Best Restaurants in Tennessee 2026

Etch

Chef Deb Paquette's downtown Nashville dining room built around global flavors layered onto a New American base, with an open kitchen that lets diners watch the wood grill and plating stations. The cooking leans on bold spicing and unexpected pairings rather than straightforward steakhouse or Southern fare, served in a sleek, modern space rather than a rustic one.

Known for: Open kitchen with wood-fired preparations; one of Nashville's most consistent fine dining destinations for a decade

303 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37201

Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant

A Nashville outgrowth of the original Puckett's country store in Leiper's Fork, set up as a working meat-and-three with a stage for live music most nights. The food is straightforward Southern comfort cooking — smoked meats, biscuits, and vegetable sides — served in a room styled like an old-fashioned grocery rather than a polished restaurant.

Known for: Downtown Nashville favorite combining Southern comfort food with live country/Americana music every night; all-day service

500 Church St, Nashville, TN 37219

Folk Nashville

A neighborhood pizzeria and wine bar in East Nashville with a wood-fired oven turning out blistered, Neapolitan-leaning pies alongside a short seasonal menu. The space is narrow and casual, with communal-feeling seating close to the open kitchen.

Known for: Neighborhood gem in East Nashville serving creative wood-fired pizzas with local ingredients; strong natural wine list

823 Meridian St, Nashville, TN 37207

Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen

Known for: Cheerful Southern brunch destination in The Gulch; consistent crowd-pleaser for travelers wanting elevated but approachable Southern cooking

1550 Division St, Nashville, TN 37203

Dyer's Burgers

A Beale Street burger stand known for cooking patties in the same seasoned grease it has used for decades, giving the burgers a deep-fried crust. The room is simple and geared toward foot traffic off the entertainment strip rather than a sit-down meal.

Known for: Memphis institution since 1912; burgers cooked in grease kept going since 1912 (legally renewed in 1977); iconic late-night Beale Street option

205 Beale St, Memphis, TN 38103

Elfo's Restaurant (Memphis)

Known for: Long-established Memphis Italian restaurant in East Memphis; popular for business dining and family celebrations

4764 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN 38117

City House

A restaurant in a converted warehouse in Nashville's Germantown neighborhood, built around a wood-fired oven that turns out Southern-inflected Italian cooking. The dining room has an industrial, high-ceilinged feel with an open kitchen visible from the bar.

Known for: James Beard-nominated kitchen in Germantown; Nashville's finest wood-fired pizza with Southern Italian sensibility

1222 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208

Payne's Bar-B-Q

A small counter-service barbecue joint in Memphis housed in a former gas station, serving pit-cooked pork piled onto white bread. The pulled pork is chopped fine and mixed with mustard-based slaw right on the sandwich rather than served on the side.

Known for: Legendary Memphis neighbourhood BBQ institution; handcrafted sandwiches using family recipes; a staple for locals since 1972

1762 Lamar Ave, Memphis, TN 38114

Mas Tacos Por Favor

A counter-order taqueria in East Nashville that started as a food truck before moving into a storefront on McFerrin Ave. The menu is short and changes little, built around handmade tortillas and a rotating soup special.

Known for: Nashville's most beloved taco truck turned brick-and-mortar; tiny East Nashville spot with cult following; cash-friendly lunch spot

732 McFerrin Ave, Nashville, TN 37206

Butcher & Bee Nashville

A vegetable-forward, Middle Eastern-inflected restaurant in East Nashville's Main Street corridor, with a casual but design-conscious dining room of communal-style tables. The kitchen builds shareable plates around produce and spice rather than centering meat, though it also runs a well-known smash burger for guests who want something heartier.

Known for: Creative Middle Eastern-inflected menu in a converted East Nashville space; outstanding vegetarian and omnivore options

902 Main St, Nashville, TN 37206

Hattie B's Hot Chicken

One of the restaurants that helped take Nashville hot chicken from a local specialty to a citywide draw, serving fried chicken cooked to order across a range of heat levels from mild to the hottest "Shut the Cluck Up." The setting is a casual counter-service space with picnic-style seating rather than a sit-down dining room.

Known for: The most accessible Nashville hot chicken chain; six heat levels from Southern (no heat) to Damn Hot; tourist-friendly without sacrificing quality

112 19th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

Biscuit Love

A brunch-focused restaurant in Nashville's Gulch neighborhood built around scratch-made biscuits, serving both sweet and savory versions through the morning and early afternoon. The space is bright and modern, a step up from a diner but still casual.

Known for: Nashville's most Instagrammed breakfast spot; the Bonut (biscuit donut with lemon mascarpone) is a signature invention

316 11th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

The Palm Court (Peabody Hotel)

Known for: The Peabody Hotel's famous Sunday brunch coincides with the famous duck march (11 AM and 5 PM); book the brunch to see the ducks march through the lobby

149 Union Ave, Memphis, TN 38103 (inside The Peabody)

Monell's Dining & Catering

A converted house in Germantown where meals are served family-style at shared tables, in the tradition of Southern boarding-house dining rather than an à la carte restaurant. Platters of fried chicken and sides are passed around the table, and the format encourages conversation with whoever else is seated with you.

Known for: Community table dining — sit with strangers and share bowls of Southern food passed around the table; unique Nashville experience for $20–25 USD all-inclusive

1235 6th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208

Arnold's Country Kitchen

A cafeteria-style meat-and-three near downtown Nashville where diners slide a tray down a steam-table line and pick a protein plus vegetable sides, then find a table in the plain, canteen-like dining room. It's one of the restaurants most associated with keeping the meat-and-three format alive in the city, run for decades by the Arnold family.

Known for: Nashville's most beloved meat-and-three cafeteria since 1982; the James Beard America's Classic honoree; authentic no-frills Southern dining

605 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203

The Capital Grille Nashville

The downtown Nashville outpost of the national steakhouse chain, occupying a formal dining room suited to business dinners and special occasions rather than casual eating. The kitchen focuses on dry-aged beef cooked to classic steakhouse standards, backed by a large wine list.

Known for: Upscale steakhouse with dry-aged USDA prime beef; power lunch and special occasion dining staple

222 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219