The 23 Best East Nashville Restaurants

"When we walk into Peninsula, our heart rate slows down by a few bpms. That’s because this Spanish spot is the perfect place to linger among flickering tea lights and slices of tortilla. The plates are small, but deliver big in flavor and texture. The menu is a document of few words—it’ll read “beet” or “endive” with a couple of other ingredients. What the menu doesn’t come with, though it should, is a disclaimer: “WARNING: DISHES MAY CAUSE SQUEALS OF GLEE OR EVEN A FEW HAPPY TEARS.” There are unique cucumber preparations and an impressive sherry list on the wines by the glass page. And, yes, there is Iberico pork, though here the spotlight is on the Iberico presa, a cut from the animal’s shoulder, rather than the ham." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak, adam sloan