When you think of Nashville, what comes to mind? Honky Tonks, Country Music, Line Dancing, Night Life, BBQ, Parties…..same! And you are not wrong. Nashville is a great, vibrant and fun city and one you need to put on your bucket list for sure. We have been there a couple times and have experienced all the above mentioned things. We just love Nashville! But what we didn’t know is that Nashville has a wonderful and diverse vegan community and offers some of the best vegan restaurants! I can’t wait to go back to some of these wonderful restaurants – and I just might hit a Honky Tonk or two while I’m there.
As a vegan, traveling takes on a new challenge. Where are we going to eat? Not that you can’t hop into about any restaurant these days and find something on the menu or have something made for you. But as I have said many times – We Love to Eat Great Food! We want to experience the best the city has to offer and this takes a bit of research and planning. I map out each restaurant, the location, what they offer and we schedule out at least our lunch and dinner plans before we even leave. This saves A LOT of stress and anxiety over the “where should we eat” discussion. Trust me – plan ahead! You’re Welcome!
To be honest, Nashville shocked us. Not only were there many options, but we quickly found out all the vegan food was fantastic. I mean, game changing type food! From Southern Traditional foods, to Upscale Dining, to Sushi, to Pastries and Desserts, to whatever you want really. I will highlight a few of our favorites, but feel free to contact me if you have any questions or want some further insight.
The Southern V
Family owned, 100% Plant based Southern Comfort food! This place changed our life! We had no idea how good vegan fried chick’n, mac-n cheese and greens could be. This place still ranks as one of our all time favorites. How great is it when you really have zero expectations because you are experiencing something new and unknown and it simply blows you away. I have made it my mission to try to make my own version of their southern soul food, and while I am close, I just can’t quite get to their level. The Southern V is a MUST for any trip to Nashville!
The Wild Cow
This was the very 1st vegan restaurant we visited in Nashville. Located in East Nashville, which is an artsy community just outside of Nashville. Vintage shops, local artists and restaurants. We had the very best vegan nachos with queso – so excited to actually have nachos again! The menu had many great options and the food was amazing. Add The Wild Cow to your list for sure!
Blue Sushi Sake Grill
While Blue Sushi is a chain and not just local to Nashville, the vegan sushi will blow your mind. When you think about vegan sushi, usually you get a veggie roll or an asparagus roll, but not at Blue Sushi! This place had 18 vegan sushi options – after the 1st one I wanted to try the other 17. It was simply amazing! There are rolls with vegan tuna, vegan tempura shrimp, vegan salmon, tofu and of course veggies. The vegan rolls are so realistic and so full of great flavor. I would seriously eat here every week. If you love sushi, you must try Blue Sushi Sake Grill.
AVO
This place has a funky, cool vibe inside with beach volleyball courts on the outside. Sometimes it’s better to just accept and not ask questions. It seems to work and people love it. While the food here is vegan and very healthy, it still delivers very unique flavors that our group loved. Did I mention the Avocado Margarita? If not, you need to try it. It’s not something that screams OMG I Need to Have One, but that’s exactly what our group said after having one….or two! Fun, unique, great vibe and excellent service = AVO!
The Rest of the Story
The restaurants above are just a few of the awesome vegan options in Nashville. We certainly went to more than these and you should too! My guess is that the vegan scene in Nashville will continue to grow and expand just like the city, so there will be new places to try with each visit. It wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t name a few others that we really loved! Trust me when I say, while the bars and nightlife are outstanding and the main reason most people visit Nashville, the Vegan Food is equally awesome and the reason we can’t wait to go back!
Vege-licious
Graze
Sunflower Cafe
Barcelona Wine Bar
This one is not really vegan, but they can make some great vegan tapas and the wine, the wine and the wine!!!!
