Top 5 Nashville Restaurants to Try This Summer

Quick Answer: What Are the Best Nashville Restaurants to Try This Summer?

Five Nashville restaurants to have on your summer list are Prince St. Pizza, Alla Vita, Naked Farmer, Momotaro, and Talkin’ Tacos. Together, they show exactly what makes Nashville’s dining scene so interesting right now: recognizable names entering the market, polished new restaurants in Wedgewood-Houston, convenient downtown options, and casual spots that make everyday dining easier.

Some are open now, while others are opening during the summer season. That makes this a great list to save, revisit, and share with anyone looking for new restaurants in Nashville.

Why Nashville’s Restaurant Scene Matters

One of the things I love about watching Nashville grow is seeing how restaurants help shape the rhythm of a neighborhood. A great coffee shop, lunch spot, dinner reservation, or casual late-night bite can change the way people experience an area.

For buyers relocating to Nashville or exploring neighborhoods like Wedgewood-Houston, Downtown, The Gulch, East Nashville, 12 South, Green Hills, or Donelson, local restaurants are part of the lifestyle conversation. They are not the only reason to choose a neighborhood, but they often reveal a lot about convenience, energy, walkability, and where investment is moving.

This summer’s restaurant list is a good reflection of that. Nashville continues to attract strong food concepts, but the best additions still feel connected to how people actually live here.

1. Prince St. Pizza in Downtown Nashville

Prince St. Pizza brings its well-known New York slice shop energy to downtown Nashville at 5056 Broadway B-103, near Fifth + Broadway, Assembly Food Hall, Hattie B’s, and the Lower Broadway corridor. The Nashville location offers lunch, dinner, late-night service, catering, and in-location dining.

This is the kind of spot that makes sense for a summer day downtown. It is casual, quick, and easy to work into a concert night, shopping afternoon, Preds game, or a walk through Fifth + Broadway.

Prince St. Pizza is known for its Sicilian-style “SoHo Squares,” New York-style rounds, and slices or whole pies. Menu favorites include options like The Original Prince, Spicy Vodka, and The Naughty Pie.

Best for: a downtown lunch, casual dinner, late-night slice, or easy group order.

2. Alla Vita in Wedgewood-Houston

Alla Vita is one of the most talked-about new additions to Wedgewood-Houston. The Italian restaurant is located at 523 Houston Street and brings handmade pasta, wood-fired pizza, and a warm neighborhood dining feel to one of Nashville’s most active dining pockets.

The restaurant opened in June 2026 and comes from Chef Lee Wolen and Boka Restaurant Group. Its Nashville menu includes handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, Italian classics, and a beverage program with wine and cocktails.

What makes Alla Vita especially interesting is its location. Wedgewood-Houston continues to evolve with restaurants, retail, design-forward spaces, and creative energy, making it one of the Nashville neighborhoods people are paying close attention to right now.

Best for: dinner reservations, date night, Italian food, handmade pasta, and a reason to spend more time in Wedgewood-Houston.

3. Naked Farmer in Downtown Nashville and the South Gulch

Naked Farmer is a strong summer addition because it fills a need Nashville always has more room for: fresh, convenient, everyday food that still feels thoughtful.

The brand describes its menu as chef-driven, farm-to-table plates made from seasonal ingredients sourced from farms close to home. Its locations page lists a Nashville Arcade location at 217 4th Ave N opening July 6, and a Nashville South Gulch location at 620 8th Ave S opening later in July 2026.

For people who work downtown, live in the Gulch, or need a reliable lunch option between appointments, this is one to watch. It is also the kind of restaurant that fits well into Nashville’s current lifestyle shift: more people want convenience, but they still want quality.

Best for: healthy lunch, quick dinner, downtown workdays, catering, and fresh seasonal bowls.

4. Momotaro in Wedgewood-Houston

Momotaro is another major Wedgewood-Houston opening from Boka Restaurant Group, located at 519 Houston Street. The Nashville location opened June 5, 2026, bringing a modern Japanese dining experience with sushi, hand rolls, robata-grilled dishes, and cocktails.

This is the more elevated dinner-reservation option on the list. Momotaro’s Nashville menu includes sushi, sashimi, robata-grilled dishes, and Nashville-specific offerings, including a dedicated temaki hand roll experience.

For anyone watching Nashville’s luxury and lifestyle market, Wedgewood-Houston is worth paying attention to. Restaurants like Momotaro and Alla Vita add to the neighborhood’s growing reputation as one of the city’s most compelling places for dining, design, and development.

Best for: sushi, cocktails, dinner reservations, a polished night out, and exploring Wedgewood-Houston.

5. Talkin’ Tacos in Downtown Nashville

Talkin’ Tacos is a Florida-based taco concept expected to open in Downtown Nashville in July 2026. Nashville Guru reports an expected opening date of July 26, 2026, while other reporting has connected the concept to a Second Avenue North storefront.

The menu leans casual and flavorful, with tacos, burritos, quesadillas, bowls, churros, and birria-style items.

This one feels especially suited to downtown Nashville’s summer energy. It should work well for a casual meal before a night out, a quick bite near Broadway, or an easy stop when you want something more relaxed than a reservation-based dinner.

Best for: casual tacos, downtown plans, late-summer food stops, and an easy group-friendly option.

Which Nashville Neighborhood Has the Most New Restaurant Energy Right Now?

This summer, Wedgewood-Houston deserves a lot of attention. Alla Vita and Momotaro are both part of the neighborhood’s growing dining story, and the area continues to attract a mix of restaurants, retail, creative spaces, and new development.

Downtown Nashville is also seeing strong restaurant momentum, especially around Fifth + Broadway, Second Avenue, and the Gulch-adjacent corridors. Prince St. Pizza, Talkin’ Tacos, and Naked Farmer all speak to different sides of downtown dining: quick, casual, convenient, and easy to work into a full day in the city.

What This Says About Nashville Right Now

Nashville is still growing, but the most interesting growth is not just about cranes, condos, or new construction. It is also about the everyday places that make the city feel livable.

Restaurants like these matter because they shape how people experience a neighborhood. They give residents more reasons to stay local, they create new routines, and they add energy to areas that are already seeing attention from buyers, sellers, investors, and relocation clients.

For anyone considering a move in or around Nashville, the dining scene is one more reminder that location is about more than a map. It is about how a place feels on a regular Tuesday lunch, a summer Friday night, or a weekend spent exploring a new part of town.

Final Takeaway

If you are looking for five Nashville restaurants to try this summer, start with Prince St. Pizza, Alla Vita, Naked Farmer, Momotaro, and Talkin’ Tacos.

Some are polished dinner destinations. Some are casual and convenient. Some are brand-new, and some are still rolling out this summer. Together, they offer a good snapshot of Nashville right now: energetic, evolving, and still full of places worth discovering.

FAQ: Nashville Restaurants to Try This Summer

What are the top new restaurants to try in Nashville this summer?

Prince St. Pizza, Alla Vita, Naked Farmer, Momotaro, and Talkin’ Tacos are five Nashville restaurants to keep on your summer list. They include options for pizza, Italian food, Japanese dining, tacos, and fresh fast-casual meals.

What new restaurants are open in Wedgewood-Houston?

Alla Vita and Momotaro are two new Wedgewood-Houston restaurants to know. Alla Vita focuses on handmade pasta and wood-fired pizza, while Momotaro offers modern Japanese dining with sushi, hand rolls, robata-grilled dishes, and cocktails.

What casual restaurants should I try in Downtown Nashville?

Prince St. Pizza, Naked Farmer, and Talkin’ Tacos are casual downtown Nashville options to watch this summer. Prince St. Pizza is located near Fifth + Broadway, Naked Farmer is opening in the Nashville Arcade and South Gulch, and Talkin’ Tacos is expected downtown later in July 2026.

Why do restaurants matter when choosing a Nashville neighborhood?

Restaurants help shape daily lifestyle. Dining, coffee, walkability, errands, and local gathering places can all affect how convenient and enjoyable a neighborhood feels. For Nashville buyers, restaurant access can be one helpful part of evaluating location, along with budget, commute, property style, and long-term resale potential.