11 Best Restaurants in Nashville on Broadway for Visitors
I recently visited Nashville on a girl’s trip with my mom. We had a great time seeing the sights, listening to country music, and eating our way through the best restaurants in Nashville on Broadway.
I am such a foodie. Whenever I visited a new city, one of my first searches is the best foods to try and the top restaurant to visit. Nashville was no exception.
Upon researching the best food on Broadway in Nashville, I found many lists of must-try foods including fried chicken, southern biscuits, and even pizza.
This list of the best restaurants in Nashville on Broadway includes my favorite places for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There are casual, quick service and sit-down restaurant to create a balanced foodie trip. I also share a map that makes it super easy to find the closest dining options to you at any given time.
If you are wondering where to eat in downtown Nashville, visit any or all these restaurants and I can guarantee your taste buds will be thanking you.
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Best Brunch in Nashville Near Broadway
1. Dierks Bentley Whiskey Row
Best for live music
Cuisine: Elevated bar food
What to Order:
Slider Trio–Ham and Egg Slider, Breakfast Slider, Chicken & Waffle Slider
Good to Know: Whiskey Row is a honky tonk first and restaurant second. The food and atmosphere is great but service may be a bit slow and the dining room is very loud. However, the live music is amazing!
Location: Broadway
2. Milk and Honey
Best for instagrammable Sunday brunch
Cuisine: All the classic brunch favorites
What to Order:
Ricotta & Honey Starter– delicious, whipped ricotta with crusty sourdough bread,
Hot Mess Breakfast Sandwich– loaded breakfast sandwich that is sure to cure any hangover
Good to Know: Milk and Honey is one of the most popular brunch spots in Nashville, where you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. Plan to put your name in then explore the surrounding area to kill time. Nearby, there are many murals to take pictures with.
Location: The Gulch
3. Biscuit Love
Best for first time tourists
Cuisine: Southern with focus on homemade biscuits
What to Order:
Bonuts– Biscuit donuts with creamy mascarpone and fresh blueberry compote
East Nasty Biscuit– Loaded house made biscuit with juicy fried chicken and savory sausage gravy
Good to Know: The line for Biscuit Love will extend down the street. The good news is it moves fast. Once inside, you will place your order at the counter and be seated at a table. Before you leave, check out the merchandise for home goods, their chai mix, and other fun gifts.
Location: The Gulch, Hillsboro Village, Franklin
Lunch Recommendations for Nashville
4. ACME Feed and Seed
Best for lively atmosphere and live music
Cuisine: Casual southern and sushi
What to Order:
Ike & Mike’s Nachos – cheesy nachos with tender pulled pork
Overnight Sensation– smoky beef brisket sandwich
Good to Know: The first floor of the ACME feed is the large bar and southern bar food, upstairs there is a sushi bar and rooftop patio. There is consistently live music at ACME, making it the perfect dining and entertainment spot for music city.
Location: Broadway
5. Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
Best for a Nashville staple
Cuisine: Fried Hot Chicken
What to Order:
Hot Chicken Tenders with Ranch, Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans, Peach Crumble
Good to Know: Hattie B’s is one of the most popular Nashville restaurants. Expect to wait in line for 30-60 minutes, but trust me, the wait is worth it. The Broadway location is often the longest wait, so visit the midtown location for faster service.
Location: Midtown, West, Melrose, Lower Broadway (also have locations around Tennessee, Atlanta and Vegas)
6. Assembly Food Hall
Best for options for everyone in the group
Cuisine: 30+ different options
Top Food Stalls:
The Pharmacy Burger
Desano Pizzeria
Good to Know: Unlike other Nashville restaurants on this list, Assembly Food Hall is a combination of 30+ different eateries and bars. Like most other Nashville restaurants, there is great live music. This is a great location for lunch because there is an option for everyone in the group from tacos to fried chicken to ice cream.
Location: Broadway
7. Honky Tonk Central
Best for large groups or events
Cuisine: Casual Southern Bar Food
What to Order:
Frito Pie – Chili and fritos topped with cheddar cheese
Southwestern Chicken Egg Rolls – Egg rolls fileld with black beans, chicken, corn, spinach, cheese, and jalapenos
Good to Know: This place is super casual and more about the dancing and party than the food. However, there are some tasty appetizers to order that are sure to please any large group or bachelorette party.
Location: Broadway
Dinner on Broadway in Nashville
8. The Stillery
Best for date night
Cuisine: Modern American and Wood Fired Pizzas
What to Order:
Mac & Cheese– Creamy mac & cheese baked and served in a cast iron skillet
Steak & Shroom Pizza– wood fired pizza topped with savory mushrooms and tender steak
Good to Know: Be sure to get a reservation for the Stillery. Wait times will approach two hours during peak times. Additionally, this is one of the nicer restaurants on this list but the atmosphere is still casual enough for jeans and t-shirts.
Location: Broadway, Midtown
9. Peg Leg Porker
Best for meat eaters
Cuisine: Barbecue
What to Order:
Dry Rubbed Ribs, Pulled Pork Platter, BBQ Beans, Mac & Cheese
Good to Know: Come hungry! The portions here are big and hearty. If the line is long, you can order takeout to enjoy at a park or at home.
Location: Near the Gulch
10. The Twelve Thirty Club
Best for a special occasion
Cuisine: Steak and Seafood
What to Order:
Short Rib Potstickers – with sesame, ponzu, and cilantro
Oysters on the half shell – with cocktail sauce and chow chow mignonette
Warm butter poached king crab – with charred sourdough
Good to Know: The supper club at the twelve thirty is one of the most fun places to eat in Nashville on Broadway. There are amazing cocktails and food, with even better live performances. Reservations are highly encouraged for the events each night.
Location: Broadway
11. Merchants
Best for a historic location
Cuisine: First floor bistro, second floor upscale American
What to Order:
Mishima Wagyu Filet with crispy glazed brussels and 50/50 mashed potatoes
Lobster arrabiata pappardelle
Good to Know: Merchants is one of the most historic restaurants on Broadway in Nashville. The three story building dates back to 1892. The first floor is a casual bistro, the second floor has more upscale comfort food, and the third story is for private events. Reservations are available on Open Table and highly recommended.
Location: Broadway
The Best Food on Broadway in Nashville
If instead of the best restaurants on Broadway in Nashville you prefer to search for the top foods, I have you covered. This 10-stop DIY Nashville food tour will ensure you try all the top foods on Broadway in Nashville in one day.
Of course, you don’t actually need to visit all of these locations and can instead pick and choose what sounds best to you. You’ll notice some of these restaurants overlap with those listen above and that’s because they are just great places to eat.
Self-Guided Nashville Food Tour
1. Breakfast at Biscuit Love
Restaurant: Biscuit Love (Located at 316 11th Ave S).
Try the “Bonuts” – biscuit doughnut hybrids served with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote.
2. Hot Chicken at Hattie B’s
Restaurant: Hattie B’s Hot Chicken (Located at 112 19th Ave S).
Order the “Hot Chicken Plate” with your preferred spice level.
3. Goo Goo Cluster Dessert at Goo Goo Shop
Restaurant: Goo Goo Shop & Dessert Bar (Located at 116 3rd Ave S).
Try the “Original Goo Goo Cluster” dessert.
4. BBQ Ribs at Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
Restaurant: Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint (Located at 410 4th Ave S).
Order the “Dry-Rubbed Ribs” with a side of mac and cheese.
5. Southern Meat and Three at Arnold’s Country Kitchen
Restaurant: Arnold’s Country Kitchen (Located at 605 8th Ave S).
Choose your meat and three sides.
6. Burger at The Pharmacy
Restaurant: The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden (Located at 731 Mcferrin Ave).
Try the “Farm Burger” with a side of sweet potato fries.
7. Live Music and Tacos at Tequila Cowboy
Restaurant: Tequila Cowboy (Located at 305 Broadway).
Order the “Street Tacos” with your choice of filling.
8. Pimento Cheese Fries at Acme Feed & Seed
Restaurant: Acme Feed & Seed (Located at 101 Broadway).
Satisfy your cravings with pimento cheese fries and pair it with a craft beer from their extensive selection.
9. Sushi at Rock Bottom Brewery
Restaurant: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery (Located at 111 Broadway).
Try the “Nashville Roll” or “Rock Bottom Roll.”
10. Dessert and Coffee at Gigi’s Cupcakes
Restaurant: Gigi’s Cupcakes (Located at 1816 Broadway).
Choose from a variety of gourmet cupcakes.
The Best Nashville Food Tours
If you have made it this far into this guide, chances are you’re a bit of a foodie. Visiting restaurants is a great way to experience the cuisine of a city, and this list is the best way to do just that.
However, it’s hard to visit every restaurant or try every local food, especially during a shorter trip.
This food tour is a great way to sample local foods, learn more about the city, and find some hidden gems. It includes stops at 5+ restaurants with a variety of food and beverage tastings.
In addition to trying a lot of great food, this tour is a great way to learn about the city from a local.
Map of the Best places to eat on broadway in nashville
One of my least favorite things on vacation is deciding where to find my next meal. It’s always a group effort to search “best restaurants nearby” then scour reviews for what is actually good.
This list of Nashville restaurants near Broadway has you covered on where to eat and what to eat but it’s still hard to know what’s nearby.
That’s where this map of the best food on Broadway comes in. At any time on your vacation, reference this map to know the best food nearby that’s already been vetted as a great option.
Summary of the Best Restaurants in Nashville on Broadway
Overall, these restaurants in Nashville on Broadway and nearby are some of the best places to try in Nashville. They offer traditional Southern food and unique options. Be sure to visit at least one restaurant in each category during your Nashville trip!
For more Nashville tips and tricks, check out my complete guide to Nashville.
FAQ
Your best chance of spotting a celebrity eating in Nashville is at one of their own restaurants/bars. For example, Dierks Bentley at Whiskey Row, Miranda Lambert at Casa Rosa, or Blake Shelton at Big Red. Some popular restaurants for non-country music celebrities are Barista Parlor, the Hutton Hotel, or the Palm.
The most famous “cafe” in Nashville is the Bluebird Cafe. Contrary to the name, the Bluebird is famous for music and emerging artists, not coffee and pastries as you may assume.
Classic Nashville food is all about the fried chicken! Nashville is famous for its hot chicken – fried chicken dripping with spicy sauce. Other foods that are classic to the city include catfish, BBQ, and biscuits and gravy. All these dishes are packed with flavor and have a unique Nashville twist that makes them stand out from other versions of the same dish you may find elsewhere, even within Tennesee.
Nashville hot chicken is a unique dish that is defined by its incredibly spicy flavor, as well as its crunchy fried texture. Unlike other types of fried chicken, Nashville hot chicken is traditionally cooked with an extra-hot seasoning blend on top of it. This spice blend usually consists of cayenne peppers, paprika, garlic powder, and other spices. This combination gives the dish its signature intense heat and strong flavor.
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