The Picnic Cafe & Party Catering

If I could give six stars I would. The staff is beyond friendly. Just great people. And the food matches. Finally found a breakfast casserole as good as mine. We'll go back as often as possible.

Love the ambience, the blue and white color scheme is neat and relaxing. The chicken salad, soup, and fresh fruit hit the spot. It’s certainly worth stopping in for a relaxing meal!

UPDATE!!! I've eaten here 3 times now & the food is always fresh & really good & the staff have all been so friendly!!! I arrived early for an appt & this place was right next door! Since we didn't have a lot of time, my hubby & I shared a plate. You'll notice in the pic that his plate is empty, lol. This is such a bright, cute, cozy place!!! The staff members were so friendly!! The tomato spinach quiche was soooo good!!! I thoroughly enjoyed the bites with the bursts of fresh tomatoes!! The broccoli salad was so fresh & crunchy!! The lemon blueberry muffin was ohhh sooo good!! The fruit was sweet!!! I will definitely visit again!!!

I stopped in because my mom had an appointment in the area. I did not know anything about the restaurant and had no expectations. I just wanted a quick snack. I had the scoop of chicken salad with carrot sticks and crackers. I was so impressed and pleasantly surprised. My mom used to run a catering business and so I'm very familiar with The Puffy Muffin and other similar restaurants in the general area. In other words, I'm not easily impressed. In addition to the food being wonderful, the staff were noticably friendly and helpful. The restaurant and the bathroom were exceptionally clean and I had an all-around wonderful experience. Highly recommend.

Very good chicken salad and pimento cheese. Muffins delicious too. Very convenient walk from the surgery center and a great place to eat and wait.

This was such a cozy, bright and friendly spot. I ordered the quiche of the day which was a great level of flavor and texture. The harvest muffin was warm and delightful. The cranberry salad was interesting. The food is filling. All the staff I interacted with were kind and helpful. I would come back when craving picnic type food again.

The Picnic was truly a good pick for my first culinary experience in Nashville. The staff was as super sweet as the sweet tea. Also had the Tea Punch with my brunch. The food? Superb. Gazpacho, quiche, deviled eggs. Presented well and tasted swell. Definitely check this place out!

Beautiful place and the food was so fresh! I loved the tuna salad and the chicken salad!

My sister and I, two strong-willed East Coasters raised on sarcasm, sandwich standards, and kosher-style dills, set out to have ourselves a genteel little lunch. Linen was worn. Expectations were medium-high. Spirits were elevated. We were seated between two women with hair so perfectly coiffed it looked like it came with a security detail... and a woman priest. A real one. I had just made a joke about hell when I spotted the collar. She smiled. I panicked. My sister kicked me under the table. We proceeded to behave ourselves for roughly eight minutes. The Picnic Punch was phenomenal, bright, sweet, and dangerously good. Honestly, we'd drink it from a solo cup behind a church or synagogue if we could. The broccoli side was a star. Perfectly seasoned like someone cared, and unfortunately portioned for a pixie. We savored it like it was a luxury item. Pasta salad had no taste. Zero. Like chewing beige. We kept hoping it would kick in like a delayed-release snack. It didn't. The other side was... there. Physically. Emotionally? We have no memory. We tried three sandwiches--tuna, turkey, and egg salad and each one was a Trojan horse for sweet pickles. Listen: if sweet pickles are your thing, congratulations, you've found the promised land. But we come from a household where pickles are tangy, briny, and a little judgmental. These? They were sugar bombs in mayo disguise. Now, the place itself? Absolutely darling. The décor was charming, the staff was lovely, and everyone looked like they had a monogrammed tote bag in their car just in case. We totally understand why locals love it, it's sweet, stylish, and full of Southern hospitality. It just wasn't our flavor journey. TL;DR: Gorgeous setting, holy seatmates, and a sweet pickle ambush we're still recovering from. We crossed ourselves with dill, thanked the priest, and slipped quietly out the door. Xoxo, gossip, gravy and a biscuit

I am (gasp) a native Nashvillian and this place is an institution. Fun decor, yummy food. The parking is easy and it is near major roads so access is good. It's often crowded so be prepared. You order at the counter and they bring food to your table. You may also pick up take out, which I did after enjoying my scoop of chicken salad. Check this spot out!

Awesome friendly cheerful environment and best food ever! Perfect for meeting a friend for brunch or lunch! I'm fav is the cream chicken on cornbread... and fruit salad or broccoli salad... and don't forget the pastries!

Another place that is consistently good! Our office did a To-Go order and everyone was delicious! The Quiche was perfect! Always comes with a great fruit salad! Big fan of their apricot or strawberry frozen salad! Muffins are always delicious but my fave is the Cranberry Orange Muffin which is the perfect combo of sweet and tart! I'm not a fruit tea person but their tea is really good!

Cute atmosphere. We went in and ordered to go. As we waited a staff member offered us to get cups and ice for our bottled waters we had and all staff were very friendly. The menu on yelp was out dated but they accommodated what they had on the current menu to make what we were looking forward to. I will upload a new menu that we snapped a picture of while waiting. To go bag was filled with all the extras needed. Not a long wait at all. 10/10

I really miss the old location. This place was cold and uninviting. The old place was out in the air. It had a cute aroma, and the prices were affordable. Then they moved here. The only thing that redeems this place is the lemonade and cookies. I hate this place now. They ruined it.

This place was so cute! The food was great and the people were very sweet. It felt like the perfect southern cafe. Can't wait to go back!

Great place for a pit stop! They had great snacky foods and packaged snacks too. We got the street corn salsa, chips, and the pimento cheese dip. We got the 30 minutes before closing and they had already done away with the coffee which sucked since we went there specifically for coffee. We also didn't realize that it was a hit and not a cafe. No seating inside.

I feel delightfully nostalgic for my mother and women like her while in this restaurant. The food is simple and tasty. What more could you ask for? The decor is as if a southern woman was turned into a building. Aka perfection. Takeout options are available in the shop corner. Pleasing all around.

Friendly, southern charm and good food, freshly made goods. Food to go and a sit down area, always busy and it is easy to understand why

Such a wonderful old school experience! The most friendly staff and the food reminds me of my southern grandmother and aunt's delicious home cooking.

The atmosphere is bright and cheerful. Blue and white plates and platters decorate the walls giving it a homestyle feel. Food is delicious with a varied menu. The salads are especially good. Staff is very friendly and welcoming. Always enjoy coming here for lunch with friends. Their take out menu is good as well.

This place services the "country club " set. Many people from Belle meade have been coming here for years. The mostly blue and white signature decor is very nice in their new location, but not quite as cozy because of the size and openness of the building. One definite advantage of the new place is a separate area for to go orders. If you are in a rush it's quick to grab something from the coolers. The menu definitely stands out. I would say it is more geared to women and luncheons. There are lots of salad items and sandwiches. I have been 3 times. As far as sandwiches go,I would say they are packed and above ordinary, and probably the closest you could get to your best homemade healthy sandwich. The little sides like fruit salad and potato salads are made with care. The recipes and certain items have been designed by Kathy the owner. The fruit punch is loaded with sugar but a favorite. There are lots of little special touches like the blue and white napkins and doilies giving the restaurant an old timey feel. I always opt for the tuna salad. I once had the lemon artichoke soup. It was grand. I had to go to the store and make some more at home. Since I am Italian, I am still trying to figure out how lemon artichoke wound up being a southern favorite. On one of my visits I snapped a photo for my watercolor:

4.5 Always on the lookout for a convenient place for a quick pick-up lunch after meetings in Nashville, I found this lovely spot....(thanks to fellow Yelpers!). And, still cautious about Covid, I parked and took a "look-see" what options were and if masks were being worn. Lots of foot traffic in and out and a busy, albeit almost hidden parking lot. (But there are signs...so good job, Picnic staff and/or management. Fairly mixed bag of cautious folks at this point...meaning about half of the customers entering were wearing masks and nearly all staff, save for a few. Plenty of outside seating with a cooling mist-fan in one area. Inside this bright and cheery, sweetly decorated place there are multiple safeguards in place...from curbside pick up to hand sanitizer available inside. But, we're here for the food. First glance and first tastes 4 and 5 star! Quiche of the day - creamy and savory with a few surprise bits of veggie (tomato for one) embedded. Yes, we'd buy it again. Lemon-Artichoke Soup...a bit of a surprise. Great if you are looking for balanced flavor -- a bit of a down-turn if you shun heavily textured cream soups. Mixed stars from wife and myself on this item. Boulevard sandwich....a two thumbs up and 5 stars for flavor, variety, freshness, savory qualities in a more-than adequate portion. (I ended up saving half of mine for later.) Bean soup - this is a tough call in a sense. Freshly made (I assume) flavorful but without the depth of a hearty, slow-simmered soup. This was more like made today, served right away. Yes, some diced veggies added to the flavor, bits of ham needed a boost, and beans were nicely done. But needs a bit more seasoning and simmering. Broccoli Salad - Pretty savory and not too much dressing or sweetness, nice herbal flavor. Devilled Eggs - (Uh, can I give 6 stars?) DELISH! Desserts - there's a bunch and our lemon tart was very nbice. I thought fantastic; my sife said not enough lemon...So you'll have to decide for yourself. Service - absolutely 5 shining stars for helpful, courteous, patient, and efficient servers.

This place is such a gem! It shows just how good simple food can be when made fresh with great ingredients. They have a great breakfast quiche plate deal. Their sandwiches have something for everyone. The sides are very tasty. I cannot say enough good things about this place. True southern hospitality is served up here. With great dishes. Fresh ingredients. And the decor is just so homey and cute. I hope everyone gives this place a shot. Because it is so good. Can't wait to come back and try out more!

To start with, I miss the ambiance of the original cafe. This is a restaurant in a small mall courtyard, so it's open and noisy. The original cafe was quaint and cozy. The food is just as good, but not as conducive to dining in as it used to be. I'll certainly grab to-go from time to time. In the summer, they make the best gazpacho I've ever had.

I have been a customer of The Picnic since they were in the old Belle Meade drugstore location, 40 years ago. I stopped for the first time since they moved to their new location. I ordered one of my favorites creamed chicken on cornbread. It had absolutely no flavor at all! Next visit I ordered 1/2 chicken salad and 1/2 pimento cheese sandwich. Both were so dry, I added mayo. I sure hope they haven't fallen into the "bigger is better syndrome." I truly believe the quality of the food has gone down hill, but I will say the service and atmosphere were superb.

The Picnic is an adorable bistro type restaurant. Everything was meticulous. Unfortunately, their signature dish - chicken salad- I found tasteless! More mayonnaise tasting than anything g else. Sure could have used a bit of salt and pepper for a minimum.

Hit and miss. I love the idea and sometimes it's nice, others it's expensive, you leave hungry, and wonder how you spent $80 on lunch with shared desserts for mediocre food and service. The staff are not knowledgeable about ingredients. Ham and cheese quiche? They don't know what cheese and it was so onion heavy, w/chopped lunch meat and the shredded cheese was not melted into it. Made me seriously wonder if it was safe to eat. The eggs were lightly cooked, but how was the cheese still in grated form and onions raw? Broccoli cheese soup was small for price and veg was also crunchy raw! 2 of us got coffee, it was not that hot. Portions small for price on combos. No butter and a cold slice of bread given w/ soup?? Love the presentation but how are you cleaning the germy wicker plate holders between customers? Prices are not labeled on add on items and staff do not know until they ring it up on anything asked. I love the idea of this place, but if we can't get refills, have to bus our own table, bread is raw, a 13-14 sandwich is light on filling and a croissant is another $2.50 it seems way too high a price for an unfilling lunch now. The last 3 visits have been disappointing. Love the decor and theme, hopefully the new location will be better flow and more efficiently labeled w/ hotter, fuller ingredients for prices.

The chicken salad sandwich on croissant and potato salad is to die for it is the best that I have ever had. I live in California and my dad lives in West Bellmeade and he takes me there when I come and visit and the sweet tea is amazing along with the oatmeal raisin cookies so when you can you can make it there you go and you get a chicken salad sandwich on croissant and potato salad and the oatmeal raisin cookie. Thank you dad for introducing me to the picnic. I love the sweet tea there and I love you.!

Very cute atmosphere that lives up to the name! We ordered the veggie sandwich w/ broccoli salad and the cucumber sandwich w/ lemon artichoke soup. My favorite was the lemon artichoke soup. All the food was decent, but nothing I couldn't have made at home. I was a little bummed that the only quiche option had meat, but maybe that just means I'll have to come back!

Such a fun little place! All the employees are sweet little granny's and the food tastes just like home. 10/10 recommend when in Nashville!

To me, this is old Nashville. It's the mom food from the 80s bridge club done to perfection. I have to go here when I'm in town to get the cucumber sandwich, side of pickles, pasta salad and fruit tea-it's the best!

This place is so cute! The food is great and you can tell the use quality ingredients. They're known for their chicken salad and I can confirm that it is really good. Also the lemon artichoke soup was delicious! Definitely recommend! :)

What a lovely place. A friend brought me here and I was not disappointed. The service is top notch -- super friendly and helpful. The food taste every bit what you would think of as homemade... like your mom was in the kitchen... if your mom is a great cook. The location and building is beautiful. Couldn't be happier with my experience. Highly recommend.

This is a must stop if in the west side of Nashville. The picnic is a cute café that has been open since 1983 and offers breakfast and lunch... Open till 5:00 PM. They are known for their chicken salad and pimento cheese. Lots of yummy baked goods that you can take home with you. Best to try at an off hour and because can get very busy. They have their own parking lot which is convenient.

This was the worst experience in so long - Hope you're ready to eat $2 Cafeteria/Airport food and be charged $30 for it, some cold walmart bread and disguise it as "southern cuisine" in Nashville? Gross everything, from the bread to the dry sandwich, the weird mall atmosphere - we were so disappointed and upset we tried to leave our cafeteria plate on one of the 4 tiny doll tables and they had the audacity to ask us to clear it ? Average age of worker is 64 and the food tastes and smells that old! I'd rather make my own picnic lol- truly aghast at why people would choose to be so underwhelmed and disappointed . Worst food in Nashville by food served by Grandparents with bad attitudes !!!!

Excellent food and service here. You will love it Sandwiches, soup and baked good are all delicious!!!

Breakfast was delicious My family was celebrating my 82nd birthday. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. Everyone left happy especially myself. I think they will need more room.

One of the best comfort food lunch spots in Nashville that has been around forever! Their fruit punch is the best I've ever had as well.

Listen...I love chicken salad and pimento cheese but this place was mid. The scoops were flavorless, they give you only two crackers, and muffins were rock solid. The only saving grace was the fruit. I really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me.

Love this place! Great food and nice servers. Gets a little crazy at lunch time. Pimento cheese and egg salad are great.

We stopped in for lunch while heading through town. It came recommended on Yelp so we thought we would give it a try. It's decorated like a tea room or old fashion luncheon place. I ordered the quiche and broccoli soup. The quiche was good and our food was ready within a few minutes. I didn't care for the soup, there were large chunks of broccoli in it. They had desserts and they looked good but we were just wanting to get in and out so didn't try any.

I love this place. It just reminds me of all the southern "ladies who lunch" type of places. The chicken salad is perfect-- no fruit or nuts in it; just the way I like it :) I am from Franklin, TN & Merridee's Bread Basket was a multiple times a week place for me (for chicken salad sandwiches & fruit). The picnic punch is so good (better than Merridees) & the coconut cake is PERFECTION. I only allow myself 2 bites so I can bring it home & eat it for breakfast haha. Kind employees. Delish food. Awesome patio to enjoy your lunch. I love it so much & eat here far too often!! :D

It has be about 15 years since I last visited. It was like coming home! The food was as I remembered. Their staff is friendly and following all guidelines. They have indoor and outdoor seating in an adorable courtyard. They have QR code menus that show all available items. While there they took many orders out for curbside pick up. It's a place that A visit to Nashville isn't complete without stopping in for a meal!

Ahh...this place and food takes you back to the days when your grandparents were still alive making sandwiches for you and you journey. It taste just like how grandma use to make it. I was probably the youngest in the crowd at 50 years old too. I give it 4 starts because of the cost though. I know they have to pay rent, workers, supplies, containers, etc., but my picnic chicken salad sandwich (with no white bread options) and deviled egg side cost me $17. If you could get past the cost the food will take you back to the days at grandma's house.

Today The Picnic was a disappointment! I have always loved it but the Quiche was not done ! the eggs in were like eating soft boil eggs and the crust was doughy as not cooked long enough. The fruit cup was all grapes with a bite of melon and strawberry on top to hide all the grapes underneath I have not tried the muffin . The lemon square I got seems not to have been cooked long enough either . And they went up in price ! For the $20 I spent I could have eaten at a much more expensive restaurant . Since it was take out I couldn't send it back to the kitchen . Not sure I will be back anytime soon Debra

The staff was very friendly, the ambiance unique and quite welcoming.. perfect for a ladies lunch. The food however was okay. The bean soup lacked flavor and the chicken salad was quite bland. I enjoyed the physical experience but the food was disappointing

Great sandwich spot! I had the veggie and it was delicious. My husband had the pimento cheese and my daughter had the Turkey. All were great.

Had a great time and the sandwich was great. Service was awesome and they have a nice outdoors space.

I have been going to the Picnic since I was a little girl and the quality has not changed. It's a southern staple in Nashville. Fruit Tea - some of the best in the city. Only rivaled by Puffy Muffin and Calypso Cafe. The Sampler Platter is the way to go - you get a taste of their best everything. Chicken Salad- one of my favorites in the city. Pimento Cheese - nowhere in Nashville compares to their pimento cheese. Not too heavy and just right. They get it perfect every time. Cheese Wafers -crispy, flavorful, delicious. I always get them to go White wedding cookies - best in Nashville They also have a grab and go meal section so you can grab your lunch to go or get frozen foods to put in the oven for dinner. Their quiche and squash casserole are two of my favorite frozen items.

I cannot say enough good things about Picnic Cafe! My husband and I discovered this restaurant at least 4 years ago, and have been hooked every since! Imagine going to grandma's house for lunch....that's how I would describe Picnic Cafe. All of the food tastes homemade from scratch (and I believe it REALLY IS homemade from scratch). The sandwiches, the soups, the salads, the muffins, the side items are ALL delicious. They have daily specials that rotate and they also have a large selection of grab-and-go items. The grab-and-go items are fresh "lunch" type items from the menu, and they also have main dishes and side items that you can take home and heat up in your oven to make a nice dinner. The staff are very friendly, the inside of the restaurant is very clean and inviting, and the food comes out surprisingly fast! Around lunch time is very busy as a lot of business people from nearby offices and the hospital go there to eat - but these ladies are a well-oiled machine and they are extremely efficient. However, if you want a calmer setting, just avoid the typical office lunch hour. There is also a parking lot attendant. My personal favorites are the tuna salad, the chicken artichoke casserole, and the apricot salad. The BLT sandwich has perfect, crispy bacon. And try the fruit tea too.

Great lunch spot! Fast and easy service Would definitely come again. Glad they are not closing. Just moving location

The grannies love it. They're speciality is chicken salad and also pimento cheese I went with the chicken salad. The bread is dense and soft, very good. They certainly deliver on the picnic feel and the fruit tea hits the spot. I would recommend for a light cute lunch.

All about atmosphere & theme/idea.... food we ordered wasn't too good... Basic club sandwich has bottom-of-the-barrel-quality store-bought bread and average-quality rest of ingredients on the sandwich - was pretty flavorless so I ended up putting salt & pepper in it (something I never really do$... And we literally could not cut through the bottom of the pie crust we were eating so ended up just scooping filling out & eating it that way (filling was tasty though).... Food leaves a lot to be desired here. Nice atmosphere. To me the atmosphere/food trade-off is not worth it... sad though, because it feels like this place has a lot of potential. :-(

The pimento cheese is delicious! I always enjoyed stopping in this cute little place at their old location. I'm excited to see their new space.

Very cute and cozy spot! Staff was very helpful answering my questions. The strawberry cake is like no other! So delicious! You have got to try it!

I love this place so much, having visited for the first times a few years ago on a trip to Nashville to see my sister. She raved about it, having taken other friends and our mother/grandmother on other occasions, and knowing of my affinity for chicken salad. When you arrive at picnic, you truly feel like you are at a southern backyard picnic at the cute little home of a family friend. The women who run this businesses are the sweetest, friendliest ladies, and the decor is absolutely adorable - blue and white fabric and dishes abound, with an actual white picket fence, and so many home-y little touches. Fast casual in nature, you peruse a menu and then head to the register to place your order. I've had several of the signature selections - the sampler platter, the scoop salad, etc. Man, their salads are so good. The chicken salad contains hard-boiled eggs and herbs, and is super filling. That one comes with a bold little cheese crisp and some crackers, and is super, super tasty. I tried my sister's pimento cheese this time, too, and am happy to report that I now understand what all that fuss is about. Teas are great - my sister loves the fruit tea, though it's a bit on the sweet side for me. It's persistently running low or being refilled though, and you'll see people leaving with quarts of it! I love this place for lunch or brunch - it gets busy but you won't feel rushed. Try one of their muffins, too. Honestly, it really does feel like you're at your nana's house for lunch, and there is something just so sweet about that!

Honey the place is cute but the food is unseasoned. A plus- the fruit tea is bomb A minus- the food is bland, dry, and doesn't have salt or pepper My sandwich was much more bread than actual tuna salad, as long with a minuscule side of potatoes salad that couldn't fill up a 9yr old Small portions for the price. If you are with a man, do not take him here. I had to walk over to Publix to get my man a second sandwich because the portions were so small. My boyfriend paid $23 for two sandwiches and one drink. I felt so bad I bought him a 12 inch sub from Publix for $9 and he enjoyed it more than bees loves honey.