Nashville food and beverage scene

[titanhog]

21 hours ago, Binbin98 said:

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.ajc.com/lifestyles/robert-deniro-visits-atlanta-for-nobu-groundbreaking-phipps-plaza/FamiRgA0VxWdkQ7W2yGvPK/amp.html

In this article about a new Nobu restaurant opening in Atlanta, it mentions Nashville as a desired location for a Nobu restaurant in the future in an interview with DeNiro himself. If this actually comes to fruition Nashville will be in another league in terms of dining options lmao.

Geez in the past couple of weeks it seems like Nashville has really stepped up its luxury game XD. Four Seasons, W, Waldorf Astoria/Conrad, potential Nobu... what’s next caviar dispenseries lol.

Good news!

Edited March 21, 2019 by titanhog

[markhollin]

Noted Atlanta chef and entrepreneur Ford Fry is planning 4 new restaurants in Nashville.

-Superica, an Austin-style Tex-Mex eatery, which is slated to open this summer at 601 Overton St. in the Gulch. The 5,800-square-foot restaurant will feature a 1,200-square-foot patio (prime for margarita drinking) with an outdoor area for games.

- The Opimist, will serve high-quality, sustainable seafood with an oyster bar. The restaurant is one of three concepts Fry plans to open this fall at 1400 Adams St. in the historic former Hammer Mill warehouse in Germantown.The Optimist will have a main dining room, a bar area, two patios and private dining.

- LeLoup  will be upstairs from The Optimist, Le Loup (which translates to The Wolf) will be a vintage-inspired craft cocktail bar with a lounge vibe. It will serve ice-cold and roasted oysters and other small bites.

- Star Rover Sound  will be on the first floor behind The Optimist, Star Rover Sound is Fry’s take on a honky-tonk, but with high-quality food and cocktails. It will feature a taqueria-style snack bar with Mexican street food tacos, salsas, guacamole, queso, tostadas and fresh ceviche. Fry said there will be live music most nights of the week and the space will be designed to feel like a 1970s recording studio.

More at The Tennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2019/06/05/ford-fry-nashville-restaurants-superica-the-optimist-le-loup-star-rover-sound-honky-tonk-gulch/1270103001/

[e-dub]

Lazzaroli to close up shop later this month:

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/54920515871/photos/a.10151657914550872/10156383202920872/?type=3&theater

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by e-dub

[smeagolsfree]

I was talking to Tom the other day and he said that if you dont own your building, its just too expensive to try and stay in business here. Something has to give as we are losing a lot of our old mainstays and many of the new places are either not very good or exspensive or both.

Growth comes at a cost and in many cases a huge cost. We are not like a NYC or Chicago where they can go to a cheaper part of town, because we dont have a cheaper part of town as growth is happening everywhere at the same time including the burbs.

[GreenHillsBoy]

I went to the STK restaurant in the ICON, took Prima's place, and had the $10 burger for lunch.  It is a great burger and the room is beautiful, but understand it becomes more of a bar with a DJ at night.  Also, a new favorite of mine is in the Gulch, The Chef and I, great food and service and they offer a five and seven course tasting menu.  You sit at high tops at the chef's bar seeing them cook or they have long narrow tables to be able to sit with your guests/family.  Must have reservations and it is worth it. 

[BnaBreaker]

The restaurant industry is a volatile one anywhere in the world.  It's just the nature of it.  One year you're the hottest thing and the next year you're just another *fill in the blank* spot.  Nashville's restaurant scene though seems to be particularly up and down, and I think this may be partially because it's a bit overbuilt.  Due to it's supposed "it city" status we have big shots from New York and LA opening restaurants here as if we're the next Miami Beach, when in reality, the  clientele here generally, while open to new things and knowledgable of good food, is generally more laid back and relaxed than the VIP/black tie reputation that might come with 'it city' status elsewhere.  It also seems to me, from an outsiders perspective, that A LOT of the new restaurants opening are more or less the same.  It's not like you have a Ethiopian and Vietnamese and Brazilian and Trinidadian and Bosnian etc. etc. etc. places opening... it's mostly wannabe hip slightly overpriced 'gastropub/steakhouse' places with some sort of 'boutique' cocktail program... or at least that's what it seems to me, again, very much from an outsiders perspective so somebody tell me if I'm wrong.  I think in a few years it'll start to kind of balance out.

[markhollin]

^ ^ ^ There are actually quite a few newer ethnic restaurants opening around town.  For instance, there are now at least THREE Ethiopian eateries.  I have a group that gets together once a month called N.E.D.S. (Nashville Ethnic Dining Society), and there is no shortage of new international choices from dozens of different nations. 

[BnaBreaker]

6 hours ago, markhollin said:

^ ^ ^ There are actually quite a few newer ethnic restaurants opening around town.  For instance, there are now at least THREE Ethiopian eateries.  I have a group that gets together once a month called N.E.D.S. (Nashville Ethnic Dining Society), and there is no shortage of new international choices from dozens of different nations. 

That is truly awesome to hear... especially the Ethiopian!  One of the world's great cuisines, in my opinion.  But let me rephrase... I didn't mean to imply that there were no ethnic eateries in Nashville or new ones opening... just that it seemed to me that the vast majority of 'hip' high profile big money restaurants seemed to fit a certain profile.

[MagicPotato]

If you guys are looking for asian style bakery, poke\rolled ice cream, and Korean bbq. There's some new places that opened in Franklin and Brentwood. 

 

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sweet-dreams-bakery-and-bubble-tea-franklin

https://www.yelp.com/biz/korea-bbq-and-sushi-brentwood?osq=Korean+Bbq

https://www.yelp.com/biz/t-op-franklin?osq=rolled+ice+cream

 

 

[billgregg]

On 6/8/2019 at 6:38 PM, BnaBreaker said:

It's not like you have a Ethiopian and Vietnamese and Brazilian and Trinidadian and Bosnian etc. etc. etc. places opening... it's mostly wannabe hip slightly overpriced 'gastropub/steakhouse' places with some sort of 'boutique' cocktail program... or at least that's what it seems to me

There's a distinct dearth of  foreign cuisine on the east side (37206 and 37216). The situation is much better than 20 years ago, of course, but huge gaps remain:

• Italian that's not pizza-centric and has ample seating (I confess that I haven't been to Pomodoro. Any good?)
• Thai (Pace, Thai Phooket. Haven't been to Koi in a long time. Has it improved?)
• Chinese (East Nashvillians have been griping about the lack of Chinese for years. Hunan Express is for the desperate only.)
• Ethiopian
• Vietnamese
• Indian
• Middle Eastern or North African that's not gyros-centric
• Any European cuisine besides kinda-sorta French (Margot and Marche) and Greek (Greko).

In this case gastropubs and steakhouses aren't the culprits...not sure what is.

[MagicPotato]

5 minutes ago, billgregg55 said:

There's a distinct dearth of  foreign cuisine on the east side (37206 and 37216). The situation is much better than 20 years ago, of course, but huge gaps remain:

• Italian that's not pizza-centric and has ample seating (I confess that I haven't been to Pomodoro. Any good?)
• Thai (Pace, Thai Phooket. Haven't been to Koi in a long time. Has it improved?)
• Chinese (East Nashvillians have been griping about the lack of Chinese for years. Hunan Express is for the desperate only.)
• Ethiopian
• Vietnamese
• Indian
• Middle Eastern or North African that's not gyros-centric
• Any European cuisine besides kinda-sorta French (Margot and Marche) and Greek (Greko).

In this case gastropubs and steakhouses aren't the culprits...not sure what is.

Ironically a lot of the authentic restaurants are starting to open in neighborhoods and metropolitan suburbs.  I do notice a lot of the restaurants closer to medium to heavy urban areas tend to be really hipsterfied/fusion.  

[Nashvillain]

6 hours ago, billgregg55 said:

There's a distinct dearth of  foreign cuisine on the east side (37206 and 37216). The situation is much better than 20 years ago, of course, but huge gaps remain:

• Italian that's not pizza-centric and has ample seating (I confess that I haven't been to Pomodoro. Any good?)
• Thai (Pace, Thai Phooket. Haven't been to Koi in a long time. Has it improved?)
• Chinese (East Nashvillians have been griping about the lack of Chinese for years. Hunan Express is for the desperate only.)
• Ethiopian
• Vietnamese
• Indian
• Middle Eastern or North African that's not gyros-centric
• Any European cuisine besides kinda-sorta French (Margot and Marche) and Greek (Greko).

In this case gastropubs and steakhouses aren't the culprits...not sure what is.

Pomodoro is pretty good. I don't know much about Italian cuisine so I can't vouch for authenticity, but I can vouch for general tastiness. There is also Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen on Gallatin near Litton Ave. Never been there but... For Vietnamese, Far East Nashville on Fatherland is a mainstay. There is also the recently opened Babo for Korean. Another decent Asian place with kind of a Japanese/Korean/Sushi mashup menu is Nomzilla. Lastly, for Japanese/Ramen, there is Two Ten Jack. The Peninsula has been getting raves so if you're looking for European cuisine (particularly Iberian/Spanish), then you should check that out. 

So, I think the restaurant scene on the East Side is fairly diverse but of course it makes sense that ethnic restaurants catering to particular groups of immigrants would be clustered where those immigrants are mostly living and for the most part, the Murfreesboro Rd and Nolensville Rd corridors in Southeast Nashville are where a lot of immigrants settle and is where you'll find Ethiopian and Middle Eastern restaurants (and Latin and Asian and markets and groceries catering to them as well). Korean and Vietnamese are along Charlotte Ave on the far west side. I don't think we have a big Chinese population,correct me if I'm wrong, which is why Hunan Express is typical. 

[billgregg]

On 6/10/2019 at 8:18 PM, Nashvillain said:

There is also Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen on Gallatin near Litton Ave. Never been there but...

Nicoletto's serves up take-out pasta. Very good, but not a complete Italian restaurant.

On 6/10/2019 at 8:18 PM, Nashvillain said:

For Vietnamese, Far East Nashville on Fatherland is a mainstay.

Yep, been there several times..totally forgot about it. Strike that bullet. Also forgot about Peninsula, though I haven't been there. (Reason: If you're not a fan of shellfish, snails and organ meats it's hard to find much to order. Chicken? Fish?)

On 6/10/2019 at 8:18 PM, Nashvillain said:

There is also the recently opened Babo for Korean.

Didn't know about this one; must go.

On 6/10/2019 at 8:18 PM, Nashvillain said:

So, I think the restaurant scene on the East Side is fairly diverse but of course it makes sense that ethnic restaurants catering to particular groups of immigrants would be clustered where those immigrants are mostly living and for the most part, the Murfreesboro Rd and Nolensville Rd corridors in Southeast Nashville are where a lot of immigrants settle and is where you'll find Ethiopian and Middle Eastern restaurants (and Latin and Asian and markets and groceries catering to them as well). Korean and Vietnamese are along Charlotte Ave on the far west side.

That's a fair point. More recently arrived cuisines tend to find their customers in ethnic enclaves. Cuisines that have been assimilated into American culture like Chinese, Mexican and Italian find customers everywhere and so their restaurants are found everywhere. Japanese and Thai found popularity without much in the way of resident ethnic communities to support them, and so are found everywhere. I think my point about the odd paucity of sit-down Chinese and Italian (and maybe Thai and Indian) restaurants on the east side mostly stands.

[Rockatansky]

On 6/10/2019 at 2:47 PM, billgregg55 said:

Vietnamese

Far East is pretty good. Not as good as the places on the west side, but entirely acceptable if you don't want to drive across town.

On 6/10/2019 at 7:18 PM, Nashvillain said:

Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen on Gallatin near Litton Ave.

I can't speak to their pasta, but the sauces and sandwiches I've gotten there were top notch.

[e-dub]

The pasta is slamming.

[AronG]

14 hours ago, billgregg55 said:

Nicoletto's serves up take-out pasta. Very good, but not a complete Italian restaurant.

Yep, been there several times..totally forgot about it. Strike that bullet. Also forgot about Peninsula, though I haven't been there. (Reason: If you're not a fan of shellfish, snails and organ meats it's hard to find much to order. Chicken? Fish?)

Didn't know about this one; must go.

That's a fair point. More recently arrived cuisines tend to find their customers in ethnic enclaves. Cuisines that have been assimilated into American culture like Chinese, Mexican and Italian find customers everywhere and so their restaurants are found everywhere. Japanese and Thai found popularity without much in the way of resident ethnic communities to support them, and so are found everywhere. I think my point about the odd paucity of sit-down Chinese and Italian (and maybe Thai and Indian) restaurants on the east side mostly stands.

To me the east side has always had really peculiar gaps in ethnic restaurants (even considering our lack of ethnic enclaves), with a baffling excess of options in other categories. For example, it seems like it seems like we have sushi and ramen places appearing (and sometimes disappearing) all over the place. Nomzilla, kawai, maru, sushi circle, battered & fried sushi (shudder), two ten jack, otaku, etc. Why? Do we really have some kind of elevated demand for sushi over here? We also have really good tacos for some reason (mas tacos, 5 points tacos). Meanwhile we have basically no indian food (which, to my knowledge you can't really explain bombay/sitar/woodlands based on ethnic enclaves, so why can't we have at least one? At some point I'm gonna break down and do a kickstarter.), a single mediocre chinese place (less surprising, not a regional forte), and, for my money, the worst thai food per capita in middle tennessee. Smyrna has better thai food than us for gods sake.

Since we're kibitzing, our favorites these days are kawai poke, mas tacos, babo, and far east. Also pomodoro > nicolettos (although the people seem really nice at nicolettos).

[japan]

On 6/10/2019 at 2:47 PM, billgregg55 said:

There's a distinct dearth of  foreign cuisine on the east side (37206 and 37216). The situation is much better than 20 years ago, of course, but huge gaps remain:

• Italian that's not pizza-centric and has ample seating (I confess that I haven't been to Pomodoro. Any good?)
• Thai (Pace, Thai Phooket. Haven't been to Koi in a long time. Has it improved?)
• Chinese (East Nashvillians have been griping about the lack of Chinese for years. Hunan Express is for the desperate only.)
• Ethiopian
• Vietnamese
• Indian
• Middle Eastern or North African that's not gyros-centric
• Any European cuisine besides kinda-sorta French (Margot and Marche) and Greek (Greko).

In this case gastropubs and steakhouses aren't the culprits...not sure what is.

Pastaria is solid and has a ton of seating.

[grilled_cheese]

Pomodoro and Nicolettos are both good.  Totally different restaurants and vibes, no need to compare.

[Bark At The Sun]

I took a 15 minute walk up the hill yesterday to the Arcade, made a stop at Maggies and got an $8 cheeseburger combo.   Hadnt been there in 3 years or so, and is as good as i remember.    

[chris holman]

Hampton Social just opened Wednesday 

Edited December 9, 2019 by chris holman

[Nash_12South]

We had a late lunch there Saturday afternoon. Very busy, surprisingly good food too. 

[downtownresident]

46 minutes ago, Nash_12South said:

We had a late lunch there Saturday afternoon. Very busy, surprisingly good food too. 

I can't wait to try this place out.

[chris holman]

 

E3 Chophouse Nashville focuses on serving all-natural, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef. All steaks are hand cut in-house and made to order. The menu also features sharable starters, table side prepared dishes, and tasty desserts. Pair your meal with one of the 40+ wines available by the glass.

Head to the third floor and enjoy the heated rooftop which includes a full-service bar, a specialized food menu, comfortable seating, and a fire pit

 

This three-story, 13,000-square-foot restaurant features a spacious dining area, private dining rooms, and a first-floor waiting lounge and bar. Details of the E3 Ranch and Colorado restaurant are reflected in the Nashville location through elements like the mushroom wood paneling, gondola cables on the staircase, and murals created by local artists.

 

1628 21st Avenue South

[Rockatansky]

On 6/7/2019 at 3:18 PM, smeagolsfree said:

we dont have a cheaper part of town

Madison, Antioch etc...

[Jamie Hall]

Just now, Rockatansky said:

Madison, Antioch etc...

Cheaper by comparison, but even those areas aren't as cheap as they used to be.