By the Editors.
Featuring Jill Melton, Carrington Fox, William Hardwood, and guest columnist Sarah Wilson.
Love, Peace & Pho, Melrose
We have had great curry and spring rolls at this café tucked beside the original 8th & Roast and now Smokin’ Oaks Local Market on 8th Avenue. But on our last visit we tried the Tofu Garden—crisp, lightly fried, with tamarind sauce—discovering one of the best tofu dishes we’ve ever had. This café doesn’t get the love it should and is dishing up some great, fresh Vietnamese food. Give it a try. @lovepeaceandpho – JM
Audrey, East Nashville
When Sous Chef Sean White started us off with wild chanterelles that had been foraged the day before paired with a soubise of turnip and Carolina gold rice, we knew dinner was going to be good. And wowed we were. Almost every dish on the über-seasonal menu leveraged late-spring and early-summer bounty from local growers, including Rocky Glade, Bucksnort Trout, Farmer Dave and Bear Creek Farm. Local ingredients in homespun Appalachian classics, such as Bertha’s Bread, strawberry pretzel salad, Bear Creek pork with pawpaw aioli and beef tartare with milk bread, make eating at Audrey familiar and exciting at the same time. Not eating at Audrey would truly be a crime. @audreynashville – JM
Pinky Ring Pizza, Madison
In a strip center on Gallatin Avenue sits this vibrant pizza place with more pies than you can digest written on the wall. Hand-tossed dough is the base of their New York–style pies with unique toppings. Madison may not be your neighborhood, but a trek to this joint with a very active pickup window is worth it. @pinkyringpizza – JM
Saap Saap BBQ
What do you get when a Southern chef meets a Laotian chef? Curry with chicken wings. Such is the concept behind Saap Saap BBQ, the culmination of the talents of Clinton Spruill and Lisa Watson. You can find the roving restaurant (no bricks and mortar yet) popping up at venues around town. We found them at Proper Sake in East Nashville. Follow their roamings. @saapsaapbbq – JM
Wynot Saloon, Bellevue
An evening in this low-key, low-visibility neighborhood venue, tucked back behind the Bellevue T.J. Maxx, felt positively old-fashioned in the best ways: live music, light dancing, cold beer, pool table and a patio laced with bistro lights. We ordered small pizzas and hummus for group snacking, but then got greedy with our own shepherd’s pie, which we will definitely order again when we return soon for line dancing lessons. Why not? @wynot_saloon – CF
Fox & Locke, Leipers Fork
If there’s a more delightful way to pass a sunny weekend day than strolling the quaint village of Leipers Fork and landing on the patio of Fox & Locke for barbecue, beer and free live music, we’re all ears. The former Fox & Locke grocery operated as Puckett’s until 2022, when Leipers Fork preservationist Aubrey Preston restored the Fox & Locke name along with some historic elements and a focus on music, which might include spontaneous sets by the likes of Rod Stewart and Trisha Yearwood on any given night. Thursday is open mic night. Best to make reservations online, as it is small. @foxandlocke – JM, CF
Lockeland Table, East Nashville
Without a reservation, we tried our luck at rush hour and managed to snag a two-top, then dined and dashed—not like that!—just in time for the show at nearby Music Makers Stage at Delgado Guitars. An evening at two East Nashville landmarks made for a perfect combo of local flavors, elevated by Chef Hal’s globally accented menu, including red Thai curry steamed mussels with lemongrass, ginger, fennel basil and mint; crispy pork belly with chili green beans and cucumber salad; and a wood-fired pizza for good measure. Next time, we’ll plan to linger longer. @lockelandtable – CF
BrickTop’s, SoBro
It used to be called The River House, but now the gleaming downtown eatery in the ground floor of Bridgestone Tower shares the name of its clubby sister in the West End Avenue-Vandy corridor. A different vibe in this SoBro situation, with soaring ceilings and views of the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, means that, even if you’re flat-out committed to your favorite deviled eggs and sugared bacon, a Palm Beach salad of stacked crabmeat, steak frites and a chocolate chip cookie in its own skillet, at least you can vary your ambiance to keep from getting in a rut. That said, as far as ruts go, BrickTops is an aspirational one. @sobrobricktops – CF
Tantísimo, Sylvan Park
The newest spot in Sylvan Park has quickly won us over—so much so that we visited twice in opening week. What began as a booth at the Richland Park Farmers Market is now a full-service Latin American restaurant that feels right at home in the neighborhood. The pisco sour cocktail was delicious, but so are the nonalcoholic milks. Menu highlights include roasted carrots and beets, the smoky poblano Caesar salad and the verde-rojo pescado, a stunning dish featuring perfectly cooked local trout with red and green sauces. Whether you’re grabbing a drink or settling in for brunch or dinner, Tantísimo is worth a visit. @aytantisimo – SW
Choy, The Gulch
Under the direction of Chef Brian Griffith, who grew up in Knoxville and studied under Brandon Jew, the James Beard Award–winning chef-owner behind Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco, Choy aims to bring to the table “nostalgic Chinese American flavors utilizing local Tennessee ingredients and modern cooking techniques.” At this former warehouse, updated in Art Deco elegance of mid-20th century Shanghai, that mission is definitely accomplished. Not only are dishes as imaginative as they are tasty, but the service is impeccable. In Choy’s version of East-meets-West, both regions rise to their best. Star of the show is “Peking-style” whole roast duck, an edible work of art that’s elevated with applewood smoke for a Tennessee twist that would make an emperor jealous. @choynashville – WH
Close Company, Germantown
Old-time Nashvillians knew it as the Slaughterhouse. New residents know it as Neuhoff District. Opened in late May, this stunning bar occupies the meatpacking facility that has been simultaneously preserved and transformed into a space that pays homage to its past, yet is firmly in the present. Cement walls and a sunken conversation pit (where hides were tanned, we’re told) evoke a bit of an Edgar Allan Poe feeling, but in a good way. Operated by owners of New York’s Death & Co, the big bar accommodates a convivial crowd, with cocktails by experts. We loved the Adventure Gimlet and Coast Iron Sour, made with whiskey, pepper jelly and corn. Small bites include a cheddar and jalapeño cheese ball and drunken banana cream pie with chocolate ganache. @closecompanybar – JM
Fishmonger, Germantown
We stopped into the tiny, cozy, funky bar after catching drinks at Close Company beneath it. This Atlanta-based seafood eatery specializes in lobster and shrimp rolls, fish sandwiches, fish dip and oysters. It’s no-frills and no-reservations. We like it. @fishmongernashville – JM
Blue Aster, Conrad Hotel in Nashville Yards
Three words here: Get. The. Lasagna. This 30-layer lamb lasagna with béchamel sauce is like no other we’ve had. It’s a labor of love by Chef Andrew Rodriguez and team and is worth every calorie. As Chef Andrew says, it’s never too hot for lasagna. We agree. Not a lasagna or lamb fan? Peruse the new Mediterranean menu inspired by the flavors of Israel, Sicily and Spain for unique offerings. Locals should be flocking to this gorgeous space inside the Conrad Hotel. @blueasternashville – JM
Gray & Dudley, Bankers Alley Hotel Downtown
Previously 21c Museum Hotel and now part of Hilton Tapestry Collection, the hotel has kept the focus on local art, which is magnificently curated in-house by Anna McKeown. Spend an hour walking the halls, immersing yourself in the collection, then catch a drink and a bite at the lovely Gray & Dudley. Our favorite dishes—duck fat biscuits with pimento cheese served in a skillet and Wagyu flat iron steak and frites—were masterpieces in their own way. @grayanddudley – JM
Five on Black Kitchen & Spirit House, Downtown Murfreesboro
You can almost miss this small, intimate restaurant in a historic brick building in the heart of Murfreesboro. The cocktail menu is one of the best we’ve seen. On a recent visit we ordered the weekend special Love Potion No. 5, with gin, rhubarb liquor, strawberry syrup and basil, served bubbling away with dry ice in the bottom. Caesar salad is divine, as are crispy calamari and wild game meatballs. @fiveonblacktn – JM
