Cookeville has date-night restaurants downtown and in the rest of the city. The out-of-town dinner drive named here is 80 miles. The list runs from special-occasion rooms to a second-date or Sunday-night dinner.
1. The Putnam Room
319 E Spring St, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-9pm, Sat 4pm-10pm Reservations: (931) 644-3722 or online
The Putnam Room is at 319 E Spring St. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 11am to 9pm, and Saturday 4pm to 10pm. Reservations are (931) 644-3722 or online. Taylor Douglas and Chef Thomas Hobson own and operate The Putnam Room. This page calls the kitchen the most ambitious cooking in the Upper Cumberland, on a consistent basis. The format is tapas and small plates. Sticky Shrimp has a sweet and savory glaze and is ordered across the dining room. Pan Seared Scallops are dried before they hit the pan, so the surface sears. Pork Belly, Brie Focaccia, and Tuna Poke rotate on the menu. A starting order is three or four small plates. The cocktail list is the one ranked first in Cookeville on this page. The bourbon list is long. The staff will name a pour when a guest names a usual drink. The chocolate raspberry martini is on the menu. Happy hour is 3pm to 5pm on weekdays. Saturday happy hour is 8pm to 10pm. The room is warm and the volume is low. The staff knows the menu. Reservations are recommended on weekends and are needed on Saturday evenings. Dinner is a long meal. Call ahead.
2. Mauricio's Italian Restaurant
232 N Peachtree Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501 Reservations required: (931) 528-2456
Mauricio's Italian Restaurant is at 232 N Peachtree Ave. Reservations are required. Mauricio's has served Italian food in Cookeville since 2002. The building is a 1910 house. This page describes it as 116 years old. It has hardwood floors, 12-foot ceilings, five dining rooms, and three working fireplaces. In winter, fireplace-room tables are the ones people book. Those rooms have a fire, old woodwork, and a candle on the table. The kitchen cooks to order. The menu includes seafood pasta, chicken, lamb chops, and pasta. The sauces use a short list of ingredients. The wine list has over 20 selections. More than half are Old World Italian wines. The staff will match a wine to the meal. Mauricio's is on the west side of historic downtown, near Cookeville Regional Medical Center.
3. Restaurant Seven / Savor Cookeville
35 W Broad St, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Tue-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm Phone: (931) 650-1735
Savor Cookeville is at 35 W Broad St, in the former Seven Senses Food & Cheer space. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday 11am to 9pm, and Friday and Saturday 11am to 10pm. The menu is Southern American, with Southwestern, Creole, and Asian dishes. The space has a patio. Reviewers in 2025 called the location, ambiance, food, and service "all top notch." Fried green tomatoes and bacon cheese grit puppies are the starters named here. This page lists The Putnam Room as the anniversary dinner and Savor as the third-date dinner. The dress code is flexible.
4. 37 Cedar Restaurant & Bar
37 N Cedar Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-9pm, Thu 11am-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am Phone: (931) 261-2000 (listed as 931-400-0137 in some sources)
37 Cedar is at 37 N Cedar Ave. Hours are Monday through Wednesday 11am to 9pm, Thursday 11am to 12am, and Friday and Saturday 11am to 2am. The phone is (931) 261-2000. Some sources list 931-400-0137. The menu is scratch-made American food. Grilled Ribeye Steak, Blackened Ahi Tuna, and Pork Belly are on the menu. Whiskey fondue is a shareable starter. The bar has a cocktail program. Live music is in the rotation. Outdoor seating is dog-friendly. 37 Cedar has 4.5 stars across 362-plus reviews.
5. Nick's Restaurant & Lounge
895 S. Jefferson Ave, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-9:30pm, Sat 4pm-9:30pm, Sun 10:30am-2:30pm Phone: (931) 528-1434
Nick's Restaurant & Lounge is at 895 S. Jefferson Ave. Hours are Tuesday through Friday 11am to 9:30pm, Saturday 4pm to 9:30pm, and Sunday 10:30am to 2:30pm. The room has dim lighting and booths. Prime rib and a loaded baked potato are the signature order. Filet mignon is the tenderloin option. Sunday brunch is on the schedule. The room is quiet enough for a conversation at a normal volume.
6. Crawdaddy's West Side Grill
53 W Broad St, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 10:30am-10pm Phone: (931) 526-4660
Crawdaddy's West Side Grill is at 53 W Broad St. Hours are Monday through Saturday 11am to 10pm, and Sunday 10:30am to 10pm. The menu is New Orleans-style and Cajun, with 68 dishes: Cajun appetizers, soups, seafood mains, and Sunday brunch. The menu is Gulf Coast-influenced. Crawdaddy's is louder and more casual than the other rooms on this list. Crawfish and a frozen drink are named orders in this section. Live music is on select nights. The patio is used in weather between summer heat and winter cold. Regulars come for brunch or live music.
7. Irrationale Kitchen + Taps
1227 N Washington Ave, Suite 100, Cookeville, TN 38501 Hours: Tue-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 10:30am-3pm
Irrationale Kitchen + Taps is at 1227 N Washington Ave, Suite 100. Hours are Tuesday through Thursday 11am to 9pm, Friday and Saturday 11am to 10pm, and Sunday 10:30am to 3pm. Irrationale calls itself "Southern Fare with Foodie Flair." The IrrationAle Cheeseburger is a hand-pressed 8oz beef patty with cheddar, barbecue sauce, bacon, and breaded onion crisps on brioche. The menu also has salmon, pork chop, and sweet potato fries. The craft beer taps rotate. Sunday brunch runs until 3pm. Irrationale has a 4.5-star rating. The kitchen is consistent across visits. Irrationale is the lower-priced casual dinner next to The Putnam Room on this list. Tuesday is the quiet night named here.
The Putnam Room and Mauricio's are the special-occasion restaurants on this list. Savor and 37 Cedar are the Saturday restaurants. Crawdaddy's and Irrationale are the louder restaurants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should I take my girlfriend in Cookeville TN? The Putnam Room on East Spring Street is the first date pick on this list. The format is tapas, with a cocktail program. Mauricio's Italian Restaurant on Peachtree Avenue requires reservations, has fireplace rooms in winter, and has an Italian menu with Old World wines.
Best romantic restaurants in Cookeville Tennessee Mauricio's Italian Restaurant is the romantic pick on this list: a 1910 house, working fireplaces, and Italian cooking. The Putnam Room is the next pick, with the cocktail program ranked first in the city on this page and a tapas format. Nick's Restaurant and Lounge on South Jefferson Avenue has dim lighting, booths, and prime rib.
Nice dinner spots Cookeville TN The dinner spots named here are The Putnam Room (319 E Spring St), Mauricio's Italian Restaurant (232 N Peachtree Ave), and Nick's Restaurant and Lounge (895 S Jefferson Ave). 37 Cedar on North Cedar Avenue and Savor Cookeville on West Broad Street are the more casual rooms.
Where to eat on a date in Cookeville? The Putnam Room is the first-date and anniversary pick. The format is small plates, with a cocktail list. Mauricio's is Italian food in a historic house and requires a reservation. 37 Cedar on North Cedar Avenue is open until midnight on Thursdays and until 2am on Friday and Saturday.