Best Restaurants You Cannot Miss in Bristol

We have discussed at length that Bristol, TN/VA has some of the best food in the country. However, we wanted to highlight the top 5 places you must eat while you are in the Birthplace of Country Music!

Bloom, located at 606 State Street in Bristol, Tennessee. This woman-owned business prides itself on a strong, highly quality menu and a welcoming and enjoyable experience. Their menu takes a modern approach to some of the most classic dishes you have grown to love. With starters like a brunch board, deviled eggs, and a biscuit plate, you know the rest of the menu will be dynamic. Their plates can range from a quiche of the day to goat cheese and fried egg sandwiches and offers one of Bristol’s most unique breakfast options. While their menu often rotates, you will never have to worry about getting anything but a delicious meal and experience here! Brunch is served Wednesday-Sunday and dinner Thursday-Saturday. Check them out on their website, bloombristol.com

Blackbird Bakery: We smelled the delicious scents of Blackbird wafting down the streets of Bristol long before we laid eyes on the beautiful location! It is known as Bristol, Virginia’s old-fashioned bakery and boy is it ever! With two incredible locations in Bristol, the people there still cannot get enough. Their homemade donuts, divine pastries, and even mouth-melting baklava gives visitors the impression that they have stepped back into a simpler time and place. There is nothing more you can want than a great customer service and delicious bakery items at the Blackbird Bakery. Their drive-thru location is on Commonwealth Avenue and their permanent location is in Historic Downtown Bristol. Downtown is open Monday-Thursday, 7:00am-10:00pm and Friday and Saturday, 7:00am-midnight. The drive-through location is open Tuesday-Saturday, 7:00am-9:00pm.

The Burger Bar: One of the most famous eateries in Bristol has the history of being the last place Hank Williams was seen alive before his untimely death. After the events of that night, the Burger Bar fell into disarray and success was a far cry away. As luck would have it, Joe, and Kayla Deel, both professionally trained chefs, bought the Burger Bar in 2012, on the 60th anniversary of Williams’ death. The business had struggled in recent years, but the Deel’s knew there was still a chance to revive and return the diner to its glory from the early years of the business and they were able to do just that! The original chili recipe from the burgers that were served the night Hank Williams was in town is served as the Howlin’ at the Moon burger that is only complete with caramelized onions and cheese! The nod to Hank Williams is also very evident with burgers named, I Can’t Help It, I Can’t Get You Off My Mind, Hey Good Looking, and Your Cheatin’ Heart. But there are many other delicious hamburgers and sandwiches, including combos! Regardless of what you order, a side of parmesan fries is a must!! These fried potatoes with fresh parmesan sprinkled over them while they are piping hot, gives basic French fries totally different taste you simply cannot get enough of! Dori enjoyed the Hawaii 5-0 burger that came with bacon, BBQ sauce, grilled pineapple, and cheddar cheese, while Brandi had the gluten free option of the I Can’t Help It which is the bacon cheeseburger. Those grilled patties taste fresh and are some of the juiciest ones you will ever find at a diner. Make sure you save a little room for those handmade shakes. They are the perfect sweetness to finish off one of the best meals you will have in Bristol!

Bistro on 6th: Located in Downtown Bristol, Tennessee at 16 6th Street, Bistro on 6th has some of the most unique and interesting flavors of anywhere we ate. The nod to Appalachia is evident as they offer everything from pimento cheese stuffed fried green tomatoes to trout almondine. We had one of the most delicious steaks and salads while we were there but wished we had more time to explore more of the flavors. The owners definitely know what they are doing because their menu changes seasonally as new flavors come in with the season and the locally sourced ingredients.

The Angry Italian: Located on the other side of the street from the Burger Bar is our personal favorite Italian restaurant. Owner, Keith Yonker, was born and raised in the Chicago region and after moving to the Tr-Cities to be the Executive Chef for Eastman, But he wanted to introduce the Tri-Cities to real Chicago style pizza and some delicious Italian dishes and has done just that! From the delicious deep-dish pizza to delectable pastas, there is nowhere we would rather be when it comes to comfort Italian food.