Best New Vietnamese in Nashville 2026: Em and Mẹ
In Vietnamese, “em,” means “little one,” while “mẹ,” translates to “mother.” At the new Vietnamese cafe Em and Mẹ, it really is a family affair — co-founder Tu Trieu works with her mother and brother, along with her husband JB Pounders, to create a welcoming environment in the Germantown urban oasis. Their take on bracing Viet coffee is made with the more bitter and caffeinated robusta species of coffee bean. Unlike with some Vietnamese coffee, which has already been roasted and mixed with chicory, the exact provenance of Em and Mẹ’s beans is known before they roast them locally and grind them to order in the cafe. The food menu ranges from breakfast pastries to bánh mìs, noodle bowls and a silky congee-based version of shrimp-and-grits called cháo lá dứa tôm kho.
