Nashville has developed one of the more serious brunch cultures in the South. The good news is that the city now has enough quality options that you can choose based on what kind of morning you want, not just what’s nearest to your hotel.
Biscuit Love
Multiple locations including The Gulch (316 11th Ave S). Open seven days a week starting at 7am. The most talked-about brunch spot in Nashville for a decade, and the quality has held.
The signature Bonut is fried biscuit dough topped with lemon mascarpone and blueberry compote. The East Nasty is a fried chicken thigh with cheddar and sausage gravy on a biscuit. The B-Roll is a biscuit cinnamon roll. The Princess is hot chicken on a biscuit. These are not reinventions for the sake of reinvention; they are good combinations of good ingredients made from scratch daily. Weekend waits range from 30 minutes to over an hour at the Gulch location between 10am and noon. Going before 9am or after 1pm cuts it significantly.
Pancake Pantry
1796 21st Ave S, Hillsboro Village. Open 6am to 3pm daily. Second location at 220 Molloy St in SoBro.
Open since 1961. Twenty-three varieties of scratch-made pancakes. The sweet potato, buckwheat, and blueberry versions are what people come back for. Weekend lines wrap around the building by 9am. A Nashville waitress from this restaurant appeared on The Tonight Show decades ago and mentioned that Garth Brooks was a regular; that press sent tourist traffic that never fully went away. The experience is worth it once. The cinnamon cream syrup is better than it sounds.
Milk and Honey
214 11th Ave S, The Gulch. Open every day starting at 6am.
One of the few full-service brunch spots in Nashville with truly daily hours starting before most people have had coffee. Praised consistently for service quality and consistency. A reliable choice when you want brunch but do not want to navigate a long weekend wait. Full menu of eggs, biscuits, and cocktails.
Henrietta Red
1200 4th Ave N, Germantown. Saturday and Sunday only, 10am to 2pm.
Oyster-forward brunch in one of Nashville’s most polished restaurant rooms. Not for everyone, but for the person who wants a dozen oysters and a martini before noon on a Saturday, this is the move. The menu is built around fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables. Reservations strongly recommended.
Audrey
809 Meridian St, East Nashville. Weekend brunch only, 10am to 2pm.
Appalachian-influenced cooking in one of East Nashville’s most distinctive dining rooms. The family feast format at $65 per person is for groups who want to share everything across the table. Dishes rotate with the season. Scrapple and eggs has been a recurring offering. The room itself, with its emerald green booths and warm lighting, is designed for a longer meal rather than a quick bite.
Two Hands
606 8th Ave S, The Gulch. Daily brunch, bottomless bloody marys on weekends for $25.
Australian-style cafe with a focus on all-day breakfast. The bottomless bloody mary weekend deal makes this a default choice for groups. Lines form on weekend mornings. The full menu covers eggs, grain bowls, and sandwiches alongside the cocktail program.
The Butter Milk Ranch
Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. Known for its red velvet croissants and oatmeal cookie sandwiches.
A newer entry to Nashville’s brunch conversation. The pastry program is the reason to go. The Instagram presence has made weekend lines unpredictable; going early is the safest strategy.
How to Actually Have a Good Brunch Experience
The central mistake is attempting Biscuit Love or Pancake Pantry between 10:30am and 12:30pm on a Saturday or Sunday without a plan. Go before 9am. Or use the Yelp waitlist function when available and don’t physically stand in line. Or eat brunch on a Tuesday, when every spot in the city is significantly calmer and the food is identical. If your group has specific dietary requirements, call ahead: Nashville’s brunch scene has improved on vegan and gluten-free options but the meat-forward spots have limited flexibility.
Sources
- Yelp, “Best Breakfast and Brunch in Nashville,” yelp.com
- The Pancake Pantry, thepancakepantry.com
- Seeing Tennessee, “Is Nashville’s Pancake Pantry Worth the Wait,” seeingtennessee.com
- Notes on Nashville, “Pancake Pantry Alternatives,” notesonnashville.com
- Modern Luxury, “Best Pancakes in Nashville,” modernluxury.com
- Nashville Guru, Audrey listing, nashvilleguru.com