Chapter Eight

Cork & Vine

Vineyards, champagne gardens, Italian wine programs, and rooftop pours.

Bourbon Steak

Tomahawks, deep bourbon list, expense-account energy.

Michael Mina's high-end steakhouse at the JW Marriott downtown. Tomahawks, deep bourbon list, expense-account energy. Polished, special-occasion.

Downtown · JW Marriott, Downtown Nashville · Official site

Postino

Italian wine bar. Bruschetta boards and natural wine. Easy, reliable.

A casual Italian wine bar serving bruschetta boards and a well-curated, affordable wine list. Postino's Nashville location brings its proven formula — approachable natural wine, strong boards, a reliable hang.

12 South · Nashville, TN · Official site

Eddie V's

Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. A reliable polished dinner.

Upscale seafood and steakhouse with a downtown Nashville location. Live jazz, raw bar, martinis. Reliable for a polished dinner.

Downtown · Eddie V's, Downtown Nashville · Official site

Geist Bar + Restaurant

1886 blacksmith shop. Champagne Garden out back, year-round.

Bar and restaurant in a restored 1886 blacksmith shop in Germantown (311 Jefferson St). Internationally-influenced American menu, sophisticated cocktails, and the Champagne Garden out back: a covered patio with a wood-burning oven, year-round.

Germantown · 311 Jefferson St, Nashville, TN · Official site

L.A. Jackson

Rooftop atop the Thompson. Best Rooftop seven years running.

Rooftop bar atop the Thompson Nashville in The Gulch. Voted Nashville Scene's Best Rooftop seven years running. Indoor lounge with floor-to-ceiling skyline views, open-air terrace, seasonal cocktails, DJs on weekends. 21+.

The Gulch · Thompson Nashville, The Gulch · Official site

Pelato

Brooklyn-Italian from the Scotto family. Heated patio year-round.

Brooklyn-Italian small plates in Germantown (1300 3rd Ave N) from the Scotto family. Communal energy, shareable everything: potato croquettes, vodka pasta, cacio e pepe. Heated patio year-round.

Germantown · 1300 3rd Ave N, Nashville, TN · Official site

Rolf & Daughters

Phillip Krajeck. Handmade pastas. A cornerstone since 2012.

Phillip Krajeck's restaurant in Germantown (700 Taylor St). Italian-inflected, handmade pastas, communal tables. One of the cornerstones of Nashville's modern dining scene since 2012.

Germantown · 700 Taylor St, Nashville, TN · Official site

The Twelve Thirty Club

JT's place. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.

Fifth + Broadway, downtown. Justin Timberlake's place. The Honky Tonk on the lower levels and the rooftop bar are walk-in. The Supper Club upstairs is members only. Coconut margaritas don't require membership.

Downtown · The Twelve Thirty Club, Fifth + Broadway, Nashville · Official site

Yolan

Tony Mantuano's Italian inside The Joseph. Among the top dining rooms in town.

Tony Mantuano's Italian inside The Joseph hotel downtown. Among the top dining rooms in town. Tasting menu and à la carte. Reservations essential.

Downtown · Yolan, The Joseph, Downtown Nashville · Official site

Bacco (Four Seasons)

Tuscan steakhouse, weekend brunch with live music, 7am–2pm.

The flagship Tuscan steakhouse at the Four Seasons, with a weekend brunch running 7:00am–2:00pm and live music. Deep wine program, river views, special-occasion energy.

Downtown · 100 Demonbreun St, Nashville, TN 37201 · Official site

Peninsula

Chef Jake Howell — 2025 James Beard Best Chef: Southeast.

An East Nashville restaurant led by Chef Jake Howell, honored with the 2025 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast. Iberian-leaning, deeply personal cooking with a great wine list. Michelin Bib Gourmand.

East Nashville · 1035 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206 · Official site

Audrey

Sean Brock's Appalachian flagship. A "Country" essential. Weekend brunch, Sat & Sun 10am–2pm.

Chef Sean Brock's Appalachian flagship in East Nashville — heirloom ingredients, live-fire cooking, and a deep Southern point of view. Notable Mention. Weekend brunch served Saturday and Sunday, 10:00am–2:00pm.

East Nashville · 809 Meridian St, Nashville, TN 37207 · Official site

January (Franklin)

Michelin Green Star for zero-waste at Southall Farm & Inn.

The restaurant at Southall Farm and Inn in Franklin, awarded a Michelin Green Star for zero-waste sustainability — hyper-seasonal, farm-driven cooking about 40 minutes south of town.

Franklin · Southall Farm and Inn, Franklin, TN 37064 · Official site

Arrington Vineyards

Kix Brooks's vineyard. Picnic. Lawn. Live music on weekends.

Kix Brooks's vineyard south of Franklin, about 40 minutes from downtown. Bring a picnic, sit on the lawn, listen to live music on weekends.

Franklin · 6211 Patton Road, Arrington, TN 37014 · Official site

5th & Taylor

Upscale American in a converted warehouse. One of Germantown's anchors.

A polished New American restaurant in a converted warehouse at 1411 5th Ave N in Germantown. Exposed brick, warm lighting, strong cocktail program, and a menu that leans into seasonal American cooking with real technique. One of the neighborhood's long-standing anchors — the kind of room that works for a date, a business dinner, or a special occasion.

Germantown · 1411 5th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208 · Official site