Is there a better cure for a late night on the town than a delicious brunch the next morning (or early afternoon)? We don’t think so. Thankfully, Nashville offers plenty of fantastic restaurants serving up the cure for what ails you, whether you prefer to dig into a pile of pancakes or eat your weight in fried chicken and biscuits.
Here’s a list of our top picks for the best brunch in Nashville. We separated the list by neighborhood so you can find your new go-to spot in each of the city’s most popular areas – and trust us, you’ll want to try every one of them.
If you’re looking to move to Nashville to enjoy these brunches every weekend, we can help! Let AptAmigo treat you like a VIP and schedule your apartment tours for you. It’s free! We’ll even pay for the Ubers or Lyfts.
Related: Cost of Living in Nashville and Best Apartment Coworking Spaces
Where to Find the Best Brunch in Nashville
Cafe Roze
Best Brunch in: East Nashville
Not only is this all-day cafe aesthetically pleasing (and Instagrammable), thanks to its marble-lined bar and the soft touches of pink throughout, but Cafe Roze also offers the best brunch on Nashville’s hip east side – plus, it’s open daily.
Opened in 2017 by New York City chef Julia Jaksic, Cafe Roze sits on the corner of Porter Road and Greenwood Avenue and specializes in making simple breakfast and brunch favorites even better.
What to Eat: Start off with the Roze Latte, made with rose and cardamom and topped with rose petals, or try the turmeric steamer, a popular choice among locals. For your entrée, play it safe with the mouthwatering country ham toast complete with a soft scrambled egg and parmesan, or step outside the box with the eatery’s famous Roze Bowl, which includes beet tahini, black lentils, red quinoa, kale, pickled beets, and seasonal veggies.
Henrietta Red
Best Brunch in: Germantown
Serving up Saturday and Sunday brunch, Henrietta Red isn’t just popular in Nashville; The New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler both featured it, and to say they reviewed it favorably would be a massive understatement.
Situated in Nashville’s historic Germantown neighborhood, Henrietta Red is the brainchild of head chef Julia Sullivan, a Nashville native and James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: South. You’ll first notice the restaurant’s beauty, but make no mistake: It’s far more than another Instagrammable dining spot.
What to Eat: In addition to its sleek, modern interior, Henrietta Red is famous for its fresh seafood selection, including wood-roasted oysters, as well as its delicious enhancements to familiar brunch staples. Try the pancakes, complete with peanut butter-miso granola, blackberry jam, and crème fraîche, or the peach toast served with cottage cheese, peach mostarda, kalamata olives, hazelnut dukkah, and mint.
Acme Feed & Seed
Best Brunch in: Downtown Nashville
Part of downtown Nashville’s Lower Broadway district, the three-story, 22,000-square-foot Acme Feed & Seed beautifully blends old and new Nashville in one of the oldest buildings on Broadway. This structure, built in 1890, originally served as a grocery store.
Now, it serves as a can’t-miss brunch spot for anyone in the market for a quintessential Music City experience – not to mention gorgeous rooftop views of the Cumberland River and beyond.
What to Eat: Brunch is available on weekends, and for some, Acme’s Build Your Own Mimosa is the star of the show. For just $20, you’ll get a bottle of champagne and two juices, with options including pineapple, grapefruit, orange, cranberry, and peach – so, while not exactly “bottomless,” it’s definitely not a bad deal. When it comes to food, Acme offers usual southern suspects, like fried chicken with biscuits and gravy, often accompanied by live music.
Marsh House
Best Brunch in: The Gulch
If you’re looking for a fancy brunch option, head to Marsh House, located on the ground floor of the Thompson Nashville hotel in Nashville’s posh Gulch neighborhood.
What to Eat: Served Friday-Sunday, brunch at Marsh House features fresh seafood, including a raw bar with smoked fish dip, salmon tartare, royal red ceviche, and crab ravigote, along with “seafood towers” that come in various sizes, some of which are perfect for sharing, like the tower with 24 oysters and 18 mussels.
Not in the mood for seafood? Indulge your sweet tooth with the banana pecan pancakes or go savory with the pork cheek hash that features fried egg, basil gremolata, and bordelaise. Wash it all down with a classic mimosa or Bloody Mary, or try one of Marsh House’s craft cocktails, like the One-Eyed Jack that combines Buffalo Trace bourbon, amontillado sherry, banane du brésil liqueur, dry curacao, and black walnut bitters.
Urban Grub
Best Brunch in: 12South
Nashville’s trendy 12South neighborhood is home to one of the best brunch spots in the city: Urban Grub.
The restaurant is located in a former car wash on the corner of 12th and Gilmore, but you’d never know by how it looks and feels today. In addition to private cabanas, Urban Grub includes a beer garden with an indoor-outdoor bar and a patio complete with a roaring fireplace during the cold weather months.
What to Eat: Available only on weekends, Urban Grub’s brunch menu is expansive, and chances are there’s something for you. They offer a seafood and charcuterie bar, along with “lite” options (grilled avocado and toast, for example) as well as stick-to-your-ribs entrees, such as steak and biscuits, shrimp and grits, and hot chicken and waffles. The drink menu also leaves little to be desired, filled with craft cocktails like the 12South Bulldog that features Mexican coke, vodka, Kahlúa and vanilla cream.
Loveless Cafe
Best Brunch in: West Nashville
Last, but definitely not least is Loveless Cafe, a Nashville landmark for a good reason – and yes, it’s worth the drive (you’ll know why after you bite into your first buttery Loveless biscuit slathered in homemade jam).
Established in 1951, Loveless Cafe is by far the longest-standing dining spot on this list. It serves about half a million guests each year, drawing Music City tourists and locals alike with its scratch-made, authentic southern cuisine that’s been highlighted by both Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay.
What to Eat: You can’t go wrong with the country ham and biscuits – that’s Martha’s favorite – but there are plenty of other tasty options to choose from, including fried pork chops or pit-cooked pork barbecue served alongside two eggs, as well as fried chicken and waffles.
After your meal, stay a while and explore the shops on the Loveless campus, like Hams & Jams Country Market and Loveless Outfitters.
If you want to follow brunch up with an evening of fancy cocktails, hit up the most unique cocktail bars in Nashville. But, if you want to live near the best brunch options, check out our favorite luxury apartment buildings.
Moving to Nashville?
Now that you know the best brunch spots Nashville has to offer, find an apartment nearby and make one your go-to Sunday morning spot. Finding your next apartment is easier than it sounds, and we’d love to help! At AptAmigo, we’re the matchmakers between you and your dream apartment. Simply reach out and tell us everything you’re looking for in your future place. Our local experts will compile a list that fits your desired specifications. Next, we’ll schedule tours and provide transportation to each so you’ll have someone helping you every step of the way. Too easy, right? Welcome to the future of apartment hunting.
Jessica is a Nashville-based freelance writer and yoga teacher who also dabbles in CrossFit and running (slowly). When she's not writing or working up a sweat, she can be found with her two cats, Shooby and Minju, or exploring the ever-growing city she calls home.
