Equal parts artist enclave and local refuge, East Nashville offers a more intimate, creatively charged take on Music City (minus the crowds).

In almost every major city, there’s a familiar divide between east and west. It’s a pattern that repeats across the U.S. and Europe, rooted in early urban planning: westerly winds carried factory fumes eastward, pushing wealthier residents toward cleaner air on the west side. Over time, the far cheaper east became a magnet for artists and immigrants, followed eventually by a more affluent, creatively-inclined class that reshaped these neighbourhoods in their own image. In 2020s shorthand, this usually translates to one thing: the East is where you can find “cool.”

Nashville is no exception. To think of Nashville, Tennessee, is to conjure cowboy boots. Bull-riding in honky tonks. Bachelorette parties yeehawing across town on open-air party buses. This was the experience I expected – nay, prepared for. Then my Uber driver guided me away from Nashville’s downtown district toward an area city less-trodden by tourists, and the landscape, and my idea of the city, shifted dramatically. Arriving at Waymore’s Guest House, a modern, Music City-inspired hotel housed in a former industrial building in East Nashville, I had the sense that I’d crossed an invisible cultural border. Separated from downtown Nashville by the one of the world’s longest pedestrian bridges was Bushwick, Hackney, or Highland Park – just with better barbecue.

A Waymore’s employee escorted me up to Tall Tales, the hotel’s expansive rooftop bar overlooking the Nashville skyline, filling the ride with – appropriately – tales of the Nashville music scene (Shaboozey, apparently, was once a regular guest) and life as a local. Broadway – a 10-minute drive away – was strictly for the benefit of out-of-town friends, and even then, enter at your own risk. Five-story venues, each floor hosting a different live band, make for guaranteed sensory overload. Gesturing broadly to the world below, he delivered the real selling point: every cuisine, every kind of nightlife, every mood, already exists within a two-mile radius. As it turns out, he was right. 

While uncommon, especially in the South, East Nashville is surprisingly easy to traverse on foot. Off Main Street is a hub of unmissable restaurants, including Stoke Haus, one of the most famous BBQ joints in Nashville (just make sure to get in early). Ashe, the frontwoman of The Favors, recommended nearby hub, The Butcher & The Bee —  I can attest that their fermented honey whipped feta, and bacon-wrapped dates are out of this world. Truly superb coffee awaits you at East Park Donuts, which you can also pair with a peach fritter (Donut Distillery, a mile or so up the way, is another option for mimosa pairings and donut shots). Yeast Bakery, a newer addition to the area, offers a more rustic experience with Czech baked goods, including kolaches (Slovakian donuts) in all flavors. Come August, you can find Tomato Art Fest in the same vicinity – specifically, East Nashville’s Five Points – which showcases local produce in a community “unifying” two-day extravaganza. 

Main Street is quietly packed with standout bars – ideal whether you’re on a romantic getaway or scouting a mood-setting backdrop for a Hinge rendezvous. The Coral Club, in particular, feels transportive, whisking you from Tennessee to Capri with its luxe, cave-like interiors and a genuinely excellent daily happy hour from 4-7pm, or there are an array of dive bars to serve you a beer and shot of bourbon at the most competitive prices in town. 

From there, the night can unfold to your liking. Start with a wood-fired pizza at Lockeland Table, then skip across the street to Urban Cowboy for post-dinner drinks. Finish strong with karaoke at The Lipstick Lounge – a beloved local lesbian bar – or opt for a more low-key nightcap at Attaboy, Nashville’s outpost of the New York favorite, where you simply tell the bartender your preferred flavor profile and let them work their magic (you’re insulated from bachelorette-party chaos here: no reservations, no parties over six). In Highland Yards, you can find new Japanese favorite Kisser, known for its beef tartare and chicken katsu sandwiches, as well as Frankies Spuntino, where you can order a Brooklyn-style slice alongside elevated Italian dishes.

Venture deeper into East Nashville and you’ll find yourself firmly in the city’s artist enclave—an area where vintage shopping feels less like a pastime and more like a rite of passage. Lean into your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) at Anaconda Vintage, whose boot collection alone warrants a visit, with honorable mentions to nearby Black Shag, and Torres for equally powerful archival finds.

A short stroll away is Grimey’s Records, a true Nashville institution where local artists regularly drop in for album signings and intimate appearances. Refuel afterward at Living Waters Coffee Bar, a brewery-inspired café that takes both coffee and atmosphere seriously. And when your caffeine cravings give way to something stronger, you’ll find no shortage of actual breweries dotted throughout the neighborhood, ready to carry the night forward.

Of course, there’s always time to two-step along ‘Honky Tonk Highway’ or explore the many, many celebrity bars (remember that Hayley Williams song?), but crossing the Cumberland River back to the east bank is to almost involuntarily exhale with relief. East Nashville is the antithesis of and respite from the relentlessness of Broadway – a refuge for those who thrive best off the beaten track, and yet, still want to appreciate Southern culture and cuisine. 

ASK A (LOCAL) ARTIST: Country Singer Dalton Davis’ Perfect Day in East Nashville 

My heart will always live outside the city limits, but when I head into town, you’ll find me in East Nashville. I start the morning with Chicago’s Chicken and Waffles, hit Red Headed Stranger for Tex-Mex tacos at lunch, then two-step my way through Honky Tonk Tuesdays before ending the night with burgers and fries at Dino’s. And if you’re after something even more authentic, nothing beats a street taco and a beer from the hot grill at Wadi Rum on Douglas. To me, East Nashville is one of the last truly eclectic neighborhoods left in Davidson County.

Words – Beatrice Hazlehurst