Where We’re Eating: Summer 2026

By: Jill Melton, Carrington Fox, Manuel Zeitlin and Amanda Collins

Dog Haus, East Nashville
Full disclosure: We ended up at this casual brewpub when Smith & Lentz across the street had a 30-minute wait for pizza on a Saturday afternoon. We were not disappointed. The smash burgers were solid, as was the hot honey chicken over a salad. Local beers were cold, and staff was phenomenally nice. We particularly enjoyed the quirky programming on the large-screen TV’s, professional juggling and break-dancing competitions. Nice. – JM
@doghausdogs

Bacco at The Four Seasons, Downtown
An Italian restaurant with a feminine side, is how Nishaan Chavda describes newly opened Bacco at the upscale Four Seasons. It doesn’t have the light breezy feel of its predecessor Mimo but has all the feels and service of what you would expect from the Four Seasons. The Italian menu is simple and surprisingly affordable. Everything was delicious but the must-order is the cannellini beans with local sausage, tomatoes and guanciale. – JM
@bacconashville

Chef’s Market Cafe & Takeaway, Goodletsville
Some days you want pad thai and some days a comforting buffet line stocked with broccoli and kale salads, Brisket,macaroni and cheese, and hot chicken salad. Those days you want to be at Chef’s Market. Actually any day, as the variety at this homey cafeteria-style restaurant is endless. But we recomend Thursdays as the brisket, the daily special, was amazing. Definitely save room for dessert, as the variety of homemade cakes by baker Sonia Arriaza is the best in town. – JM
@chefs_market

Pad Thai Café, Murfreesboro
It took me four years living in “the Boro,” to discover this gem. While we were advised to get the wings, we went with the Thai green curry and pad see ew and were not disappointed. -JM @padthaicafemurfreesboro

Lyra, East Nashville
This Middle Eastern gem owned and run by chef Hrant Arakelian, going on eight years now, is one of our favorite spots. It’s worth going for the pillowy piping hot pita and hummus alone, but the Armenian-Lebanese-inspired menu goes far beyond the standards. You may not know what most of the items are, but order them anyway. On our last visit, our party of six ordered almost everything on the menu, all served tapas-style. Standouts were fatayer, bread stuffed with chard, onion and feta; hindbeh bi zeit, greens with chicory and caramelized onions; and garlicky batata harra potatoes. Situated on a corner in East Nashville, the vibe is sexy bohemian, perfect for a Saturday night out. – JM
@lyra_nashville

Fishmonger, Neuhoff District
With a seafood shack vibe and a casual menu, Fishmonger in Neuhoff District is serving some solid seafood and fantastic drinks. Behind the bar, Daisey made us one of the best margaritas we’ve ever had. The Alabama oysters, shrimp cocktail, smoked fish dip(with Old Bay-seasoned saltines), and blackened grouper sandwich were all on point. And where else in town can you get Oysters Rockefeller? After dinner, with a Saffron Painkiller frozen drink in hand, we set off to take in the music on the steps at the Neuhoff. – JM
@fishmongernashville

Present Tense, Wedgewood Houston
From the minimalist design of the space to the concise menu, each element of the izakaya-style restaurant and its 12-dish roster has been thoughtfully considered. Grilled hamachi collar is an interactive experience that comes with rice, ponzu, lemon and seaweed paper to assemble into hand rolls. Hiramasa, caught two days prior and flown in from New Zealand, was served with burnt citrus ponzu, riesling gelée, shaved fennel and citrus segments. Parisian gnocchi with mushroom dashi and parmesan foam was simultaneously unique and comforting. From the list of junmai sake and creative cocktails, I loved the Botanist, a herbaceous gin sour. And of course I ended the meal with lovely matcha soft-serve. Present Tense shares a building with Flamingo cocktail club, which makes it the perfect spot for dinner and drinks before a night of live music next door. – AC
@presenttensenashville

Coco’s Italian Market & Café, Sylvan Park
For an authentic Italian experience, you can’t beat Coco’s Italian Market, where shelves are lined with imported goods, ready-to-go meals, and take-and-bake pizzas that make it almost impossible not to wander the aisles during your meal at the Café. We ordered bruschetta, pepperoni pizza, and chicken Alfredo — not the most adventurous order, but when you’re dining with kids, you go with what works. Pizza was next-level, with what might be the most impressive cheese-pull I’ve ever seen. As a mom, this is the kind of place you wish was on your daily route home. The grab-and-go options alone are reason enough to stop in regularly. But it’s also perfect for date night, girls’ night, or hosting friends from out of town.
@cocositalianmarket

Maru Sushi, Chestnut Hill
It’s important to clarify, this new Maru location is not in Wedgewood Houston. It’s in Chestnut Hill. An important distinction to longtime residents! And, maybe it’s a generational thing, but I’ve felt like I may be too old to enjoy, what I call, the college-town sushi vibe of the other Maru Sushi locations. Having said that, I love what Mikyung Bang is doing at her location on Fourth Avenue South. A beautiful modern interior with a stepped-up food and beverage program (compared to her other locations), along with her gracious hospitality, have made me a regular who may be addicted to her Green Roll, Roe Problem Roll, Avocado Bomb and Salmon Usuzukuri, sometimes accompanied by a delicious Lychee Martini (at dinner, not lunch!). While I’m tossing out caveats, there are a lot of great new sushi offerings in Nashville, but I’m personally worried about how long oceans can sustain increasing demands on their fish populations. Which, in the context of this article, may be another reason to get there as fast as you can! – MZ @maru.nashville

Ingrassia & Sons, Wedgewood Houston
When I lived in Boston in the late ’70s, I worked in the North End and lunched almost daily at neighborhood Italian markets. Luckily, John Ingrassia, a recently retired music industry legend and transplant from the Northeast, noticed Nashville needed a great, local Italian Deli with the smell of freshly baked Italian sandwich bread, great desserts (including an amazing pistachio croissant, outstanding ricotta cheesecakes and affogato for later in the afternoon), and classic sandwiches. And that’s exactly what he’s opened a few blocks from our office in Wedgewood Houston (which means I can walk, which I clearly need to do, seeing how much effort I’m putting into trying out so many great dining options that are finally here). A couple of weeks ago, my first bite into the Meatball Parm sub took me right back to the former Piccola Venezia on Hanover Street in Boston. (Since I no longer fly, I can’t think of a better way to get there, not to mention to time travel). Speaking of time travel, I have one word, Benjamin: Porchetta! – MZ
@ingrassiaandsons

Avo, One City
My family knows that summer has arrived when I’ve once again prepared my favorite recipe from the Rogers Gray Italian Country Cookbook, Panzanella Salad. I was definitely pleased when I spotted Panzanella Salad on Avo’s new summer menu and was even more pleased with how delicious it is. Annie Choo gets my kudos for continuing to meet the challenge of developing a following in Nashville for her creative vegan cuisine. (I promise there is no fake tofu egg salad on the menu!) Other favorites from her new menu include Cacio e Pepe — another of my go-to meals that I love cooking — and her vegan version is outstanding. The Save the Animals Style Burger is big, sloppy and delicious and a great addition to Avo’s two other classic veggie burgers, and the Fried Potatoes are just sick. Five of us shared them, loved them and couldn’t finish them. Friends are surprised when I tell them Avo has (and always has had) some of the best cocktails in Nashville. Who knew cocktails were vegan! – MZ
@eatavo

All or Nothing Bagels, Buchanan Arts District
I don’t think I had heard anything about them but pulled over one morning when I saw the line outside Kathleen Sharpe’s original All or Nothing Bagels’ little, orange, unprofessionally painted Airstream. (Nothing says homemade more than a less-than-perfect paint job!) In spite of a 20-minute line, I loved hanging out surrounded by neighborhood families with children and dogs, to soon discover some of the best bagels in Nashville. Was told they start building a wood fire in their Italian bread oven about 4 a.m. All the bagels and other products are sourdough-based. And, in those days, they cured their own salmon (hint, hint). To recap: sourdough wood-fired bagels with creative additions – just what I needed was more carbs and another reason to drive to East Side. (I also value supporting this woman-owned and -staffed small business.) After some issues with a landlord, All or Nothing has opened a brick-and-mortar on Buchanan Street and is quickly becoming a part of this important North Side neighborhood. With her boundless energy, Kathleen is reopening a new food truck across from her old location on Riverside. -MZ
@allornothingbagels

’Scuits, Pop-Up
I’m surprised Derron Clark and his wife and partner in the kitchen, Sydney Benjamin, have any butts left. Every time I see them, they sure are working theirs off. And they sure aren’t helping mine. People who know me know I love a good biscuit, and their fresh made-to-order buttermilk ’Scuits are some of the best. I like all sizes and densities, but theirs are just right – not too large, not too small, not too dense, not too flaky. You’ll have to follow them on Instagram or FB to find their pop-up locations, since they keep me guessing. One constant I can guarantee, though, is their goodness. And it’s not just the biscuits, of which I usually order about four extra, it’s the Scuit sandwiches. Always some breakfast ones, and I’ve tried the smash burger ’Scuit, but my top two favorites, that I always order, are Derron’s Pastrami and his Brisket ’Scuits. I believe he shared that it takes 11 days to cure and cook the pastrami. It only takes me about a minute to eat one! – MZ
@scuitss

Merge Coffee, Wedgewood Houston
The walk-up hole in the wall started out catering coffee for events, and even now the bricks-and-mortar operation–across Fourth Avenue from the City Cemetery–is technically a “coffee cart” in restaurant code-speak, because everything inside is on wheels. This designation means Merge can’t serve food. But that’s OK, because there’s a burrito truck across the parking lot, if you’re hungry. Something about walking up to the window and ordering a honey-kissed Bees Knees or Sweet Basil latte feels like being on vacation, or at least a break from queueing up inside like an indoor lemming. – CF
@mergecoffeebar

Osh, Woodbine
When visiting the Uzbek restaurant across Thompson Lane from the Nissan dealership for the first time, keep it simple: Order the osh. Sure, there are other excellent dishes to explore, including eggplant salad, tomato salad, hummus, soups and an abundant platter of tender grilled meats and vegetables, but, oh my gosh, the titular dish of rice with onion, garlic, carrots and dried fruits topped with tender lamb and a hard-boiled quail egg is worth naming a restaurant for. – CF
@oshrestaurantgrill

Only Chicken, Hillsboro Village
So understated is the poultry-centric name that we sort of wish this low-key Belcourt Avenue eatery would crow louder about its generous offerings of Mediterranean cuisine, which include chicken kabobs, along with lamb and beef highlights. So far, our fave is the chef’s plate, a bountiful combo of marinated chicken breast on a creamy bed of smoky roasted eggplant, strained yogurt and garlic, known as alinazik; lightly sauced pasta tubes; and salad with a pretty pink drizzle of red cabbage dressing. A perfect patio for al fresco dining before walking to a movie at Belcourt. – CF
@onlychickentn

Bayou Belle, Dickson
Hard to dream up a better destination for a Sunday drive than this laid-back nod to New Orleans, which launched about year ago on Main Street in Dickson. We walked in and snagged a couple seats at the bar, where eight televisions silently broadcast everything from racing to rasslin’, then worked our way down a laudable list of Louisiana staples, including fried shrimp po’boy, étouffée, gumbo, and shrimp Tchoupitoulas in buttery garlic tinged with Cajun spice, all delivered by dumb waiter from a kitchen upstairs. Don’t miss the crawfish nachos and the showstopper of banana ice cream topped with golden brûléed strips of the fresh fruit. – CF
@bayoubelle.dicksontn