Former HoneyFire BBQ Pitmaster Plans New Burger Joint

I’ve been a fan of Shane Nasby ever since he opened HoneyFire BBQ in Bellevue back in 2018. So I was sad for myself and happy for him when he announced late last year that he was exiting ownership of the restaurant to concentrate on a new project. 

In a Facebook post revealing his change in direction, Nasby gave a little hint about what was coming next: “Multiple factors went into this decision, including our desire to spend more time and energy working to fight hunger and hopelessness in our city. We will share more about that in the coming weeks, but for now, we’re going to take some time to rest and refocus our attention on what’s next for our family.”

Nasby has been very active with a group called People Loving Nashville that works with volunteers, churches and local businesses to provide aid and compassion to Nashville’s homeless community. Now Nasby is announcing that his latest venture, Cledis Burgers, will be integrally involved with the organization.

Cledis Burgers, slated to open sometime this summer in the former Various Artists Brewing space at 1011 Elm Hill Pike, is named after Nasby’s beloved grandfather. Nasby grew up visiting Cledis Nolen’s Midway Cafe in Carthage, Ind., and it was there that he first caught the restaurant industry bug. His grandfather’s attitude toward hospitality and passion for helping those in need really took hold of young Nasby, and remains a lodestar in his career as a restaurateur.

Nasby aims to make Cledis Burgers the sort of place that his grandfather would have been proud of. In his official opening announcement, Nasby describes Cledis as "one of the kindest souls you’d ever meet,” and shares that he never let a neighbor go hungry, regardless of their ability to pay. Nasby will continue that attitude of gratitude by closing Cledis every Monday to feed the hungry and homeless in downtown Nashville, partnering with People Loving Nashville and hiring graduates of the organization’s Restoration program to work at the restaurant.

"We want to lower the barriers and make it easier for people to transition back into the workforce by providing a safe community where people can be honest and vulnerable about where they are in life, but still have a job," says Nasby. He is seeking ways to help restore the dignity of those living on the streets and help them transition back to the workplace.

What will these new workers be cooking at Cledis Burgers? You can expect classic smash burgers cooked in cast iron in addition to the historic griddled Oklahoma onion burgers, a relic of the time when Dust Bowl diners stretched out the rare supply of beef by augmenting their patties with lots of grilled onions.

Along with these burger-joint staples, Nasby will get a little more exotic with some of his recipes, including options like the Skippy Thai Yay, topped with Thai peanut sauce, bacon and blistered chile toreados, or the Georgia Caprese, augmented with fried mozzarella, peach preserves, fresh basil and a drizzle of balsamic. Burgers will be available single- or double-stacked, subbed with chicken breast instead of beef or as vegetarian options.

If you visited HoneyFire, you know that Nasby pays attention to side dishes as much as his mains. Decadent offerings will include fries with optional roasted chili queso for dipping, sweet potato tots and pickle fries. While HoneyFire’s beloved peanut butter banana pudding remained behind after Nasby departed, he’ll be creating new addictive desserts like creamy cheesecake sundaes with toppings that rotate with the seasons.

Nasby plans to take advantage of the former beer garden at Various Artists to create a real neighborhood hang with live music on the outdoor stage and space for fun collaborations with some of his local chef friends. "We just want to create a place to eat good food, drink good beer, listen to good music, and leave the madness of the world behind," says Nasby. 

Cledis plans to open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner. For more info as the opening date approaches, follow Cledis on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at @cledisburgers.