The Resy Guide to Outdoor Dining in Nashville

There’s no more charming mealtime than a brunch, lunch, or dinner on the garden patio at one of East Nashville’s mainstays. Sidewalk seating is also available — either way is right to enjoy Margot’s increasingly springy dishes, like English pea and feta bruschetta with lemon and mint. Bonus: Pups are welcome to join, too. 

Fans of Emmy’s Detroit-style pizza can grab a square slice on the rooftop patio at their Gulch location. The cozy space has umbrellas to shade you in the afternoon sun, and twinkling string lights to light up summer evenings. Or, head over to Emmy’s Squared’s Green Hills location to grab a seat on their roomy patio out front. 

The low-key patio at Husk is located right off the bar, next to the gardens where many of the restaurant’s herbs and vegetables are grown. It’s a quiet reprieve from the bustle of the restaurant — somewhere the on-point cocktails, rare whiskeys, and other pleasures can be enjoyed in peace. Do make sure to order a plate of briny Murder Point oysters, and a plate of sour-corn Johnny cakes with pimento cheese.

Enjoy natural wine and a very West Coast vibe on the patio at Lou. The backside of a 1930s Craftsmen home has been transformed into a leafy, plant-filled enclosed patio that looks into a grassy backyard. It’s an ideal place to sample wines and snack on an ever-changing selection of European- and California-inspired fare. And you’ll stay warm on cooler mornings and evenings with their high-powered heaters.  

The patio at Lyra is perfect for kids and pups alike, and you know the deal with the food by now: Order an array of wood-fired plates, and get ready to be wowed by a terrific parade of color and spice.

Blue Moon Waterfront Grille has been a staple of waterfront dining in Nashville for decades, even through its brief closure after the flood of 2010. Located at the Rock Harbor Marina on the Cumberland River, it is accessible by both car or boat, depending on your preferred mode of transporation. The menu of seafood-centric offerings — think fried catfish baskets, grilled mahi-mahi sandwiches, and shrimp po’boys — is just the kind of food you’ll want to pair with a cold beer after a day of boating, or simply living that riverfront life. Sunset happy hour is a very good choice.

No reservations.