Where to eat in Nashville by neighborhood: Germantown to 12 South

Visitors to Nashville often spend a weekend on Broadway and leave with the idea that the city runs on honky-tonks and hot chicken. Locals eat elsewhere. The best-known food neighborhoods lie a short ride from downtown, and each has its own pace. Here is what each area is good for, how to get there and when to go. Hours, menus and openings change quickly in a fast-growing city, so check before you travel.

Which Nashville neighborhood is best for eating?

It depends on the evening. Germantown suits a walkable dinner in a historic setting. East Nashville suits independent restaurants, casual bars and live music. 12 South suits coffee, ice cream and a stroll through boutiques. The Nashville Farmers' Market suits a daytime visit with a food hall and fresh produce. Downtown and Broadway suit music and tourists. If you only have one night, choose the neighborhood closest to your hotel and walk its main street before deciding.

What is Germantown like?

Germantown is a historic neighborhood just north of downtown, a walkable area known for brick sidewalks, Victorian houses and vintage streetlights. It has a dense cluster of restaurants and bars, and it is close to the farmers market and the ballpark. Weekend evenings are busy and reservations are worth making. Parking is a mix of street spaces and lots, and a rideshare is often easier.

What is East Nashville like?

East Nashville, across the Cumberland River, is a large area made up of smaller neighborhoods, and it is a place for innovative restaurants, casual bars, creative cocktails, live music, art and vintage shopping. It has a more local, less touristy feel. Because the area is spread out, plan to drive or rideshare between spots, and pick one commercial strip for an evening. Many restaurants there are small and take limited reservations. A good way to see East Nashville is to park once, walk a commercial strip and stop for a coffee, a meal and a drink in sequence. Check which restaurants close between lunch and dinner, because many neighborhood kitchens do.

What is 12 South like?

12 South is a stretch of 12th Avenue South known for boutiques, coffee shops and restaurants, and it is popular for an afternoon stroll. It suits a late breakfast, a walk, an ice cream and an early dinner. Check whether a seasonal farmers market is running when you visit. It is busiest on weekends, so allow time for parking or use a rideshare. The area attracts a mix of families, shoppers and people on a food tour, and lines for popular ice cream shops can be long on warm afternoons. A weekday visit is calmer, and shops are easier to browse.

What is the Nashville Farmers' Market?

The Nashville Farmers' Market was founded in the early 1800s and sits in the urban core, next to the Tennessee State Museum and Bicentennial Mall State Park. It includes covered open-air sheds, a garden center and an international food hall with a mix of restaurants and shops. It is a good daytime stop for lunch and for buying produce, and a good place to try several cuisines in one visit. Check hours, since stalls keep their own. A visit pairs well with the state museum and the park beside it, which has a walkway through the state's history. The covered sheds keep you out of the rain, and parking is usually easier than downtown.

How do you get around?

Nashville is spread out and built for cars. Rideshares are common, and a bus system serves main corridors. If you drive, expect to pay for parking downtown and in busy districts. Plan one neighborhood per meal rather than trying to hop between areas, since traffic at rush hour can be slow, and avoid driving after drinking.

Do you need reservations?

For weekend dinners in Germantown, East Nashville and 12 South, yes. Many restaurants take reservations through their own websites, and some save a part of the room for walk-ins. For groups of six or more, call ahead and ask about deposit or cancellation policies. Weekday evenings are easier. Expect a wait even with a reservation on the busiest nights, and ask if the bar will serve food, which is often the fastest way to eat. Cancel reservations you cannot keep, since small restaurants plan staffing around them.

What do you pay and tip?

Menu prices do not include Tennessee sales tax, which is added at the register and varies by location. A tip of about 18 to 20 percent of the pre-tax total is customary at table-service restaurants. Some restaurants add a service charge for large parties, so look at the menu or check.

How do you keep track of what is good in each Nashville neighborhood?

Ask people who live in the neighborhood and check the lines on a weekday. Then keep your own record. Mosey is a food app for finding, rating and sharing places to eat, and it rates by the dish, so the Germantown dinner, the East Nashville brunch and the 12 South ice cream each get a score and a tag such as Hidden Gem.

Make a list for each part of town, share its invite link with the friends visiting you and follow the people who live there. Your own record guides the next visit.

Rate your best Nashville dish in the Mosey app.

More guides to read next:

• Nashville food halls: Assembly Food Hall and the Farmers' Market
• Nashville hot chicken: where it began and how to order the heat

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