Nicky's Coal Fired Is Hot
At Nicky’s Coal Fired, an Italian inspired restaurant in The Nations neighborhood, two hot trends have forged into one cool place to provide for your perfect pizza needs: a coal fired oven and lots of locally sourced produce.
The former is thanks to “Enrico,” a fourton oven that pumps up the heat to not just ten... but to eleven. (Well, to more like 900, but you get the point –Enrico’s hot!) All that heat quickly crisps crusts while leaving their centers satisfyingly chewy, but pizza is not all Nicky’s does.
In addition to house-made pastas, cheese, and charcuterie, there are also the seasonally-driven antipasto selections. That’s where the locally sourced produce comes in thanks to a partnership between chef Tony Galzin and farmers Lizzie Wright and Jesse Higginbotham. The married couple grows their produce at Sugar Camp Farm, a 78 acre spread in Bon Aqua. Nicky’s features dishes like Vegetable Giardiniera or Local Greens with Pickled Turnips and Radish Parmigiano, which owe their authentically Italian flavors to the organic vegetables and herbs grown on the Middle Tennessee farm.
The three met at the Richland Park Farmers Market. “We have been there since 2015,” Jesse says. “Tony showed up and was talking about wanting local produce, and it just started from there. And we really like him,” she adds with a grin. “He is one of the easiest chefs we have ever worked with.” The close relationship allows for lots of communication. Tony recently requested from the artisan-scientist-farmers a crop of Barbarella eggplant and Tropea onions, and the couple was happy to oblige. Both sides clearly benefit from the arrangement.
Tony has a dependable source of highest quality, locally grown organic produce delivered to his doorstep; Lizzie and Jesse receive a steady demand for their growing supply. “I love working with Sugar Camp,” Tony shares.
“Their produce is such high quality, and they’re willing to grow things specifically for the restaurant.”
Nicky’s Coal Fired
5026 Centennial Boulevard
615-678-4289
hello@nickysnashville.com
@nickysnashville
Sugar Camp Farm
10220 Sugar Camp Rd.
615-587-0701
Bon Aqua, TN 37025
sugarcampfarmtn.com
@sugarcampfarm
Find restaurants that use locally sourced foods with the free PickTN mobile app or at the Pick Tennessee website. Click on “restaurants.” Interested farmers and chefs can learn more about the Farm and Restaurant Alliance and apply for the program at PickTnProducts.org in the “About Us” section.
