Music City’s Michelin Stars: A Guide to Nashville’s Best Restaurants
Nashville’s culinary landscape presents a stark paradox. The city’s identity, long defined by “high-volume honky tonks” and its world-famous hot chicken, has undergone a seismic transformation into a globally recognized, chef-driven culinary destination. This evolution was officially legitimized in November 2025 with the arrival of the inaugural Michelin Guide.
This isn’t just a list; it’s a definitive guide to the top 10 restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. We’ve synthesized critical reviews, local buzz, and national accolades to bring you a canon of culinary greatness. From the foundational icons to the new Michelin-starred elite, these are the essential best restaurants in Nashville tn that tell the story of a premier American food city.
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Cuisine | Price Guide | Vibe / Perfect For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Locust | 12 South | Modern / Seafood | $$$$ | A Michelin-Starred, “Toughest Reservation” |
| Bastion | Wedgewood-Houston | Tasting Menu | $$$$ | A Michelin-Starred, Hidden Gem |
| The Catbird Seat | Midtown/8th Ave | Tasting Menu | $$$$ | The Michelin-Starred “Chef Incubator” |
| Peninsula | East Nashville | Iberian / Spanish | $$$ | A 2025 James Beard “Best Chef” Winner |
| Rolf and Daughters | Germantown | New American / Italian | $$$ | The Enduring, Trendy Modern Staple |
| City House | Germantown | Italian / Southern | $$$ | The JBA-Winning Pioneer |
| Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack | Various | Hot Chicken | $ | The Originator & “America’s Classic” |
| Arnold’s Country Kitchen | The Gulch | Southern / Meat-and-Three | $ | The JBA “Classic” & Michelin-Rec Icon |
| Loveless Cafe | Highway 100 | Southern / Biscuits | $$ | A 70+ Year Cultural Institution |
| Brown’s Diner | Hillsboro Village | American Diner | $ | Nashville’s Oldest Restaurant (Est. 1927) |
1. Locust
📹 Video Source: Binging with Babish
- 🍴Cuisine:Modern / Seafood
- 🏙️Neighborhood:12 South
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Michelin-Starred, “Toughest Reservation”
- 📍Location:2305 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Locust represents the absolute pinnacle of modern Nashville’s critical acclaim. This is one of the top 10 restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee. In November 2025, it was awarded a coveted Michelin 1-Star, following its selection as Food & Wine’s “Restaurant of the Year”. Its status as “Nashville’s toughest reservation” is confirmed by food bloggers and major YouTube food vloggers. The menu is a “hyper-seasonal” and “creative, chef-led” experience lauded for its “pristine seafood”.
Foodie Quote: “The restaurant is lauded for its ‘pristine seafood’ and ‘precise sauce work’ in a ‘creative, chef-led’ experience.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Definitive, Critically-Lauded Modern Star. Its Michelin 1-Star and Food & Wine “Restaurant of the Year” accolades make it the undisputed #1 on any list of the most popular restaurants in Nashville.
2. Bastion
📹 Video Source: Chef Empire
- 🍴Cuisine:Tasting Menu
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Wedgewood-Houston
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:A Michelin-Starred, Hidden Gem
- 📍Location:434 Houston St, Nashville, TN 37203
Bastion is a high-concept, 24-seat fine-dining establishment famously hidden behind an unmarked door within a casual warehouse bar. It was awarded a Michelin 1-Star in 2025. The restaurant is led by Chef Josh Habiger, a 2023 James Beard Award finalist. This exclusive, “decision-free” tasting menu is identified by local Reddit forums as one of the few places in the city truly operating at a Michelin level prior to the guide’s arrival.
Foodie Quote: “An exclusive, ‘decision-free’ tasting menu from a James Beard Award finalist chef.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Michelin-Starred “Hidden Gem”. Its Michelin 1-Star and JBA-finalist chef secure its place as an essential pillar of Nashville’s modern fine-dining scene.
3. The Catbird Seat
📹 Video Source: Eater
- 🍴Cuisine:Tasting Menu
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Midtown/8th Ave
- 💰Price:$$$$
- ✨Vibe:The Michelin-Starred “Chef Incubator”
- 📍Location:1711 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
The Catbird Seat is arguably the single most influential modern restaurant in Nashville’s history. It earned its Michelin 1-Star in 2025. For over a decade, it has operated as a “restaurant lab” and “chef incubator”, launching the careers of the chefs who would go on to open other acclaimed restaurants on this list, including the founders of both Bastion and Locust. It’s a “boundary-defying chef’s counter” and one of the best restaurants in Nashville tn.
Foodie Quote: “After 14 years, the original restaurant moved, reopening in a new, larger location on 8th Avenue South in May 2025.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Michelin-Starred “Chef Incubator”. Its 2025 Michelin 1-Star validates its new iteration, and its legacy of launching the chefs from Bastion and Locust makes it a foundational “all-time” great.
4. Peninsula
📹 Video Source: Michele Mazzu Crye-Leike Realtor 615-391-9080
- 🍴Cuisine:Iberian / Spanish
- 🏙️Neighborhood:East Nashville
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:A 2025 James Beard “Best Chef” Winner
- 📍Location:1035 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Peninsula holds one of the most significant recent accolades in Nashville. In June 2025, its chef, Jake Howell, WON the James Beard Award for “Best Chef: Southeast”. Concurrently, the restaurant was awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand in November 2025, recognizing its high quality and value. It is an Iberian (Spanish/Portuguese) focused restaurant praised by the local community.
Foodie Quote: “An Iberian-focused restaurant praised by the local community for its high quality and value.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The 2025 James Beard Winner. A JBA “Best Chef” WIN paired with a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand creates an unassailable, data-driven case for its inclusion as one of the absolute best restaurants in Nashville tn.
5. Rolf and Daughters
📹 Video Source: James Andrews
- 🍴Cuisine:New American / Italian
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Germantown
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:The Enduring, Trendy Modern Staple
- 📍Location:700 Taylor St, Nashville, TN 37208
Rolf and Daughters is the quintessential “modern stalwart” of the Nashville food scene. In 2025, it was named Michelin-Recommended. For years, it has been a darling of the national press, celebrated by Bon Appétit and Esquire. It maintains exceptionally high public ratings and is lauded for its “impeccably made pastas”, natural wine list, and a “trendy” atmosphere.
Foodie Quote: “A ‘must-eat’ on local blogs and YouTube vlogs, it is lauded for its ‘impeccably made pastas’ and natural wine list.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Enduring Modern Staple. It helped pioneer the “new” Nashville scene and has remained an “essential” and “Nashville staple” without a decline in quality, earning a Michelin-Recommended nod.
6. City House
📹 Video Source: WKRN News 2
- 🍴Cuisine:Italian / Southern
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Germantown
- 💰Price:$$$
- ✨Vibe:The JBA-Winning Pioneer
- 📍Location:1222 4th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37208
City House is a true “pioneer” of modern Nashville dining. Its chef-owner, Tandy Wilson, is a James Beard Award Winner. For over a decade, it has been a beloved institution and neighborhood gathering place. It is consistently cited by locals on Reddit as an “all-time” favorite. It’s a top pick for the best restaurants in Nashville tn.
Foodie Quote: “Its Belly Ham Pizza is a legendary, cult-status dish, with one user calling it the ‘best pizza I’ve ever had in my life’.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The JBA-Winning Pioneer. Its JBA-winning chef and foundational role in the community represent the perfect marriage of critical acclaim and cultural impact, making it one of the top 10 Italian restaurants in Nashville.
7. Prince's Hot Chicken Shack
📹 Video Source: INSIDER FOOD
- 🍴Cuisine:Hot Chicken
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Various
- 💰Price:$
- ✨Vibe:The Originator & “America’s Classic”
- 📍Location:5814 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211 (South)
Prince’s is not just a restaurant; it is the foundational culinary landmark of Nashville. It is the undisputed originator of the city’s single most iconic dish: Nashville Hot Chicken. The story of its creation—a scorned lover’s attempt at revenge on Thornton Prince—is the city’s most famous culinary legend.
Foodie Quote: “The undisputed originator of Nashville’s single most iconic dish: Nashville Hot Chicken.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Originator & “America’s Classic”. No “all-time” list is credible without the restaurant that won a James Beard “America’s Classics” Award for inventing the city’s most famous food. This is the definition of top food in Nashville.
8. Arnold's Country Kitchen
📹 Video Source: UA Eats
- 🍴Cuisine:Southern / Meat-and-Three
- 🏙️Neighborhood:The Gulch
- 💰Price:$
- ✨Vibe:The JBA “Classic” & Michelin-Rec Icon
- 📍Location:605 8th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
Arnold’s is the definitive, gold-standard “meat-and-three” in Nashville. Its cultural importance was solidified by winning the James Beard “America’s Classics” Award. In a significant validation, the 2025 Michelin Guide also recognized it as “Recommended,” calling it “a bit of an institution”. Despite rumors of its closure, it is definitively open and operational as of late 2025.
Foodie Quote: “The sale of the building fell through. As of November 2025, Arnold’s is definitively open and operational.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s The Dual-Award Icon. Arnold’s is the rare establishment that perfectly represents both the “all-time” JBA “Classic” award and the “new elite” 2025 Michelin recognition, proving its enduring excellence.
9. Loveless Cafe
📹 Video Source: JOLLY
- 🍴Cuisine:Southern / Biscuits
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Highway 100
- 💰Price:$$
- ✨Vibe:A 70+ Year Cultural Institution
- 📍Location:8400 TN-100, Nashville, TN 37221
The Loveless Cafe is a Nashville “all-time” institution, established in 1951. Located on Highway 100, it has been a landmark for over 70 years, famous for its biscuits, fruit preserves, country ham, and red-eye gravy. It’s a top contender for the best breakfast restaurants in Nashville, TN.
Foodie Quote: “An ‘authentic data’ analysis must also note that it is not a universal favorite; debates center on its ‘tourist trap’ status, but its history is undeniable.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s A 70+ Year Cultural Institution. Despite debates on its “tourist trap” status, its undeniable 70-year history as a landmark for biscuits and Southern breakfast makes it an essential part of Nashville’s “all-time” culinary story.
10. Brown's Diner
📹 Video Source: Tennessee Crossroads
- 🍴Cuisine:American Diner
- 🏙️Neighborhood:Hillsboro Village
- 💰Price:$
- ✨Vibe:Nashville’s Oldest Restaurant (Est. 1927)
- 📍Location:411 21st Ave S, Nashville, TN 37203
Housed in an old trolley car, Brown’s Diner holds the unassailable title of Nashville’s Oldest Restaurant, established in 1927. It is famous for its classic, no-frills cheeseburger. Far from being a non-operational relic, the diner is actively innovating, launching a new all-day breakfast menu in 2025 to “ensure it lasts another 100 years”.
Foodie Quote: “Housed in an old trolley car, it is famous for its classic, no-frills cheeseburger.”Why is it our top choice?
It’s Nashville’s Oldest Restaurant (Est. 1927). Its 100-year legacy and its confirmed “current working” and adapting status make it the essential anchor for any “all-time” list.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
Based on a deep analysis of critical acclaim, history, and local love, the top 10 restaurants in Nashville, Tennessee are: 1. Locust, 2. Bastion, 3. The Catbird Seat, 4. Peninsula, 5. Rolf and Daughters, 6. City House, 7. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, 8. Arnold’s Country Kitchen, 9. Loveless Cafe, and 10. Brown’s Diner.
Yes! As of the inaugural November 2025 Michelin Guide for the American South, Nashville has three one-star restaurants. The top 10 restaurants in Nashville list includes all three: Locust (for its creative seafood), Bastion (for its exclusive tasting menu), and The Catbird Seat (for its boundary-defying chef’s counter).
While many of the top 10 restaurants in Nashville are in neighborhoods like East Nashville and Germantown, the downtown area and its immediate surroundings (like The Gulch) are home to foundational icons. Arnold’s Country Kitchen (The Gulch) is a must-visit for a classic “meat-and-three,” and the flagship Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack at the Assembly Food Hall is a key Nashville restaurants downtown experience.
The most popular restaurants in Nashville are often the foundational icons. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack (the original hot chicken) and Loveless Cafe (famous biscuits) are world-renowned and draw huge crowds. Hattie B’s (Honorable Mention) is also wildly popular and received a Michelin recommendation.
For a first-timer, you must experience the two pillars. Get classic top food in Nashville at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Arnold’s Country Kitchen. Then, experience the “new” Nashville at a critically acclaimed spot like Rolf and Daughters or Peninsula.
The Loveless Cafe is an all-time institution, famous for its biscuits, country ham, and red-eye gravy since 1951. Brown’s Diner, the city’s oldest restaurant, also just launched a new all-day breakfast menu in 2025. These are cornerstone breakfast restaurants in Nashville, TN.
The top 10 Italian restaurants in Nashville list would be led by the modern standouts on our guide. Rolf and Daughters and City House are both nationally celebrated for their “impeccably made pastas” and Italian-influenced cuisine. St. Vito Focacceria (a Michelin Bib Gourmand winner) and iggy’s (Michelin-Recommended) are also top-tier choices.
While Nashville is more famous for hot chicken, the top 10 BBQ restaurants in Nashville list is highly debated. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint was “Recommended” by Michelin, but many locals on Reddit prefer Peg Leg Porker (run by a JBA-affiliated pitmaster). Shotgun Willie’s also received a Michelin recommendation.
For a fun, historic, and family-friendly meal, Loveless Cafe is a perfect choice, offering a classic Southern experience for all ages. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and Arnold’s Country Kitchen are also great for a casual, quintessential Nashville meal that the whole family can enjoy.
Nashville Hot Chicken is the city’s signature dish: fried chicken basted with a fiery, cayenne-based spicy paste. The “all-time best” and undisputed originator of the dish is Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, which earned a James Beard “America’s Classics” Award for its cultural importance.
