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Iggy's
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Slim & Husky's
Three years have passed since the pandemic changed the hospitality industry, with chefs and restaurateurs adapting to lockdowns, cutbacks, supply chain disruptions, and labor shortages.
Amidst it all, Nashville never stopped building. Commercial real estate prices soared. Tourism returned with a fury. We’ve all experienced a seesaw of emotions: feeling jazzed for shiny-new openings and saddened by closures of beloved mainstays. It all begs the question, where are we, as a culinary city, headed? For this year’s restaurant issue, we’re diving into all that and more. What are the culinary trends to come (and go) next? Without question, 2022 was the year of the chef-driven hotel restaurants: Drusie & Darr at the Hermitage Hotel; Mimo at the Four Seasons; Carne Mare at the W Hotel; 1 Kitchen at 1 Hotel; and Blue Aster at the Conrad.
What will 2023 be known for? With new concepts, new restaurants, and the return of beloved favorites, we’re optimistic about what’s on the horizon.
ITALIAN RENAISSANCE: NEW AND EXPANDING CONCEPTS WILL HAVE LOCAL DINERS SAYING “THAT’S AMORE”
The 2022 debuts of Il Forno in Chestnut Hill, Luogo in the Gulch, and Mimo along the downtown Riverfront herald an Italian culinary renaissance in Nashville, and 2023 will see the launch of even more. Rich in variety, capturing the different and delectable regional cuisines— Roman, Sicilian, Neapolitan, even Italian-American—Nashville can expect a delicious deluge of Italian offerings. Mama Mia!
Ryan Poli first made his mark in Nashville as lead chef for The Catbird Seat in its third iteration. Now, he and his brother Matthew are embarking on their first solo venture, Iggy’s, in Wedgewood Houston, up the street from Corsair Distillery. Ryan is a master of homemade pastas and Matthew is a premier mixologist. Their recipe is simple and compelling: a menu of all fresh pastas and sauces and curated wines and cocktails, all served with great music and vibes.
Intrigued by the Laurel & Pine development off of Trinity Lane in East Nashville (which reminded them of a Brooklyn neighborhood they know well) New York restaurateurs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli (aka The Franks) decided it was an ideal spot for a version of their popular Frankies 457 Spuntino. Frankie’s Nashville will have its own flair, as they’ll avail themselves of the bounty that Middle Tennessee farmers have to offer. Their first foray outside the New York area, their restaurant will also feature an outdoor garden, market, and event space.
Detroit-based Joe Vicari Restaurant Group brings Andiamo Presto to Capitol View, a growing mixed-use urban neighborhood adjacent to downtown. Andiamo means “come on” and presto means “quickly.” Diners can look forward to a relaxed, fast-casual concept with an emphasis on fresh pastas, soups, and salads. Occupying the corner of 11th Avenue North and Nelson Merry Street, it will share a kitchen with sibling restaurant, Joe Muer Seafood.