Where to Eat at Nashville International Airport (BNA)

Ah, summer travel — the season of increased traffic and inevitably delayed flights is here. But having a place to grab a bite or drink on the go is one way to make the most of an otherwise lackluster experience. So here to help assuage those layover hunger pains is Eater's Nashville Airport Dining Guide.

Luckily, the last year has brought a slew of new dining and drinking options to BNA, a long-awaited upgrade that better reflects the exciting things happening in Nashville dining. A majority of the new shops and restaurants — 35 in all — are local or regional brands, including two Nashville breweries and a number of barbecue outlets.

Below are the best of the places to eat and drink at Nashville International Airport, from sit-down meals to grab-and-go, many of which are new arrivals. And if you’re still not convinced, make a plan to eat before or after the airport at one of these spots nearby.

Facebook/Eighth & Roast

8th & Roast Coffee Co: A traveler’s best bet for caffeination (and supporting local), the popular Nashville-born coffee shop was founded in 2009, and thankfully, set up shop inside BNA, the first local option to give reprieve from that pesky Starbucks line. They relocated from Concourse C to Concourse D during renovations. [Concourse D]

400 Degrees Hot Chicken: Aqui Hines brings her wildly popular version of Nashville Hot Chicken to Nashville International Airport. Deep fried with varying heat levels ranging from 0 to 400 degrees — this Nashville staple serves up some of Music City’s best hot chicken, homestyle sides, local craft beers, and cocktails. [Concourse C]

Bar-B-Cutie SmokeHouse: One of the newer additions to BNA is Nashville’s own family-owned barbecue brand (it claims to be Nashville’s oldest original barbecue restaurant). Meats smoked onsite are served in sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, and dinner alongside country sides, local beers, and cocktails. [A/B North Terminal]

Barista Parlor: Local favorite Barista Parlor offers coffee, its signature breakfast biscuits all day, sandwiches, pastries, and cookies. [Concourse C]

Bongo Java: The grandfather of Nashville coffee has arrived at the airport, with hearty breakfast options all day long as well as rotating vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free items. [Concourse C]

Fresh Attractions: Convenient grab-and-go food and beverage selections. [South Terminal]

Green Beans Coffee Co.: The only dining option located before heading through security, coffee chain Green Beans Coffee offers bakery items and specialty coffee drinks. There’s also live music to welcome you to BNA or send you off in true Nashville fashion. [Pre-security]

Hissho Sushi: While many might not want to eat sushi at an airport, some do, and for them, this place has a selection of starters, sushi, and hot plates. [A/B Rotunda]

Kijiji Coffee: Kijiji Coffee, the first African American-owned coffee shop in the Nashville area, has been serving its premium coffee to Music City since 1997. [Concourse A, near A-3]

La Hacienda: The much-loved Nashville institution posts up at BNA, serving their take on traditional Mexican cuisine. [Concourse A]

Little Harpeth Brewing: This Nashville Avenue craft brewery opened a location in the airport at the end of 2021. It focuses on beers crafted in the tradition of German lagers, a rarity in this day and age of all things IPA. The large airport taproom serves a rather large food menu (check out the sandwiches) and a couple of gluten-free options. [Concourse B]

Party Fowl: The first Nashville hot chicken restaurant complete with full service, a full bar, and a full brunch, Party Fowl also offers outside the box hot chicken dishes (like a Nashville hot deconstructed Cobb salad or hot chicken Cuban sandwich) to pair with local brews and boozy slushies. [Concourse D]

Pig Star by Peg Leg Porker: Another local restaurant with a new airport location is Peg Leg Porker, serving Memphis-style BBQ from pitmaster Carey Bringle (his Nashville restaurant, Peg Leg Porker, is in the Gulch). The restaurant is best known for its ribs and serves smoked meats, and sides. [Concourse B]

Pyramids Cafe: A vegetarian-friendly option amid the worldwide hotspot of hot chicken, Pyramids Cafe started offering quick and fresh Mediterranean and Greek food in Nashville in 1993. Pyramids Cafe only uses local farmers for all produce and keeps a diverse mix of items on the menu. [Concourse C]

Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant: With roots from the 1950s as a grocery store in Leiper’s Fork, the huge new airport location of Puckett’s represents quite an evolution. It serves Southern classics, known for its fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. [Concourse D]

Swett’s BBQ: Find Swett’s comforting tried and true family recipes on the go at the new BNA outpost. [Concourse C, near C-13]

TailGate Brewery: This award-winning craft brewery with an East Nashville taproom specializes in small-batch brews and pizza. The new airport taproom features 12 craft beers on draft, whole pies and pizza by the slice, including cauliflower pizza, and breakfast sandwiches. [Concourse C]

Tennessee Brew Works: Nashville-based Tennessee Brew Works is back in a new space, continuing to pour local craft beer favorites to help ease the pain of a long layover. Share the love by buying some to take home to fellow beer fans. [Concourse A/B Rotunda]

Tootsies Orchid Lounge: The recently renovated outpost of the wildly popular downtown honky-tonk was the only sit-down dining options throughout renovations, and remains a steady spot for bare fare, drinks, and of course, live music before you depart Music City. [Concourse C near Gate C-7]

The Urban Juicer: One of few health-focused options inside BNA, find a menu of smoothies, juices, wraps, salads, and more. [Concourse C]

Vino Fiesta: Find tapas, tacos, wine, and specialty cocktails at Vino Fiesta.[Concourse C]

Yazoo Brewing Company: The third of three new taprooms at the airport is Yazoo, which first debuted in Nashville in 2003, here you can have a beer at the bar, get one to go, or grab a six-pack. [Concourse C]