Must-Visit Food Stops in Tennessee

Travelers and locals alike take advantage of some fantastic hotel restaurants across the state.

• Chez Philippe at The Peabody Memphis has been an elegant dining institution for decades, offering modern American cuisine with French presentation in multi-course tasting menus. This hotel restaurant is wheelchair accessible.

• For more casual fare, stop by Penny's Nitty Gritty at The Westin Memphis Beale Street, which offers salads, shrimp & grits, ribeye, pastas and lobster tail. Penny's is also wheelchair accessible. 

• More recent outstanding hotel restaurants include The Continental in the Grand Hyatt Nashville, Yolan in The Joseph, Marsh House in Thompson Nashville, and Henley in the Kimpton Aertson Hotel – all in Music City. Each offering distinct culinary experiences, these restaurants feature photo-worthy ambiances and delicious menus, from upscale Italian to Southern seafood.  

• Also of note are Oliver Royale in The Oliver Hotel and The Drawing Room in The Tennessean, both in Knoxville, and Bridgeman’s Chophouse at The Read House in Chattanooga. These restaurants focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients as well as unique craft cocktails.  

Tennessee's craft beer scene has exploded, with breweries spanning the state from the mountains to the Mississippi, each offering unique brews and often, accessible spaces.

• You might as well nickname Nashville “Brewsic City,” thanks to all the excellent craft breweries popping up in town. Favorites include Yazoo, Jackalope, Black Abbey, Tennessee Brew Works, Bearded Iris, Tailgate and more than a dozen others.

• Wiseacre’s recent brewery expansion makes it a Memphis favorite, along with Ghost River, Memphis Made and High Cotton.

• Other beer tourism destinations include Hutton & Smith and OddStory in Chattanooga, Knoxville’s Next Level and Crafty Bastard, and Johnson City Brewing Company, Yee-Haw and Tennessee Hills Brewstillery in the Tri-Cities, and Murfreesboro's Cedar Glade Brews.

Dining al fresco in the great outdoors somehow makes great food taste even better.

• The sweeping mountain vistas from the deck at Cliff Top high above Gatlinburg at Anakeesta are awe-inspiring. Anakeesta strives to be accessible, offering paved pathways, ramps, and accessible restrooms throughout the park, including at Cliff Top.

• If a river view is more your thing, The Boathouse Rotisserie & Raw Bar offers views of the Tennessee River rolling through Chattanooga. The Boathouse provides accessible parking, ramps where needed, and accessible seating to ensure all guests can enjoy their meal with a view.

• Follow that river upstream to Knoxville, and you’ll discover the delightful Lakeside Tavern and a popular surf ’n’ turf menu. Lakeside Tavern offers accessible parking, ramp access, and accessible seating arrangements, making it convenient for all diners.

• Enjoy fajitas and enchiladas at one of the outdoor tables at Cafe Olé in the hip Cooper-Young district of Memphis or bring the family to Belly Acres’ two Bluff City locations for a grass-fed burger or free-range chicken alongside a yummy milkshake. Both Cafe Olé and Belly Acres locations are committed to accessibility, featuring accessible entrances, seating, and restrooms to accommodate all patrons.

• Rooftop patios are all the rage in Nashville, and dining poolside at White Limozeen is a vacation must-do. White Limozeen, located at The Graduate Nashville, offers elevator access to its rooftop, along with accessible pathways and seating options to ensure an inclusive glamorous experience.

It’s often difficult to agree with a group on choosing a dining destination, so food halls have been a great development, offering a variety of restaurants under one roof.

• In Nashville, Assembly Food Hall houses more than 30 dining options, including outposts of favorite local restaurants. Assembly Food Hall is designed with comprehensive accessibility in mind, featuring wide, level pathways, accessible restrooms, and ample space between vendors to ensure a comfortable experience for all guests.

• Hunters Station and The Wash are fun East Nashville choices, with the latter constructed out of the stalls of a former car wash. Both Hunters Station and The Wash provide accessible entrances, spacious layouts, and accessible restrooms, allowing all patrons to enjoy their unique dining environments.

• Marble City Market gathers a dozen vendors in Knoxville, and Chattanooga offers pizza, Asian fare, craft beer and more at Market South. Marble City Market in Knoxville and Market South in Chattanooga are both structured for easy navigation, offering accessible entrances, clear pathways, and accessible restrooms throughout their diverse vendor selections.

The Volunteer State has plenty to offer along the Tennessee Whiskey Trail.

• In addition to long-timers like Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg and Tullahoma’s Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., many inventive craft distilleries are also worth checking out. Both Jack Daniel's and Cascade Hollow offer accessible tours and facilities, with staff ready to assist guests with mobility needs, ensuring everyone can learn about their historic processes.

• Old Dominick in Memphis represents a rebirth of a more than 150-year-old distillery, while distilleries like Short Mountain in Woodbury and Prichard’s in Kelso will get you out in the countryside. Old Dominick, located downtown, provides full wheelchair accessibility throughout its modern facility. Rural distilleries like Short Mountain and Prichard's generally offer accessible visitor centers and tasting rooms, often with paved pathways and ramps to accommodate guests.

• East Tennessee embraces its moonshine heritage at Sugarlands and Ole Smoky in Gatlinburg and Old Forge in Pigeon Forge, while Chattanooga Whiskey Experimental Distillery has invented an entirely new category with its Tennessee High Malt. These popular East Tennessee distilleries, including Sugarlands, Ole Smoky, and Old Forge, are designed with visitor accessibility in mind, featuring accessible entrances, wide pathways, and accessible restrooms. Similarly, Chattanooga Whiskey offers a fully accessible urban distillery experience, allowing all guests to explore their innovative approach to whiskey.

When it comes to “farm-to-table,” you can’t beat restaurants that actually grow their own produce.

• At the luxurious Blackberry Farm in Walland, they’re ardent proponents of sustainable agriculture and grow vegetables and herbs for use in their restaurants and bars. They also maintain heirloom seed preservation programs. Blackberry Farm aims to provide a welcoming experience for all guests, with accessible pathways, ramps where needed, and accommodations that ensure their acclaimed culinary and farm experiences are largely navigable.

• Southall near Franklin grows vegetables on 325 acres of land, and the menu revolves around seasonal ingredients. Southall offers accessible parking, pathways, and facilities where possible, allowing guests with mobility needs to experience their farm-to-table dining and the beauty of their extensive grounds.

• Employees of Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel help out on the historic Glen Leven Farm to cultivate ingredients for the kitchen at Drusie & Darr. The Hermitage Hotel and its restaurant, Drusie & Darr, are fully committed to accessibility, featuring accessible entrances, elevators to all floors, and accessible restrooms. While Glen Leven Farm is a working farm, efforts are made to ensure accessible pathways for specific events or educational programs where public access is offered.

“We eat first with our eyes” has long been a popular expression among chefs, and the ambiance of a restaurant has been scientifically proven to affect the perception of flavors.

• At Gray & Dudley in the 21C Museum Hotel in downtown Nashville, dramatic sculptures stare down at diners from the upper corners of the dining room, adding a little tension to keep your taste buds on edge for the bold culinary salvos coming out of the kitchen. Gray & Dudley is fully accessible, offering accessible entrances, spacious dining areas, and accessible restrooms, ensuring all guests can enjoy the art and cuisine.

• Chef Kelly English rotates artwork from local artists on the walls of his charming Restaurant Iris in Memphis to augment the romantic ambiance of his Louisiana-inspired cuisine. Restaurant Iris is committed to providing an accessible dining experience, with accessible entrances, pathways, and restrooms to accommodate all patrons.

• Nashville’s Fairlane Hotel revamps its top-floor bar every season as does Dream Nashville and Noelle's speakeasy, Hidden Bar which is accessible through storage closet doors. The Fairlane Hotel and Dream Nashville are fully accessible, with elevators to all floors, including their various bars, ensuring all guests can enjoy their offerings. While Hidden Bar's unique entrance adds to its mystique, it is designed to be accessible to all patrons.

• Daniel Lindley is both a renowned chef and a talented artist and showcases his work and that of others to heighten the drama at his restaurants Alleia in Chattanooga and Nashville’s 5th & Taylor. Both Alleia and 5th & Taylor are designed with accessibility in mind, featuring accessible entrances, spacious dining areas, and accessible restrooms to allow all guests to appreciate the culinary and artistic experience.

• Sean Brock’s shrine to the food and culture of Appalachia at Audrey also serves as a gallery space for scores of the chef’s personal pieces of historical folk art. Audrey provides an accessible dining and artistic experience, offering accessible entrances, wide aisles, and accessible restrooms to ensure all guests can explore its unique concept.

When you're hungry, Tennessee has a restaurant to satisfy your cravings. Explore even more dining spots.