Many moons ago, I shared the news that Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop had plans to move into the new SkyHouse Nashville development where The Sub Stop used to reside, on the 17th Avenue side of the new high-rise, across from McGavock Street. I am reminded of another preview post I wrote even longer ago when I broke the news that the not-yet-opened Bongo Java spin-off Hot & Cold would be selling Jeni’s Ice Cream. At the time, I was accused by some of burying the lede because the venture pairing Bob Bernstein’s coffee with his wife Irma Paz-Bernstein's paletas was the big story. But I had already noticed that when I shared that particular tidbit of news with folks who were already familiar with Jeni’s in the Midwest, they exhibited some strange behavior at hearing that the butterfat-rich ice cream would be available locally — it was like their eyes rolled back in their heads and they started making the gurgling noise Homer Simpson emits when he sees a sub sandwich.
Now seven years later, Hot & Cold is up and gone, and Jeni’s continues its march toward ice cream domination in Nashville. But here's what's interesting: When I've spoken to diners familiar with Capriotti’s, they display a similar exuberance to the Jeni’s fans.
Known for slow-roasting whole turkeys in house and creating signature hand-crafted sandwiches, Capriotti’s quietly opened its first Tennessee outpost on Oct. 28, and locals are just now starting to discover it. Even though I first visited a week before Thanksgiving, I went ahead and ordered their signature Bobbie sandwich, a serving of that roasted turkey served with cranberry sauce, homemade stuffing and a hint of mayo on a freshly baked roll. Not only is it a fantastic sandwich, but I was really impressed by the value. Capriotti’s offers small, medium and large options, but even the small proved to be a 9-inch serving that provided lunch two days in a row. The medium is a full foot long, and the large is a whopping 20-inch sandwich appropriate for feeding a family of four.
The menu offers a bunch of other interesting sandwich concoctions plus some huge salads, so it’s definitely a value play. They even offer a free half-hour of parking at SkyHouse, so you can actually find a place to stash your car in the bustling Midtown neighborhood while you dine.
But no value is better than free food, and that’s exactly what Capriotti’s is offering the first 100 visitors in line at the official grand opening extravaganza this Friday, Dec. 1. Those lucky folks will be entitled to free Bobbies for a year, and from what I hear, people have been known to camp out to secure those coveted spots in line. The restaurant opens at 10:30 a.m., so I imagine you’d probably have to get there well before then. If you haven’t been totally burned out by Thanksgiving turkey, you might want to make this a part of your Friday plans!
Capriotti's Sandwich Shop
111 17th Ave. S.
615-988-7733
