Lunch is the most underrated meal of the day–there, I said it. A well-timed lunch can break up a busy work day, help beat the afternoon blues, and refuel you for a productive evening. Plus, it’s a prime opportunity for schmoozing new business, networking with an industry great, or catching up with friends over some overdue gossip.

Nashville may take the cake when it comes to lively nightlife options, but daytime dining shouldn’t be overlooked. From workday bites to weekend brunches, here are six of Nashville’s best lunch spots.

Image: Kisser Instagram

As Nashville’s only James Beard Award finalist for 2024, Kisser stays rightfully packed during opening hours. The reason it’s a great lunch spot is because that’s your only option for visiting: opening hours here are limited and only fall Friday through Monday.

The modern Japanese restaurant has a limited menu of small plates like a salmon-topped chirashi bowl or bigger options like chicken curry.

Image: Arnold’s Country Kitchen Instagram

If you’ve never heard of a Meat and Three, Nashville’s collection of legendary diners will make sure you’re well versed in the culture before you leave.

Consisting of a protein (like roast beef, chicken fried steak, or catfish) and your choice of three vegetables (a loose term that ranges from collard greens and okra to macaroni and cheese and baked apples), this Southern delicacy is said to have hailed from Nashville, and Arnold’s is one of the best in the business… just ask the James Beard Award hanging in the dining room.

Image: Butter Milk Ranch Instagram

Brunch for lunch is perfectly acceptable, especially when your options include layered biscuits and savory skillets like you’ll find at 12 South’s Butter Milk Ranch. This trendy neighborhood has everything you need for a daytime refresh, including trendy boutiques, cute coffee shops, farm stands, and plenty of photo worthy murals.

If you’re on the go, Butter Milk Ranch also has a grab-and-go counter.

Image: East Side Banh Mi Instagram

Whether you’re grabbing a bite while on the move or you have a second to sit down, banh mi is a finger friendly lunchtime option.

While any of the Vietnamese sandwiches on the menu will hold you over all afternoon, don’t skip adding a side of fried sweet potatoes drizzled with a mint and peanut sauce. Between us, it’s the best thing on the menu (and it’s all excellent).

Image: Taco Mama Instagram

Tacos, anyone? This Hillsboro Village fast-casual spot is a perfect lunchtime respite.

Fill up on a chicken, steak, barbacoa, or ahi tuna taco paired with street corn, rice, or chorizo refried beans, then wash it all down with a seasonal margarita (the watermelon and blood orange iterations garner a line down the block).

Image: Taco Mama Instagram

Some days call for daydreaming about simpler times. When nostalgia strikes, Elliston Place Soda Shop can help make all those dreams feel a little closer to reality.

This preserved-in-time diner comes complete with pleather barstools and booths, and a menu that’s barely changed during its century in business.

Hungry for more? Check out our complete Nashville travel guide.