Transport yourself back to the 1940s at this retro distillery and cocktail bar devoted to the craft of Tennessee whiskey. The joint is co-owned and operated by Matt Cunningham, a Clarksville native and half of a brother duo revolutionizing the local dining scene. A devotee of patient and precise culinary craft, Cunningham produced small-batch whiskey completely in-house from grain to glass. Currently, you can enjoy a cocktail at the bar, but in another year the distillery will feature a full-service restaurant and an Instagram-worthy bar built into a silo.

Brunch takes a decidedly Southern twist at Wild Flour Bake Shop. Satiate your sweet tooth with the scratch-made cinnamon roll French toast or try the homemade biscuit sandwich piled high with ham, bacon, sausage, egg, and pimento cheese. Diners on the go can snag a selection of pastries and bread made fresh daily or get their caffeine fix with a flavored latte.

Clarksville natives are proud of their history (fun fact: Jimi Hendrix wrote several songs in the storied town) and those roots are well preserved at the Mailroom, a spot pioneered by Wed Cunningham, the other half of the Cunningham brothers. Located in a former post office, the Mailroom serves scratch-made global dishes inspired by the destinations of the mail that used to pass through the building. Sample a Korean beef burger with a bulgogi patty and gochujang aioli or fried corn tortilla tacos doused in pico de gallo and cotija cheese.

Enjoy all-day eats at this Italian-inspired spot in the heart of downtown Clarksville. Foodies can start early by getting their breakfast fix with espresso and pastry, and then enjoy lunch, brunch, cocktail hour, and dinner all in the same spot. Nosh on house-made peppameno cheese baked in a wood-fired oven or dive into a bowl of handmade pasta sourced from a local Clarksville pasta maker that’s been doused in a savory garlic cream sauce.

Owner Emily Trageser fell in love with wine while she was stationed in Europe during her military service. Now she brings flavors from the Loire Valley, the foothills of Hungary, and the Brazilian coast to her Clarksville wine bar. The Vine on Franklin is Clarksville’s only wine bar (so far) and the menu reflects the diversity and innovation of contemporary winemaking. A curated list of charcuterie boards, delicate seafood dishes, and desserts accompany the wine list and you stand a pretty good chance of running into local artist Olasubomi Aka-Bashorun whose work adorns the walls.

This Black and veteran-owned spot serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a unique twist on barbeque. Sure, you’ll find brisket, breakfast tacos, and pulled pork, but the menu also sports blueberry BBQ sauce, Oreo banana pudding, and a PB&J bacon burger. Chef Kevin Smith runs the rapidly expanding hotspot with his family, and eaters in the know order off a secret menu inspired by Smith’s favorite sports teams and loved ones. Smith also prioritizes giving back — diners have the option of ordering an extra meal to be served at a local women’s shelter.

Part teahouse, part parfumerie, and part alchemist workshop, the Mad Herbalist takes flavor blending to a new level. The menu features custom tea blends that can be ordered in a variety of forms that go beyond just hot or iced — you can opt to get your blend served as a tea-mosa (or a beer raddler), in a flight with other flavors, or with a honey CBD stick. Tea service is accompanied by a customizable three-tiered array of snacks that range from roasted beet hummus and beer cheese to a brisket grit bowl. The location is just as fascinating as the tea blends — the Mad Herbalist sits in a historic cabin on the grounds of Chef Phila Hach’s former home.

In the morning, locals line up at Café 931 for generously stuffed breakfast burritos packed with chorizo, potatoes, and egg or, for a more Southern spin, biscuit, gravy, sausage, and egg. This family-run restaurant serves recipes from their own ancestral cookbook. To shake up the breakfast routine, the café also serves acai bowls and horchata-blended coffee drinks. Don’t miss Taco Tuesdays where you can order up tacos on freshly made corn tortillas and try your hand at the weekly cornhole competition.