The Farm House chef-owner Trey Cioccia now has two downtown restaurants under his belt with the addition of this cozy Printer’s Alley cocktail den — and both have solid happy hours. Black Rabbit is an ode to a bygone era, with both decor and menu reflecting that aesthetic. Standouts range from the signature rabbit rolls to a grilled Caesar to a smoked rib-eye with mustard-seed chimichurri.

The original Skull’s Rainbow Room from the 1940s, a legendary hangout and performance venue, shuttered in 1999. The Printers Alley icon reopened in 2015 with nightly live jazz, late-night weekend burlesque, and many of the vintage touches of the original. The revamped dinner menu features luscious lobster bisque, prime rib empanadas, and an excellent garlic honey-glazed pork chop.

Tucked inside the Arcade, Manny’s House of Pizza is easy to overlook — but that’d be a big mistake, as the small counter serves some of the city’s best cheesy, pepperoni-studded slices. Originally from Brooklyn, Manny Macca has owned and operated this pizza joint since 1984, and it’s quite a popular lunchtime destination, selling calzones, subs, and New York-style pie whole or by the slice.

Walk up to the Daddy’s Dogs late-night window in historic Printers Alley to try Nashville’s top dogs during a night out. Choose classics like the New York- or Chicago-style dog or get over-the-top originals like the Big Daddy topped with cream cheese, bacon, pickle, grilled onion, jalapeno, and Daddy’s secret sauce.

The lively downtown Nashville location of Puckett’s, a regional chain that originated in the 1950s as a grocery store in nearby Leiper’s Fork, hosts near-daily live music and serves a wide range of standout Southern fare. You’ll find everything from biscuits and gravy at breakfast and meat-and-three lunch specials like blackened catfish with collards, mashed potatoes, and cowboy caviar to killer fried chicken and barbecue for dinner. Finish things off with a rotating selection of cobbler.

Since what feels like lightyears before Broadway’s streetscape was overtaken by three-story mega-bars named after modern country music stars, Robert’s Western World has consistently offered old-school country music and rockabilly for those seeking a true Nashville honky-tonk experience. And while this is undoubtedly more bar than restaurant, Robert’s $6 Recession Special — a fried bologna sandwich with an icy PBR and Moon Pie for dessert — is an iconic Music City meal.

Massive mixed-use development Fifth + Broadway added dozens of excellent dining options for those visiting the popular honky-tonk strip. Standalone highlights include locally grown chains Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and Slim & Husky’s (the pizzeria made history as the first-ever Black-owned restaurant to open on Broadway) plus the glamorous Twelve Thirty Club, which offers live music and food across several floors. And the Assembly Food Hall here has a staggering variety of stalls and seating areas across multiple levels, including local favorites like Thai Esane, Saffron the Indian Kitchen, Steam Boys, Donut Distillery, and Prince’s Hot Chicken — creator of the iconic Nashville hot chicken.

This was long one of the only places in town with an oyster bar, and it remains a local and tourist favorite for its refined Southern dining experience and top-notch street-level patio even as other oyster bars have cropped up around town. Chase the briny bivalves with thoughtfully prepared traditional dishes like fish and grits, fried chicken with collards and country ham gravy, and steak and blue cheese biscuits.

Martin’s is an easy place to recommend to folks with a hankering for Southern barbecue. Pitmaster Pat Martin is keeping the West Tennessee tradition of whole-hog barbecue alive and well, growing his Nolensville-based restaurant into a chain spread across several states. The downtown Nashville location has a mammoth beer garden in the back, providing tons of seating, games, and a stage for live music. Don’t miss Martin’s quintessential pulled-pork barbecue sandwich; other hits include wings, wet or dry ribs, brisket sandwiches, barbecue bologna sandwiches, and Redneck Tacos on cornbread hoecakes.

Nashville scored big when James Beard Award-winning chef Tony Mantuano and wine expert Cathy Mantuano came to town. The powerhouse couple brought the fine dining Italian menu and see-through cheese cave Nashville had been missing, along with standout service and a welcoming atmosphere inside the Joseph hotel. Try a chef’s tasting menu — there’s even a rare vegetarian version — or order any of the pasta options a la carte and save room for jaw-dropping desserts from executive pastry chef Noelle Marchetti.