Tennessee's 'Cedar City' Has A Vibrant Main Street Full Of Shops, Restaurants, And Unique Architecture

Travelers in Tennessee looking for an underrated city with a vibrant main street, restaurants, and unique architecture should look no further than Lebanon, a charming Southern town that is also known as "Cedar City" because of the cedar trees in the area. 

Lebanon has a bustling downtown area that offers monthly events and open houses, and people nearby seem to love its collection of stores and dining options. In fact, the downtown area was voted Best Shopping Center in 2024 by the Main Street Awards, an organization that highlights the best of Middle Tennessee. For furniture shopping on Main Street, visitors should be sure to stop by Essential Modern Vintage, which has a mixture of different styles, including mid-century, vintage, and modern pieces. There are also stores on Main Street for those looking for gift items and unique pieces. Memory Lane, for example, is a collectibles store with memorabilia going all the way back to the 1960s. For travelers who want to explore more antique shopping in Tennessee, Clinton, an under-the-radar town with historic charm, has many antique stores to peruse. 

Lebanon is only about a 40-minute drive from Nashville or a 90-minute trip by public transit. Visitors who want to stay for the night have a variety of accommodation options, from the more budget-friendly Days Inn by Wyndham Lebanon to the more pricey Farfield Inn and Suites. 

Lebanon's Main Street also has a variety of restaurants that visitors should be sure to check out. To start the day, stop by Pop's Coffee Shop for coffee and breakfast options from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day except Sunday. For upscale fare, visit Lebanon Public House, a tapas and cocktail bar with a 4.9-star rating on Google. The town also offers seafood options at Olivia Cocktail and Oyster Bar, a family-owned business that not only serves oysters but also larger plates like beef tartare and ahi tuna poke.

Those looking for a sweet treat have more than a few options to choose from. On Main Street, there's Adelita's Ice Cream Shop, which serves flavors like bubblegum, mint chip, and guava, and has 4.9 stars on Google. Additionally, off Public Square, there's Main Street Mercantile and Creamery, a must-visit destination that offers ice cream as well as local boutique products. Travelers interested in exploring even more of the food scene in Tennessee should stop by Prince's, the Nashville restaurant that sparked the hot chicken craze.

Walking around Lebanon, visitors will notice its unique and historic buildings. The Historic Arcade, for example, dates back to the early 1900s and was renovated in 2016 (though the building still has many of its early architectural details). The building has a limestone arch and still has its original wood ceiling beams, and it now hosts a variety of different events where people can enjoy this historic space. 

Another unique building is the Capitol Theatre. The venue opened in 1949 as a movie theater, and through later renovations it still kept its classic art deco style. The Capitol Theatre hosts private events as well as movies and concerts, and the space, along with its iconic marquee, has been featured in music videos for popular artists like Kip Moore and Dylan Scott. 

For those who want an even more immersive historical experience, there is the Fite-Fessenden House Museum, a 19th-century home filled with period furnishings that also hosts events. The home is part of the National Historic Register, and grant money from a Tennessee Historical Commission Grant helped fund the restoration of the exterior of the building. Visitors who want to see more unique architecture in Tennessee can also check out Wartrace, a town with handmade guitars and architectural gems.