Best Restaurants & Food Experiences in Clarksville, TN

Clarksville locals have trekked over the Cumberland River and through the woods to The Catfish House since the 70s when Jerry and Carolyn Ellis purchased the Southern staple. Their daughter, Cindy, has gladly accepted the catfish crown and is carrying out the Ellis’ legacy. The Catfish House entrees come with a bevy of family-style sides like white beans, Cole slaw and hushpuppies. Still, your server won’t take no for an answer when it comes to the bowl of fried okra greeting your arrival. Speaking of fried, no trip is complete without that crispy, cornmeal battered and fried catfish. Not a fan of fried fare? No worries. There are plenty of choices to make out your dinner. 

• Menu highlights: Fried catfish, grilled catfish, hushpuppies, white beans, coleslaw, fried okra, seafood platters, steaks and pasta.
• Don’t go without trying: Cornmeal-battered fried catfish with hushpuppies and classic sides.
• Hours: Monday closed; Tuesday-Thursday 4-8:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 4-9 p.m.; Sunday 11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Location: 1461 Zinc Plant Road, Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Classic Southern seafood and a laid-back dinner.

Along a stretch of St. Bethlehem establishments, sits the crisp and modern Yellowtail Robata Grill and Sushi. Immediately, you’ll feel the hipster vibe with reclaimed wood, Edison lights and American pop serenading your meal. While the sushi is a bit Americanized, you’ll find yourself ordering at least one more roll than planned. Try the White Castle Roll with spicy tuna, spicy crab, white tune, lime, masago and green onion, or get a seared roll like the Chuck Norris — a surf and turf roll seared to perfection. It is a strong fit for visitors searching for popular restaurants in Clarksville, TN, with a spirited dinner atmosphere.

• Menu highlights: Sushi rolls, flame-seared rolls, robata grill items, lunch options and cocktails.
• Don’t go without trying: The Chuck Norris Roll or another flame-seared roll.
• Hours: Lunch, Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and Sunday noon-2 p.m.; dinner, Monday-Saturday 5-10 p.m. and Sunday 5-9 p.m.
• Location: 2509 Wilma Rudolph Blvd. A, Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Sushi, date night, group dinners and cocktails.

Mack and Linda Eddington first opened the Looking Glass Restaurant and Bakery, a European-style eatery, in 1998 as a coffeehouse with an artful eye. Today, the veteran family-owned restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with a special event space and top-notch bakery to boot. Linda’s artwork adorns every nook and cranny. So, be sure to take your time soaking up the colorful scenery over piping hot biscuits and gravy or you can savor a slice of red velvet cake in the beautiful courtyard. 

• Menu highlights: Breakfast dishes, biscuits and gravy, sandwiches, soups, salads, pasta, cakes, pastries and cookies.
• Don’t go without trying: A bakery treat, especially if red velvet cake is available.
• Hours: Posted hours list Monday closed, Tuesday 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday 8 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Location: 329 Warfield Blvd. H, Clarksville, TN 37043.
• Best for: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and a relaxed sit-down meal.

Coined from their seaport motherland, the brightly colored, family-owned and operated Lindo Veracruz offers pure adventure one dish at a time. Get the day started right with Chiquiliques or Huevos Rancheros for breakfast. You can pair a few street tacos and empanadas for lunch with ice-cold Horchatas or a few Topo Chicos. Not to be missed is the Posole accompanied by all the fixings for supper. It’s the perfect take-out to warm the soul and a strong pick for travelers deciding where to eat in Clarksville, TN, when they want flavorful breakfast, lunch or supper options.

• Menu highlights: Chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, street tacos, empanadas, horchata, Topo Chico and pozole.
• Don’t go without trying: Pozole with all the fixings.
• Location: 1446 Madison St., Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Hours: Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 9 p.m., closed Sundays.
• Best for: Mexican comfort food, takeout and a casual meal.

Yada on Franklin adds an Italian-inspired downtown dinner option to the list of best places to eat in Clarksville, TN.

• Menu highlights: Caprese salad, pasta, set-menu dinner options and desserts including tiramisu, carrot cake and crème brûlée.
• Make sure to check out: The tiramisu, which was featured through a Food Network recipe courtesy of Yada in Clarksville, TN.
• Hours: Sunday and Monday, closed; Tuesday-Wednesday, 4-9 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 4-10 p.m.; Saturday, 2-10 p.m.. The kitchen closes one hour before listed closing time.
• Best for: Downtown dinner, Italian-style dishes and dessert.

Traveling the globe, Roger Kahn and Mohsun Ghias, along with their wives, Sarika and Oneeba, brought home the international fusion cuisine they love so much to their rotisserie off Exit 1. There’s no mistaking the aromas of curry, tamarind and fresh herbs wafting as you step up to Smokin Chikin's flame-kissed counter of their fast casual restaurant. Whether you prefer original recipe or a palate of global sauces, make sure to “let your tastebuds travel the world,” as Kahn suggests.  And, don’t forget the sides. You can thank us later. 

• Menu highlights: Flame-kissed rotisserie chicken, global sauces, curry, tamarind, fresh herbs and sides.
• Don’t go without trying: A chicken plate with one of the global sauce options.
• Hours: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily
• Location: 1820 Tiny Town Road, Clarksville, TN 37042.
• Best for: Fast-casual lunch, dinner and flavorful rotisserie chicken.

Simply steps away from the campus of Austin Peay State University, Bill and Jen Parker prefer to study coffee beans. Using Clarksville’s first and only Synesso Hydra Espresso machine, Plumb Line Coffee also offers pour-overs and house syrups. Even if crafted coffee isn’t your taste, you can sip on Piper and Leaf tea, snack on local baked goods, pull up a seat and get caught up on those emails with lightning-fast Wi-Fi, or just take in the modern vibe of this new Clarksville original. 

• Menu highlights: Espresso drinks, pour-overs, house syrups, Piper and Leaf tea, local baked goods and whole-bean coffee.
• Hours: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.; Sunday 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Location: 124 University Ave., Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Coffee, remote work, studying and a downtown-area caffeine stop.

There’s nothing like the smell of fresh-baked bread. German native, Silke Tyler agrees. She and her husband, Tim, have baked traditional German breads and pastries in their vintage bakery, Silke's Old World Breads, since 2000. Here they cherish the time-honored tradition of hand-shaped and made-from-scratch recipes to “nourish you on all levels.” There’s a deli, cafe and carry-out along with a full-scale wholesale delivery service which even offers gluten-free options. You’ll definitely enjoy a Grüß Gott! after a trip to Silke’s. 

• Menu highlights: Artisan breads, German pastries, pastries made by hand, German meats, gourmet cheeses, breakfast and lunch items.
• Don’t go without trying: Black Forest cake, Bienenstich, apple strudel, tiramisu, cheesecake, croissants or danishes.
• Hours: Silke’s lists café hours as Monday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; bakery and deli hours may differ, so check before visiting.
• Location: 1214 College St., Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Bakery stops, German-inspired lunch, pastries and carryout.

Housed in the old Acme Boot Factory building, Miss Lucille’s Marketplace & Cafe is just the tip of the iceberg of what the Knott family is up to. There’s an eclectic marketplace with more than 200 booths, a coffee shop, a furniture design room and The Belle Hollow — a special event space. Truly a mecca worthy of an entire afternoon’s visit; fuel up at the cafe with shareables like the Smokehouse Nachos. On the lighter side is the Picky Eunice Lettuce Wraps — lettuce, grilled chicken, Mandarin oranges, toasted almond and coconut, carrots, honey curry dressing and plum wine sauce. The kids’ menu includes a pizza flatbread you’re sure to sneak a bite. Shop a while and swing back in for lattes or maybe something a little stronger. Did someone say mimosas? 

• Menu highlights: Breakfast, lunch, daily specials, seasonal menu items, lattes, mimosas and shareable plates.
• Don’t go without trying: Smokehouse Nachos or the Picky Eunice Lettuce Wraps, if available.
• Hours: Miss Lucille’s Cafe lists breakfast and lunch daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Marketplace note: Miss Lucille’s Marketplace has more than 52,000 square feet of vintage finds, handmade goods, antiques, gifts and furniture.
• Location: 2231 Madison St., Clarksville, TN 37043.
• Best for: Brunch, lunch, shopping and a leisurely afternoon.

Since the days of Prohibition, Tennessee vineyards were sourced for “sacramental and medicinal” purposes only. In the late 1970s, Judge William O. Beach championed legislation that would change the course for Tennessee vintners forever. By the 1980s, he and his son-in-law Edward Cooke had planted a large commercial vineyard. Today, Edward and his wife Louisa continue the Judge’s legacy by producing an array of wines made with Tennessee fruit at Beachaven Vineyards & Winery. Close to half of their wine grapes are from local Tennessee farms, as well as Washington and California regions— three varietals are grown on-site (Catawba, Sunbelt and Seyval Blanc.) 

• Menu highlights: Tennessee wines, tastings, seasonal events and weekend music.
• Seasonal highlights: Music on the Lawn runs May through October, with hours and artists varying by date.
• Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Location: 1100 Dunlop Lane, Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Wine tastings, outdoor music, picnics and relaxed group outings.

What happens when a couple of brothers grow up in Clarksville around such verdant roots? Matt and Wes Cunningham believe their respect of the spirits industry at Old Glory Distilling Co. is a testament to their surroundings and upbringing. Using non-GMO, Tennessee corn, and other regional grains, they distill spirits for the finest shine, vodka, rum and whiskey ever to pass your lips. This small batch, artisan distillery actually sits on a former grain field and uses the same sugar maple charcoal filter for all of their spirits. One of Old Glory’s barkeeps can mix you a cocktail before taking one of the daily tours. 

• Menu highlights: Tennessee spirits, cocktails, Southern-inspired food, smoked specialties and guided tastings.
• Tours: Distillery tours are available daily, begin on the hour and typically last 45 minutes to one hour with a guided tasting. Booking ahead is recommended.
• Restaurant hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Distillery hours: Lunch: Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Dinner: Sunday - Monday 4 - 10:30 p.m., Friday - Saturday, 4 p.m. - 12 a.m.
• Location: 451 Alfred Thun Road, Clarksville, TN 37040.
• Best for: Distillery tours, dinner, cocktails, live music and a full evening out.

Looking for dinner Clarksville, TN options? Start with these featured restaurants in and near Clarksville already included in this culinary trail.

• The Catfish House: Classic Southern seafood, fried catfish, hushpuppies and family-style sides.
• Yellowtail Robata Grill and Sushi: Sushi rolls, flame-seared rolls, cocktails and a lively dinner setting.
• Strawberry Alley Ale Works: Craft beer, comfort food, brunch and downtown dining.
• Old Glory Distilling Company: Southern-inspired food, cocktails, distillery tours and Silo Park.

After exploring these Clarksville, TN restaurants, keep planning your next food-focused trip across Tennessee.

• Visit These Local Bakeries in Tennessee
• Where to Chow Down in Chattanooga
• James Beard Chefs in Tennessee