Arguably Nashville’s best-known and -respected Thai restaurant, the Smiling Elephant is a treasure not to be missed. This homey little joint welcomes guests with a wide range of dishes made with fresh local ingredients: try the delectably authentic pad thai, and sip on one of the numerous specialty drinks (the Thai tea with milk will blow your mind).
Other specialties include pad kee mao (green bean noodles, kaffir lime leaves, veggies, and your choice of meat), pad kra pao (spicy pork, holy basil, garlic, chili peppers and jasmine rice) and the daily curry special. You can find the curry schedule on the website. Be sure to top it all off with a hot coconut custard – so good, it will transport you straight to the tropics.