Jeremy and I have compiled this quick guide to some of our favorite Nashville spots for a weekend in town. We have hosted a lot of friends and family since moving, so here is just some of our ever-growing list! We like to try a new spot every weekend… so our list really is evolving all the time!
COFFEE
If Nashville wasn’t called “Music City” I am pretty sure it would be called “Coffee City”. It’s not the biggest city, but it’s coffee game is second to none.
Barista Parlor Perhaps the most well known Nashville coffee shop(s). There are three locations. My personal favorite (just based on aesthetic) is the Golden Sound Location downtown. But if you are looking for something that is very Nashville-looking you’ll want to try the East Nashville location. They carry our favorite donuts (from Five Daughter’s Bakery) and serve Askinosie hot chocolate (a chocolate company from our hometown in Missouri). They also have really good breakfast sandwiches…. and of course coffee to please even the snobbiest of coffee snobs.
Crema A personal fave of ours! They sell Crema coffee all over and the location is really cute and has a patio. They have amazing avocado toast and I love getting their chai.
Steadfast The original coffee soda… yes, it’s a thing and it’s definitely worth trying at least once. This spot has really good light, bright vibes and a pretty large outdoor seating area.
BREAKFAST
Marché We eat here at least once every week. It is hands down our favorite breakfast in Nashville. We love the Savory Crepes (there is a different one every day and they are all incredible), the Croissant French Toast and the Fruit Tartine. This is one of those easy going, feel-good places.
AMOT (A Matter Of Taste) This is a gluten-free restaurant. We love the Chilaquiles, Chicken & Waffles and Shrimp and Grits. They also have a great burger.
Biscuit Love If you find yourself near downtown for breakfast we highly recommend Biscuit Love. I’ve never had anything bad there, but their “Bonuts” are what you go for (biscuit donuts… just stop).
Loveless Cafe A cute little diner, just outside of town. It really is about the biscuits, which are the fluffiest and best ever. I don’t even care about the rest of the menu. They also have a really cute gift shop where you can buy biscuit mix, one of the best souvenirs you can take home- in our opinion.
The Flipside This is the spot with that INSANE bloody mary. Love it!
LUNCH
Pinewood Social You can have any meal at Pinewood, but we usually choose it for lunch. We love their patio with a dipping pool in the summertime, it’s so cute- they serve cocktails from an airstream trailer. Get the fried broccoli and they have the best kale salad, in my opinion.
Le Sel My blogger friends are always like, “yeah, but- what is that PINK restaurant?” ha! I love getting a fancy cocktail and some truffle fries here with girlfriends. If you care about getting a photo (ahem- blogger friends) go at, like, 3pm when there’s not a big rush of people.
Burger Up We love their burgers, but 99% of the time we go for their salads, which are really great. And if you love fried pickles, you’re going to want to order those too.
Avo Avo is a vegan restaurant with a lot of good veggie-based options. The Kimchi Springrolls are our favorite dish. The Avocado Margarita is super good. I always get the coconut water, in a coconut and a giant salad.
Vui’s Kitchen Our favorite Vietnamese spot… it’s SO good. We try to go once a week! Everything is good, but we always get salads, bone broth and coconut water. It’s for sure the most flavorful and interesting salad in Nashville.
DINNER
Epice This is a great Lebanese spot that doesn’t feel like any other restaurant in Nashville. The atmosphere is very fresh and minimal and the food is incredible. I always get the same thing- the Sayadeya, which is a delicious fish dish (and I’m not even a big fish person).
Little Octopus One of the most beautiful atmospheres in town and most creative menus. I love their cocktails and small plates. The decor makes you feel like you’re in a fancy 80s movie… in the best way!
The Catbird Seat For the most special of occasions, one of the best meals we’ve had in our lives was at The Catbird Seat. It’s more than just dinner, it’s a like a culinary show. It’s a tasting menu, so you don’t even have to (or get to) order anything except drinks. It’s truly special (and pretty pricey… but totally worth it if you love this type of thing- we went for Jeremy’s birthday). You have to book your seats weeks (and sometimes months) in advance so be sure to plan ahead!
Oh! And for pizza we LOVE City House for a date night (get the egg pizza and Bella cocktail) and for carryout pizza Five Points Pizza is our go-to.
TACOS
Yes, tacos get their own category here in Nashville. This is very serious business.
Mas Tacos A local favorite. It is small and the line does get long, so we like to get there early (like between 5-6 pm). Sometimes we make it into a happy hour as well now that they have added a bar. We love their tacos, but even more- the street corn and tortilla soup are just SO good.
Bajo Sexto Taco Lounge We stumbled upon this place one day while trying to go somehwere else. They have a couple locations, but we like the Sylvan Park one. They have a big salad, which is nice to mix in. Perfect spot for an easy lunch.
Bar Taco Located on 12th Avenue South (one of the cutest streets to have dinner and take a walk afterward) this spot won our hearts because we love tiny tacos and they have the best drinks.
TREATS
Jeni’s Ice Cream I’m not sure how many locations Nashville has, but it really feels like there is a Jeni’s on every corner. If it’s your first time, order the Brown Butter Almond Brittle ice cream. So good!
Las Palatas A cute little paletas shop. Super kid friendly and just wonderful during the summertime. They have fun flavors like avocado and coconut.
Five Daughters Bakery The best cronuts and cinnamon rolls. It’s just mind blowing how good these are!
BARS
Public House Bar & Kitchen (at Urban Cowboy) We love this cozy bar because the outdoor fireplaces are next-level and so cozy on a chilly night. I love their hot toddy (I’m sure that’s probably seasonal, but don’t worry I’ve never had a bad drink there). Order the white bean dip.
Bar Luca There is something about this bar that brings us back time after time. It’s well designed and pretty mellow. Great spot for a date night. (RIP- Just hear that this closed a few weeks ago….)
The Greenhouse Bar This place is so funny. Now, I admit we don’t know that much about the south side bars because 99% of the time we keep to East Nashville, but this place is so fun and novelty I had to include it. It’s a bar in a greenhouse… need I say more?
Dino’s I had to include one dive bar, and Dino’s is our favorite hands-down. We always get chili cheese fries and sometimes a butcher burger. It reminds us of Missouri, which sometimes we need, you know? It’s a tiny little space, but has all the best feelings… I can’t describe it!
SHOPPING
(I know, some of you are like- “something besides food p-leaseeee?” Here you go.)
Harlan Ruby A gift/party shop that has something for every lady (kids and adults) and great gift options and the BEST selection of stationery. It’s really worth the stop and I love the family who runs it… such magical people!
Magnolia Goods A great kiddo shop with a beautifully curated selection.
White’s Merchantile One of the stores that first made me fall in love with Nashville. I can always find some random thing that I definitely “need” or a great gift for a friend in there.
Poppy & Monroe This is that green nail salon that I always post about on Instagram. They give the best manicures and also have an amazing selection of non-toxic beauty products. I have learned about so many great products from them!
Hewitt Garden & Design Center This is the greenhouse I always go to with the amazing cacti house. They have a really cute home goods selection as well (mostly planters and things like that, but during the holidays it was the best selection seasonal of decor I saw anywhere). Love this place!
Other than that, a lot of people want to go to Broadway on their first trip. It’s pretty fun. We like Robert’s Western World. Also, Acme Feed & Seed has a rooftop bar that’s a pretty great sunset view (and they have a photo booth inside near the sushi restaurant). If you want a cheesy Nashville souvenir you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for on Broadway!
And the other thing people always want to do is try hot chicken. For that try Hattie B’s or Prince’s… and be prepared to wait in line (especially on the weekends).
Instead of a hotel, stay in an airbnb. I think staying somewhere where you can walk to at least one thing on your t0-do list is a pretty great way to experience a city.
Ok- I feel like I am leaving a lot of places out! But check my hashtag #ElsieLovesNashville on IG for more spots. That’s definitely the most frequently updated city guide I have because I add to it all the time.
If you’re coming soon I really hope you enjoy checking out some of the spots we love in Nashville. It’s the friendliest city… that’s what made us love it here!
Love, Elsie + Jeremy
