What Are the Best Restaurants in 12 South?

February 19, 2026

The restaurant list in 12 South is long and genuinely good. These are the places that earn their spot.

Locust

The most acclaimed restaurant in the neighborhood — and one of the best in the country. Chef Trevor Moran, who previously worked at Noma in Copenhagen and then led the kitchen at The Catbird Seat, runs a compact, minimalist room at 2305 12th Ave S. The menu rotates constantly and centers on seafood, dumplings, and raw bar, with Japanese and Irish influences throughout. In November 2025, Locust was awarded a MICHELIN Star. Food & Wine named it Restaurant of the Year in 2022. Reservations open on the first of each month for the following month and sell out within minutes. Locust is open Friday through Sunday only — a deliberate choice by Moran to give his staff a real schedule. Lunch and dinner both require reservations; the outdoor patio serves charcuterie and drinks on a walk-in basis. Tables of four and under only. Cards only, no cash.

Fonda

Josephine, which occupied 2316 12th Ave S for about a decade under Chef Andy Little, closed permanently in December 2023. The space is now home to Fonda, a Mexican restaurant brought to Nashville by chef Roberto Santibañez and Howard Greenstone of Red Pebbles Hospitality. Santibañez, a Mexico City native, runs a menu that avoids the heavy rice-and-beans template — think guacamole made to order in a molcajete, duck zarape with roasted tomato-habanero cream sauce, blue crab croquettes, and tuna tostadas. The restaurant is open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons and evenings.

Urban Grub

Urban Grub is where people who actually live in 12 South go for a reliable steak dinner or weekend brunch without the tourist-magnet energy of some other spots. The patio is excellent in good weather. The bourbon selection is serious. Wagyu beef belly, double-cut pork chops, and Creekhouse Farm ribeyes anchor the menu. Not cheap, but consistently good.

Bartaco

Elevated Mexican street food, one of the best patios in the neighborhood, and margaritas that are the reason some people come here specifically. Open since 2015 and still reliably packed. The tacos come in varieties like shrimp banh mi and duck with tamarind glaze. The outdoor seating stays full through all of spring and fall.

Edley’s Bar-B-Que

The flagship Edley’s location on 12 South has a full bar (rare for a BBQ spot) and serves barbecue alongside tacos with a Southern flair and weekend brunch items. The brisket is the focus. The Spiked Watermelon cocktail is the kind of thing that pairs better with smoked meat than you’d expect.

Five Daughters Bakery

Just off the main drag. The 100-layer donuts — made with all-natural ingredients, filled with rotating flavors — have been drawing lines since the Meek family opened this original location. Multiple Nashville locations now exist, but this is where it started.

Butter Milk Ranch

The neighborhood’s reigning pastry spot. Massive croissants that are consistently excellent. Weekend mornings involve a wait; ordering from the bakery counter and grabbing an outdoor seat is the move.

Frothy Monkey

Open since 2004 — before the neighborhood became what it is — Frothy Monkey at 2509 12th Ave S is where the locals start their day. Breakfast through dinner, an all-day cafe with its own roastery and bakery. The food is solid. The coffee is better.

Epice

Authentic Lebanese food in a cozy setting. The Epice Salad has a devoted following among people who would rather eat hummus and grilled meats than another plate of Southern comfort food. A welcome alternative on the strip.

Sources

  • The Infatuation, “The 12 Best Restaurants In 12 South” (December 2025): theinfatuation.com/nashville/guides/best-restaurants-12-south-nashville
  • StyleBlueprint, 12 South Neighborhood Guide (December 2024): styleblueprint.com
  • Seeing Tennessee, “A Local’s Guide to the Best Restaurants in Nashville’s 12 South”: seeingtennessee.com
  • LCT Team, 12 South Best Restaurants: lctteam.com/12-south-what-to-eat-see-and-do/
  • MICHELIN Guide, Locust Nashville (One Star, November 2025): guide.michelin.com
  • Nashville Post, Fonda 12 South opening: nashvillepost.com
  • Nashville Lifestyles, At the Table with Fonda: nashvillelifestyles.com

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