After weeks of speculation, the Scene has confirmed that Audrey, East Nashville’s high-end Appalachian dining experiment, is closing. The last day of service will be Aug. 16.
Opened in 2021 by chef Sean Brock and investors, Audrey was a boundary-pushing exercise in the foods of Appalachia, the foods that shaped him. Brock named the restaurant after his grandmother — and June, the even more refined spot that opened in 2022 and closed in 2024 upstairs, was named after his other grandmother.
Sean Brock opened Joyland in 2020 along with an Alabama restaurant group that is now facing lawsuits
While Audrey initially was a darling of food critics and foodies, it never captured regular diners the way it needed to. In its first year, it was a tasting-menu-only spot. Resin potatoes served in a kudzu basket, with explanations from the staff, made the spot feel like a special occasion and a peek inside Brock’s brain. After year one, it expanded from prix fixe service, with a leather-bound menu presenting options. Over the years, Audrey expanded further into lunch and brunch. Last year, the Scene broke the news that Brock was stepping away from the restaurant that he often said was the last restaurant in which he would ever cook. As of last year, Brock no longer had a financial interest in the restaurant. (Brock’s Joyland closed its Nashville locations earlier this month. He is now focused on Darling, a live-fire restaurant and vinyl listening spot in Los Angeles.)
Paul Mishkin — the founder of Franklin’s Southall Farm and Inn, and long Audrey’s majority owner — took over Audrey operations last year. He named Sam Jett executive chef. Jett’s talent and personal Appalachian history brought new energy to the spot. Jett announced a commitment to using local Nashville ingredients whenever possible, and launched a new lunch menu and a discounted cocktail menu. Last year, Audrey received a Michelin-recommended nod. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough. Reads a statement to the Scene from Mishkin’s team: “This was an incredibly difficult decision. As we looked toward the future, we determined it was the right time to bring Audrey's chapter to a close."
Audrey's exterior in 2022
The statement continues: “Audrey has always been a deeply personal concept, celebrating the foodways and traditions of Appalachia. We’re incredibly proud of what the restaurant represented and of the talented team who brought it to life.”
The 10,492-square-foot building at 809 Meridian St. was constructed of concrete and wood specifically for Audrey and June. It reportedly cost millions to create and features many personalized touches, including two open kitchens, a library, a lab, a yoga room, a parking lot and floods of natural light. Elliott Kyle, one of the building’s owners, says his team doesn’t yet have plans for the one-of-a-kind building, but they are committed to remaining a part of the fabric of McFerrin Park. They will be “thoughtful,” Kyle says, about the singular building’s next act.
“It was a hard decision, but I know it was the correct one,” Jett says. Jett doesn’t know yet what’s next for him. He won’t be staying on at Southall and is looking for somewhere he can continue his work with local producers.
“The thing I will really miss is getting to talk to farmers all day,” he says. “I hope I have inspired people to look local and look to local suppliers.”
Jett says the next two weeks will be about enjoying the space and celebrating food, people and the work that took place there.
At press time, reservations are still available for some of Audrey’s last nights.
