I don't want to talk too much shit about the West Side — I have enjoyed living over here for years and we have plenty of our own little gems to appreciate — but I'm sure many West Nashvillians will join me as I rejoice the long-awaited arrival of Roze Pony, the sister cafe to East Nashville's Cafe Roze. Finally, a place to get a really, really great cup of coffee without having to cross 440!
Roze Pony has all the charm and thoughtful design one would expect of a Julia Jaksic production — even the to-go coffee cups are wrapped in corrugated gray cardboard that matches the space's tile floor — and the menu is almost entirely its own, with very few overlaps with the East Side's offerings.
For breakfast, you can have souffle pancakes with blueberry syrup, baked eggs with creamed greens and pinewood sausage, smoked white fish rarebit on Pugliese toast with white cheddar and more
I opted for the egg sandwich — herby frittata, pesto aioli and tomato on brioche with a side salad for $12 — and I'll admit I initially thought, "That's it?!" when I first opened the box, but then pow! My first bite burst of flavor — the creamy, zippy pesto, the sweet, chewy bits in the tomato jam, and the softest brioche bun. Delicious.
I couldn't resist the pastry counter, either. It's filled with sweet and savory grab-and-go items, from slices of gingerbread bundt cake dotted with sugared cranberries to focaccia covered with caramelized onion, kale and melted fontina. And I can confirm that the oversized peanut butter and jelly cookie — stuffed with peanut butter and jelly and topped with demerara sugar — is the perfect companion to the shop's namesake cardamom and rose latte.
Next to the pastry counter, there's a small market, of sorts, a shelf stocked with some of the staff's favorite culinary products -- La Cuinelle Et Bornard white vinegar ($14), Rummo pasta ($6), E. Salis Tonno Rosso Sardinian Red Tuna ($54) and beautiful bowls made by Nashville's own Salt Ceramics (prices vary). And while I'm not a drinker, the bar -- with its many bottles arranged by color to create a subtle rainbow -- looks loaded.
I don't want to brag or anything, but West Nashville has a Trader Joe's too. Your move, East Nashville.
Roze Pony serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. You can dine in or takeaway. Follow them on Instagram at @therozepony.
