Date Night Destinations: The Best in Nashville According to Locals!

Dating comes with awkward moments, and sometimes the most awkward happen during the planning process. Few things are more painful than suggesting the vegan cafe on the corner for lunch as he is suggesting the steakhouse for dinner. Equally as painful is trying to get to know each other when the music is too loud, the drinks too strong and the spinach gets stuck in your teeth. Whether it is early in your courtship or you are long into your love affair, we can all agree that date night deserves a setting worthy of love (or at least good vibes). And if you find yourself telling more bad date stories than good, perhaps you’ve been looking for love in all the wrong places.

We took to Instagram to ask a VIQ (very important question): What’s your favorite date spot in Nashville? Much to our delight, this is a topic many feel passionate about. We narrowed down the 100+ we received, and here we’ll share them with you. Sperry’s and Barcelona were crowd favorites with 10+ votes in their favor. In addition to these crowd pleasers, the list features 23 local spots that are ideal for love. While we can’t tell you if he is the one, we can tell you these are the best spots to find out.

Nashville Best Date Night Destinations

Avo

“Avo has a healthy menu, and the desserts are amazing!” — Amber, 29

Barcelona Wine Bar

“The food, drinks and service are incredible! We met in Spain, so any excuse to eat tapas that include all the meats and cheese is a good one!” — Maggie, 32

“Almost every Saturday night!” Jackie, 59

Related: Wine + Tapas Come Together at Barcelona Nashville

Caffe Nonna

“So delicious and quaint!” — Jessica, 28

Chauhan Ale and Masala House

“Chauhan Ale and Masala House hands down! The tastiest food and cocktails in Nashville, plus knowledgeable and passionate service! Worth every single penny. And the owner is a lovely human being.” — Kim, 36

Cork & Cow

“Great cocktails, great ambiance and fantastic food! The service is always on point, as well.” — Angela, 38

Desano Pizza

“The atmosphere is chill and fun, pizza is delicious, and you can bring your own vino.” — Shannon, 34

Epice

“Great food, great wine, great service (shout out to owner Maher) and best of all, their patio is dog-friendly! My go-to summer evening spot.” — Concetta, 30

The Fox

“The Fox Nashville for exceptional cocktails, small plates (vegan pimento cheese) and excellent service.” — Nicole, 34

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Related: The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club: No Password Required

Downtown Franklin

“My husband and I’s favorite date spot is either Downtown Franklin or Downtown Columbia! We grab dinner, walk around and look at the cute shops and then grab ice cream.” — Tesla, 29

Geist Bar + Restuarant

“Fun atmosphere, superb food selection, awesome drink menu and super cool staff!” — Cayce, 35

“We have Empty Nest Cocktail Tour every Friday and love exploring. New favorites are Geist, Noelle and answer.” — Carolyn, 56

Love Circle

“A picnic on the Love Circle hill at night with all the lights of Nashville.” — Halee, 32

Marche Artisan Foods + Henley

“We love Marche for brunch and Henley for dinner!” — Julia, 26

Margot

“The food is always amazing and the atmosphere is cozy and romantic.” — Paige, 34

Miel

“Our favorite date spot is Miel in West Nashville, across from Hattie B’s. It is one of Nashville’s best-kept secrets! A true European vibe where it’s your table for the night, amazing wine selection, amazing atmosphere and French-style cuisine by an amazing chef! Seema, the owner, is so personable. We’ve never had a bad experience here! — Rosa, 29

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Peninsula

Peninsula all the way! Epice is a close second. It is in our new neighborhood, so we plan to visit a lot more! Both are wonderful for great vibes, superb food, excellent cocktails, warm service and a little bit of romance … perfection! — Jessi, 32

Related: 2 Restaurants Everyone is Talking About: Peninsula + Cafe Roze

Rolf and Daughters

“Rolf and Daughters makes every meal feel special and the atmosphere is always inviting and romantic. Favorite spot in Nashville. Pork Ragout for life.” — Olivia, 31

“Rolf & Daughters and drinks at Attaboy after. R&D is hands down the best food in the city — delicious, creative and the service exceeds expectations. At Attaboy, we love sitting at the bar and talking to the bartenders — Riley is our favorite! They’re artists for your palate and liver. They truly love what they do and love making you a drink that makes you say ‘OMG this is incredible!’” — Robin, 44

We are grateful to all our sponsors:

Sperry’s

“Sperry’s — and Arrington Vineyards is a close second! Sperry’s is a Nashville classic with great atmosphere.” — Jane, 62

“Sperry’s in Belle Meade is my favorite! Most famous salad bar and the Prince William Blue Cheese stuffed filet is my favorite steak in Nashville. Always consistent and always great service.” – Andrea, 46

Two Ten Jack

“My wife is Hawaiian and it’s hands down the best ramen we can get when we’re not on the islands. The vibe is awesome and the cocktails are so good. It’s everything you need under one roof.” — Canaan, 29

“Killer cocktails on tap and a bowl of ramen to split! Then, walk over to Ugly Mugs or Jeni’s Ice Cream and lounge on the patio.” — Kirstyn, 27

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Urban Cowboy’s Public House

“Amazing food and drinks while sitting outside by the firepit.” — Jen 39

21c Museum Hotel Nashville

“Free, 24-hour art museum. Then, you can grab drinks at the bar.” — Rachel, 25

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Happy dating! 

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Discover more local restaurants, perfect for date night and beyond, here.