6 Restaurants That Prove Nashville is More Than Just About the Music

From simple, traditional Southern fare to an updated fusion of nostalgia and nouvelle cuisine, you’ll find everything you’re looking for and even something surprisingly new here in Tennessee’s capital.

1. Head to Husk for a Uniquely Southern Experience

Photo Credit: Andrea Behrends

Dining at Husk feels warm and familiar, even if you’re a first-timer. Steeped in Southern tradition, this eatery proclaims that, “If it doesn’t come from the South, it’s not coming through the door.” The restaurant was originally the home of Mayor Richard Houston Dudley, back in 1897. But Husk’s rich history doesn’t inhibit its innovation. The interior is a mix of the old and new, from homey wood table tops to sleek trimmings with a pop of color. The menu changes twice daily based on what’s fresh and available. In fact, Chef Sean Brock (a James Beard Award winner) grows his own vegetables and grains. He smokes and preserves what he can’t use immediately, and only extends to nearby farms for the rest.

2. Make Classic Pub Food Cool and Fun at The Tavern

Tavern serves up brazenly named, old-school pub food in a hip atmosphere. Don’t miss the White Trash Hash or the Pretzel Pancakes. On weekdays, stop in for lunch and try the Tavern Burger or Brown Bag Special. If you’re there for a weekend dinner, chow down on the cornmeal-fried catfish, a bucket of mussels (literally in a bucket), or the Loco Moco, a hamburger patty topped with a fried egg and gooey brown gravy. It’s a tavern, so of course you’ll need a drink or two. With their extensive selection of beer, wine, cocktails and liquors, you won’t have a problem quenching your thirst on their two-tier patio.

3. Concoct German and American-Inspired Cusine at The Pharmacy

Take a break from the fried Southern fare and opt for something European-inspired. The Pharmacy is a unique blend of retro American and classic German cuisine. Choose an award-winning burger made from 100-percent Tennessee beef, or a handcrafted bratwurst. Pharmacy chefs grind, stuff and preserve their own sausage, then serve it alongside homemade kraut and horseradish mustard, to boot. Order up a German beer to go with your bratwurst, or shoot for a bottle of the American craft variety. No need to wait for warm weather to visit, either; The Pharmacy’s heated “biergarten” is a cozy spot year-round.

4. Get Your Breakfast Fix All Day Long at the Pancake Pantry

They say that breakfast is the most important meal, and the Pancake Pantry serves it up in style all day long. Whether you wake up early in the morning or sleep 'til noon at your Nashville hotel you can try the restaurant’s comprehensive pancake offerings at all hours of the day and night. There's the Caribbean pancakes with coconut and banana, the sugar and spice with powdered sugar and cinnamon or the cherry supreme with a tart cherry compote. Whichever of the nearly two dozen specialties you choose, make sure to order hash browns on the side—they’re fresh no matter what time you’re dining. With its reasonable prices and noteworthy morning grub, it’s the kind of no-frill, no-fuss dining that Nashville locals frequent.

5. Dress Things Up in a Modern Way at M. Restaurant And Bar

M. Restaurant and Bar takes traditional Southern fare and dresses it to impress. Appetizers include modern takes on fried green tomatoes, local specialty hot chicken and waffles and steak and biscuits with horseradish cream. For lunch, go for the buttermilk fried chicken, lobster mac and cheese or Cajun seared salmon. M. Restaurant’s elegant reinventions of iconic Southern dishes give comfort food a polished new look.

6. Feel the community spirit at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant

Puckett’s has that Nashville community feel, along with some truly tasty food. Locals really do buy groceries here; the restaurant got its start as a grocery store in Leiper’s Fork. The owner wasn’t satisfied just providing the ingredients for meals—he wanted to feed his customers personally, too. When he found that he was selling more home-cooked meals than groceries, he realized he had himself a restaurant. Now Puckett’s has expanded to five different cities, but the menu is Southern through and through: catfish, Cajun chicken, fried green tomatoes and baby back ribs. True to Nashville’s famous musical reputation, local musicians perform live here every night of the week.