Jon and Lindsay Yeager have appeared in this space over the years for many reasons: their leadership of the annual Nashville Cocktail Festival, their work as cocktail consultants for numerous bars around town and their appearances on regional and national television shows like The Kelly Clarkson Show. But they’ve never had their own bar to call home until now. Well, actually until later this year when they open The Highlight.
They describe the project as “an all ages culinary estate” which will be open seven days a week. The 3.5-acre site at 505 East Main St. in Hendersonville will house three converted shipping containers that will feature permanent kitchens so that chef-driven food stalls will be available to serve, lunch, dinner and late-night meals.
The current house on the site will turn into a European-style cafe, featuring gourmet pastries, specialty coffee and espresso drinks and, of course, a full menu of cocktails, wine and beer. The Yeagers plan to offer all sorts of fun family activities in the outdoor space, including fire pits, bocce courts and shuffleboard plus an outdoor screen for free family movie nights. Although neighbors balked at the proposal of an outdoor music stage, the Yeagers still intend to feature music inside the cafe.
While The Highlight will definitely be open to the public, a private members-only area on the second floor will offer access to Hendersonville’s first rooftop deck, an elevated bar menu and cigars. Hendersonville doesn’t get much attention from the Nashville food media (present company included), but between the buzz about some recent restaurant openings and this upcoming (ahem) highlight, that should probably change!
To introduce themselves to the neighborhood and give a sneak peek at the property, the Yeagers are staging a pop-up this Saturday, March 26 from 6 to 9 p.m. at 505 East Main. Tickets for the event are $35 and include three cocktails, coffee samples from Retrograde and food available for purchase. Grab your tix in advance here.
