Nashville's 5 Best New Restaurants in 2021 to Try Now!

More often than not, tipsters, readers, friends and family of Eater have one question: Where should I eat right now? And while the restaurant industry certainly looks different now, due to the pandemic, a bevy of new restaurants have persevered and have managed to open their doors over the past few months to new customers.  In one way or another, they’re all doing something new - and we’re excited for you to discover them here in the Music City.

There’s always excitement this time of year to predict what may lie ahead, but if you want 2021 to be a year of incredible dining experiences, then this is the list for you. 

Whether you’re looking for outdoor dining or takeout and delivery, or basically anything else a restaurant can conceivably do, we are here to help!

We’ve come up with the top 5 newest restaurants in Nashville that would be perfect for a 2021 dining bucket list. Here are some of the new restaurants in Nashville right now!

The Gumbo Bros

The Gumbo Bros recently opened in the Gulch neighborhood in Nashville. Opening in the former Bar Otaku, this is the New Orleans-inspired restaurant’s second location in Nashville. Founded by Chef Adam Lathan and Clay Boulware, former LSU alums who wanted to bring authentic Cajun cuisine to New York, they began serving all of their favorites at a pop-up market in Madison Square Park.

On the menu, you’ll find three styles of gumbo – chicken, seafood, and sausage. Po Boy sandwiches made from French bread, waffle fries, and alligator nuggets. Featured drinks are Hurricanes and Tabasco margaritas.

Gumbo Bros is located at 505 12th Avenue South, Nashville. Hours of operation are Tuesday - Sunday at 11:00am - 10:00pm (Kitchen closes at 9:00pm) and they are closed on Monday.

Locust

Locust is the brainchild of The Catbird Seat alum, Trevor Moran. Locust recently opened in October 2020. The dumpling-centric hotspot, which also specializes in hand-cut noodles and shaved ice, is making waves in 12 South with its flavor-forward Asian dishes. The menu may be small, but it’s mighty. 

Moran conceived of this shop after a trip to Japan. He fell hard for kakigori, the fabulous shaved ice dessert, and places that served it. His original idea for a 6-seat shop grew, as he explored other simple Japanese delicacies he relished—noodles and dumplings. It set him on a quest to make them as perfectly as possible. His reverence for these dishes became an obsession.

The interior, slated to open at a later date, embraces a cool, minimal aesthetic. There’s an open kitchen (“a bit overbuilt and fantastic,” says Moran), and a dining room that will seat 44. For now, order online, go to the walk-up window for take-out, or reserve a seat on the heated terrace. With a pitched roof and barrier plantings, it provides a cozy shelter for watching the action on 12 South. 

Locust is located at 2305 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37204. Hours of operation are Thursday at 5:00pm-9:00pm. Friday & Saturday at 12:00pm-4:00pm / 5:00pm-9:00pm  and Sunday at 12:00pm-4:00pm / 5:00-8:00pm.

Shep’s Delicatessen

With Nashville’s broad array of culinary influences, it’s high time a traditional East Coast Jewish deli makes its way to Music City. East Nashville’s Five Points scores the classic Jewish delicatessen Nashville has been waiting for, as Shep’s Deli debuts in the former Marché space with staples like house-made pastrami, corned beef, chopped liver, and egg creams.

Sheps’s is the passion project of restaurateur Howard Greenstone in partnership with a group of investors including Ken Levitan and Pennington Pribbenow. The much-needed deli is named in honor of Greenstone’s beloved grandfather Israel “Shep” Shapiro. 

There’s an all-day breakfast menu, plus lunch and dinner at Shep’s. On the all-day breakfast menu, find plenty of bagels, bialys, and schmears, plus breakfast sandwiches like pastrami served with cheesy eggs on a roll. On the sweeter side, there are pancakes aplenty, French toast, and blintzes. Beyond Jewish cuisine classics, there are nods to the South including a pimento cheese schmear and of course, biscuits and cheesy grits.

The lunch and dinner menu expands to add starters like Grandma Jean’s matzo ball soup, crispy potato latkes with applesauce, and loaded Reuben fries, followed by a selection of salads and a plethora of hot and cold sandwiches. Entree options run from sweet onion sliced brisket to stuffed cabbage, baked salmon, and chicken Milanese. There’s also a Jersey-style sloppy Joe (somewhere between a Rueben and a Cuban) with double-decker corned beef, turkey, Swiss cheese, and cole slaw on rye.

Shep’s will also feature a full bar, serving beer, wine and cocktails, including Shep’s favorite cocktail, The Presbyterian, made with bourbon, club soda, and ginger ale.

Shep’s is located at 1000 Main Street, Nashville, TN 37206 (Former Marché space). Hours of operations are Tuesday - Sunday at 8:00am-2:30pm and it is closed on Monday.

Zeppelin

Experience the Music City skyline from downtown Nashville while imbibing on local brews and curated cocktails at a rooftop bar.

Executive chef Aaron Thebault (most recently of Nashville’s new Italian gem Yolan) and owner/creative director Scott Baird are running the show, food-wise at Zeppelin — with a menu fusing coastal and global flavors alongside interesting takes on American standards. To start, charred carrots are kicked up a notch with gochujang tomato and black sesame. Or, find coastal flavors like hamachi crudo and oyster platters. American throwback dishes are also on the menu — from a patty melt to pork loin with blue cheese and tarragon. Beef kalbi ribs with fish sauce and a five-spiced chicken thigh with kewpie mayo are also on the menu.

Thebault began his culinary endeavors at James Beard Award-winning Girl & the Goat in Chicago, where he eventually assumed the role of chef de cuisine. 

Baird has created a fun and well-executed drink menu, including vodka cocktails served in boot-shaped glasses, and the spice-rimmed Alyssa margarita featuring a house tequila blend and aromatized agave.

Designed by Gettys Group, the bright and light, purple and pink-studded restaurant seats 165 guests. An exposed all-white ceiling lends to a loft-like ambiance, flanked by wrap-around windows that open up to offer an indoor-meets-outdoor dining experience. Anchoring the center of the space is an 18-seat grand bar appointed with white metal, soft wood, and a finely detailed stone top. Zeppelin also boasts a 500 square-foot all-season outdoor lounge with four firepits that features misting and heating systems to provide a temperature-controlled outdoor retreat year-round.

Zeppelin is located at 505 3rd Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37218. Hours of operations are Monday - Sunday at 4:00pm-11:00pm. 

Greenery Co.

Fast-casual restaurant Greenery Co. has officially opened its doors in the bustling Hillsboro Village neighborhood. 

Founded by sisters and co-owners Caroline Gaston and Whitney Abblitt, Greenery Co. will offer quick, no-fuss healthy meals to the Hillsboro Village neighborhood and beyond. The sisters, both Vanderbilt University graduates who are passionate about the Nashville culinary scene, are committed to offering diners a nutritious, tasty, and accessible option that can be enjoyed either on the go or in a warm and inviting environment. The two noticed a lack of healthy restaurant options in Nashville, and the idea for Greenery Co. was born.

On the menu (developed by Austin-based chef Barclay Stratton), find a selection of locally sourced snacks, salads, warm bowls, and sweet treats, alongside a variety of nonalcoholic drinks.

Diners can choose from their preordained selections like the Music City Med bowl, with carrot falafel, quinoa, chickpeas, and more in a preserved lemon vinaigrette, or a Tennessee Thai salad with blackened shrimp. Diners can also design their own healthy adventure, beginning with quinoa, rice, or spring mix, then top them with protein options like seared steak, roasted or crispy chicken, or carrot falafel. Then, dress them up to taste with an array of dressings and toppings.

Other seasonal menu items include carrot pimento cheese or French onion dip with crackers; roasted carrot soup with orange, yogurt, and toasted almond; and soup with chili cauliflower florets. There are also kid-friendly options available, too, plus triple chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

Greenery Co. is located at 1705 21st Avenue South, Nashville,TN 37212 and it opens daily at 11:00am-8:00pm.