Best Restaurants and Food in Nashville

Nashville is not only considered the home of country music; it is also home to some of the country’s best food. In fact, some of Nashville’s specialties, such as hot chicken, have gone on to become national trends. Whether your stay in Nashville is a long or a short one, you’ll definitely want to try our local cuisine.

What Food is Nashville Known For? 

The best food in Nashville is, to a degree, a matter of opinion, and just about everyone here will have a recommendation as to where you can go for the best hot chicken, the best biscuits, or the best sausage gravy in town. As you may have noticed, Nashville cuisine has a distinctive Southern flair, though it should be noted that you can find many types of cuisines represented in the city’s restaurants.

What to Expect From Nashville Restaurants 

It’s expected that diners will come with healthy appetites to Nashville restaurants, so anticipate large portions and plenty of side dishes, including hot breadstuffs, mac & cheese, and pork-infused green beans. You’ll find lots of restaurants in town that specialize in the “meat-and-three,” a lunch special that includes one meat entree surrounded by three vegetable sides. 

Another thing to expect: desserts. People down here have sweet tooths, and you’ll find plenty of bakeries and ice cream parlors around town.

Best Restaurants in Nashville 

In a city of great restaurants, picking the best eateries is a difficult business. Still, there are a few places that stand out as offering some of the best food in Nashville:

Loveless Cafe: The Loveless is one of those places that is beloved by both tourists and locals: The food is that good. It is best known for its hot biscuits, served up with the cafe’s house-made preserves, but its fried chicken and barbeque (smoked on-site) are also incredibly popular.

Prince’s Hot Chicken: Hot chicken is a fried chicken that has been drenched in hot sauce. Usually served with pickles, hot chicken has become a national sensation. Prince’s invented the dish, and many locals swear by the sandwiches and dinners served up here.

Pancake Pantry: Whether you prefer to have an early breakfast or a leisurely brunch, Pancake Pantry is said to have the best pancakes in the entire city. There are 23 varieties made from scratch, plus fresh-cooked eggs, omelets, waffles, and more.