You may recall that in June of last year,
we reportedthat locally beloved historic venue Ryman "Mother Church of Country Music" Auditorium was planning a $14 million facelift. "She's put in her time," said your open-minded aunt. "Good for her if she wants to get a little work done!"
Among the announced changes was the addition of a “dedicated” cafe of the Fourth Avenue side of the venue, and today, further details about that cafe arrived. Turns out the restaurant will be named Cafe Lula (named after longtime Ryman manager Lula C. Naff, who retired in 1955) and is set to open in early June. Folks at the Ryman tell us the cafe "will have seating for approximately 80 guests inside and 30 more on a covered outdoor patio." Hours will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with extended nighttime hours during concerts and other events.
As far as what kind of fare Lula will be serving, we're told the menu will put "an emphasis on rotisserie cooking and locally sourced ingredients available for both dine-in and grab-and-go service." There will also be an espresso bar for the a.m. and a full-service bar for the p.m. Oh, and they're hiring: They're holding a job fair on Thursday, April 23, at Ryman Hospitality. See more details on the positions they're looking to fill here.
See a mock-up of Cafe Lula above.
