A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants in Nashville’s 12 South

12 South is one of my favorite areas in Nashville! The area is full of so many great shops, and it’s easy to walk around. While you’re there, you’ll absolutely want to stop for a meal, and there are lots of great options.

I haven’t eaten at every single restaurant in the area yet, but these are currently my top recommendations for where to eat in 12 South.

Make sure to check out my full guide to 12 South for even more suggestions on what to do there.

The Best 12 South Restaurants

Edley’s Bar-B-Que

People have lots of opinions when it comes to barbecue, and my opinion is that the barbecue at Edley’s is good! I really like the pork sandwiches here, and I love the mac and cheese and also the banana pudding that you can get as sides.

The atmosphere at Edley’s is great. It’s a relaxed and fun place to grab a meal.

Hearts

Hearts is an all-day breakfast cafe, and it’s one of my absolute favorite places to eat in Nashville. The Australian-inspired cafe has delicious food with breakfast options like Twice Cooked French Toast. There are also salads and sandwiches on the menu if you’re interested in something that feels more like lunch.

The original East Nashville location was always full, so I’m thrilled that there’s now also a location in 12 South.

Read my full review of Hearts here.

The Butter Milk Ranch

You might have seen this bakery and cafe on social media. The Butter Milk Ranch is an incredibly popular place to get breakfast and brunch on the weekends. Even when the restaurant is full, you can still order from the bakery menu and grab one of the seats outside.

The Butter Milk Ranch does a lot of things well–especially croissants. The croissants here are massive and taste so good.

Urban Grub

Urban Grub is a cozy spot that’s perfect for a date night or special occasion. It’s even nicer when you get seated by one of the fireplaces.

While prices tend to be in the $50 to $100 range per person, it is one of the more reasonable places to get a fancy-ish meal in Nashville. The menu centers around seafood and southern fare, and I’ve never had anything that I didn’t like there.

Wanna Spoon

This is one of the cutest cafes in Nashville. Wanna Spoon is a cereal bar with a menu based around bowls of cereal, ice cream, and milkshakes. 

You can get a variety of beverages including coffee, tea, and hot chocolate as well as wine and cocktails. There’s also a case at the front where you can pick out different baked goods.

The best thing about Wanna Spoon is the backyard area. The outdoor area behind the cafe is fenced in and filled with fun yard games like corn hole and a giant Connect4 game.

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Thanks for reading my guide to 12 South restaurants! I’ll continue updating it each time I check out a new spot, so let me know if there’s somewhere you think I should try next!

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A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants in Downtown Nashville