The Best Lunches in Nashville

"Lunch in Locust’s small, bright dining room feels like being in a treehouse, though the treetops are replaced with a street-level view of the swarms of bachelorettes that trot through the 12 South neighborhood. It feels serene inside the blonde wood-bedecked dining room, however, where chef Trevor Morain and his crew make the magic happen. Seafood is a large focus here, from icy cold oysters to a perfectly folded omelet stuffed with delicate crab to Nashville-style hot swordfish. Fun and funky wines, gin tonics, and shots of horseradish vodka all march in a flavor parade that can’t be found elsewhere in town (or anywhere, really)." - Ellen Fort