I've lived in East Nashville for nine years! Here are my very favorite spots.
Sections
8
Coffee
Breakfast
Lunch
Cute Lil Shops
Books & Music
Other Fun Stuff
Coffee
There are SO many great coffee shops in East Nashville. These are just my favorites!
A very cute cafe with good seasonal drinks. I'm there at least every other week for coffee! They have breakfast/lunch options too.
Flora + Fauna
My favorite coffee shop! Consistently great coffee, and it feels very local. We run into neighbors there all the time. It's especially nice when the weather's good - there are always cute dogs hanging out at the outdoor tables.
Ugly Mugs Coffee and Tea - Nashville
This is a literal van that lives on the front lawn of a church, but trust me. It's great! We walk there every weekend with our dog. They love to give out pup cups too!
Surefire Coffee Co.
No indoor seating, but plenty outside! Really good coffee, and their breakfast burrito is legendary.
East Nashville - Elegy Coffee
Not a coffee shop rec, but I love this collapsible cup for to-go drinks! And most coffee shops in town give a discount if you bring our own cup.
Stojo Cup
Breakfast
A very cute brunch spot! A really good rose latte and my favorite fries in town.
Cafe Roze
A hidden gem! This is weirdly a breakfast place in the back room of a Chinese restaurant. Their bagels are fantastic. They are also a little market with pastas, sauces, etc.
Mr. Aarons Goods – Get Good. Fresh Pasta, Sauces, Bagels ...
A true southern diner breakfast! Greasy eggs, friendly waitresses, biscuits and gravy. Don't expect anything fancy, but the food is solid.
Nashville Biscuit House
Lunch
Amazing sandwiches! And a really fun vibe. All of their employees seem really happy to be there. My favorite sandwich is the Hamma-Mia! Every order comes with a free lollipop too. :)
FatBelly Pretzel - Pretzels, Bakery, Cookies
Incredible Japanese restaurant! It was a James Beard finalist last year. They're only open for lunch and only a few days/week.
Kisser
An order-at-the-window quesadilla place with outdoor seating! Get the Don Juan special. Trust me.
Sweeza Super Quesadilla
We call this Tiki Tacos! Maiz de la Vida is an award-winning birria taco truck outside of a robot-themed tiki bar called Chopper. Both are excellent! Grab your food and order a drink inside or outside.
Maiz De La Vida & Chopper
Cute Lil Shops
Decor, candles, greeting cards, jewelry, etc.
Welcome Home
Everything is handmade, fair trade, and/or sustainable! Really cool and unique stuff here, including clothing, cookbooks, art, and more.
Thunder Moon Collective
A lot of cards, notebooks, stationery, and other cool stuff!
Gift Horse - Nashville gifts and stationery shop
They specialize in handmade jewelry, but this shop is PACKED with fun gifts.
Freshie & Zero
Books & Music
I've been shopping here for years. It's highly curated and SO CUTE. Great selection!
The Bookshop
A great bookstore! It's a little funkier, with a larger selection than The Bookshop. Queer-owned!
Novelette Booksellers
Really cool local record store with live music! A lot of musicians live in the neighborhood and hang out there.
Vinyl Tap - Nashville
This spot is famous and for good reason! So many artists have record release parties here.
Grimey's New & Preloved Music | East Nashville, Tennessee
Other Fun Stuff
A big and beautiful park with a lake! It's lovely to walk around and hike. There's also a golf course, disc golf, tennis courts, dog park, playground, and so much more.
About The Park - Friends of Shelby Park
A cute flower shop where you can put together your own bouquets! The store is great, but check the truck schedule for another option!
Amelia's Flowers
Rent a bike!
Shelby Ave Bicycle Co
A board game cafe inside Bongo Java! I'll be honest that I don't love Bongo's coffee, but this is a fun place to hang out and play board games!
Game Point Cafe
Dinner
Amazing Lebanese food! We had our 5-year anniversary dinner party in their back room. It is consistently great.
Lyra Nashville
Great food! Great service!
Noko Nashville | Asian Restaurant in Nashville, TN
I've had literal dreams about their noodles. It's a more casual spot with incredible Chinese food! Shared plates.
Xiao Bao East Nashville
Fancy pizzas and italian shared plates
FOLK | Reserve Your Table
Solid new american food with a great happy hour! And wood-oven pizza.
Lockeland Table
Bars
My favorite bar in town! It is old-circus themed in the most fun way! Absurdly good cocktails too. Make sure you dress up a little! They have a dress code.
Tiger Bar - Nashville, TN
Incredible cocktails! It's in a basement, with speakeasy/Mad Men vibes.
The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club
This bar is the reason we moved to East Nashville! It's a lesbian karaoke bar (one of the last lesbian bars left in the US). It's on the divey side and so fun, especially when it's not too crowded. And we're in Nashville, so the karaoke performances ...
The Lipstick Lounge – A Bar For Humans
More good cocktails! And really good pizza. Big outdoor area, so I recommend it mostly if the weather is good.
Urban Cowboy Public House
The dive-iest dive with surprisingly good food! A local favorite. Don't sleep on the hot chicken or fries.
