We’ve created this ever-growing guide to restaurants, bakeries, cafes, ice cream shops, and stores in Tennessee that are friendly to dairy-free diners. It’s a collection based on research and reader recommendations (send yours!) that’s divided into restaurants & shops by city (first) and major chains found throughout the state (second). And we’ve started a section for specialty dairy-free foods produced in this state.
We Update Continuously! You can ignore the original date on this post going forward. We update the information below whenever we’re alerted to a new recommendation, change, or closure.
Photo from The BE-Hive Deli & Market
Dairy-Free Tennessee: Recommended Restaurants & Shops
We’ve listed these recommendations alphabetically by city and then by the restaurant or shop name. For large chains with locations throughout the state, see the Major Restaurant & Grocery Chains section below. We have dedicated posts with dairy-free details for many of the big guys.
⭐️ = Restaurant is either dairy-free, has a dairy-free menu, has dairy-free labels on their menu(s), or lists top allergens with menu items. (At the time of our last review.)
Brentwood
Chattanooga
- Cashew ⭐️ – Thanks to Morgan for recommending this casual vegan cafe and bakery! They offer a satisfying menu of burgers, salads, and other entrees. They also make an assortment of goodies, from donuts to truffles, and bake custom order cakes and cupcakes.
- Downtown Dough – This shop offers vegan snickerdoodle cookie dough and a few vegan gluten-free doughs. They also offer some dairy-free sorbets and Italian ice.
- Home Slice – Enjoy anything on their extensive vegan menu at this local pizzeria. It includes mozzarella sticks, a big rang of specialty pizzas and toppings, and even fried Oreos for dessert! They can also make just about any pizza on their menu dairy-free, or you can build your own with their dairy-free cheese.
- Mojo Burrito – This local chain has two locations, and is proud to serve farm fresh Mexican food with vegan options. Reader Miriam recommended them. “They are set up similar to other build your own burrito joints, but they do a great job with dairy allergies. Last time I went, I told them about the allergy and they wiped down the whole counter, and pulled my toppings from bins that hadn’t been used yet, so there wouldn’t be any cross contamination.” They also have a dairy-free cashew cheese right on the menu for their burritos and nachos.
- NoBaked Cookie Dough ⭐️ – This “scoop shop” offers two dairy-free flavors (birthday cake and brownie batter), and one that is dairy-free and vegan (cookies and cream).
Clarksville
- Golly G’s – They typically offer a rotating sorbet flavor and a rotating creamy dairy-free flavor, like Chocolate Oreo or Almond Joy. They also have fruit smoothies available along with soy, coconut, almond, and oat milks for coffee drinks.
Collierville
Columbia
- Hattie Jane’s Creamery – They have a dairy-free, gluten-free toasted coconut ice cream made with, you guessed it, a coconut milk based. They usually have at least one dairy-free seasonal flavor too.
Franklin
- Brixx Wood Fired Pizza – This southeastern chain offers dairy-free cheese alternative at no extra charge! In fact, their classic pizza crust and sauce are vegan, and they can make any veggie pizza vegan. They also have a fantastic allergen list. It tells you the specific items with dairy AND the items that contain dairy even when you hold the cheese.
- Five Daughter’s Bakery – They offer a line of paleo donuts, which are free of dairy, gluten, grains, and refined sugars. And they have a separate line of vegan yeast-raised donuts made without dairy and eggs.
- Hattie Jane’s Creamery – They have a dairy-free, gluten-free toasted coconut ice cream made with, you guessed it, a coconut milk based. They usually have at least one dairy-free seasonal flavor too.
- Herban Market ⭐️ – This is a hybrid organic grocery store and cafe with a big coffee house and food menu. They offer hemp, almond, macadamia, and oat milks for coffee drinks and smoothies, and they label food menu items with icons for dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and vegan. Dairy-free options include tacos and a smattering of options throughout the breakfast, burgers, and other entrees and sides.
- Honest Coffee – The actual coffee roasting happens at this flagship location. They offer house-made almond-coconut milk and oat milk for your dairy-free coffee, and usually have some vegan baked goods available.
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream – See our Jeni’s Dairy-Free Guide for full details.
Gatlinburg
- Alamo Steakhouse – A member of the Deliciously Dairy Free Group shared her fantastic experience at this local restaurant. When alerted to her allergy, the manager came out with an allergy menu and discussed all of her options. Her complete meal was prepared with good allergen protocols. They serve full lunch and dinner menus with various meats, seafood, and salads.
- Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que – They are helpful with food allergy needs, and can offer a wide range of dairy-free options, particularly among their BBQ plates, sides, and sandwiches. They reportedly do not use any nuts or peanuts in their menu.
Goodlettsville
- Healthy Body Bakery ⭐️ – They use ancient whole grains, pure olive oil, cage free egg, unrefined sugars, and other wholesome ingredients at this sweet bakery. They have many dairy-free options, including muffins and a few other treats. They also take custom cake orders. Vegan and gluten-free options are also available.
Greenbrier
- Golly G’s – They typically offer a rotating sorbet flavor and a rotating creamy dairy-free flavor, like Chocolate Oreo or Almond Joy. They also have fruit smoothies available along with soy, coconut, almond, and oat milks for coffee drinks.
Green Hills
- Brixx Wood Fired Pizza – This southeastern chain offers dairy-free cheese alternative at no extra charge! In fact, their classic pizza crust and sauce are vegan, and they can make any veggie pizza vegan. They also have a fantastic allergen list. It tells you the specific items with dairy AND the items that contain dairy even when you hold the cheese.
Hendersonville
- Brixx Wood Fired Pizza – This southeastern chain offers dairy-free cheese alternative at no extra charge! In fact, their classic pizza crust and sauce are vegan, and they can make any veggie pizza vegan. They also have a fantastic allergen list. It tells you the specific items with dairy AND the items that contain dairy even when you hold the cheese.
Knoxville
- Benefit Your Life Bakery & Cafe – This is a dedicated gluten-free restaurant and market. They freshly bake many of their own goodies, but also sell an array of special diet foods. They have daily pastry options that are dairy-free, vegan, and paleo-friendly, including cookies, scones, and more. You can also order a dairy-free sandwich for breakfast or lunch.
- Cruze Farm – Yes, it’s a dairy. But they do serve a couple rotating flavors of fruity, dairy-free Dole Whip at each location.
- The Chop House – Alice emailed to share her great experience with this Tennessee chain. “The waiter went to great lengths to verify that our table bread was non dairy. They had many menu options which could be prepared non-dairy without cheese, and were happy to prepare me a steak without butter even though they usually use a herb butter. They even recreated the seasoning without using the butter, so that I still had a seasoned steak. I also had a delectable sweet potato which was cooked well enough that it did not call out for a topping, although they offered me brown sugar, plain cinnamon, and a couple other options.”
Memphis
- Bedrock Eats and Sweets – This is a gluten-free market and cafe with several dairy-free options (paleo and vegan options, too). They also have a full dairy-free smoothie menu.
- City Silo Table + Pantry – They use clean ingredients on their craft menu of all-day breakfast, small plates, sandwiches, salads, burgers, and bowls. Many items are dairy-free, or can be made dairy-free on request (dairy-free cheese is available). They also blend dairy-free acai bowls.
- Darling Donuts ⭐️ – This is an all-vegan donut bakery that takes customer orders and sells through local restaurants and shops.
- Guilt Free Pastries ⭐️ – This gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free bakery doesn’t have a storefront, but they deliver locally, and ship beyond that. They’re famous for avocado brownies, but also offer cinnamon rolls, truffles, and other sweet treats. Vegan and keto options available.
- Imagine Vegan Cafe ⭐️ – Their menu focuses on vegan faux versions of classic meaty and cheesy favorites. This includes southern classics, like Chicken & Waffles and Biscuits & Gravy.
- Julles Posh Food Co. – This is a restaurant, but they have transitioned mostly to meals to go that are packaged to eat immediately or to reheat later. Their food is on the healthy side, and dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options are labeled.
- Ricki’s Cookie Corner & Bakery ⭐️ – This is a certified kosher parve bakery, so no dairy is used on the premises. They are the home of famous “chipstick” cookies, and also bake an array of cakes, challah, brownies, and more.
- Tamboli’s Pasta & Pizza – In addition to some fresh starters, they offer a vegan cheese pizza that you can load up with dairy-free toppings. Their pastas are heavy on dairy, but you can buy their fresh, house-made pasta and sauces to use at home.
Murfreesboro
- Hattie Jane’s Creamery – They have a dairy-free, gluten-free toasted coconut ice cream made with, you guessed it, a coconut milk based. They usually have at least one dairy-free seasonal flavor too.
- Juicy’s Wellness Cafe ⭐️ – Angela recommended this quirky little plant-based restaurant in the comments below. Of course the offer juices and smoothies, but they also offer a fully menu of vegan wraps, sandwiches, soups, and salads. And they have rotating specials like dairy-free grilled cheese, meatless meatloaf, and vegan nachos.
Nashville
- Ate’s Filipino Kitchen – Most of their menu is dairy-free, and they also offer many dairy-free options. Popular dishes include adobo, lumpia, and bulgogi. They don’t have a storefront – meals are by order and pick up.
- Avo – This plant-based restaurant serves a mix of raw and cooked vegan cuisine. They serve dinner, weekend brunch, and have a food and drink happy hour. This is a certified kosher pareve establishment.
- Bartaco – Their allergen menu is so detailed, that it states exactly what in the item contains the allergen. And their dairy-free options are abundant. Most of their tacos, rice bowls, other entrees, and sides are, or can be ordered, dairy-free. But the dessert and kids menus are heavy in dairy.
- Cava – This build-your-own bowl chain offers an allergen chart that’s quite promising for dairy-free guests. All of their proteins, bowl bases, and toppings (aside from cheese) are dairy-free, and they have many dressings and sauces to choose from.
- Dinner Belle – This is a local meal delivery service with dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan options.
- E+Rose Wellness Company ⭐️ – They offer made-to-order superfood bowls, smoothies, toasts, and coffee drinks at this dairy-free, plant-based cafe. They also have many grab-and-go items available, like wraps, bowls, juices, nut milks, and snacks.
- Five Daughter’s Bakery – They offer a line of paleo donuts, which are free of dairy, gluten, grains, and refined sugars. And they have a separate line of vegan yeast-raised donuts made without dairy and eggs.
- Franklin Juice Company – This dairy-free juice and smoothie shop makes their own hemp milk and cashew milk, and they offer a healthy selection of acai bowls.
- Graze Nashville ⭐️ – This plant-based bistro and bar is located in East Nashville and serves a mix of Southern- and Mexican-inspired dishes. Their dinners are heavy in dairy-free melts, quesadillas, and vegan chorizo entrees, while their daily brunch is all about biscuits, pancakes, and breakfast burritos and tostadas.
- HiFi Clyde’s Nashville – This lively sports bar is abuzz with activity and pub-style food. They have a separate plant-based menu with appetizers, sandwiches, salad, chili, and sides. Several additional items (like burgers) can be made dairy-free on request. They have vegan “cheese” and “cheese whiz.”
- Honest Coffee – Their roastery is at their Franklin outpost, but this coffee bar in the L&L market has its own charms. They pour house-made almond-coconut milk and oat milk for dairy-free coffee drinks, and have daily vegan pastries (often from Vegan Vee Gluten-Free Bakery), dairy-free acai bowls, and some vegan lunch items on their menu.
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream – See our Jeni’s Dairy-Free Guide for full details.
- Kokos Ice Cream ⭐️ – Sam Brooker, the founder of Kokos, is working on this mission to create plant-based scoop shops and “pint shops.” He churns “insanely creamy” frozen dessert that’s made with coconut milk, and is free of dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts. Most flavors are gluten-free too. They serve classic flavors, like Vanilla and Mint Chip, but often mix things up with unique rotating flavors, like Moondust (activated charcoal), Caramel Latte, and Watermelon Taffy.
- Legendairy Milkshake Bar – This crazy, over-the-top milkshake bar has a dairy-free option right on the menu, complete with ice cream, whip, sauce, and crazy toppings. They can also build you a custom dairy-free or vegan shake.
- Milk & Honey – This is a craft coffeehouse, juice bar, cocktail bar, and cafe. They do use a fair bit of dairy, but have many options for dairy-free and vegan guests on their food and drink menus. They label the dairy-free coffee drinks, and offer soy, almond, coconut, and oat milk. Vegan salads, dairy-free sandwiches, and a few breakfast items are also on-limits.
- NoBaked Cookie Dough ⭐️ – This “scoop shop” offers two dairy-free flavors (birthday cake and brownie batter), and one that is dairy-free and vegan (cookies and cream).
- Sunflower Bakehouse ⭐️ – Thank you to Leslie for recommending this vegan and gluten-free bake shop to us via Facebook. “I’ve had sandwiches and desserts and always taste great!” They serve casual comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and bake stunning cupcakes, scones, cookies, and more.
- Sunflower Cafe – This is the sister restaurant of Sunflower Bakehouse, serving up a broader menu of Southern comfort food. Unlike the bakehouse, the cafe has both wheat and gluten-free options. The dishes are all still dairy-free and vegan, but they offer dairy cheese as an option.
- Ted’s Montana Grill – Founded by media mogul and rancher Ted Turner, this American chain serves a meat-heavy menu with lots of dairy-free options. See our Dairy-Free Guide for Ted’s Montana Grill for more details.
- The BE-Hive Deli & Market ⭐️ – The “meats” and “cheeses” are house-made at this vegan “butcher” and deli. They serve vegan sandwiches, wraps, salads, cookies, and sell their products to go.
- The Wild Cow ⭐️ – Burgers, salads, tacos, and other Tex-Mex dishes are on the menu at this vegan restaurant. They use Herbivorous Butcher cheese and meat alternatives, and offer many gluten-free and oil-free menu items.
- The Wild Muffin – Of course this dedicated gluten-free and peanut-free bakery makes lots of muffins, but they also bake cookies, brownies, breads, and custom order cakes. They have many vegan options served daily, and even their dairy-free, egg-free muffins are jumbo-sized.
- Vegan Vee Gluten-Free Bakery ⭐️ – As the name implies, this is a dedicated vegan and gluten-free bakery, but they are peanut-free, too. During difficult times, they’ve had to do shipping and wholesale only. Hopefully their storefront will reopen, but you can still get many of their muffins, mini cakes, and other baked goods at local restaurants and grocery stores, like The Produce Place and Hendersonville Produce.
Nolensville
Nunnelly
- Pinewood Kitchen & Mercantile ⭐️ – This farm-to-table restaurant labels vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options. The options include indulgences like fried chicken, cinnamon rolls, and cake.
Pigeon Forge
- Alamo Steakhouse – A member of the Deliciously Dairy Free Group shared her fantastic experience at this local restaurant. When alerted to her allergy, the manager came out with an allergy menu and discussed all of her options. Her complete meal was prepared with good allergen protocols. They serve full lunch and dinner menus with various meats, seafood, and salads.
- Bennett’s Pit Bar-B-Que – They are helpful with food allergy needs, and can offer a wide range of dairy-free options, particularly among their BBQ plates, sides, and sandwiches.
- Buzzed Bull Creamery – This create-your-own ice cream chain uses nitrogen to instantly freeze your chosen flavor. You can order it unbuzzed or buzzed (with alcohol), for those over 21. They have a dairy-free sorbet base, and this location also has a dairy-free almond milk base. They also have guides to the dairy-free and vegan mix-ins on request, and can blend a custom milkshake just for you.
- Frizzle Chicken Farmhouse Cafe – This family-friendly restaurant entertains with over 100 animatronic singing chickens. They’re also reportedly kind with food allergies, and can provide many dairy-free options, as well as meeting gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, and egg-free needs. They can even make gluten free, dairy-free pancakes and biscuits.
- Front Porch Cafe – The chefs at this Dollywood restaurant are well-trained in serving food allergy guests. They offer Southern fare and pizza.
- Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud ⭐️ – They actually have preset special diet dinner meals, including ones specifically for dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan guests.
- Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show – This lively dinner theater at Dollywood serves Southern cuisine in a rustic barn with family-friendly entertainment. The feasts they offer cover vegan and gluten-free needs, and they can accommodate dairy-free on request.
- Rita’s Italian Ice – See our Rita’s Dairy-Free Menu Guide for full details.
Pleasantville
- Golly G’s – They typically offer a rotating sorbet flavor and a rotating creamy dairy-free flavor, like Chocolate Oreo or Almond Joy. They also have fruit smoothies available along with soy, coconut, almond, and oat milks for coffee drinks.
Sevierville
- Buzzed Bull Creamery – This create-your-own ice cream chain uses nitrogen to instantly freeze your chosen flavor. You can order it unbuzzed or buzzed (with alcohol), for those over 21. They have a dairy-free sorbet base, and this location also has a dairy-free almond milk base. They also have guides to the dairy-free and vegan mix-ins on request, and can blend a custom milkshake just for you.
- Cruze Farm – Yes, it’s a dairy. But they do serve a couple rotating flavors of fruity, dairy-free Dole Whip at each location.
Photo from Herban Market
Restaurant & Grocery Chains found throughout Tennessee
Some recommended restaurant and store chains are getting too big for our city listing britches. They have many locations, or are rapidly growing, and you might stumble across them in a number of towns in this state. Click on them for more dairy-free details.
Photo from Mojo Burrito
Local Dairy-Free Food & Drink Producers in Tennessee
These dairy-free friendly companies don’t have their own retail location, but are in Tennessee. So you have a good chance of finding their products at grocery stores, restaurants, and/or other shops in this state. Keep an eye out!
- The Kind Cake – These gluten-free, vegan, top allergen-free cupcakes are sold individually packaged in select Whole Foods and Kroger stores in Tennessee.
Photo from NoBaked Cookie Dough
This Guide is Continuously Updated with Recommendations
We welcome you to recommend other dairy-free friendly restaurants. Leave a comment or contact us and tell us why you like a certain restaurant. Restaurant owners and employees are also invited to reach out and let us know how you welcome dairy-free customers.
Please kindly let us know in the comments if any of these restaurants close. We want to keep this list current for you, but aren’t always notified when a restaurant closes. Let us know and we will quickly update!
This Guide is for Informational Purposes Only
Menus, ingredients, kitchen procedures, management, and restaurants are subject to change at any time. Always read the menu and discuss your dietary needs with the staff before ordering. Make sure that they can accommodate your situation.
There is always a risk for potential cross-contamination of allergens in any commercial kitchen. If cross-contamination is an issue for you, always speak with the manager to ensure that your meal can be safely prepared. Listings here do not guarantee that a restaurant is safe enough for your individual needs. Only you can make that decision.
For More Dairy-Free Guidance, Get Go Dairy Free!
