12 Best Places to Eat in Nashville, From Breakfast to Late Night

Nashville feeds you from sunrise biscuits to last-call burgers, and this list is your no-fail playbook. Whether you crave soulful comfort, seafood on ice, or wood-fired shareables, these stops turn meals into memories worth planning your day around. You will find spots that feel personal, plates that pop with spice and smoke, and service that makes you feel like a regular. Come hungry, pace yourself, and save room for late night.

1. Kisser

Kisser feels like a love letter to lunch, with Japanese comfort plates that taste hand-stitched. You get cloud-soft milk bread cradling katsu or egg salad, crisp greens kissed with miso dressing, and brothy sides that feel restorative. The space is tiny and calm, the kind of place where a quiet afternoon sinks into your bones.

Every detail seems house-made, from tangy pickles to the sesame sparkle on perfectly steamed rice. You taste intention in each bite, simple but deeply satisfying. Order a special if you see one, then linger with hot tea and watch the room breathe.

It is lunch-only, which makes it feel like a secret ritual. Plan ahead, arrive early, and let the tenderness of it all carry you.

2. Tailor

Tailor is a reservation-worthy journey where South Asian flavors meet Southern rhythm across a choreographed tasting. Dishes arrive like postcards from the chef’s memories, bright with lime, chili heat, coconut, and toasted spices that perfume the room. You feel guided, not rushed, as each course builds toward something generous and grounding.

The finale is a signature chai brewed from the chef’s family recipe, warm and perfumed with cardamom. It feels like a blessing after up to 14 courses. Expect friendly pacing, thoughtful wine or zero-proof pairings, and clear storytelling from the team.

Seats are limited, so book early and arrive curious. You will leave with flavors stuck in your head, and a new hunger for what comes next.

3. Noko

Noko hums with wood-fire energy, a place made for clinking plates and passing bites. The menu pulls from Japanese, Filipino, and Korean inspirations, so you might chase tuna crispy rice with lobster bao and smoky vegetables. Every dish feels engineered for craveability and sharing, which turns dinner into a lively conversation.

Char and sweetness weave through the food, matched by a playful cocktail list. Even classics arrive with a twist, layered with chili, yuzu, or sesame. The room is buzzy and warm, framed by the glow of the hearth.

Come with friends, order wide, and let the table fill. When the last piece of crispy rice disappears, you will already be planning the next visit.

4. Lyra

Lyra brings modern Middle Eastern cooking to life with layered flavors and a painter’s touch. Dishes draw on Lebanon and Oman, weaving cumin, coriander, and sumac with pomegranate pops and cooling labneh. Warm breads arrive blistered and fragrant, begging to scoop up smoky dips and herb-laced salads.

The menu changes often, so ask about seasonal specials and spreads. Vegetables shine as brightly as meat, and every plate feels balanced, bold, and bright. The room itself is soothing, with clay tones and gentle light.

Start with mezze, then chase it with something grilled and sauced. You will leave scented with spice and totally content, already plotting a return for whatever the kitchen dreams up next.

5. Two Ten Jack

Two Ten Jack is that cozy izakaya you keep returning to for ramen steam and clinking glasses. Bowls arrive with bouncy noodles, rich broth, and just the right soft egg wobble. Yakitori skewers kiss the grill, smoky and salty enough to make you order one more round.

Draft cocktails and highballs keep the night light on its feet. The space feels intimate but lively, easy for a date or a group craving comfort. Service is friendly and fast without rushing you out.

Start with karaage, chase it with tonkotsu or shoyu, then graze through skewers. You will walk out warmed from the inside, cheeks flushed, already texting friends to meet here next week.

6. Butcher & Bee

Butcher & Bee is a produce-forward joyride, where Israeli influences meet Tennessee abundance. Whipped feta swirled with honey and herbs sets the tone, salty, creamy, and impossible to stop eating. Small plates arrive in vibrant waves, spotlighting vegetables with crunch, smoke, and tang.

Sharing is the move, letting you taste widely without getting weighed down. The zero-proof menu is excellent, layered with citrus, spice, and garden aromatics. Every table looks like a still life by the time you are halfway through.

Order breads, spreads, and a few seasonal stunners, then finish with something bright and herbal. You will leave refreshed and satisfied, energized rather than sleepy, which is exactly the magic here.

7. Audrey

Audrey feels like a thoughtful letter to Appalachia, written with heirloom ingredients and quiet precision. The menu celebrates memory and place, from delicate beans to foraged mushrooms and grains that taste alive. Classic comforts appear elevated without losing their soul.

Chicken and dumplings might arrive like a warm story told slowly. Sauces whisper smoke, butter, and garden herbs, all balanced with restraint. The room is serene, giving you space to listen to each bite.

Ask the team about sourcing and you will get passionate answers. Pair with a mindful cocktail or tea, then settle into dessert. You leave nourished, not just fed, carrying a little more understanding of where these flavors come from.

8. Big Al’s Deli

Big Al’s Deli is pure hospitality, the kind of place where breakfast tastes like it was cooked just for you. Fluffy biscuits, creamy grits, and golden fried chicken stack into plates that feel generous and honest. Lunch brings meatloaf, greens, and mac that make weekdays brighter.

The staff greets you like a regular, even on your first visit. Portions are hearty, prices friendly, and the vibe unpretentious. Expect a line and love it, because that means the kitchen is doing something right.

Come early, bring cash just in case, and do not skip the specials. You will roll out happy, promising to return with friends who need a hug on a plate.

9. Dino’s Bar & Grill

Dino’s is a legendary late night dive where the burger reigns supreme. It is thin, griddled, drippy, and exactly what your night needs at 1 a.m. Crinkle fries and cold beer round it out, with neon lights casting a forgiving glow.

The crowd is a mix of locals, industry folks, and happy wanderers. Music hums, conversations blur, and plates disappear fast. The kitchen keeps the vibe going until 3 a.m., which makes this your last stop and sometimes your favorite.

Bring cash or card, patience, and an appetite for messy perfection. You will leave with burger-scented dreams and maybe a new friend from the next booth.

10. Mas Tacos Por Favor

Mas Tacos Por Favor turns taco cravings into a ritual worth lining up for. The braised pork is tender and juicy, the fried avocado crisp outside and creamy within. Elote is slathered and spicy-sweet, while aguas frescas keep everything bright and breezy.

The room is humble, full of chatter and anticipation. You watch tortillas warm, steam rising as your order hits the pass. Every taco lands with balance, acid, and a little heat you chase happily.

Order two, then add one more because you will want it. Grab extra napkins and a seat if you can. When you leave, the line will still be there, proof you chose well.

11. Rolf and Daughters

Rolf and Daughters is pasta paradise with edge, tucked into a cool Germantown warehouse. Noodles are bouncy and expressive, clinging to sauces that leave nothing on the table. Seasonal plates lean bold and savory, with vegetables playing lead roles alongside rich meats.

The room feels intimate and buzzing, candlelit but casual. Natural wines flow, and the menu reads like a dare to order everything. Start with the famous heritage grains loaf and salty cultured butter, then commit to at least one pasta.

Share if you must, but you will regret surrendering the last bite. Book ahead, settle in, and let the kitchen set the pace. Satisfaction here is slow, deep, and inevitable.

12. The Optimist

The Optimist brings the coast to Nashville with a raw bar that shines like jewelry on ice. Oysters arrive briny and cold, alongside punchy mignonette and lemon. Then come shareable hits like grilled octopus with charred edges and lobster rolls stuffed to the brim.

The room buzzes, all tile and sparkle, with cocktails built for seafood and sunshine energy. Servers know their oyster varieties and guide you confidently. You can go crisp and light or buttery and rich without a misstep.

Start at the raw bar, build a seafood tower, then close with something warm and smoky. You will leave salty-lipped and grinning, already craving another dozen.