Joel and I first discovered the 12South neighborhood a few years ago. And yes, it’s 12South, not 12 South. That’s not a typo. 😉
During our recent Nashville scouting trip for Havens & Horizons, we decided it was time to go back. We wanted to see how it had changed, revisit a couple of favorites, and hopefully discover something new along the way.
If you’ve never heard of it, 12South is one of Nashville’s most popular neighborhood districts. Located just a few miles south of downtown, it’s a walkable area filled with locally owned restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, murals, and specialty stores. It’s the kind of place where you can spend an entire morning or afternoon wandering, eating, shopping, and discovering something new around nearly every corner.
The funny thing is, when we first found it, we weren’t looking for a neighborhood at all. We were simply searching for a good barbecue restaurant, and a quick Google search led us to Edley’s Bar-B-Que.
Joel absolutely loves barbecue. Me? Not so much.
Thankfully, we found common ground at Edley’s.
It’s been long enough that I don’t remember exactly what we ordered, but I remember the experience. I remember sitting on the patio enjoying good food, great conversation, and discovering a neighborhood we never knew existed. I remember the barbecue sauce being sweeter than tangy—which is exactly how I like it—and the baked beans were delicious.
I’ve gone from someone who didn’t really care for barbecue to someone who genuinely loves Edley’s. Now I know exactly where we’re going whenever we’re craving barbecue in Nashville.
You can check out the menu here:
https://www.edleysbbq.com/menus/food
Fast forward a few years, and another Google search brought us right back to 12South—this time for breakfast.
I was actually searching to see if any restaurants in Nashville served Lucky Cola. Google pointed us to Buttermilk Ranch—which, as it turns out, doesn’t serve Lucky Cola at all—but that happy little mistake introduced us to another fantastic restaurant.
Buttermilk Ranch is a true scratch kitchen. From the croissants and biscuits to the breakfast potatoes and locally sourced meats, nearly everything is made fresh from scratch each day. It absolutely lived up to the hype.
I ordered the chicken biscuit, and Joel ordered the corned beef hash skillet. We’d happily order both again. Choosing what to order was honestly the hardest part because everything on the menu sounded so good. Next time, I think I’m going to try something from the Cube Benny Collection.
You can check out the menu here:
http://buttermilkranch.com/menu
If you’re planning a trip to Nashville and want to experience a side of the city beyond Broadway, we highly recommend spending some time in the 12South neighborhood.
Here’s what you should know before you go:
🚶 It’s built for walking.
12South is a walkable district filled with locally owned restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops, murals, and specialty stores. It’s the kind of place where you can spend several hours just wandering from one place to the next.
🚗 Parking takes patience.
Parking can be one of the biggest challenges. Plan on spending 20–30 minutes looking for a spot, especially on weekends. Most parking is on the street, although there are a handful of small parking lots. If you’re staying overnight in Nashville, we’d recommend using Uber or Lyft instead of driving.
🍳 Popular restaurants often have long waits.
When we visited Buttermilk Ranch on a weekend morning, the quoted wait for a table was two hours. The staff told us that’s fairly typical for weekends. Fortunately, bar seating is first-come, first-served, and we were seated in about 15 minutes. If your schedule is flexible, the staff recommended visiting on a Tuesday or Wednesday for much shorter waits.
Something tells us this won’t be our last visit to 12South. Every time we go, we seem to discover something new, and we’re already looking forward to seeing what we’ll find on our next visit.
Looking for even more ideas? Visit Music City has an excellent overview of the 12South neighborhood, including additional restaurants, shopping, and attractions to help you plan your visit: https://www.visitmusiccity.com/nashville-neighborhoods/12south