Nashville’s most beautiful restaurants are pros at dressing to impress, and Nashvillians know that a standout meal calls for epic surroundings.
An impeccably preserved townhouse—the only one of its kind in the city—wows with tin ceilings and classic fireplaces. Vintage theater seats were transformed into cozy velvet booths at a sleek spot known for a prolific whiskey collection. Tables made from trees embody the farm-to-table aesthetic at a resort restaurant in Franklin.
Ambience plays a starring role at all of these scenic spots. Read on for a guide to 11 drop-dead gorgeous Nashville restaurants.
RH Courtyard Restaurant at RH Nashville (Green Hills)
The Courtyard Restaurant at RH Nashville brings the wow factor. Its massive dining room combines all the best aspects of a cozy living room with an opulent outdoor dining area, complete with couches, a centerpiece fountain, and a glittering chandelier that towers above it all. Start with wine from a generous by-the-glass menu before diving into steakhouse classics like charred ribeye with truffle fries. After your meal, browse the surrounding showrooms or enjoy a nightcap on the rooftop.
The River House (Downtown/Sobro)
The River House’s iconic floor-to-ceiling windows were made for spectacular downtown views. The restaurant’s pretty interiors also stand out for high ceilings, floral wallpaper on board-and-batten walls, and elegant lighting. The menu is an extension of its tasteful surroundings, filled with occasion-worthy food like ahi tuna tartare, cognac cream-covered filet mignon, and Chilean sea bass with a Champagne beurre blanc.
Harper’s (Downtown/Sobro)
Whether you prefer a moody booth indoors or a bustling outdoor patio, Harper’s has you covered. The vibe is garden-meets-retro thanks to vibrant floral wallpaper, handsome wood paneling, and lots of intricate stonework. If you’re here with a group, settle into a half-circle booth under archways that face the dining room; solo visitors can grab a tufted barstool. Then choose from prime cuts and colossal desserts that this swanky globally accented steakhouse is famous for.
January (Franklin)
As Southall Farm & Inn’s signature restaurant, January embodies the resort’s seed-to-fork mission. To get here, you’ll walk through a barn-style lobby that sets a bucolic tone. January’s signature table was crafted from a downed tree on the property, and they’re all wreathed by floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the farm. Warm up by the crackling fireplace and sneak peeks at the open kitchen as the culinary team preps an always-changing menu featuring harvest salads and steak for the table.
Evelyn’s (Midtown)
Evelyn’s lives in the effortlessly cool Hutton Hotel and was inspired by 20th-century hotelier and art collector, Evelyn Sharp (you’ll find her face on the coasters). Custom cantilevered lights add a dose of drama, but the dining room mostly takes cues from mid-century living rooms, a mix of checker-stained wood floors, oak paneling, and pops of electric yellow and coral. The dishes are just as homey and beautiful, including a stunning orange-hued seafood bisque, vibrant beet salad, and tuna tartare studded with trout roe.
Four Walls (Downtown/Sobro)
The Joseph is one of Nashville’s most stunning hotels, and while many come for its signature restaurant Yolan or rooftop oasis Denim, there’s a hidden gem worth your attention: Four Walls is a speakeasy-style lounge done up in thick drapes and unexpected pops of red. It’s edgy but elegant, so claim a spot along the gorgeous marble bartop and sip on cocktails dreamt up by Boulud Sud alum Kenneth Vanhooser, including a gin, aperitif, melon, and smoked bitters concoction called Smoking Gun.
O-Ku (Germantown)
O-Ku channeled its sibling restaurants across the South and brought its creative Japanese-inspired menu to Nashville in 2019. Crowds come for rolls topped with non-traditional ingredients like goat-cheese mousse and candied walnuts, but it’s the serene dining room that gives its Germantown location a sophisticated edge. O-Ku dazzles with long lavender banquettes, oversized chandeliers, and wood-paneled ceilings, plus manzanita branches that bring a unique Japanese flavor to the interiors.
Joe Muer Seafood (The Gulch & North Gulch)
Detroit transplant Joe Muer Seafood is a luxe option for coastal food in landlocked Nashville, serving fresh sustainable seafood flown in from all over the world. The dining room makes a swanky first impression with black-and-white floors, plush velvet booths, and lavish gold details. But it’s the restrooms, reflections of the restaurant’s more playful side, that are the most photogenic with lobster-patterned wallpaper and regal gold faucets.
The Standard at the Smith House (Downtown/Sobro)
As Nashville’s only standing grand townhouse, the Smith House itself is a destination restaurant. The three-floor, six-bedroom home was built in the 1840s and remains impeccably preserved with functional fireplaces, exposed brick, tin ceilings, gilded chandeliers, and other examples of Italianate architecture. The menu is just as old-world, so come for some of Nashville’s best martinis, bowls of crab bisque, and grilled rack of lamb.
Mere Bulles (Brentwood)
Farmstead-style homes scream “middle Tennessee,” and Mere Bulles is one of those historic manors that scored a second life as a unique restaurant. The interiors recall a Southern living room with artwork that hangs above fireplaces, fabric sconces on the walls, and a carpeted winding staircase. Fittingly, the menu is also full of Southern charm, featuring classics like she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and cuts of Angus beef, best washed down with sweet tea.
The Mockingbird (The Gulch & North Gulch)
Comfort food like short ribs and fried chicken get cosmopolitan revamps at The Mockingbird, which explains the restaurant’s playful Art Deco-lite interiors: Colorful banquettes, intricate tilework, and floral accent walls give the place its signature brightness, but the scene-stealer is a three-dimensional mirror in the shape of a bird’s head, a tribute to its name. Bonus points for not one but two patios.
Kellie Walton is a food, drink, and travel writer based outside of Nashville. She’s written for Eater, Country Living, and National Geographic Traveler.
