East Nashville
The city of Austin and the borough of Brooklyn had a baby and named it East Nashville. This eclectic neighborhood is full of alternative shops, lively local eateries and bars, and a young and hip crowd.
IDEAL ITINERARY
For weekend brunch, you can’t go wrong at the European-style cafe and marketplace, Marché Artisan Foods, or with Margot Cafe & Bar’s French-inspired fare, made with seasonal, local ingredients. If you’ve got time to kill at lunch, stand in line to see what all the buzz is about at Nashville's "Wurst-Burger" Joint, The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden. Order from the impressive selection of German wurst and bier, and get a milkshake or ice cream soda from the old-school soda fountain. Next door is the local favorite, Mas Tacos if you’re In more of a Mexican mood, or of course there’s The OG of the Nashville hot chicken scene, Prince’s. Stop into No. 308 for drinks, or head to the Five Points area. For dinner, we suggest the creative, chef-driven cuisine at Lockeland Table (located in a former beauty-parlor-turned-photo-gallery) before catching a show at the Family Wash. Head to 3 Crow Bar to close down the night.
KEEP IN MIND
Although mostly gentrified, keep your wits about you on some of the side streets.
Germantown
Once a thriving community of highly skilled German immigrants, Germantown once fell to the brink of despair as it grappled with post-WWII anti-German sentiment. This neighborhood has culturally and economically ignited over the last few years with some of the city’s favorite local restaurants and close proximity to Downtown.
IDEAL ITINERARY
Skip dinner the night before so you can wake up extra hungry for breakfast at Monell’s. Burn those calories as you walk down through the Bicentennial Capitol State Park, then head to the Nashville Farmers’ Market where you can purchase Nashville made artisanal treats (Hello Olive & Sinclair Chocolate!) and taste Jeni’s (now famous) Splendid Ice Cream. Flip a coin when it comes to dinner--Rolf & Daughters and 5th & Taylor both will elevate your taste buds with their swanky New-American fare and sublime cocktails--frankly we just can’t choose. Or just eat two dinners. We won’t judge.
KEEP IN MIND
Plan your visit around the annual Oktoberfest in the fall.
12 South
This laid-back, walkable neighborhood has plenty of great eating and drinking options.
IDEAL ITINERARY
Start with a coffee from Frothy Monkey and head up and down 12 South, people watching and window shopping. For lunch, try the ever changing menu of locally sourced ingredients at the upscale burger joint, Burger Up, try the BBQ at Edley’s Bar-B-Que, or head to The Flipside if you’re in a “fowl” mood. Be sure to grab a drink at one of the many establishments along the way, then have dinner at Urban Grub or Bar Taco.
KEEP IN MIND
Parking lots are nonexistent, but street-side parking in the neighborhood is free.
Read on for our favorite restaurants in 12 South.
The Gulch/Hillsborough Village/Midtown
Sandwiched between the beating, crooning heart of Nashville (Broadway) and the upscale attitude of Green Hills, you’ll find the city’s beloved Midtown and its shiny new cousin known as The Gulch.
IDEAL ITINERARY
Start your day with a Red Velvet Waffle and Blood Orange Mimosa at Tavern, or, see what the hype is about at Jonathan Waxman's Adele's. Both are M Street Entertainment creations, a group that owns some of the hottest restaurants in town, including Kayne Prime, Virago, Whiskey Kitchen, Saint Anejo, and Moto. Stop by Milk and Honey if you need a little caffeine before going on a walking tour of Midtown’s breweries, including Jackalope, Yazoo, and Tailgate Brewery. After you’re all hopped up, check out The 404 Kitchen for dinner or The Catbird Seat, which is consistently ranked as one of the best restaurants in the nation. The 32-seat restaurant features a nine course menu of seasonally inspired dishes that changes constantly.
Keep the party going with pre-Prohibition era artisan cocktails from The Patterson House. No Midtown voyage is complete without a visit to The Row Kitchen & Pub (“The Row”), where singers and songwriters have been hanging out for over 30 years.
KEEP IN MIND
Oozing with young professionals, The Gulch is a welcome gentrification of a neighborhood that used to be the home of the city’s old railway yard.
Music Row/Demonbreun/Edgehill
Music Row’s neighbor, Edgehill, is one of the smaller areas in Nashville with a few eateries worth checking out.
IDEAL ITINERARY
Start off with breakfast at Just Love Coffee & Eatery, then say F it and have a margarita and nachos at Taco Mamacita. You’re already day drinking, so you might as well snag a booth and a craft cocktail at the post-industrial speakeasy Old Glory, conveniently located off the alley behind Taco Mamacita (look for the gold triangle around the door). For dinner, Thai Esane is a great option for those just trying out Thai food. Order the drunken noodles and make them as spicy as you’d like!
KEEP IN MIND
It's pronounced De-mun-bree-un. Not demon-brewn, Google Maps.
SoBro/Downtown
SoBro stands for South Broadway, but it is pretty bro-y. And touristy. If that doesn’t faze you, here are some stops worth making around there.
IDEAL ITINERARY
We’re not going to suggest spending the whole day in SoBro/Downtown, but if you’re catching a show down there already, have dinner at the quintessential American fine dining restaurant Etch, or at James Beard Award winner Chef Sean Brock’s Husk (just south of downtown Nashville historic 1800s mansion in Rutledge Hill), or get a GD Burger from Gray & Dudley.
KEEP IN MIND
Don’t even think about trying to park Downtown. And definitely make reservations!
