Murfreesboro restaurants are inspected by the Tennessee Department of Health. Look up any report online; Rutherford County Health Department: 615-898-7880.

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from the Tennessee Department of Health’s Environmental Health program, its inspection reports site and Rutherford County’s Health Department page.

Every restaurant, food truck and festival food stand in Murfreesboro is inspected by the Tennessee Department of Health. The state names five “contract counties” that run their own food inspections: Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Madison and Shelby. Rutherford County is not one of them, so Murfreesboro’s reports sit in the state’s statewide online system, and the environmental health specialists work out of the local health department. Local office: the Rutherford County Health Department, 100 W. Burton St., 615-898-7880, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Who to call

  • Rutherford County Health Department: 615-898-7880, 100 W. Burton St., Murfreesboro
  • Smyrna office: 615-355-6175, 108 David Collins Drive
  • Look up an inspection: TDH inspection reports
  • Report a foodborne illness: state online report
  • Emergencies: 911

How to look up a score

  1. Open the state’s inspection reports site.
  2. Search by the restaurant’s name, or type “Murfreesboro” to list establishments in the city.
  3. Open an inspection to see the date, the score and each item the inspector cited.

What the state inspects

The Department of Health’s Environmental Health program permits, inspects and enforces state law for:

  • Food service establishments: restaurants, food trucks and temporary stands at events
  • Hotels and bed-and-breakfasts
  • Public swimming pools
  • Tattoo and body piercing studios
  • Child care facilities, which are inspected twice a year for sanitation and safety

Grocery and convenience stores are different: retail food stores, including food service inside them, are regulated by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

Festivals and food trucks

Food sold at fairs and festivals is regulated too. Event organizers and temporary vendors file through the state’s temporary food establishment organizer survey before the event. With festivals like Harvest Days and the Barfield Bash bringing food trucks to city parks this month, those vendors fall under the same rules.

How to read an inspection

  • A score is a snapshot. It records what one inspector saw on one visit. Conditions can be better or worse on another day.
  • Read the items, not just the number. Each report lists the specific violations cited.
  • Look for follow-ups. When a report shows serious problems, check for a later inspection.
  • Nashville is separate. Davidson County keeps its own records, which may not appear in the statewide system.

Reporting a problem

  • You think something you ate made you sick: file the state’s foodborne illness report. It goes to the local health department, whose staff may follow up with you; an environmental health specialist decides what to do and, if warranted, visits the business.
  • A complaint that does not involve illness: use the state’s complaint survey.
  • A grocery or convenience store: contact the Department of Agriculture.

Opening a food business

Food service, food truck and temporary event permits start with the state’s Environmental Health program and your local environmental health specialist at the county health department. A business inside the city also needs a city business license, zoning approval and a building permit for any construction; see our building permits and zoning guide and new businesses roundup.

Why there is no ranking here

This page does not rank restaurants or list “best” and “worst” scores. Inspection results are legal records of a single visit, and a list stripped of dates, follow-up visits and the specific items cited can mislead. When we report a result, we link the state’s own report, give the date of the inspection and note when a follow-up showed problems were corrected.

More guides: farmers markets, who to call at City Hall and moving to Murfreesboro.

Frequently asked questions

Who inspects restaurants in Murfreesboro, Tennessee?

The Tennessee Department of Health’s Environmental Health program, through its specialists at the Rutherford County Health Department. Rutherford is not one of the five counties that run their own food inspections.

How do I look up a restaurant inspection score in Murfreesboro?

Search the Tennessee Department of Health’s inspection reports site, inspections.myhealthdepartment.com/tennessee, by the restaurant’s name or by Murfreesboro.

How do I report food poisoning from a Murfreesboro restaurant?

File the Tennessee Department of Health’s online foodborne illness report, or call the Rutherford County Health Department at 615-898-7880. In an emergency, call 911.

Who inspects grocery stores in Tennessee?

Retail food stores, including food counters inside grocery and convenience stores, fall under the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, not the Department of Health.