Geist's heirloom carrots
We’ve been waiting a long time for the official opening announcement of Geist, the restaurant/bar located in one of Germantown’s oldest buildings at 311 Jefferson St. It was constructed in 1886 as a blacksmith shop operated by German immigrant John Geist. Three generations of his family operated the forge until 2006, expanding the business along the way to include services like lawn-mower repair and the creation of ornamental ironwork furnishings.
Per usual in this town, the rehabilitation of the building took longer than expected, but the doors have finally opened. In a novel soft opening, the bar half of the operation started serving a couple weeks before the official March 14 start to meal service, so if you saw some lights on before then, you weren’t missing out on the menu yet.
But now you really need to get in there and try out the food, because ex-Blackberry Farms chef Josh Stockton has created a menu of elegant dishes that read as good as they taste. Initial reports from the restaurant feature beautifully composed plates featuring seasonal ingredients focused on bold flavors and earthy comfort food classics like braised-beef pot pie and confit chicken with sausage and white beans.
You can tell that Chef Stockton spent some time cooking at the renowned aforementioned Walland, Tenn., resort — many of his featured ingredients have an East Tennessee connection and a little Appalachian influence. The heirloom carrots with farmer’s cheese are roasted over an oak fire and then served with a cheese made with dairy from Cruze Farm, whose milk is a favorite of chefs in the know. Geist’s burrata is also made with milk from Cruze. The current version of the seasonal burrata is served with spaghetti squash grassy olive oil, which is seasoned with salt and pepper before a slow-and-low grilling over oak coals. Once it has cooled, the squash is mixed with shaved garlic, lemon zest and more olive oil. Finally, the dish is served alongside thick slices of grilled caraway and rye seed sourdough bread that is baked daily in house. (See what I mean about how that menu reads?)
Geist is also quite proud of its signature burger, which it serves because that is now apparently the law here in Nashville. The Geist Burger is made using 1855 black angus (a special beef program from the University of Iowa, where they know their cows), and then topped with all the classic ingredients that epitomize a proper burger: cheddar cheese, shaved iceberg lettuce and a house-made special sauce. Grilled on a flattop, the burger is served atop a pillowy sesame seed  potato bun that is also baked in Geist's kitchen.
Geist will also be serving weekend brunch, so you can give the place a try during daylight hours. In addition to that burger, the brunch fare features healthy options such as homemade granola, a grain bowl with winter squash and kale, and a gin-cured salmon dish. If you’re not counting calories, the Blacksmith Breakfast will scratch that morning itch with eggs, sausage, potatoes and biscuits.
The cocktail menu was created in collaboration with Freddy Schwenk and Matt Buttel of Nashville Ice Lab. They promise classic and affordable cocktails, plus a few Geist specialties for those who want to discover something new. The cocktail menu also includes a few nonalcoholic cocktails, and craft beer, wine and Prosecco will be available on tap.
Geist offers multiple options for dining spaces, from the happening bar and dining room furnished with handcrafted pieces created by local artists to The Champagne Garden, a full garden and courtyard featuring  an outdoor cooking stove. If you get there before we do, let us know what you think in the comments.
Geist
311 Jefferson St.
615-920-5440
Hours:
Saturday:Â 11a.m.-midnight
Sunday:Â 11a.m.-6 p.m.
Monday:Â Closed
Tuesday:Â Closed
Wednesday:Â 5:30 p.m.-midnight
Thursday:Â 5:30 p.m.-midnight
Friday:Â 5:30 p.m.-midnight
