Nashville food halls: Assembly Food Hall and the Farmers' Market

Nashville has a big downtown food hall and a long-running public market. Assembly Food Hall is at 500 Broadway in the Fifth + Broadway district, opened in phases, and the Nashville Scene counts more than 30 dining options and a large rooftop. The Nashville Farmers' Market has open-air farm sheds and a food hall of about 16 stalls with international places to eat, according to a travel guide.

What is Assembly Food Hall?

A large food hall in the Fifth + Broadway development downtown, a short walk from Broadway's honky-tonks and the Ryman Auditorium. Local news said it would open in two phases, and it has been described as one of the country's larger food halls. It has many kitchens, bars and a rooftop with stages. National coverage has ranked it among the top food halls.

What is at the Nashville Farmers' Market?

A public market north of downtown near Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. A travel guide describes two open-air farm sheds, a Market House food hall with about 16 stalls with international places to eat, an Asian grocery and a garden center. Local farmers sell produce in the sheds in season. The same guide lists it as open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but only one source gave hours, so confirm on the market's website.

How do they differ?

Assembly is a destination for groups, nightlife and tourists, with a bar and rooftop. The Farmers' Market is a local place to shop for produce and eat lunch at an international counter. Many visitors do the market in the morning and Assembly in the evening.

What should you eat in Nashville?

The city is known for hot chicken, meat-and-three plates, barbecue and biscuits. Hot chicken comes in heat levels from mild to very hot, so start mild if you are unsure. A meat-and-three is a plate of one meat and three vegetable sides, served at a local diner. A food hall is a good place to try several kinds in one visit.

How to order hot chicken

Pick a heat level one step milder than you think you want. Order white bread and pickles, which come on the plate, and keep a drink ready. Ask the cook if the sauce contains common allergens.

How do you get there?

Downtown is walkable from many hotels. Parking near Broadway is limited and costly on event nights. The WeGo bus and rideshare serve the area. The Farmers' Market is a short ride from downtown and has its own parking.

When should you go?

Assembly is busiest on weekends and in the evenings, when Broadway fills. A weekday lunch is quieter. The Farmers' Market is calmer on weekday mornings and busiest on Saturday mornings in summer.

What about children and dietary needs?

Assembly can be loud at night, so families may prefer lunch or an early dinner. For allergies, speak to each kitchen. Hot chicken is often fried in shared oil.

What else is nearby?

Downtown Nashville has the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Ryman and the Cumberland River riverfront. The Farmers' Market is next to the state park, which has a carillon and a walk along the history wall.

Planning your time downtown

If you only have a few hours, pick one of the two. If you have a day, visit the market in the morning, see the Capitol area and the riverfront in the afternoon, and eat at Assembly in the evening. Broadway is loud and crowded at night, so weekday afternoons are the best time for a quieter look at the hall.

Eating outside the halls

Nashville has many places to eat with hot chicken, barbecue and meat-and-three. A hall is a good introduction, but the city's neighborhood places to eat are where many locals eat. If you try hot chicken at a hall, you can compare it with a dedicated hot chicken shop and decide which you prefer.

Practical tips for a visit

Bring a card and some cash. Check the weather for the rooftop. Wear comfortable shoes, as Broadway is paved and long. If you are in a large group, send one person to find seats, as tables can fill on weekends. The Farmers' Market is easier with a bag, so you can buy produce as well as lunch.

Visiting with a mixed group

A hall suits groups who disagree: one person can have a salad while another eats fried chicken. If someone in your group has an allergy, ask each counter about ingredients and shared surfaces, and choose the stalls that are most comfortable answering. The size of the hall means there is usually something for everyone.

Finally, check whether any event is on downtown, such as a concert, a game or a festival, because it affects crowds, parking and prices around Broadway.

How do you remember what you ate?

Mosey is a food-first app where diners find places by dish, mood and neighborhood and rate what they actually ate. A hall or market page can list its traders, a rating of a dish stays with the stall that cooked it, and following a market lets you ask for a reminder on a market day.

More guides to read next:

• Where to eat in Nashville by neighborhood: Germantown to 12 South
• Nashville hot chicken: where it began and how to order the heat

More in the US food guides and the ranked lists of places.