Alligator Bar has opened beneath Union Station at Nashville Yards, reviving the hotel's early-1900s alligator attraction with cocktails, live music and a mascot called Chompy.

Timberloft’s Spud & Butter opens in Mt. Juliet with a Friday grand opening. The menu centers on Texas-sized loaded spuds and slow-smoked meats.

A longtime lakeside steakhouse is returning to Cherokee Marina in Lebanon under new owners, who promise steaks, seafood and a dockside bar while hiring gets underway.

Talkin' Tacos filed permits for a 2,562‑sq‑ft space at 135 2nd Ave N and is targeting a July 26, 2026 opening in downtown Nashville.

Big Bad Breakfast has leased 113 E. Main St. and will bring its chef-driven Southern breakfast menu to Murfreesboro’s Public Square. Opening date is still pending.

Chef Jose Serrato is launching Roots Prime Italian Chophouse in Cool Springs, expanding his Serrato’s Steakhouse brand into a new Italian‑leaning chophouse.

Xiao Bao's Josh Walker and Present Tense's Ryan Costanza are opening Bar Cala Cala at 930 McFerrin Ave, promising natural wines, island plates and frozen negronis this summer.

The Catbird Seat has been named a 2026 James Beard Award finalist after relocating to the Gulch last year. The nod underscores Nashville’s growing reputation as a dining city.

Nashville will host the 2026 MICHELIN Guide American South ceremony, bringing chefs, media and a national spotlight to Music City next year.

Chains and Michelin attention are reshaping Nashville's restaurant scene while rising food and rent costs push neighborhood favorites to close.

Lion's Share, a hunting-lodge–inspired tavern from chefs Robbie Wilson and Emily Perry‑Wilson, is set to open in Sylvan Park after a nearly $4M makeover. The couple plans an April debut in the former McCabe Pub space.

A temporary DosBros sign appeared at the former Arby's on Conference Drive in Goodlettsville; the city posted photos but no opening date was given.

Music City Food & Wine Festival returns to Centennial Park April 24–26 with a new Southern Fried Hootenanny, the Grand Tasting and a free Food Faire market. Tickets and packages are on sale now.