Olio 8: Our Favorite Restaurants in Nashville

The Olio 8 is a mix of tried and true, the new class, and comfort staples. These lists are updated twice a year, with menu recommendations, and insider tips to ensure #nobadmeals.

Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant

No other restaurant perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Nashville in a single establishment quite like Puckett's. Expect a perfectly curated southern menu, full to the brim with staples like catfish, fried green tomatoes, and shrimp and grits. Open seven days a week from breakfast to dinner, come hungry for comfort food, southern hospitality, and live music at this beloved grocery store/restaurant. Order a sweet tea, and sit back and enjoy live country or bluegrass music seven nights a week. The hardest part is trying to save room for one of the homemade cobblers for dessert.

Photo courtesy of Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant

City House

Home to Nashville’s first and only James Beard Award winner, Tandy Wilson, City House arguably put the Nashville dining scene on the map, and paved the way for the current culinary landscape. At City House, expect simplistic perfection in the form of rustic Italian fare with a hint of southern influence. Everything is top notch, from the warm atmosphere and curated cocktail program, to the flavorful pastas and pizzas. Snag a reservation for the popular Sunday Supper, an ever changing fresh menu to delight your inner foodie.

Rolf & Daughters

Down a quiet residential street in Germantown lies some of the most buzzed about New American cuisine in town. If you aren’t into small plates with ingredients you can’t pronounce, this might not be your spot, but if you trust the culinary genius of Chef Philip Krajeck you won’t be disappointed. If you can’t get a reservation, stop in for drinks at the bar—the cocktail program is also a standout.

Photo courtesy of Rolf & Daughters

Biscuit Love

The star of southern cooking has long been its breakfasts. Biscuits and Gravy are THE staple of any breakfast table south of the Mason Dixon, so when in Rome (or Nashville), you need to go where its done best. The longer the wait the higher the expectations, and it’s no secret the long weekend lines might deter you, but if a 45 minute wait is all that stands in between you and one of Nashville’s best breakfast, stay the course. Also, don’t leave without ordering the Bonuts,- fried biscuit, topped with lemon mascarpone and served over a blueberry compote.

Multiple locations

Prince’s Hot Chicken

You can’t leave Music City without trying its most recognizable fare. Hot chicken is an institution, and Prince’s is the OG of hot chicken. The accolades are as endless as the lines at this landmark chicken shack. All chicken sandwiches are served on two pieces of white bread with pickles, and come in flavors ranging from plain to extra extra hot. We suggest the mild or the medium, unless you’re a true daredevil. Don’t skip a hot chicken meal for the perfect lunch on a visit to Nashville. (Honorable mention: Hattie B’s is also a fine choice to get your hot chicken fix.)

Multiple locations.

Photo courtesy of Prince's Hot Chicken

Geist Bar + Restaurant

We’re obsessed with this place! A charming turn of the century blacksmith building-turned restaurant and bar in historic Germantown. This restaurant seemingly does it all—and does it all well. In warmer months, the Champagne Garden is open to diners for drinks and dinner, complete with an outdoor cooking stove. In winter months, the interior is cozy and casual with a thoughtful cocktail and spirit list, and an interior large enough to accommodate walk-ins and groups. All of this is just icing on the cake to a locally sourced menu: full of flavor, seasonal creations, and new staples that will haunt your consciousness ‘til the next visit.

Photo courtesy of Geist Bar + Restaurant

Urban Cowboy Public House

No visit to Nashville is complete without a visit to the funky, wonderful East Nashville. There are many hip eateries and fun cocktail bars, but none combine them both quite like Urban Cowboy. The atmosphere is laid back, and they don’t have servers, so don’t expect to be in-and-out in record time. You order at the bar, then they bring your food in waves. There is both indoor and outdoor seating—at the center of the patio is a communal fire, populated with locals and visitors alike. Urban Cowboy is the perfect meeting place for some of the city’s best cocktails and fare cooked over an open wood fire. The menu may change daily, but the friendly atmosphere and laid back vibe are where many nights to remember (and forget) begin in East Nashville.

Henrietta Red

Named one of “America’s Best New Restaurants” to open back in 2017 by ‘Bon Appétit’ magazine, Henrietta Red is still gaining steam locally and nationally. The menu is mainly seafood small plates and seasonal vegetables, plus a raw bar program that wows with a wide variety of oysters and crudo creations. The atmosphere is decidedly cool and chic with whitewashed exposed brick, a marble bar, and wood and leather seating in an open and airy room. It’s relaxed enough for a casual meal, but formal enough that it's perfect for date night. Henrietta Red is the kind of place you can go for a quick bite or a celebratory feast. Don't miss the bar program either, they have A+ drink specials and a great wine list.