I don’t know what took me so long but I recently went to Nashville for the first time and my god, I fell in love immediately. Despite the humidity, Nashville welcomed me with open arms with its cute coffee shops, plenty of murals that made for insta-worthy photos, and delicious food. I’ve decided to make things a whole lot easier for you and organized everything by the neighborhood that it’s in. So let’s dive in, yeeeeee-hawwww.
12 South
12 South might just be my favorite neighborhood in Nashville. There are so many little shops, murals, and restaurants tucked in this quiet little suburb.
What would a trip to Nashville be without some chicken? Though it isn’t hot chicken, the Flipside is a retro-chic diner features chicken that is seasoned with bread crumbs, sauteed, and then topped with the ingredients of your choice. I chose the “Curveball” which had chili, cheese, and onion on top with a side of tater tots. And damn was it delicious. Just come hungry because it’s a lot of food.
So Adam and I stumbled upon Jeni’s when we were in Chicago because of the long line that it had out the door. When there’s a long line, you know it’s some good stuff. As soon as I found out that there was a Jeni’s in Nashville, I made it a goal of mine to go and it didn’t disappoint. We had a scoop of the sweet creams biscuits and peach jam and a scoop of lavender. Now I’m just trying to figure out how to open one here in Phoenix…
Alright ya’ll (wow – goes to Nashville for 4 days and comes back saying ya’ll), Five Daughter’s Bakery just might have the best donuts on the planet. Now, I don’t say that lightly. I consider myself a bit of a donut snob and it’s hard to impress me but Five Daughter’s blew me out of the water.
I got the maple donut and the lemon poppyseed donut. I’m going to be 100% honest and say that the lemon poppyseed was too much. It was way too sour for my liking so I had to pass on that one. But the maple donut was incredible. It was super light and flakey yet incredibly rich at the same time. They’re very very sweet so you might want to share with someone or you’ll end up feeling like you’re going to explode.
Not only is this store aesthetically pleasing, but the clothes are also adorable. The old gas station is home to some of the softest tee-shirts you will ever find and jeans that fit like a glove. They create their own jeans and shirts in house and you can sense how much love is put into each piece.
This California company recently opened shop in Nashville. All of their tees are made using beechwood pulp, making for one hella soft shirt. In fact, they take pride in having shirts so soft that you’ll never want to stop touching them.
Did you know that Reese Witherspoon has a store in Nashville? Yeah, I didn’t either. But Draper James is home to some seriously southern-style clothing. Plus it has a darn cute wall that makes for some seriously cute photos. In fact, I’m sure you’ve seen it on your Instagram feed at least once.
I Believe in Nashville Mural
Alright, so this photo might be deceiving since we ended up shooting with the “I believe in Nashville” mural in East Nashville (located on the side of the Basement), but it’s the same mural as the one in 12 South. We stumbled upon it on accident and knew we had to take a photo. I did notice that the one in 12 South was much busier so you might have to wait in line to take a photo.
Where to find: 2702 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Music City Mural
This cute little mural is located on the side of Madewell at the south end of 12 South!
Where to find: 2709 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Nashville Looks Good on You Mural
Located right behind the Frothy Monkey, this might be one of my favorite murals that we came across during our trip. I had a lot of fun shooting some photos here!
Where to find: 2511 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Belmont/Hillsboro
If you only go to one place on this list, make sure it’s Proper Bagel. It was hands down my favorite food experience in Nashville. In fact, we ended up going twice. I had the rosemary garlic and egg bagel sandwich and a honey lavender latte (they get their coffee from Barista Parlor) and it was all phenomenal. Best bagel sandwich I’ve ever had. As soon as I posted about it on Instagram, I had multiple DM me about how much they loved Proper too so take my word on it, okay?
Did I visit Amelia’s and create my own bouquet for photos? Why yes, yes I did. But I couldn’t resist. These vintage Volkswagen vans are parked around Nashville and give you the chance to get creative with florals. If you’re looking to find them, simply go to their website and they will have a list of where they’re at that day. We found them at Proper Bagel and couldn’t help but snap a few pics.
I wish I could’ve bought everything in Posh. If you are one who spends money easily (cough me cough), be careful. This store will get ya
Drippy Lips Mural
When in Hillsboro, if you haven’t had your fill of murals yet, you can visit the “drippy lips” mural, located on the side of United Apparel Liquidators.
Where to find: 1814 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212
East Nashville
We stayed in an Airbnb in Inglewood which was right around the corner from the happening East Nashville and we found that there was so much to do in the neighborhood.
Mas Tacos
Leave it up to the Arizonian to find authentic Mexican food in Nashville. I had multiple people tell me I had to try it and I will say, it did not disappoint. I had a carne molida taco, a chicken taco, some elote, and a pineapple cilantro juice and I was impressed. The carne taco was not my favorite but damn was the chicken taco and the elote delicious. I even loved the cilantro infused pineapple juice. It was sweet with a little kick. Be prepared to wait in line if you visit for lunch. This is one popular place!
If you’re looking for a juicy burger, look no further. The Pharmacy is a local hot spot and for a good reason. I’m boring and just got a cheeseburger but there are plenty of other options (I’ve heard the stroganoff burger is the best). And don’t forget to wash it all down with a chocolate malt!
We visited this all day cafe to get some coffee but they do serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I’m a big fan of floral coffees so I ordered the roze latte (rose and cardamom) and it was quite tasty. The restaurant was nice and quiet when we visited and was also absolutely adorable. A win/win in my book.
Kettner Coffee Supply
I’m going to be the first to admit that I found this place on Instagram and knew I had to go because of their mural that says “high standards, low morals.” I ended up doing a little work while on my trip and found Kettner to be the perfect place to do so. They don’t have any syrups so don’t expect any fancy lattes.
Star Struck Vintage
I’m such a sucker for a good vintage store and Star Struck was by far my favorite in Nashville. They have endless amounts of graphic tees, jackets, vintage shorts, skirts, purses, you name it. I immediately fell in love with a suede fringe jacket there and it took everything in me not to buy it (I’m regretting that decision now).
Lucaya is located in a little strip mall with a few other boutiques and has some of the cutest dresses ever. They also have the cutest neon sign which I definitely put on the ‘gram.
While I could talk about how cute their clothes are, I just want to mention how sweet the girls working there are. They were so friendly from the minute we walked through the door. They helped me style a few things and gave me their opinion as I tried a few things on. Even though I didn’t end up buying anything, it was some of the best customer service I’ve ever received.
Looking to spruce up your space? Check out Apple & Oak for some seriously cute home decor. I couldn’t help but drool over their rug selection. It’s to die for.
What Lifts You Mural
Want to take your mural game to the next level? How about a hot air balloon mural that includes a real hot air balloon basket. This beautiful piece is located right across from Star Struck Vintage!
Where to find: 1034 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Downtown
I’m going to be the first to admit that we kind of avoided downtown. While we did go out on Broadway street one night (it was craziness), we tended to stay on the outskirts. But we did manage to find a cool spot that I just couldn’t leave off this list!
Acme Feed & Seed is home to the best view of Downtown Nashville. The three-story building was built in 1890. It has been a grocery store, a flour company, and a farm supply store. In 2014, it was opened to be the Acme Feed and Seed that it is today. Each floor features a different food and bar menu and has a different “theme.” We snacked on sushi and sipped on frosé while we looked out over Broadway and the Cumberland River.
Honorable mentions
These are spots that I wasn’t able to visit but had on my list (in case you need a few more recommendations)!
- Crema Coffee (downtown)
- Barista Parlor (downtown)
- Flamingo Cocktail Club (downtown)
- Liberty Common (for brunch – downtown)
- Humphreys Street Coffee (downtown)
- Pinewood Social (downtown)
- Pearl Diver (tiki cocktails – east Nash)
- Blag Shag Vintage (east Nash)
- Vandyke Bed and Breakfast (cocktails – east Nash)
- Flora Plant Shop (east Nash)
- La Sel (the Gulch)
PIN ME:
I looooove Nashville!! I’m with you, the 12 South area is probably my fave. It’s just so homey feeling and welcoming! I’m a lover of Acme Feed as well. I live relatively close to Nash (4ish hours), so I’ve been a few times now and it NEVER gets old! I’m actually going back next month for a girls trip and can’t wait! I’ll be adding some of your recommendations to my wishlist! 😊
I’m definitely jealous that you live so close! Hope you enjoy your girls trip. You’ll have to tell me how it is! 🙂
Do you recommend renting a car for when you go?
I rented a car during my stay and I highly recommend it! We drove around a lot so I imagine our uber bills would’ve been pretty high