Not every bit of 2021 has been the best — the Delta variant has kept this damned infernal pandemic alive a lot longer than any of us anticipated, or at least longer than we hoped. But there has also been a great deal of rebirth and rejuvenation this year. Restaurants and venues and other beloved longtime institutions have reopened and expanded, and new establishments have joined the fold. As we’ve returned to work — and returned to dining out, to the movies, to concerts — it’s felt a bit like a homecoming, hasn’t it? And so that’s how we’re approaching this, the Scene’s 33rd annual Best of Nashville issue. We’re celebrating Nashville’s artists, businesses, restaurants and more with our writers’ choices. We’re also sharing the results of our yearly readers’ poll. Read on to find out who you, our fellow Nashvillians, voted the city’s Best Restaurant, Best Brewery and Best Cheap Date. And dig in to find out who our writers selected as Nashville’s Best Chef, Best Metal Band, Best Farmers Market and beyond. Strike up the fanfare, and read on for this year’s Best of Nashville.

Lucie Rice is a freelance illustrator and designer whose whimsical imagery can be seen in magazines, books, murals and ad campaigns. Her work can be seen all over Nashville, most notably at the Grand Ole Opry and the Tennessee State Museum. See more of her work at lucierice.com