Tennessee’s 10 Best Restaurants To Add To Your 2026 Bucket List
I have a note in my phone from three years ago. It just says: Nashville.
The ribs. Call Mom.
I never called. Some meals make you selfish like that.
You want to sit with the feeling a little longer before sharing it. Tennessee does this to people.
The food here carries weight that menus cannot explain. Pitmaster smoke that took years to perfect.
Hot chicken that rewires your tolerance for heat. Biscuits that make every other biscuit feel like an apology.
I have eaten my way across Tennessee more times than I can justify, and the list of places I would go back for keeps growing. Every restaurant on this list earned its spot the hard way.
Some have lines. Some take reservations months out.
All of them are worth whatever it takes to get a seat.
1. Tailor Nashville, Nashville
Few restaurants make you feel like a guest in someone’s home, but Tailor Nashville pulls it off effortlessly. The evening starts in a cozy Living Room with cocktails.
It feels more like a dinner party than a restaurant visit.
Chef Vivek Surti is self-taught and deeply rooted in his Indian Gujarati heritage. His evolving South Asian American menu changes regularly.
Each dish reflects something personal and intentional.
The open kitchen lets the chef walk guests through every plate. There is no walk-in cooler here, so ingredients are sourced fresh every single day.
That commitment to freshness is something you can actually taste.
A crystal chandelier from the chef’s own family home hangs above the dining room. It adds warmth and history to an already intimate space.
Dinner features eight to ten dishes served at a set price.
The meal ends with a chai recipe passed down from the chef’s father. It has been refined over decades and hits every note perfectly.
Tailor Nashville, at 620 Taylor St, Nashville, TN 37208, holds Michelin recommendation status and earned a James Beard Foundation Semifinalist nod for Outstanding Hospitality in 2026.
2. Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar, Chattanooga
Imagine eating oysters on a 2,000-square-foot deck while Signal Mountain glows in the distance. That is a Tuesday at the Boathouse Rotisserie and Raw Bar.
This place has been a Chattanooga dining tradition for a reason.
The menu travels from Gulf Coast seafood to slow-smoked brisket without missing a beat. Made-to-order guacamole and El Scorcho Seafood Stew are standout favorites.
Po-Boy sandwiches and rotisserie chicken round out a menu that covers serious ground.
The oyster bar is famously busy, and rightfully so. Fresh, creative, and served fast, the raw bar draws regulars back week after week.
A unique beer cooling system keeps every pour at a crisp 32 degrees.
Inside, enlarged vintage postcards decorate the walls and give the space a fun, nostalgic personality. Misters cool the deck in summer, and heaters keep it comfortable through winter.
The Boathouse works year-round, which is a rare and valuable thing.
Perched right on the Tennessee River at 1459 Riverside Dr, Chattanooga, TN 37406, this spot delivers views and flavors in equal measure. Come for the oysters, stay for the mountain scenery, and leave planning your return visit.
3. A Dopo Sourdough Pizza, Knoxville
The name A Dopo means “See you later” in Italian, and that is exactly what you will say after your first visit. You will be back.
The sourdough crust alone is worth a detour through Knoxville.
Every pizza is wood-fired and built in the Neapolitan tradition with a serious sourdough twist. Simple, high-quality toppings let the ingredients do the talking.
Nothing is overdone, and that restraint is exactly what makes each bite memorable.
The Ovoline is a must-order. It is house-pulled mozzarella served with basil, pistachio, and warm sourdough.
It sounds simple because it is, and it is extraordinary because of that simplicity.
Beyond pizza, the menu includes seasonal vegetable dishes that rotate with what is fresh and local. Small-batch gelato wraps up the meal on a cool, creamy note.
Vegan options are thoughtfully included, making this a spot that works for everyone at the table.
The space itself feels like a modern Italian studio, with cement, tile, wood, and polished metal creating a clean and comfortable atmosphere. Seating is indoors only, designed to encourage real conversation.
You can find A Dopo at 516 Williams St, Knoxville, TN 37917, and yes, you will be going back.
4. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana, Memphis
Forget everything you think you know about Mexican food in the American South. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana is playing a completely different game.
This restaurant specializes in Mexico City-style Mexican cuisine with a focus on traditional recipes and fresh ingredients.
There are no cheese dips, no fajitas, and absolutely no burritos on this menu. Instead, expect tacos, tortas, and elote made with fresh, local ingredients.
The kitchen respects where these recipes come from.
The King Crab Tacos are something people plan their visits around. Fresh fish tacos and chunky guacamole are close behind in the fan-favorite rankings.
Every bite carries real flavor and real intention.
This father-and-son operation reflects a deep commitment to Mexican culinary heritage. The recipes have not been adjusted for American tastes or shortcuts.
That honesty is exactly what keeps people coming back.
Freshly squeezed, 100% natural juices round out the menu beautifully. First-time visitors tend to become regulars fast, which says everything about the food and the atmosphere.
Located at 6300 Poplar Ave #115, Memphis, TN 38119, Las Tortugas is the kind of place that earns fierce loyalty. Plan to arrive early because the word is already out.
5. Juniper, Johnson City
Juniper proves that fine dining does not need a big city zip code to be world-class. Settled inside a beautifully renovated multi-story residence on Knob Creek, this place has serious culinary ambition.
The menu is Modern American with a seasonal, regional heart.
The seasonal menu regularly features premium ingredients, including Japanese A5 Wagyu alongside a rotating selection of chef-driven dishes inspired by regional and seasonal produce.
Downstairs, several bright dining rooms circle a central bar with a comfortable, lived-in energy. The second floor opens up into an airy, elevated dining space.
The whole building has a refined but genuinely welcoming personality.
Service here is knowledgeable and attentive without ever feeling stiff. The staff understands the menu deeply and can guide you through it with real enthusiasm.
Mocktails are crafted with the same care as the food.
Johnson City does not always make national food lists, but Juniper deserves to change that. Find it at 1033 W Oakland Ave, Johnson City, TN 37604.
This chef-owned spot is one of the most exciting restaurants in this part of the state right now.
6. Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack South, Nashville
Hot chicken has become a global food trend, but it started right here at Prince’s. This is the original, the blueprint, and the standard everything else gets measured against.
No other version quite hits the same way.
The story behind Prince’s is almost too good to be true. James Thornton Prince’s girlfriend reportedly cooked him a punishingly spicy fried chicken breakfast as payback.
He loved it so much that he and his brothers turned it into a recipe and then a restaurant.
Heat levels run from Plain to XXX-Hot, and every step up the scale is a genuine commitment. Jumbo tenders and whole wings are the main events.
The Andre Chicken Sandwich features a boneless breast on a Hawaiian roll with sweet heat or kickin’ ranch, dill pickles, and coleslaw.
Southern Style Baked Beans with smoked pork and Get It Girl Greens with smoked turkey are the sides that loyal regulars swear by. The spice mix is expertly balanced, delivering heat, salt, and deep flavor all at once.
Nothing here is accidental.
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack was honored as an American Classic by the James Beard Foundation in 2013. Located at 5814 Nolensville Pk #110, Nashville, TN 37211, this is living culinary history on a paper plate.
7. Main Street Meats, Chattanooga
Most places have to choose between being a great butcher shop and a great restaurant. Main Street Meats decided to be both, and it works brilliantly.
The whole-animal butchery approach here is as serious as it gets.
House-made sausages, boudin, dry-cured salami, and rustic French-style pate are all made on-site. Cooked hams and bacon round out a charcuterie program that most dedicated meat shops would envy.
Every product reflects a deep respect for the craft.
The lunch fried bologna sandwich has developed a devoted following of its own. Burgers and premium steaks anchor the dinner menu with confident, meat-forward authority.
All proteins are locally sourced, butchered, and dry-aged right in the building.
The atmosphere is casual but elevated, with a distinct energy that feels genuinely alive. A well-stocked bourbon bar complements the food in a way that feels completely natural.
Main Street Meats holds a Michelin Guide recommendation, and the chef has earned James Beard Award nominations for Best Chef: Southeast.
Owners Erik and Amanda Niel transformed this former butcher shop back in 2014, and the result has only gotten better with time. Find it at 217 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408.
This is one of Chattanooga’s most compelling dining experiences, full stop.
8. Alleia, Chattanooga
There is something almost cinematic about walking into Alleia on a weeknight. The low lighting and candles make everything look better, including the food.
Chef Daniel Lindley built something genuinely special inside Chattanooga’s historic Harrington Building.
The walls feature 300-year-old wood salvaged from the original structure. Designer Rodney Simmons gave the space a modern trattoria feel without losing its soul.
Every corner has warmth and intention behind it.
Seven types of house-made pasta are on the menu at any given time. Each one is crafted with care and paired with regional flavors or exceptional Italian imports.
The pasta here is the kind that makes you reconsider every pasta you have ever eaten.
Neapolitan-style pizzas are baked in a custom brick oven that hits 750 degrees. The crust comes out blistered, chewy, and perfect every time.
A large banquette offers a sweeping 360-degree view of the dining room.
Outside, a porch draped in climbing jasmine overlooks Lookout Mountain. It is one of the most scenic outdoor dining spots in the area.
Find Alleia at 25 E Main St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, and go hungry.
9. Downtown Flavortown, Pigeon Forge
Some restaurants feed you dinner. Downtown Flavortown feeds you dinner, bowls a few frames with you, and then challenges you to a round of virtual reality.
This 43,000-square-foot facility in Pigeon Forge is genuinely unlike anything else on this list.
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri designed a menu that leans hard into bold, unapologetic American flavors. Colossal Trash Can Nachos are a table centerpiece that demands a group effort.
The award-winning Bacon Mac N Cheese Burger is exactly as indulgent as it sounds.
Nashville Hot Chicken Waffle is one of several unique waffle dishes that blend sweet and spicy in unexpected ways. Creamy Cajun Chicken Alfredo brings a Southern comfort angle to the pasta section.
Every dish has personality to spare.
The decor matches the energy of the menu, with colorful murals, neon signs, and a 1968 Chevy Camaro parked inside for photos. A 14-lane duckpin bowling alley keeps the fun going between courses.
Over 10,000 square feet of arcade games, including virtual reality setups, make this a full evening out.
A full-service tropical tiki bar adds one more layer to an already packed experience. Located at 2655 Teaster Ln #100, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863, this place is designed for people who want more from a meal than just food.
10. Central BBQ – Downtown, Memphis
Memphis has a deep, almost spiritual relationship with barbecue, and Central BBQ Downtown sits right at the center of it. The slow-smoked meats here have earned a reputation that stretches well beyond the city limits.
This is the real thing.
Pulled pork and fall-off-the-bone ribs are the headliners on a menu built around patience and smoke. Brisket, large meaty wings, and smoked sausage each bring something distinct to the table.
Every protein is seasoned and cooked with the kind of expertise that only comes from doing it right, every single day.
The barbecue nachos have developed a cult following that is entirely justified. Homemade potato chips and sandwiches served with coleslaw round out a menu that covers all the classics.
Nothing here feels like an afterthought.
The atmosphere is lively and funky, with a breezy outdoor deck that makes the whole experience feel relaxed and celebratory. Memphis soul food culture runs through every corner of this restaurant.
It is a place that feels proud of where it comes from.
Central BBQ is located at 147 E Butler Ave, Memphis, TN 38103, right in the heart of downtown. If you only eat barbecue once on your 2026 food tour through the area, make it here.
You will not need convincing after the first bite.
