the best places to visit in nashville
While Nashville is a popular bachelorette/bachelor destination, there is so much more to the city than Broadway (“Honky Tonk Row”). Live music, amazing food, unique street art, and cute boutiques are all must-sees when you are in the capital of Tennessee. Below are the best spots you should check out in Nashville if you’re in the city for a long weekend.
Image courtesy of Barista Parlor.
Image courtesy of Cafe Roze. Photographer - Emily Dorio.
This adorable all-day eatery features a pink, marble countertop bar and unique and healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. Helmed by Julia Jaksic, who was formerly a consulting chef at Jack’s Wife Freda in NYC, Cafe Roze is as cute as it is delicious. They have menu items like the Roze bowl (beet tahini, black lentils, red quinoa, seasonal vegetables, kale, and pickled beets) and the pain bagnat sandwich (tuna, anchovy, roasted red pepper, fennel, and olives.)
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*Woman-owned business
Image courtesy of 5th and Taylor.
This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants in the world. The breathtaking interiors feature dark walls, high ceilings, plants, sculptures, and large paintings in a former warehouse space. (They also have a relaxing outdoor patio with a fountain, sculptures, and an outdoor bar.) Helmed by Chef Daniel Lindley (who also designed the space), the restaurant is a homage to the Sunday family dinners from his childhood. Featuring elevated takes on traditional dishes, the menu has items like steamed mussels with chili broth and mezcal, black pepper dumplings with asparagus and truffle, beef cheek pot roast, and fried apple pie, 5th and Taylor is a restaurant not to be missed when you are in Nashville.
east nashville / new american / $$
This restaurant offers farm-to-table fare at their restaurant in the Gulch. They also have another location in Charleston. With menu items like avocado crispy rice, shakshuka, and a lamb burger, Butcher & Bee incorporates seasonal specialties in their rotating menu.
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the gulch / breakfast + pastries / $$
Known for their “bonuts” - fried biscuit donuts tossed in sugar with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote - Biscuit Love is a decadent breakfast/dessert/snack destination. They also have various biscuit sandwiches and dishes like biscuits and sausage gravy and bananas foster (buttermilk biscuit pieces baked in French toast batter with bananas foster and spiced candied pecans.)
printer’s alley / new american / $$
In the heart of downtown Nashville, this cozy New American restaurant has Southern classics with a twist like scallops with risotto, crab fritters, and shrimp and grits.
various locations / bbq / $
Don’t miss out on southern BBQ while you’re in Nashville! With classic bbq items on the menu like cornbread, potato salad, mac and cheese, smoked wings, spare ribs, and more, you’ll satisfy all your barbecue cravings and more at this joint.
cafes
various locations / coffee + pastries / $$
Photo courtesy of Barista Parlor
Established in 2011, this cafe works with local artists, businesses and bakeries, and has high-end roast coffee, beautiful interiors, and delicious pastries. With multiple locations across different neighborhoods in Nashville, Barista Parlor is sure to present itself conveniently to you, no matter what area of town you find yourself in. Their Golden Sound location is my favorite (it’s pictured above), and used to be in an old recording studio.
the gulch / coffee / $$
Image courtesy of Killebrew Coffee
This aesthetically pleasing coffee shop in the Gulch is the perfect place for a coffee date, a quiet space to read, or a casual breakfast spot.
bars
rolling mill hill / bowling bar / $$
This bar has it all - bowling, board games, drinks, food, and more. What more could you want? Perfect for large groups or a date, Pinewood Social is a popular spot in Nashville, and for good reason.
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east nashville / cocktail / $$
Located in a chic boutique hotel that also has locations in the Catskills and Brooklyn, Urban Cowboy is a rustic chic bar that is also well-worth the standalone visit. With a spacious outdoor patio with cozy blankets and a fire pit and a stunning rustic interior with a tin ceiling, Urban Cowboy is the epitome of Nashville.
dessert
multiple locations / ice cream / $$
You may have seen Jeni’s colorful ice cream pints in the freezer section at Whole Foods. Now is your opportunity to try their ice cream directly from the source, and it is an absolute must. One of my all-time favorite ice cream shops, Jeni’s has the most unique flavors with the perfect ice cream consistency - not too cold or icy, perfectly creamy, and not too sugary. My favorite flavors are brambleberry crisp and brown butter brittle!
various locations / baked goods / $
If you like donuts, then you need to come here. With flavors like orange cinnamon, butterscotch blondie, and more, Five Daughters Bakery has some of the most inventive flavors and delicious donuts that exist!
