offerings as well, including raw oysters, king crabs, and lobster tails.
For our health-conscious friends out there, don’t worry! You can also get your hands on some masterfully made soups and salads—but be sure to get a bite out of their porterhouse here and there to get the full experience!
| Pro tip: Don’t think you can make your steak richer? Add a generous serving of their bone marrow and be blown away by the rich flavours of these two ingredients combined—just don’t tell your nutritionist that you heard it from us. |
The Finch
Media credit: thefinchrestaurant
Address: 111 10th Ave S #310
Contact details: +1 615-703-8020
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Cost: $$
If you’re looking for a great brunch spot where you can catch up with your friends, then The Finch should be on your radar! Their brunch menu offers every staple, from steak and eggs to French toast and everything in between.
Our favourite, however, is their honey-stung chicken and waffles, which features a sweet and tangy bourbon-infused maple syrup and hot honey. If you’re someone who solely enjoys chicken on its own, you’re in luck because this place serves it alongside a delicious jalapeno gravy!
Their all-day menu deserves some love as well, especially their honey sriracha-glazed salmon, which is equal parts ginger-y, spicy, and sweet! Lastly, we recommend this place for hangouts because of its Instaworthy and elegant interior decor.
| Pro tip: If you’re travelling on a budget, we recommend visiting this spot from Monday to Friday before 3:00 PM to get their express lunches! These cost 30 bucks apiece and will give you the best value for your money, consisting of a starter, a main, and a dessert. |
The Stillery
Media credit: stillerynashville
Address: 113 2nd Ave N
Contact details: +1 615-942-8080
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Cost: $-$$
The Stillery is the epitome of an authentic Downtown Nashville restaurant. It’s home to Western staples, an amazing selection of cold drinks, and, of course, it wouldn’t be Music City without a live act singing their hearts out on stage.
Going back to their expansive Western menu, we have to warn you that you may be overwhelmed because all their offerings are straight bangers! However, we’d be remiss if we didn’t recommend their hot chicken sandwich, which is the uncrowned Nashville specialty.
If you’re visiting with friends, however, we recommend getting one of their rustic pies, which are carefully baked in their brick oven until a bubbly and crispy crust is achieved. One of our favourite variations is the cheese steak pie because of its gooey cheese and pretzel crust!
| Pro tip: Check out their official music calendar, so you can schedule your visit during your favourite artists’ slot. Furthermore, you can also visit from Monday to Friday to enjoy different happy hours. |
Puckett’s Restaurant
Media credit: puckettsrestaurant
Address: 500 Church St.
Contact details: +1 615-770-2772
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday: 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday: 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Cost: $-$$
Puckett’s Restaurant is best experienced with friends, as it offers a myriad of cocktails and beers that are perfect to send off a week full of stress. Furthermore, it offers live music, so you and your friends will be treated to amazing Nashville talent as you down one drink after another.
However, the main reason why we recommend this place for groups is their ridiculously generous serving sizes. They truly live by their slogan of “Ya’ll Better Come Hungry”, as their menu offers nothing short of a feast, from wings to shrimp baskets, beef briskets, and more.
Don’t worry if you’re flying solo, though, as you’re bound to clean your plate after you’re served with Puckett’s Mojo Burger, which features pulled pork on top of their homemade patties. Oh, and for sides, you can balance out the meatiness by getting their fried green beans!
| Pro tip: If you want to immerse yourselves in Tennessee’s local delights, get their Piggy Mac! It’s a native mac and cheese served in an iron skillet and topped with savoury pulled pork. |
Skull’s Rainbow Room
Media credit: skullsrr
Address: 222 Printers Alley
Contact details: +1 615-810-9631
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday: 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM
- Sunday: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM to 2:00 AM
Cost: $$$
Skulls Rainbow Room is easily one of the most unique restaurants in Downtown Nashville due to its 1950s-style speakeasy lounge theme. To further hit this motif home, the place also offers live blues and jazz music, with some acts even being dressed aptly for the era!
The place also offers an expansive open bar, where bartenders put on free impressive shows before pouring you your drink of choice. If you can’t decide which drink to get, go for the signature Rainbow Room, which is a refreshing concoction of vodka, ginger, and pineapple.
You won’t be disappointed with their food as well, as they offer fancy dishes such as foie gras, rack of lamb, and prime rib. We’ve also fallen in love with their crawfish gnocchi, which features mudbugs, as if they’re the sweetest crustaceans in the sea.
| Pro tip: Although it’s not on their menu, you can order your very own Surf and Turf! All you have to do is add a portion of lobster tail with either your NY striploin or fillet mignon for CAD45, and voila! |
The Hampton Social – Nashville
Media credit: thehamptonsocial
Address: 201 1st Ave S
Contact details: +1 615-622-7772
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Thursday: 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Friday: 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Cost: $$-$$$
The Hampton Social will make you feel like you’re at a beachside restaurant with its nautical interior decor. Although you’re far from the sea, you’ll still be able to enjoy its finest delicacies here, from deep-fried calamari to oven-roasted octopus, tuna tartare, etc.
Our favourite out of their seafood delicacies, however, is their freshly shucked oysters, which don’t need much than fresh lemon, tabasco sauce, and consomme to taste amazing. Then again, you can always go for the sweet and meaty lobster tail if you want to splurge!
Don’t limit yourself to their seafood, either, as they offer a myriad of Nashville staples, including a shelter island chicken sandwich, which features homemade coleslaw and aioli sauce! You can also go for their smash burger as well, if you’re looking for something more savoury.
| Pro tip: End your meal on a sweet note by getting a slice of their key lime pie! It’s equal parts zesty, sweet, and silky! |
