Germantown is the oldest surviving neighbourhood in Nashville, settled in the 1850s by German and German-American immigrants whose brick row houses, beer halls, and Lutheran churches still define the streetscape. Twenty years ago it was largely industrial; today it is one of the most desirable residential areas in the city and home to some of the best restaurants.
The neighbourhood centres on the Bicentennial Capitol Mall and the Nashville Farmers' Market — open daily, with the indoor market hall featuring food stalls from Indian to Jamaican to Tennessee barbecue. Rolf and Daughters, City House, Henrietta Red, and Butchertown Hall are the four restaurants most often cited as the city's best. The neighbourhood is walkable, leafy, and a useful breather from the noise of downtown.