Clarksville offers a scrumptious spread when it comes to its food scene. Home to Austin Peay State University, Fort Campbell, and a host of international industries, the Queen City features a blend of traditional Southern cooking and global cuisine. It’s full of pioneering gastropubs, trendy sushi spots, and classic barbecue joints. Here’s a sampling of seven restaurants where you can get a taste of Clarksville’s vibrant food culture.
Header photo: Louis Hansel
1. Tandoor Indian Bistro
The Tandoor Indian Bistro specializes in authentic Indian and Pakistani cuisine and features the bold flavors of the Indian subcontinent. House specialties include goat curry, tandoori chicken tikka, and lamb chops. The wide-ranging menu has an extensive selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes or you can order one of the small platters to explore a range of options. You can also choose your spice preference to suit your palate. The menu has an assortment of decadent desserts, such as gulab jamon and mango ice cream, that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
2. The Choppin’ Block
Doubling as a butcher and a deli, The Choppin’ Block serves up hearty plates of Southern-inspired comfort food while also offering a wide array of premium quality meat and seafood. The deli is open for breakfast and lunch and dishes up classics such as breakfast biscuits with sausage, roast beef sandwiches, and burgers, all at unbeatable prices. There’s even a daily Blue Plate Special, that features options like roast beef, fried chicken, and schnitzel with gravy.
Beyond the breakfast and lunch spread, the butcher shop specializes in beef, chicken, pork, and seafood, all cut or ground to order. They also offer an assortment of specialty items, like oven-ready pot roast, stuffed burgers, and sirloin pinwheels.
3. Kohana Sushi & Ramen
A mainstay in Clarksville since 2007, Kohana Sushi & Ramen offers a contemporary take on classic Japanese cuisine in a stylish space. The extensive menu includes a wide selection of sushi and sashimi that includes deep-fried rolls, super bowls, and crowd-pleasing samplers. The eatery’s ramen bowls feature garnishes like fish cakes and spicy pork. Beyond the sushi and ramen, you can get noodle and rice dishes, small plates of spring rolls, pan-fried gyoza, and pork belly buns.
4. Moss’s Southern Cooking
For rib-sticking Southern classics, Moss’s Southern Cooking is a go-to spot. The homey restaurant features a menu loaded with beloved Southern classics, like pork BBQ, hand-battered catfish, and homemade chess pie, along with a variety of steaks, salads, and sandwiches. The laidback eatery also offers daily specials.
5. Edward’s Steakhouse
Sometimes, nothing beats a steak. For diners with a carnivorous hankering, Edward’s Steakhouse is the place. Since 2009, the restaurant has specialized in hand-cut steaks and signature menu items like lamb chops, brisket, and pork chops with a Creole molasses glaze. The restaurant has a distinctive decor that showcases the property’s original brick walls in a nod to Clarksville’s rich history. You can also catch live piano music on Friday and Saturday nights accompanied by a full bar and extensive wine list.
6. Blackhorse Pub & Brewery
Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, Clarksville’s original microbrewery, first emerged as a beloved local watering hole in 1992. Today, it still has an appealing assortment of year-round, seasonal, and specialty brews, including innovative ales like the Vanilla Cream Ale and the barrel-aged Southern Imperial Stout. The pioneering pub also features a menu, which perfectly complements the rotating line-up of brews. You can order classics like steak, pasta, flatbread, or pizzas, or get more internationally-flavored entrees like the Baja shrimp tacos with pineapple salsa or the Norwegian grilled salmon served with lemon dill butter.
7. Gingham Café
The brainchild of world traveler and military spouse Neisha Wolfe, the Gingham Café specializes in home-style cooking with an international flair. The cozy café offers an assortment of soups, salads, sophisticated sandwiches, and quiches, along with internationally inspired entrees like spinach lasagna, spicy tortillas, and almond chicken with wild rice. It has a separate to-go menu perfect for picnics as well as an extensive catering menu loaded with specialty items like party platters, gourmet meal boxes, and custom gift baskets.
