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City Cast Nashville

The latest on the hottest places to eat, drink, socialize, and talk about in Nashville.

Margaret Kingsbury

Hungry? Nashville has so many excellent new restaurants and bars opening every month. Here are our favorites!

Salemtown has a new grocery store! This small, charming grocer also serves breakfast and lunch. Grab an espresso, pastry, or sandwich, and bring your pup along for some treats. In the future, Basket Case plans to include a wine and beer bar.

In celebration of its fifth anniversary, Maíz de la Vida chef Julio Hernandez is returning to the restaurant’s tortilla shop roots with Fonda Fina, which opens today, April 29. The 12-seat restaurant will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving tacos, burritos, flautas, and more.

This Austin staple has opened its first Nashville location inside Dream Nashville, in Printer’s Alley. This dog-friendly coffee shop doesn’t just serve coffee; you’ll find heaps of other beverages in addition to breakfast tacos on its menu.

Earls has restaurants across the U.S. and Canada, and its first Nashville location is inside The Pinnacle. Earls dubs itself as “casually sophisticated,” and its international menu includes Szechuan shrimp and pork dumplings, spicy Calabrian pasta, and black truffle butter steak.

This nationally acclaimed seafood restaurant recently opened in Nashville Yards. It’s best known for its towering seafood towers and steaks. There’s also a raw bar and sushi. It’s open for lunch during the week and dinner every night.

Salt Ranch is a new Dickerson Road boutique hotel that’s also home to a cozy bar in the hotel’s restored early 1800s main house. With hot weather right around the corner, you might want to sign up for the hotel’s 

For more swimming fun, head over to W Nashville’s new rooftop poolside bar, Glowbird, under the direction of celebrity chef José Andrés. Find frozen cocktails, lobster rolls, and a great view.

Butterfly is chef José Andrés’s third concept at W Nashville (

 opened in February). This rooftop Mexican restaurant is inspired by the monarch butterfly’s annual migration across borders. Menu items include tacos and ceviches.

The team behind Edley’s Bar-B-Que has opened this taco restaurant in Sylvan Park, with a second location in Melrose opening in May. Pick a protein and style, then dress that taco up with guac or queso. Don’t forget the margarita. There’s a nice patio perfect for the spring.

This fancy, tavern-style spot also recently opened in Sylvan Park, from James Beard-recognized chef Robbie Wilson (who opened 

 last year) and Emily Perry Wilson. Find hearth-fired meals like Appalachian trout, striploin, and swordfish, a selection of cocktails, and a raw bar.

Bellevue’s newest tavern has opened in Corner Pub’s former home. The family-owned bar hopes to become a neighborhood staple and serves classic fare like wings and burgers, as well as Southern-style meat-and-three options.

This open-air East Nashville gathering spot recently opened and has heaps of new restaurants and food trucks: 

. It’s going to be the place to hang out in this nice weather!

The popular East Nashville restaurant Soy Cubano just opened a location on the west side in The Nations! For now, its new location is only open for breakfast and lunch. Find Cuban coffee, sandwiches, and snacks.

Meanwhile, The Nations’ pizzeria Midnight Oil has opened a second location in Donelson. It’s a great place to grab a beer or cocktail with a slice of pizza and watch a game, or meet up with friends.

 truck now has a storefront inside the Nashville Farmers’ Market, where they also hold ice cream-making classes. Their ice cream is SO delicious! Make sure to grab some next time you’re at the market.

Indigo Road Hospitality Group, based in Charleston, is opening its third Nashville restaurant in Germantown. Indaco is an Italian restaurant open for dinner nightly, and for brunch on the weekends. The menu includes artichoke pasta, braised rabbit, and lobster tortellini.

Coa is a Tulum-inspired rooftop bar and restaurant located on the Canopy by Hilton rooftop in The Gulch. Expect a modern take on Mexican cuisine, with the city’s largest agave menu. It has both indoor and outdoor eating spaces, with three terraces and an agave garden.

This locally owned smashburger restaurant opened its fourth location in The Gulch yesterday. They serve unique takes on smashburgers, from the Skippy Thai Yay to the Bleus Brothers, and the entire restaurant is covered in newspapers, magazines, and memorabilia from the ‘80s and ‘90s. It’s one of my 

Present Tense has reopened in a new, more intimate Wedgewood-Houston location. Chef Ryan Costanza has scaled down the restaurant from 120 to 40 seats, and it now shares a building with the nightclub 

. The new menu features about a dozen items that blend Japanese, French, and Italian cuisines.

This farmers market favorite now has a brick-and-mortar store in 12 South. While the Mexico City-inspired menu focuses on a wide variety of tacos, Ofelia’s also serves street corn, dulce de leche, and margaritas.

Wedgewood-Houston’s Deir Café, run by a Nashville-born Palestinian doctor, has opened a second location in Antioch, which they’re saying is 

! Deir blends “the soul of Palestine with the creativity of Nashville.” Make sure to try the shawarma.

Under the direction of celebrity chef José Andrés, Zaytinya’s menu is inspired by Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisines, with small plates alongside larger dishes. It’s located inside W Nashville. The José Andrés Group plans to also open Bar Mar in W Nashville soon.

Locally owned meal prep and catering company Prepped Palate recently soft opened its grab-and-go storefront in Wedgewood-Houston. Expect healthy and delicious quick lunches.

Heirloom Hospitality has brought this fine dining steakhouse to Nashville Yards, within the Grand Hyatt. Open for dinner seven nights a week, the menu also includes seafood and a raw bar.

This Music Row coffee shop has opened a second location in Brentwood, right across the street from REI. It’s open every day from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Grab some coffee and avocado toast.

Radish has several locations across Nashville and Franklin, and now East Nashville can enjoy its signature salads and grain bowls. It’s located near Butcher & Bee.

JINYA is a large ramen chain, with more than 60 locations across the nation. Its Tennessee debut is in downtown Nashville, where customers can expect slow-simmered broth, sushi, rice bowls, craft beers, and cocktails.

This popular bagel chain is opening its first Tennessee storefront in The Gulch tomorrow, Feb. 27. They’ll be serving a limited-edition Nashville HOT schmear for the 

This Austin-based burger joint also has its grand opening tomorrow, Feb. 27, at The Arcade. Its name stands for “Not a Damn Chance Burger,” and they serve one option: A double Wagyu cheeseburger with secret sauce.

Hungry? These are the best new restaurants and bars in Nashville to check out this spring.

Check Out These New Nashville Restaurants and Bars in April 2026

Nashville's Best New Restaurants and Bars

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Nashville. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Nashville Food & Drink

Food & Drink

Nashville’s foodie scene is hopping with 

 opening every month, but the oldies need our support, too. While Nashville’s oldest restaurant, Varallo’s, closed earlier this year, we still have plenty of great restaurants and bars that have been around for a very long time.

This West Nashville dive bar is not only the city’s oldest bar, but the state’s, too. While it looks like the typical semi-dilapidated dive bar, it has a storied history. The bar converted to a speakeasy during the Prohibition era, and it’s 

rumored that Al Capone was a frequent visitor

. They always have a great lineup of comedy shows and live music.

This greasy hamburger joint made its home almost 100 years ago in an old trolley car in Hillsboro Village. It’s also got that dive feel, and has only had three owners in its history. Though its hamburgers are famous, Brown’s also serves a solid breakfast.

You can find this high-end steakhouse in a Southern mansion tucked between the Centennial and St. Thomas Midtown hospitals. Founded during the Great Depression, the original Jimmy Kelly promised diners he’d always serve good steak and whiskey, though the restaurant is perhaps best known for its corncakes, after Kelly 

 from the Maxwell House Hotel known for making them.

Just a block away from Jimmy Kelly’s is this meat-and-three with a classic, pharmacy-style soda fountain. They serve three meals a day, but their milkshakes are the highlight. While the shop briefly closed in 2019, developers Tony and Lisa Giarratana reopened it in 2021, with the goal of 

Nashville’s OG hot chicken has an origin story as spicy as its menu: When Thornton Prince’s wife got fed up with his philandering ways, she served him his favorite meal, fried chicken, with heaps of peppers and spices. But instead of getting sick, Thornton loved it, and decided to open a hot chicken restaurant. Today, it’s run by his great niece, Ms. Andre Prince Jeffries.

Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash have performed at this famous Printer’s Alley restaurant, known for its burlesque and jazz. It also has quite a history, including the 

1998 murder of founder David “Skull” Schulman

Lon and Annie Loveless began serving chicken and biscuits out of their Bellevue home in 1951, but as demand grew, they converted their entire home into a restaurant and built a 14-room motel for guests. Those biscuits are still famous.

This West Nashville staple is best known for its chocolate-dipped soft serve ice cream. It was 

, but when Bobbie McWright bought it in the mid-1980s, he renamed it. While it’s changed hands a few times, it still maintains that ‘50s feel.

Right across the street from Bobbie’s is this meat-and-three, which has stayed in the same family for three generations. The restaurant serves all three meals every day except Sunday. Don’t sleep on its country ham and banana pudding.

This North Nashville cafeteria-style restaurant serves up delicious Southern soul food, and has had pretty much the same menu since its opening. It’s stayed in the family for all these years. Try the pork chops and cornbread.

🍽️ Our Favorite New Restaurants

From 1896 to today, these old-school restaurants and bars have been Nashville staples for a very long time.

10 of Nashville's Oldest Restaurants & Bars

Nashville’s Oldest Restaurants & Bars

Whitney Pastorek

Marie Cecile Anderson

Daniel Sumstine

Everybody loves pizza, and there are plenty of pizza places in Nashville. But which ones are the best? Here are the City Cast Nashville’s favorite pizza spots in town, from classic NYC slices to creative toppings. Do you disagree? 

Fave Pizza

In this former New Yorker’s opinion, Smith & Lentz is the closest Nashville gets to a proper slice. They do not, however, sell slices — the whole pies come as the pizza gods intended, on an elevated metal stand to be shared at the table. Try the sausage and kale, or go simple with the white pie (extra ricotta, please!) while washing it all down with a house-brewed pilsner. — 

Nicky’s Coal Fired in The Nations has Tennessee’s only coal-fired oven, which makes their pizza extra delicious. They have a great selection of red and white pies, and I love the interior’s industrial feel. And kids eat free on Mondays!

Pizza Perfect and I share a birth year: 1983! This Nashville institution, 

 from Iran, has locations in Hillsboro Village and Bellevue, and is easily the restaurant I’ve eaten at most often. The pizza always hits the spot; my favorite is the deluxe vegetarian. 

Last year, I toured all the local pizza places to find 

. There was one clear winner: Emmy Squared. It’s the only gluten-free pizza in Nashville with a thick, deep-dish crust, and wow, is it amazing. I hear their regular pizza is solid, too, with Detroit-style and regular options. There are four locations around town. 

Venito’s Pizza is located at the intersection of Harding Place and Trousdale, right next to a gas station and the train tracks, where my beloved Mamma Mia’s used to be. It’s a tiny little Italian joint, with cheap fare, great salads, and slices that will remind you of a time when pizza was simple. 

Led by Sean Brock, Sho Pizza Bar in East Nashville’s Riverside Village blends traditional Neapolitan and Japanese techniques. They obsess over the details in the best way, from imported Italian flour to a wood-fired oven fueled by local hickory and oak. I highly recommend the Salumi, topped with beef pepperoni, fresh oregano, asiago, and a chili-honey drizzle. Don’t sleep on the Caesar salad! After early success, they’re already exploring a West Nashville expansion. 

 joint wins for pure creativity: From lemon pepper chicken to chili crisp, street tacos, and oxtail, they’re willing to put just about anything on their hand-stretched dough. Their full menu also features pasta and fish dishes likely to please the less adventurous eaters among us. — 

This Gallatin Pike newcomer is about to get some stiff competition up the street (

 soft opens this weekend, y’all!), but for now, you can’t beat their $3 pizza-by-the-slice, all day and all night — except for happy hour, when the price drops to $1. You’ll need those slices once you settle onto their charming, dog-friendly patio and accidentally have one too many Italian margaritas. — 

It’s very good pizza. It’s available at three locations, by the slice or as a whole pie. Just eat it. You won’t be mad. —

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Everybody loves pizza. Here are the best pizza spots in Nashville.

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Margaret Littman

If you’re sticking around town for the school break and are experiencing some FOMO while looking at your friends’ meals in far-flung locations, we’re here to show you that you can eat like world travelers without leaving the 615 area code. Here are some staycation dining ideas that might cure your restlessness and let you try some new spots and dishes, all without TSA hassles or BNA traffic delays.

 was born when Jennifer Cheung Cline and Jerry Cline moved to Nashville and missed the fresh fish they used to get in Hawaii. From their oneC1TY location, they offer all sorts of seafood from Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest, served with that friendly Hawaiian Aloha. (For more on the Clines, listen to 

If you wish you were in Vail, Colorado …

Despite all the snow and ice we already had this year, some of our neighbors wanted more and headed west to go skiing. If you wish you were with them, head to 

, a 12 South neighborhood bar with an apres-ski vibe. Don your favorite sweater and order big burgers and drinks designed to warm your toes.

With nationwide appreciation for Bad Bunny, Puerto Rico is getting lots of love. If you’re craving some of the tastes of the island territory, Berry Hill’s 

 offers Puerto Rican specialties, including the eponymous mofongo with plantains. Also try the empanadas with shredded beef and yellow rice.

If there’s one thing people like to do in the Smoky Mountains, it’s eat pancakes. Even before the national park was established, pancakes were the go-to breakfast of loggers working in the woods. 

 opened there in the 1960s. You won’t have the same mountain air if you head to one in Hillsboro Village or downtown, but you can still grab a tasty stack covered in syrup.

Like we said, we live in a destination that’s the envy of many. Want to spend some time exploring Music City? 

 is a great option for hearing singer-songwriters talk about what makes this town great, and the biscuits served at brunch are some of the city’s best.

🏖️ More Spring Break Staycation Ideas

Staying in Nashville for spring break? These restaurants can give you the traveling vibe right here at home.

Enjoy Spring Break Vibes at These Nashville Restaurants

Your Foodie Guide to Spring Break in Nashville

One of my favorite go-to meals is a classic sandwich, and Nashville has plenty of places serving up decent options. But where can you find the best sandwiches in Nashville? Here are the City Cast Nashville team’s favorites!

This East Nashville favorite hits the spot every time. It’s a classic Reuben, but it comes on a pretzel bun, which somehow elevates an already great sandwich concept to the heavens. It comes with chips, but I pay extra for the potato salad to create a perfect meal. 

I love all the sandwiches at Little Hats Market, but the Spicy Italian is my favorite. With capicola, Calabrese salami, pepperoni, and fontina, it’s got the perfect bite to it, with Calabrian mayo to help soften the spice. Get it with a Mexican Coke, and you’ve got the perfect lunch. The gluten-free focaccia is excellent. Little Hats has three locations, but my kid likes to go to the one in Cool Springs, which has an outdoor play area. 

Sneaky Italian Turkey at Ingrassia & Sons Italian Deli

I’m still sampling all the sandwiches at this new Italian deli in Wedgewood-Houston, but so far, the Sneaky Italian Turkey is my favorite. All their sandwiches are giant — I get two meals out of them — and I love the soft stracciatella and sun-dried tomatoes. Ingrassia has the best gluten-free bread in Nashville. This was 

Collard Green Melt at Turkey and the Wolf Icehouse

I was a little nervous ordering this monstrosity, but after our EP Whitney Pastorek sang its praises, I’m glad I tried it. I’ve truly never had anything like it. It’s messy in the best way, tangy, rich, and wildly flavorful. Perfect for a day when you want to drink a cold beer, demolish something indulgent, and then go home for a nap. 

Go spend your hard-earned cash and order the delicious Salmon BLT from my family’s favorite hangout, Green Hills Grille. It comes with a huge piece of salmon, generous bacon, and chipotle mayo! C’mon, does it get any better than that? 

I asked City Cast Nashville readers what their favorite sandwiches in Nashville were, and Gisele C. shouted out 

. “I always feel luxurious consuming a grandiose, flavorful sandwich from the Palace, with a constant rotation of options!” she says, adding that it’s great for out-of-town guests. Deb H. says 

 in East Nashville serves the best sandwiches.

Favorite Sandwich in Nashville

🥪 What’s your favorite sandwich?

Sandwiches make the perfect meal. Here are our favorite sandwiches from Nashville restaurants.

Our Favorite Sandwiches in Nashville

The Best Sandwiches in Nashville

This time of year, there’s always an onslaught of recommendations for the best places for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner. Being the contrarian, and also someone who dines alone a fair amount for work, I thought it was high time someone pulled together a list of the best places in the city for solo diners — because after being cooped up in a hotel room with family members during an ice storm, I’m guessing many folks could use a little alone time.

These are places that don’t say “Just one?” when you approach the host stand. They don’t relegate solo diners to the bad wobbly table by the bathroom, or force you to make a reservation for two. Instead, they treat solo diners to good service, good food, and the bounty that comes with not having to share your meal: Leftovers for the next day.

Recently remodeled, the 10-year-old East Nashville Mediterranean favorite has several different spaces where you can sit, including at the counter. Checks are handed to you in a book, making this a place you can happily sit solo and read while you feast on whipped feta.

Located in the heart of the North Gulch and owned by celebrity chef 

, Chauhan has a reputation as a group-dining destination. There are certainly plenty of dishes meant to be shared, and you’ll likely run into some larger parties having a good time in Music City. But there are lots of small tables to tuck into where you’ll be perfectly comfortable alone, sampling fusion Indian food with Nashville twists.

This Donelson spot is the result of a collaboration between two brothers, Bill and Sam Darsinos. The two also own East Nashville’s 

. Open seven days a week, Salento Italia has several dining areas to fit your mood, but the screened-in porch, which is heated year-round, is never a bad choice.

This popular Riverside Village restaurant offers a large menu of Asian dishes, with an emphasis on Thai food and a bar where you can eat sushi and noodles and talk to strangers. After dinner, walk across the street for solo-friendly dessert at 

Always buzzy and busy, Cafe Roze’s bar is a go-to if you want a healthy, delicious, well-plated meal and crafted cocktail or mocktail — and you want to be around other people. It’s an East Nashville neighborhood spot where you’ll feel like you’re part of the scene, even if you’re by yourself.

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Sometimes you just want to eat alone. Here are the best spots in Nashville for solo dining, with good service, good food, and no judgement.

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Whether your resolution is to cook more at home or to learn a new hobby, there’s no better time like the beginning of the year to try something new. This list of Nashville cooking classes ranges from basic to specialized, and focuses on skills you can replicate at home.

Some people wouldn’t consider learning to make a candy bar an essential cooking skill. We respectfully disagree. And if you’re going to make one, it should be Nashville’s own, legendary Goo Goo Cluster. The Goo Goo Cluster flagship store offers 

 workshops many times each week out of their downtown kitchen. The one-hour classes are appropriate for kids and adults, unless otherwise specified (they do offer some alcohol + chocolate classes!).

Since Perenn Bakery opened in Nashville last year, it has become a carb-lover’s favorite. Its 

 is designed as an intimate, dinner-party-style experience for 15 people. It’s an investment at $275 per person, but you’ll get a 3.5-hour hands-on, deep dive into sourdough, led by Perenn co-owner Tyler O’Laskey. Classes take place at the bakery’s Berry Hill location. You’ll take home a 5-pound bag of Perenn’s in-house milled flour, so you have no excuse not to practice.

Once you have the bread and chocolate under control, you could make brunch for your friends and family. And a 90-minute brunch cocktail class from 

 for $65 will help you create the perfect drinks to pair with your meal. Liquor Lab has several other cocktail classes regularly on the schedule.

 offers private cooking classes with a variety of menus for groups of 10 people or larger. Options include pizza making, pimento cheese crostinis, quiche and cheese, and charcuterie board construction. Prices vary by class, but range from $65-$90 per person.

Tips for Dry January

These cooking classes in Nashville teach skills easily replicable at home, from butter churning to bread making.

Learn a New Culinary Skill at These Cooking Classes in Nashville

Where To Learn New Culinary Skills in Nashville

I’m more of a hot tea drinker than a coffee drinker. Thankfully, there are plenty of great places in Nashville to enjoy a cup of tea. Here are my favorites, whether you’re looking for a traditional high tea service or a quiet place to read and sip.

While a trip to Kingston Springs might seem a bit far for tea, a visit to 

 co-op is so worth it (and it’s really not that far of a drive). The co-op includes several businesses, like this magical deli. The deli’s afternoon high tea service starts at $35 a person, and includes a tower of British finger foods and pastries. Reservations are required, though you can shop for pastries during regular business hours. Afterwards, check out the adjacent 

Support a wonderful mission and drink excellent tea at this West Nashville café, which supports women survivors of trafficking and abuse. You can always pop in for a cup of tea, whether you prefer Earl Grey or masala chai, but reservations are required for their high tea service, which starts at $30 a person.

One of East Nashville’s newest restaurants is this relaxing teahouse and pottery studio. If you miss 

, Potluck offers a selection of their teas, as well as teas from local store 

, which helps support our LGBTQ+ community. It’s a quiet, peaceful place, open Tuesday through Sunday. Also, check out its 

This adorable Donelson gift shop also uses High Garden teas for its tea service. For $50 a person, expect freshly baked sandwiches and pastries on a three-tier platter. Reservations are required for the cottage tea, but you can also stop in during regular hours for a quick tea and bite before shopping.

Blue Aster offers themed afternoon tea service starting at $85 per person. The West End hotel restaurant’s next theme is “Mad Hatter Tea Party,” which runs from Feb. 6 to April 26. This “Alice and Wonderland” tea service will surely be whimsical and fun.

If you’re feeling fancy, put on your Sunday best and head to this famous hotel’s weekend afternoon tea service. Keep an eye out for special themed teas; they tend to sell out quickly. Tea service is $95 a person.

🍜 Nashville’s Best Soups

From authentic British high tea service to peaceful teashops, here are the best places to find hot tea in Nashville.

6 of the Best Places for Hot Tea and High Tea Service in Nashville

The Best Places for Hot Tea in Nashville

Craving freshly baked bread, or the perfect sweet treat? Here are Nashville’s best bakeries according to the City Cast Nashville team, from community favorites to gluten-free perfection and trendsetters.

 has the best sourdough in town, but this Woodbine-based shop also strives to serve our city with “unwavering integrity.” Whether they’re donating proceeds to community-based organizations or hosting bake sales to help address urgent needs, we love the way they lead with their hearts. — 

 is pretty much everyone’s favorite destination for whatever sweets suit the occasion. The perpetual winner of Best Bakery in the Nashville Scene’s annual awards, their festive cakes, cookies, pies, and dessert bars make celebrating easy — and they even carry party supplies. — 

Best Gluten-Free Bakery: The Gluten-Free Goose

It’s hard to find baked goods in Nashville with celiac disease, but 

 in South Nashville delivers. They’re certified by the Gluten-Free Food Program, and their baked goods are also nut-free! Safely feast on cinnamon rolls, muffins, cookies, cupcakes, and other delicious sweet treats. — 

Craving the best Mexican bakery in Nashville? 

 on Nolensville Road is the move! From pan dulce to churros, empanadas, and fresh cakes, everything’s delicious — but their conchas steal the show. Soft, pillowy, and perfectly sweet, they’re the most authentic I've found in the city. — 

 in Lockeland Springs is just that! But be warned: This hot new bread in town (that’s well worth the long lines) appears at 10 a.m. and not a moment before. I learned that the hard way when I got there an hour early and was only offered pastries, though I did end up with one of the best croissants I’ve had in Nashville. Well worth the hype! — 

🥐 More Local Bakeries

From fresh sourdough to gluten-free treats, here are the best bakeries in Nashville.

6 of the Best Bakeries in Nashville

The Best Bakeries in Nashville

Nashville has a thriving restaurant scene, and the City Cast Nashville team has been busy all year long eating our way through it. Here are our favorite meals we ate this year, from ramen and mole to sushi and sandwiches. Let us know what 

Favorite Meal

I’m gonna call it: This new Italian deli in Wedgewood-Houston has the best sandwiches in Nashville. Their sandwiches are stacked with fresh ingredients and housemade bread, and they even have gluten-free focaccia! The deli is small and charming, and also serves coffee and gelato. Check out the shelves of Italian treats while you’re waiting for your sandwich. I love that the owners stepped up during SNAP cuts, and 

I’ll admit that I’m not the biggest sushi enthusiast, and I went into this dinner fully expecting to be challenged by dishes outside my comfort zone. Sushi | Bar Nashville completely blew me away. The chefs guide you through a rotating omakase menu that pulls seasonal ingredients from both land and sea. The standout for me was the wagyu steak sushi, a personal homage to the head chef’s Texas background. Equally unforgettable was a buttery tuna bite that ranks among the best things I’ve ever eaten. 

My family and I have been eating at the International Market since I was a kid, and somehow their food keeps getting better and better! The spicy impossible dumplings are shockingly juicy and packed with flavor (even though it’s fake meat), and the lettuce wraps are a fun DIY moment since you have to break apart a red curry rice ball to fold it into your lettuce. You truly can’t go wrong with any of their noodle dishes — shoutout to 

, who supplies some of those noods! Don’t sleep on their rotating desserts; the coconut cake I had there recently was to die for. 

Here are our favorite meals we ate this year in Nashville, from ramen and mole to sushi and sandwiches.