People look down their noses at Las Vegas as a dining destination. But outside of maybe Manhattan and Chicago, there aren’t many places that offer as many notable restaurant opportunities in a two-mile stretch as the Vegas Strip. Sure, you have to remember that it’s a Restaurant Guy Savoy, not the Restaurant Guy Savoy, and that Jean-Georges Vongerichten probably won’t happen to be working the line at his eponymous steakhouse the night you visit — just like how you probably won’t see him all that often in his upcoming restaurant in the Hermitage Hotel. But the standards of these eateries aspire to the same world-class levels as their mothership locations.
At the new Fifth + Broadway entertainment, retail and dining complex downtown, Nashville is seeing a tiny sliver of the sort of culinary abundance that packs the Sin City Strip, with the Assembly Food Hall housing outposts of some of your local favorites, plus newcomers to the city and another wing slated to open in late May. Outside of the food hall, Fifth + Broadway is home to almost a dozen stand-alone restaurants with a few more still in various stages of completion. Also a mix of Nashville standards and new brands, there are more interesting restaurants here in two square blocks than anywhere else in town. So here’s a quick overview of your new dining options if you’re ready to dive back into downtown.
Three of the restaurants most likely to have a line of people waiting to get inside are Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Slim & Husky’s and Hattie B’s — so what do you think would happen if you opened new locations of all three of them at the same time within a couple hundred feet of each other? Delicious commerce, that’s what. The latest Jeni’s scoop shop is the chain’s ninth in Middle Tennessee, and it’s pretty small compared to some of Jeni’s other spots. That doesn’t mean it’s not a welcome option for a cold treat on a hot day downtown, and tourists and locals alike have quickly discovered that they can grab a bowl of delicious frozen butterfat while they take a passeggiata through the madness of Lower Broad.
Speaking of tourists and frozen treats, the new Hattie B’s should be absolutely printing money thanks to its prime location right across the street from Bridgestone Arena — not to mention the addition of frozen-drink machines (labeled “ice cold booze”) serving rum, vodka and whiskey slushies to help folks cool down after a basket of fiery hot chicken. Large garage doors along the front of the restaurant open to the sidewalk along Broadway, offering some prime people-watching. The attractive interior of the restaurant features bold black and red accents and huge televisions to keep up with the Preds game that you’re missing across the street while you scarf down some spicy tenders.
Slim & Husky’s sticks with the tried-and-true model from their original Pizza Beeria on Buchanan Street, with the same energetic vibe. Hip-hop lyrics are stenciled on the wall alongside striking original art, including a stylized portrait of the restaurant’s three founders. Diners can still build their own pizzas from a long roster of unusual ingredients — ranging from vegan buffalo soy to shrimp to bean ragu sauce — and the addition of a roll-out station in the back of the restaurant for decadent cinnamon rolls perfumes the atmosphere inside.
Shake Shack also created some epic queues when it opened its first Nashville restaurant in Green Hills, and Shack No. 2 features a nice outdoor patio and a slightly industrial vibe in its dining room. The menu of burgers, hot dogs, frozen custards and shakes (including the denser “concretes”) is familiar, and special cubbies set aside for customer carryout orders and the various delivery services are a nice amenity for downtown diners looking to minimize contact.
Cava is another fast-casual option opening its second Middle Tennessee spot. As at Cava’s Green Hills location, diners pick from a plethora of healthy options to fill pitas and top grain bowls and salads. Interesting flavor combos include a harissa honey chicken and avocado bowl or the popular jalapeño-infused feta mousse. Cava is the parent company of Zoe’s Kitchen, so you can expect to see more Cavas in Nashville soon as they begin to transition that legacy brand to the new concept.
The Le Macaron location is the first entry into the Nashville market for the Sarasota, Fla.-based chain of French patisseries. Their macarons are produced using an authentic French recipe at a confectionary and delivered to the storefront, and their croissants are actually made in France and shipped to Nashville for daily baking. Le Macaron also offers coffee and espresso drinks along with a rotating selection of gelatos.
Elixr is another caffeination destination for Fifth + Broad visitors, serving coffee drinks made from beans roasted at the shop’s Philadelphia headquarters. Elixr offers a free coffee drink to anyone who buys a bag of beans or ground coffee, and local artisan baker Brightside Bakeshop provides gorgeous food options to go with your cup of joe.
In addition to these smaller restaurants, Fifth + Broad offers higher-end dining options at a few recently opened spots. Despite its unfortunate name choice considering it’s right next to the new National Museum of African American Music, Blanco is a pretty solid choice for Mexican food. Blanco is a product of Fox Restaurant Concepts, which was started by multiple James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur Award nominee Sam Fox. Both Fox and Blanco are now owned by The Cheesecake Factory, which explains their slightly over-the-top attitude toward people-pleasing flavors. The queso flows like a river over many of the dishes on the menu, but the airy dining room with its large four-sided bar should be a great place to indulge in some comida mexicana and taste an impressive collection of agave spirits.
Right next door to Blanco is Sam Fox’s first new venture since his Cheesecake windfall. The Twelve Thirty Club is billed as a sort of elevated honky-tonk and features live music every day and night, providing the soundtrack to (Upper?) Lower Broad as the tunes filter out into the street through huge open windows paralleling the thoroughfare. Currently, only the ground floor has opened as a cozy music room with elevated diner food, cold local beers and cocktails. Future plans include an intimate second-story cocktail lounge opening in May and an expansive upper-level supper club with a larger stage and a rooftop patio over the new Apple Store, which should begin to welcome guests later this summer. Who knows, maybe Twelve Thirty Club investor Justin Timberlake will jump up on that stage for some impromptu performances soon.
The most upscale fine-dining opportunity at Fifth + Broadway is doubtlessly the new Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, a massive opulent steak and seafood restaurant that aims to bring some glamour to the block. Entering into the V Lounge to the sounds of a musical trio, I was immediately struck by the massive chandelier that hangs from two stories above the bar. Eddie V’s massive wine cellar also stretches from ceiling to floor, including a glass-floored second level that’s reminiscent of the terrifying Grand Canyon Skywalk. The cellar is packed with high-end wines and brandies, including lots of celebratory large-format bottles. Servers in formal vests and white coats take orders from a menu featuring globally sourced seafood and oyster options along with classic chophouse fare of USDA prime beef and sides for sharing. The sultry, almost velveteen dark-blue walls provide a dramatic dining environment, and there is also some outdoor terrace seating upstairs if you want to watch the rabble while you dine.
Coming attractions to Fifth + Broadway include the California cuisine of Sixty Vines, which will dominate the upcoming South Hall of the Assembly, and a Spanish tapas concept called Boqueria. But there are plenty of options to explore while we wait for these new additions, so make a date for a dine-around at Nashville’s version of the Strip.
