There are times to save the boot scoot and boogie. One Southern city garnered nominations from both the James Beard Awards and Tales of the Cocktail in the same year. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Charleston or Atlanta. It was Nashville, and the hits just keep coming. So pack your bags to see and be seen, because Tennessee’s capital town is built for foodies, replete with stops to sip and savor.
Where to eat and drink in Nashville
The chic downtown hotel The Joseph, may be just a block away from the country music crowds on Broadway, but you’d never know it. Rooms are luxurious and beautifully lit, with one-button options for day or evening lighting. Carve out time to explore the property’s expansive art collection, which includes more than 1,100 works. There’s gallery space on the eighth floor, but Jackie Saccoccio’s mammoth paintings are installed in the lobby, bursting with color and energy. The Joseph is also home to the new cocktail bar Four Walls, where reservations are recommended. A collection of negronis on the menu may only be upstaged by the posh red-marble bar.
Dinner is a choice between Bastion and Audrey; hopefully you can make plans for both, because Chef Josh Habiger’s influence at Bastion is significant. But it’s time to talk Sean Brock. Did his time in Greenville seem surprisingly short? If you missed out on Husk, then consider Audrey, a restaurant created in homage to Brock’s grandmother. Select “The Feast” and tour the menu at Audrey, family-style. The addition of seared foie gras for the table as well as the elevated wine pairings allow Brock and his team to truly flex.
Brunch is a toss-up between the striking downtown rooftop at Sixty Vines or a hop over to trendy East Nashville for the James Beard-nominated Best New Restaurant, Kisser. Married chefs Leina Horii and Brian Lea opened the Japanese comfort food spot last year and it has become a must-go dining experience. The restaurant is walk-in only, but Flora + Fauna coffee is right next door and Kisser is certainly worth the wait. Items such as yellowtail collar and a trio of onigiri shine on the plate, with service that is warm and informative.
Drinks may depend on a preference for wine or cocktails. Attaboy produces stellar cocktails and the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation agreed; Attaboy was a finalist for Best US Bar Team last year. But if a captivating wine list served in the former sanctuary of the Nashville YMCA piques your interest, then Bad Idea is a good decision. The wine-forward bar and Lao-leaning menu impress along with living room-esque seating. Everyone from EATER to Bon Appétit agrees that owners Alex Burch and Colby Rasavong have scored big.
Music City’s food scene is not only bustling but impressive in its variety. What did we not get to? Sandwiches at D’Andrews Bakery and the convivial bar crowd at The Mockingbird. Coffee at Elegy and happy hour dumplings at Locust, but more culinary adventures will have to wait. What can be said with certainty is that there’s even more to nosh in Nashville.
Printer’s Alley
Secret nightlife, historic row
A century ago, the hub of Nashville’s publications resided along a lane dubbed Printer’s Alley. The newspaper The Tennessean was here, as well as plenty of saloons and watering holes. These spots became Nashville’s speakeasies and after Prohibition they remained, many as private nightclubs. The rise of country music grew expansively along Broadway, away from the little downtown alley, but a renewed interest in jazz, blues, and cocktail culture created a renaissance for Printer’s Alley.
Skull’s Rainbow Room is the spot for live jazz, seven days a week, and late-night burlesque on Fridays and Saturdays. Black Rabbit is in the original law offices of Jimmy Hoffa’s counsel. Its turn-of-the-century vibes include scheduled cabaret and classic hand-shaken cocktails. Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar features nightly blues and the sounds of New Orleans brass from award-winning musicians. For a potential celebrity sighting, stop into Ms. Kelli’s Karaoke Bar, a place known for an A-list pop in.
