I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and that is a fairly new revelation. “New”, as in since I changed my diet back in 2013. And maybe that is because the term “foodie” wasn’t really tossed around until recently. Or maybe it’s because my relationship with food completely changed at that time. Either way, I’ve always loved food, and the more, the merrier. I came from a long line of fantastic cooks who lived for feeding people, but unfortunately, cooking and baking were never my specialty. I much preferred to consume the food or eat at my favorite local restaurants with my family.
Eating at restaurants with food sensitivities or allergies can be a very scary prospect. You have to learn which places are safe and are well-educated enough to be able to accommodate your needs, which is accomplished by a lot of trial and error, as well as word of mouth recommendations from others who have the same needs. To save you some time (and hopefully some stress), I have listed some of my favorite local eateries. New restaurants may be added as I discover them. Enjoy!
*Disclaimer: finding safe places to eat with food allergies/sensitivities is each person’s responsibility, and there are no guarantees that these places are safe according to your specific dietary needs. My goal here is to simply list some local favorites.
Avo
Address: 3 City Ave #200, Nashville, TN 37209
Website: http://www.eatavo.com
Vegan, mostly raw; locally sourced and organic when possible. Menu items are clearly marked.
Sunflower Café
Address: 2834 Azalea Pl, Nashville, TN 37204
Website: http://www.sunflowercafenashville.com
Vegetarian; locally sourced when possible; well-versed in food sensitivities and every menu item is clearly marked.
Sunflower Bakehouse
Address: 2834 Azalea Pl, Nashville, TN 37204
Website: http://www.ilovesunflower.com
Vegan. 100% gluten-free, in-house bakery; not every menu item is gluten-free, but they are clearly marked.
Graze
Address: 1888 Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Website: http://www.grazenashville.com
Vegan; all menu items are clearly labeled.
The Wild Cow
Address: 1100 Fatherland St SUITE 104 11/22, Nashville, TN 37206
Website: http://www.thewildcow.com
Vegan, locally-sourced, and organic whenever possible; menu items containing gluten are clearly marked.
Rock n’ Roll Sushi
Address: 1610 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212
Website: https://rocknrollsushi.com/locations/nashville-tn/
This is a chain, but I have found them to be very accommodating and their menu is clearly labeled.
Koko’s Ice Cream
Address: 729 Porter Rd, Nashville, TN 37206
Website: https://kokos-ice-cream.square.site/
Coconut-based ice cream, so it’s completely vegan, and they clearly state which flavors are gluten-free.