CITY GUIDE: Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville and sobriety might seem like an odd pairing. “Music City” is a city bursting with whiskey tours, bachelorette parties spilling out of pedal taverns, and honky-tonks where the show (and drinks) often start before noon. If you've ever walked Broadway holding a club soda while everyone around you stumbles up 12 flights of stairs to the next rooftop bar, you know exactly what I mean. But after being sober in this city for the last 2 years, I've found a kind and supportive community of young and older adults that are also booze free. 

This guide isn't a list of every restaurant or bar in the city that happens to serve a mocktail. It's the places I've personally found where I didn't feel like the odd one out – where I actually felt included. Where the staff didn't blink at a non-alcoholic order but actually knew how to build a complex zero proof cocktail. Where the vibe didn't revolve entirely around drinking, and where me and my sober friends could actually yap and make memories and have a great time. Every spot on this list earned its place because it is genuinely good, and not just good for a sober person.

Whether you're sober, sober-curious, taking a break, or just don't want your night to revolve around alcohol, these are all the places I would take you to show you a great time that you'll remember.

Best Bars for Zero-Proof: 

High Y'all - Nashville's first fully non-alcoholic cocktail bar, serving delicious hand-crafted mocktails along with the option of hemp-infused beverages for those wanting a little extra something without the alcohol. The owner Lainey is the heart and soul behind this bar and you will gain a new friend in her while you sip the best NA martini in town. 

The Fox - An East Nashville cocktail bar with a 1920s art deco inspired space, known for an elevated drink program and a snack menu featuring some snazzy upscale bar snacks (think,  miso deviled eggs and salt and vinegar fries). But let's be real: the best part is the 3 page dedicated non-alcoholic menu and phenomenal mocktails. 

Pearl Diver - A tiki lounge in East Nashville with island and Polynesian inspired cocktails, stellar NA menu, and a laid back patio with cabanas perfect for sinking into for a few hours. One of the best NA bartenders in town, Peyton Edmonson (also a sober baddie), has created a very thoughtful zero proof menu and can also whip you up anything on the spot. Tip her well!

Love's Alibi - A new vibey bar in the Gulch with an 80’s interior design, great bar eats and a bar manager - Jordan Spaulding - who has created some of the best zero proof menus IN TOWN. Ask for an NA spicy marg, you won’t regret it! 

Best Restaurants for Zero-Proof: 

Folk - A James Beard semifinalist in East Nashville serving vegetable-forward plates, sourdough pizzas, and large format dishes, in a warm brick lined space with trailing plants that feels like a true neighborhood gathering spot. The NA menu was also brought to you by Jordan Spaulding, so you know it’s good. 

Sushi San - Chicago's beloved sushi spot, now open in 12 South, serves the freshest fish and binchotan roasted meats. It also includes a walk up soft serve window where you can get the best ube dipped soft serve you’ll ever have. They just launched a full zero proof menu in June of 2026 – I had the pleasure of tasting a few.I can definitely say I’ll be back. 

Lockeland Table - A James Beard nominated community kitchen and bar in East Nashville with a cozy atmosphere and a menu of comfort food that makes it an easy spot for dinner with friends. Voted one of the best overall NA menus in town by the Killjoy Awards in 2026. 

M.L. Rose - A Nashville neighborhood pub known for award winning burgers and over 36 rotating taps of local and regional craft beer, and a huge non alc selection including functional beverages, dirty sodas, and non-alcoholic options on tap. I love ordering the white widow NA cider and the ANM.L.- STYLE turkey burger.

Best Zero-Proof Shops: 

Killjoy - Nashville's only booze-free beverage shop, where owner Stephanie Styll and the team guides you through a wide variety of alcohol-free options with the chance to taste before you buy. They have an East Nashville location and a Berry Hill location. They also regularly host events including NA tastings, book club meetings, wellness classes, and dance parties so check their eventbrite to see what’s going on. 

Sinkers - An East Nashville beverage shop offering one of the largest selections of liquor, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic products in the area. I'm always pleasantly surprised at the new NA items they are constantly bringing into the shop and If you ever want to request a product, they listen! 

Midtown Corkdorks - A wine, spirits, and beer shop in Midtown Nashville with a dedicated non-alcoholic section, making it another solid stop if you're stocking up on NA options or just want to browse.

Best Coffee & Daytime Hangs: 

Forevermore - A husband-and-wife-run coffee and curated shop in East Nashville built around the idea of slow living, sustainable goods, and creating a warm space for good coffee and meaningful connection. Catch a craft, book or other community event here a few times a month.

Paloma Vintage & Earl - A cherished East Nashville cafe known for thoughtfully crafted espresso and carefully curated pastries, tucked inside a vintage shop that makes it the kind of place built for lingering. Grab a seasonal matcha and then go vintage shopping, what more could you want? 

Lolu - A wellness sanctuary in East Nashville featuring a 40 person sauna, a 20 person cold plunge, relaxing lounge area, and coffee from Subliminal Coffee, making it a great spot to swap a drink for a sweat session and a cold plunge instead. They have incredible guided sessions that are a great entry point if you're curious about sauna and cold plunge but have no idea where to start.

Shelby Bottoms - A 960 acre greenway and park in East Nashville along the Cumberland River, with forest trails, open wildflower fields, wetlands, and over 5 miles of paved trail for walking, running, or biking. If you want to “touch grass” and stay in the city limits, this is Nashville's best kept secret. 

Best Events/Community: 

Still Social Nashville - A nonjudgmental community for sober and sober curious folks built around walks, parties, wellness events, and monthly book clubs designed to normalize having fun without alcohol and help people find sober friends. They're behind the Wellness Wednesday series at Killjoy and the popular Calm For The Cause wellness event in town.

Within Studio - A healing arts studio in Germantown's Taylor Arts Collective, offering an ever changing lineup of sound baths, breathwork, Kundalini yoga, meditation, and other wellness focused gatherings for men and women. It's a great spot to find community oriented, alcohol free events that double as a chance to slow down and reconnect with yourself.

Musicians Corner - A free outdoor concert series in Centennial Park running across spring and fall, featuring multi-genre live music, food vendors, local artisans, and family-friendly activities. Totally alcohol optional, easy to bring a blanket and enjoy the music without it revolving around drinking.

Best Iconic Nashville Spots: 

Broadway - If you have to go to Broadway (and, frankly, you should at least once), go to Robert’s Western World for the honky tonkin’, Redemption Bar at Chief's to support Ashley McBryde’s new non alc bar, or maybe Category 10 for some line dancing. 

The Ryman - Known as the Mother Church of Country Music, built in 1892 and home to the Grand Ole Opry from 1943 to 1974, where virtually every legend from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash to Patsy Cline once performed. A daytime self guided tour lets you walk the same stage and pews without any bar in sight, and catching a show here feels like a totally different experience than a typical Broadway night, more about the music and the history than the drinking. 

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Showcases country music's history, legends, and memorabilia through interactive exhibits and rare artifacts, including the Hall of Fame Rotunda honoring inductees like Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, and Garth Brooks. Easy to spend a couple hours here and get the full Nashville experience. 

Nashville Palace - This is a local’s paradise, known for their line dancing! They offer beginner friendly classes, offer a few zero proof menu options, plus it's a fun way to experience the honky tonk culture Nashville is known for. 

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I'm writing this guide right around my 2 year soberversary - a milestone of which I’m deeply proud, and one that has taught me more about myself, connection, vulnerability, and joy than I ever imagined. And what's made it possible isn't just willpower; it's finding places and people that don't make sobriety feel like a sacrifice and everything on this list reflects that.

If you're early in your journey, or just sober-curious and not sure where to start, I'd say this: it gets easier to navigate! The awkward moments don't disappear completely, but they get smaller, and you learn what to look for when going out and how to protect your peace.

Nashville may always be a whiskey town, but it's also a town with a huge non alcoholic presence. I have traveled to a lot of big cities and I am always blown away at the selection and awareness that Nashville has around non alc. I hope this guide makes that search a little easier for you and if you want to connect with me further, you can find me on all social platforms @highanddryblog!