4 Days in Nashville: 100-Layer Doughnuts, a Century-Old Print Shop, and Custom Cowboy Hats

I visit Nashville at least six times a year, as my parents retired in the area, and I’m in constant awe of how much there is to discover. I always find time for my favored haunts, but there’s something new to explore on every trip. Here’s my curated guide to the city, including where to experience the city’s iconic “meat and three” meals, how to spend a day in its emerging Germantown neighborhood, and where to listen to live music beyond the Honky Tonk Highway.

Day 1: Germantown

Courtesy of Neighborlily

Morning: A Southern breakfast

Dive straight into Nashville culture with an all-you-can-eat country breakfast—fried chicken and cheese grits included—at Monell’s in Germantown. Food is served at communal tables.

Afternoon: Local breweries

Germantown, listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its remarkably preserved 19th-century Victorian architecture, blends past and present with its collection of inspiring murals and ornate facades near the Cumberland River and local breweries such as Bearded Iris Brewing and Monday Night Brewing. The latter is located in Neuhoff, a former meatpacking plant that has been reinvented as a waterfront destination of restaurants and shops.

Evening: Coffee cocktails and a steak dinner

Alex McCutchen, beverage director of The Patterson House, one of Nashville’s original craft cocktail bars, recommends visiting Neighborlily, a former coffee shop turned into a cocktail lounge. I recommend that afterward you go to Germantown’s Star Rover Sound, a nostalgic spot where live music and simply prepared steaks make for a night that seems genuinely, unhurriedly Nashville. Note that it’s open Thursday to Sunday.

Day 2: Vintage shopping and Michelin dining

Photos by Victoria Quirk

Morning: Breakfast doughnuts

Wake up early for a 100-layer doughnut at Nashville’s cult-followed Five Daughters Bakery. The family-owned business—run by third-generation baker Isaac Meek—opens all five of its Nashville locations at 7 a.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. on weekends and closes once its baked goods are sold out.

Afternoon: Nashville’s independent shops

Make your way to the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood to browse an impressive collection of independently owned stores. Hall Pass Vintage offers a selection of second-hand goods, including furniture and art. Forts is geared toward men’s streetwear and vintage apparel. Just up the street, Hatch Show Print was established in 1879 and is now housed inside the Country Music Hall of Fame. It is one of America’s oldest working letterpress shops, with a legacy of creating posters for musicians such as Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton.

“It has always felt like the soul of Nashville to me,” says Dee Patel, managing director of The Hermitage Hotel, a National Historic Landmark that has been open in downtown Nashville since 1910. “It’s one of those places that quietly connects you to the city’s history,” as you can still smell the ink, hear the presses, and watch everything being made by hand. For a one-of-a-kind souvenir, head to the hat company American Paint to design a custom cowboy hat.

Evening: A Michelin-starred meal

Last fall, Nashville received its first Michelin stars when three restaurants—Bastion, The Catbird Seat, and Locust—were recognized in the guide’s inaugural American South edition. Bastion is an enduring favorite; I dined here long before Michelin came calling, and the kitchen’s attention to ingredients and the warmth of service more than justify the star.

The Catbird Seat, now in a new home in the Gulch neighborhood, earned its star for what inspectors called a “youthful, maximalist vibe"; counter seating places diners in front of the kitchen as chefs work on 10-course tasting menus built around seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.

Save time for a nightcap at The Patterson House, the bar sharing the same building. If you don’t fancy anything on the menu, describe your preferences to the bartender, who will pull a recipe from an archive of more than 1,200 pre-Prohibition-style drinks.

Day 3: Culture and comedy

Courtesy of Courtesy of Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. (L); photo by Jordan Johnson Photography (R)

Afternoon: A leisurely Lebanese brunch

Spanning half a mile, 12th Avenue South (12South), is a buzzing neighborhood of local boutiques, such as Imogene + Willie and White’s Mercantile. Whenever I’m here, I indulge in a leisurely lunch at Epice, an airy, Lebanese bistro. Order a selection of small plates such as hummus, manoushi flatbread, and falafel for the table, and sip one of their small-production Middle Eastern wines. It’s a hot spot that attracts the local industry crowd, too. Nadia Silva, chef of the nearby Sushi-san Nashville, praises the za’atar roasted chicken as a personal favorite. “And I could never leave without having their baklava,” says Silva.

Evening: Comedy at Zanies

Live music isn’t the only entertainment in Nashville; locally loved Zanies comedy club is a more than 40-year-old institution on Eighth Avenue that’s open seven days a week. You never know who might drop in: Both Nate Bargatze and Chris Rock have used the storied venue to workshop new material.

Day 4: Meat and three, then off-Broadway music

Photos by Victoria Quirk

Morning: Nashville’s classic “meat and three”

Skip breakfast and prepare yourself for a classic Music City meal at lunchtime. Nashville’s meat-and-three restaurants are as they sound: Diners can fill up a plate with their preferred protein and a trio of sides. Find the definitive Tennessee meat-and-three experience at Arnold’s Country Kitchen in the Gulch; dine here and you’ll sit shoulder to shoulder with construction workers and politicians as you eat.

Afternoon: Cocktails in East Nashville

It’s time for a craft cocktail hop around East Nashville. Enter the sprawling Coral Club through an unassuming strip-mall door to find its sunlight-flooded interior and oversize terrace. Arrive early to enjoy the buzzy martini happy hour. As the sun sets, slide into a jade banquette at the sultry Attaboy, and share your favorite flavors with the bartenders, who will whip up a custom drink. Finish up at the sideshow-inspired Tiger Bar for a rotating list of carnival-themed cocktails (if the cotton candy negroni is on the menu, it’s a must) that will ignite your energy for some live music.

Evening: Live music beyond Broadway

Warm up at The Basement East before heading to The 5 Spot, which offers weekly residences and songwriter nights from touring professionals on their nights off, says Nashville-based country-music artist Drew Holcomb. If you’re there on a Monday, expect a Motown theme and “the best dance party in town.”

Where to stay: Nashville hotels

There’s no shortage of great hotels in Nashville. Our top three picks for this itinerary include:

Photo by Brandon Barré/Forrest Perkins

The Hermitage Hotel

This stately address on 6th Avenue dates back to 1910. Today, the opulent interiors transport you back in time, while the amenities have been refreshed with modern charm. Rooms start at 490-square feet and are plushly spacious, but the dining is the real highlight: Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten helms Drusie & Darr, and afternoon tea in the light-filled Grand Lobby.

Book Now

Courtesy of Opal Collection Hotels & Resorts

The Nash

A hip Opal Collection hotel in Printer’s Alley has a rooftop pool, a ground-floor cafe, and rooms dressed in scarlet tones with bold wallpaper (hello, zebra print) that introduce visitors to Nashville’s contemporary artistic spirit before they’ve even stepped outside. A single block separates the hotel from Nashville’s Arts District, home public installations, galleries and the Frist Art Museum.

Book Now

Courtesy of Southall Farm & Inn

Southall Farm & Inn

If you’re seeking a little more space, Southall spreads across 325 acres about 20 miles south of downtown Nashville. Fair warning, though: with a swoonworthy spa, farm-to-table dining, and cozy cottages equipped with soaking tubs and fireplaces, you might not want to venture much beyond the property once checked in.

Book Now

Need more inspiration for your trip? Check out a full list of our Nashville travel resources and stories, including articles such as the best neighborhoods for live music, bar-hopping, and great food.