Downtown Nashville is best known for hosting tourists. Walking down Broadway, you’ll see cowboys with big dreams and bachelorettes celebrating upcoming nuptials. The distinctive music of the local honky tonks leads their march through the neon-lit streets.
Nashville is also host to a large local workforce, however. Hardworking Nashvillians rely on a range of lunch spots and restaurants to fuel their workdays. These little culinary secrets aren’t too far from the main attractions of Lower Broad.
Each hidden gem serves up a variety of excellent flavors, from authentic Southern eats to ethnic spice. We’re confident that they serve the best lunch in Downtown Nashville, whether you’re here for business or pleasure.
Check out our suggestions for quick and casual lunches in the downtown Nashville area. They’re all perfect local spots you’ll want to visit for a real, local Nashville experience. Keep reading to learn where to eat lunch in Nashville for an authentic taste of Music City.
10 Best Lunch Spots in Downtown Nashville: Where Locals Actually Eat
Browse our favorite lunch spots in Nashville to discover your new favorite destination for delectable afternoon dining off Broadway.
D’Andrews Bakery & Cafe
If you only have time for one downtown Nashville lunch spot, make it D’Andrews Bakery & Cafe on Church Street. Owner Cynthia D’Andrews was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery in 2024, and one bite of the chicken avocado sandwich or pecan sticky bun tells you why. Everything is made in-house: roasted meats, sauces, dressings, jams, and syrups.
D’Andrews is the first stop on our Downtown Nashville Food Tour, and it’s the place I send people whenever they ask where to start a downtown lunch. The sandwich menu rotates, the pastries are show-stopping, and the matcha lattes are some of the best in Nashville. Build-your-own salads if you want lighter, gourmet soups if you want warming, and a full breakfast menu until 11 am if you’re early.
Recommended lunch: The chicken avocado sandwich, the gourmet soup of the day, and a pecan sticky bun for the road. The matcha latte is a Nashville secret weapon.
Nashville food tour" loading="lazy">Ty’s Soups and Sandwiches
Don’t let this small, walk-up counter trick you: it is one of the most popular Downtown Nashville lunch spots. Ty’s menu of traditional sandwiches and homemade salads has flavors that will satiate any craving.
Be aware that there is limited seating outside. We’d suggest heading over to eat at the courtyard below the “Batman Building” on the corner of 4th Avenue North and Commerce Street. It’s the perfect local secret for enjoying these casual eats when the weather is nice.
Recommended lunch: Try out their pimento cheese sandwich on a day you need a little southern comfort. We also love their Reuben on rye bread. Their chicken queso soup will warm you up on a cold Nashville day.
Oscar’s Taco Shop
Oscar’s on Church Street has some of the best SoCal-Mexican-inspired tacos and burritos in Nashville. One of the top lunch places in Nashville, Oscar’s is so popular there’s often a long line of hungry diners snaking through the small shop, eager to indulge in massive burritos smothered in cheese and guacamole. The line moves fast.
This is a counter-service spot with limited seating, so most people grab their orders to go. The portions are oversized for the price (a full burrito easily feeds two if you’re not starving), and the salsa bar is part of the experience. Locals consistently rank Oscar’s as one of the best cheap lunches in downtown Nashville, and the breakfast menu (served until 11 am) is just as worth a stop if you’re downtown early.
Recommended lunch: Their carne asada steak burrito and carnitas pulled pork burrito are customer favorites. Be sure to add hash browns if you are ordering from the breakfast menu! Oh, and don’t skip on the queso.
Cherry Street Eatery & Sweetery
Cherry Street Eatery & Sweetery is a hidden gem in the world of Downtown Nashville eats. It’s tucked in a small second floor room in the Fifth/Third Bank Building on Church Street.
From the outside, it will seem like a simple bodega. In reality, their salads and sandwiches are some of the healthiest lunch options in downtown. Every lunch option features reliable quality and excellent flavor.
Although there is no seating at Cherry Street, guests can head downstairs and eat in front of Starbucks. They can also walk up the street a couple blocks to sit in the Nashville Public Library’s courtyard.
Recommended lunch: Get there early before they sell out of their most popular offerings! Locals love their turkey, goat cheese, and cranberry paninis and sesame chicken salads. They also have a soup du jour. We recommend their Cuban Black Bean Soup with sweet potatoes and a little bit of spice.
Manny’s House of Pizza (Closed)
While Manny’s was open, owner Manny Macca brought authentic New York-style pizza to downtown Nashville with a thin, crispy crust and a perfect balance of tomato sauce and cheese on every slice. Spinach rolls, lasagna, and cannolis rounded out the menu.
Manny’s House of Pizza closed in August 2023 after 39 years inside the Nashville Arcade, which was undergoing a major renovation that left them unable to operate with a full kitchen.
Manny Macca brought thin-crust New York pizza to downtown Nashville for almost four decades and made the Arcade feel like a New York walk-up. I’m keeping it on this list because it was here, it was beloved, and the Arcade lost one of its anchors when it closed.
The Rutledge
Are you seeking a classy sit-down spot for a business lunch in Nashville? Consider The Rutledge. Their newest location is adjacent to the ground floor of the Four Seasons Hotel Nashville. What makes this fine dining spot unique is the original artwork, which elevates every dining experience.
There’s something for everyone on the menu, too. You’ll find lunch staples like soups, salads, and sandwiches beside fresh sushi and wood-fired pizza. Those with expensive taste can even enjoy a life-changing filet mignon.
Recommended lunch: The chefs at The Rutledge are great at elevating the classics. We suggest going with a soup and sandwich combo. Pair their phenomenal lobster bisque with their Fried Artichoke sandwich. They also offer wine by the glass for those craving a touch of luxury with their lunch spread.
Etch
If you want a special-occasion lunch in downtown Nashville, Etch is the move. Award-winning Chef Deb Paquette has been running Etch on Demonbreun since 2012, and the lunch menu (Mon-Fri, 11 am-2 pm) carries the same globally inspired creativity as her famous dinner service: roasted cauliflower with pumpkin hummus, scallop ceviche, fish tacos with mango salsa, lamb burgers with feta. Nothing here is a sad office salad.
The room is open and bright with a chef’s bar overlooking the kitchen. It’s the rare downtown lunch spot that works equally well for a client meeting, a celebratory girls’ lunch, or a solo treat at the bar. Reservations are a good idea on weekdays.
Recommended lunch: Start with whatever Deb is doing with cauliflower (always inventive). Their lamb burger and the scallop ceviche are favorites. Save room for the Roasted Cauliflower if it’s on the menu — it’s the dish that put Etch on the map.
Southernaire Market & Deli
Part deli, part butcher shop, part neighborhood grocery, Southernaire Market on 3rd Avenue South is one of the most charming lunch options in downtown Nashville. The space mixes a New Orleans corner-grocery feel with the convenience of a New York City bodega, and the menu specializes in hot pressed paninis with house-smoked meats, fresh seasonal salads, and family-recipe gumbo.
It’s open Monday through Friday from 11 am to 3 pm, which makes it ideal for a workday lunch. They also do catering and event delivery if you’re feeding a downtown office. Steps from Broadway, easy to grab and go.
Recommended lunch: The pressed Cuban panini and a cup of their family-recipe gumbo. Their seasonal salads are also great if you want something lighter. Pick up a few pantry staples on your way out.
Fleet Street Pub
Somewhat of a hidden spot, Fleet Street Pub is tucked inside the historic Printer’s Alley between 3rd and 4th Avenue North. The Alley got its nickname from the printing and publishing industry that thrived here in the early 1900s, and walking in still feels like stepping into a different decade.
Today, Printer’s Alley is home to a number of bars and restaurants, but Fleet Street is the best spot in the Alley for lunch. There’s nowhere else in Nashville where you can listen to The Clash or the English Beat while eating traditional English pub fare. Sit back, dig in, and watch international soccer on TV.
The lunch menu is heavier than most downtown counter spots: fish and chips, beef Cornish pasties, bangers and mash, plus a vegetarian All-Saints soup-and-salad combo. Most lunch specials come in under $10, which makes Fleet Street one of the best cheap lunch spots in downtown Nashville for a sit-down meal.
Recommended lunch: Their lunch specials are hard to beat with deals under $10. You can’t go wrong with the Royal Oak Fish & Chips. For vegetarian options, try the All-Saints soup and salad combo. Their beet salad and potato soup are great every day.
Street Eats (Food Truck Thursdays)
Our final suggestion is not a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant per se. Street Eats (formerly known as Food Truck Thursdays) is the highly anticipated weekly lunchtime event in downtown Nashville.
The event takes place each Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. You’ll find trucks lined up along Deadrick Street between 4th and 5th Avenue North. They are like tiny, mobile eateries slinging a diverse range of culinary treats.
Are you craving crepes or a burger? How about a milkshake peach cobbler, sushi burrito, or steamed bao buns? You will find something delicious at Food Truck Thursday.
Food trucks are also a great source for the best business lunch in Nashville. Nashville food trucks often will come to offices to provide more diverse dining options for local businesses.
Recommended lunch: If you can handle a long wait time in line, go for a grilled cheese sandwich from the Grilled Cheeserie. Their hot, melty goodness makes a coveted and popular lunch. I Love Roti serves Malaysian curry. Hoss’ Burgers serves “loaded burgers” filled with a whole variety of cheeses and other goodies.
Ultimately, the best lunch in Downtown Nashville is up to your unique palate! If you’re interested in discovering more hidden gem lunch spots in Nashville, you’ll love our Walking Food Tours. You’ll discover the best bites in Downtown Nashville, dining at five locally owned restaurants. It’s a luxury VIP experience for visitors and locals alike.
Book Now and discover the best eateries in Music City.
FAQ: Lunch in Nashville
What are the best lunch places in Nashville?
For the best lunch in Nashville, locals send people to D’Andrews Bakery & Cafe (James Beard semifinalist, also the first stop on our food tour), Ty’s Soups and Sandwiches, Oscar’s Taco Shop, Cherry Street Eatery, The Rutledge (sit-down at the Four Seasons), Etch (Chef Deb Paquette’s globally inspired menu), Southernaire Market (paninis with house-smoked meats), and Fleet Street Pub. Full breakdowns above.
Where do locals eat lunch in downtown Nashville?
Downtown Nashville lunch is mostly counter-service spots tucked into office buildings and historic arcades. The best ones are Ty’s on 4th Avenue North, Oscar’s Taco Shop on Church Street, and Cherry Street Eatery on the second floor of the Fifth/Third Bank Building. For a sit-down meal, The Rutledge at the Four Seasons is the choice.
What are the best lunch spots in Nashville for a business meeting?
The Rutledge at the Four Seasons is the best business lunch spot in downtown Nashville: original artwork, a fine-dining menu, soup-and-sandwich combos, and wine by the glass. Etch on Demonbreun is the strongest creative-cuisine alternative for client meetings. Fleet Street Pub works for a more casual lunch meeting.
What is the best cheap lunch in Nashville?
For cheap lunch in Nashville, Ty’s sandwiches and Oscar’s burritos are under $15. Fleet Street Pub has lunch specials under $10. Street Eats on Deaderick Street (every Thursday, 11 am-2 pm) brings up to 20 food trucks downtown for affordable variety.
Where can I get a quick lunch in downtown Nashville?
For a fast downtown Nashville lunch, the counter-service spots win: D’Andrews Bakery, Ty’s, Oscar’s Taco Shop, Cherry Street Eatery, and Southernaire Market are all walk-up and turn fast. Street Eats Thursdays moves quickly even when food trucks have lines.
What are the best Nashville lunch restaurants for tourists?
Tourists who want lunch in Nashville with a story: book the Downtown Nashville Food Tour. It starts at D’Andrews Bakery (James Beard semifinalist) and hits five more locally owned spots in three hours with live music. For self-guided picks, The Rutledge, Etch, and Fleet Street Pub are tourist-friendly with full menus and seating.
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