Now on Resy: TKO, St. Vito Focacceria, Gray’s On Main, and More Local Favorites

You definitely want a table at this rollicking industrial-chic establishment on Gallatin Pike, where Chinese cuisine meets Southern fare, and they get on famously (think bourbon chicken fried rice). An added attraction: TKO was Nashville’s first no-tipping restaurant.

It’s not pizza. It’s chef Michael Hanna’s brilliant take on the pronounce-it-if-you-can Sicilian flatbread called sfincione (“svyn-cho-nay”) — hefty focaccia-thick slabs, laced with melted fontina, finished with Pecorino and seasoned breadcrumbs, and topped with everything from tomato sauce and crabmeat to artichokes with roasted garlic — and we can’t get enough.

You’ll like this casual, comfortable Franklin favorite in the iconic 19th-century Gray’s Drug Co. building for its updated takes on classic Southern specialties (pimento cheese balls, fried chicken, shrimp and grits) plus live music three nights a week — and definitely save room for the epic dark chocolate Belgium brownie.

You’re more likely to find locals at this Kimpton hotel restaurant than travelers, which says a lot. We’re all just here for the comfortable dining room, Southern hospitality, and a big booth. Start with anything with whiskey in it, then move on to dishes like pork belly with tomato jam, and smoked chicken with strawberry relish. 

Whether you’re sitting in the elegant chandelier-hung dining room or on the dreamy terrace overlooking the city, you can’t go wrong with anything on chef Brian Lombard’s regionally sourced modern American menu. Good to remember: Brunch is served seven days a week.

This upscale-casual, art-filled establishment in Franklin from veteran chef Jose Serrato stands out brilliantly for its wide-ranging menu of appetizers and entrées, both traditional and inventive, and its choice of hand-cut signature steaks — look no further than a house specialty of two filets topped with crab and Cajun lobster butter sauce.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten in Nashville means citrusy olives, beautiful salads, and truffle-topped pizzas, all served in the sleek, sun-drenched (at least during the day) Hermitage Hotel café.

Brunch with a Southern accent (daily, from early morning to mid-afternoon) is the thing at this easy-to-wake-up-to suburban Nashville outpost of the popular South-wide Ruby chain. Breakfast tacos, shrimp & grits, eight different Benedicts, and more will keep brunch-lovers coming back.

You’ll feel welcome the moment you walk into this East Nashville neighborhood hangout in a former 1930s-vintage dry goods store — and chef Hal Holden-Bache’s alluring menu, including Southern-flavored dishes, wood-oven pizzas, and an empanada of the night, will keep you coming back. 

Dress to impress at this elegant-casual New Orleans-accented destination in the Thompson Hotel, where the knockout brunch is served seven days a week and you just might see a country music star or even a president’s wife tucking into the gumbo or the barbecue shrimp.

Come with friends to this glittery indoor-outdoor rooftop bar and restaurant atop the Thompson Nashville and order a gigantic cocktail to share (the vodka-based Devil in a New Dress serves four to eight) before moving on to the garlic Parmesan fries and the warm chocolate chip skillet cookie.