Danielle Atkins
Stationairy
Mick Jacobs
Digital Love Photography
With bloodies, bubbles, and cocktails galore, brunch can’t help but feel indulgent.
Stretch out your weekend, while away the day- light hours with good friends, dine on some of the most creative dishes that combine the best of all meals, and push the prospect of Monday farther away. And if you’re wondering where to dine, don’t you fret. Nashville has plenty of options and we’ve rounded up some of our very favorites. Don your Sunday funday best and get ready to brunch!
BISCUIT LOVE
Biscuit Love means brunch for all. This locally owned family eatery has an open-hearted, welcoming spirit with a menu to match. Yes, there are menu items such as the amazing Bonuts, Chronic Bacon, and the East Nasty and Princess biscuits that put them on the map. But check out new additions. While you savor a Shakshouka Veggie Bowl or a French omelette rolled with a filling of herbed fromage frais and artichokes, the kiddos can have a ball with the Build-Your-Own- Bubble Waffle plate. While you and your spouse toast the day with a bit of bubbly, the little ones can join in with apple juice or hot chocolate. (biscuitlove.com)
AUDREY
An homage to his Appalachian heritage, Chef Sean Brock designed Audrey’s brunch menu to honor the region’s ingredients in ways both traditional and ingenious. His 30-minute whip of eggs cooked over fire makes the butter-rich Hearth Soufflé Omelet extraordinary. He embellishes Buckwheat-Cornmeal Pancakes with fried apples and shagbark hickory syrup. He elevates classic Chicken & Dumplings with black truffle. He plates shavings of 18-month cured ham with Virginia peanuts, cane syrup, and Appalachian wild berries. Beverages are mindfully curated: The “bloody” version has roasted tomato, smoked squash, and celery root in the mix. Combining Crema coffee, sorghum, and tequila, the Chicory cocktail will give you a pleasant, caffeinated buzz. (audreynashville.com)
CHURCH AND UNION
Boldly painted on the ceiling of this downtown gem is a phrase that embodies the company philosophy: “There is only we.” While it pertains to the unity of their management and staff, we think it extends to us brunch-lovers too. C&U elongates the brunching weekend, beginning Fridays at 10am. Get it going with a Mimosa Flight. Then order a Brunch Board. The Union Slate has it all: sweet and savory baked goods, cured meats, cheeses, jams, and fruit. Chef Jamie Lynch takes a brilliant, global approach to other fare: a NOLA-inspired poutine, a pork belly sandwich with nanban slaw, a lamb burger with red onion marmalade and Gorgonzola fondue.(churchandunionnashhville.com)
COMMON GROUND
Desiring a neighborhood bar that serves better-than-bar food, hospitality veterans Matt Ramos and Wes Taylor opened Common Ground in Sylvan Heights and Berry Hill, initially with lunch and dinner service, to accolades. With kickass cocktails and Espresso martinis, Chef Eric Babula’s inventive, flavorful fare, and an upbeat, congenial vibe, CG’s weekend brunch follows suit. For sugar and spice: ginger-cardamom spiked Carrot Cake French Toast is delightful. For savory tastes, “Steak” and Eggs features succulent short rib au jus. In their version of shrimp-and- grits, Gulf shrimp arranged on a round of red pepper polenta are drenched in a chili-lime butter reduction. Wow. Get the house focaccia to sop up that sauce. (cgnashville.com)
HATHORNE
At the former church fellowship hall that retains all its hospitable fellowship vibe, Hathorne introduces brunch, Tuesday- Saturday. Founder John Stephenson and executive chef Joshua Kagenski present delectable dishes, like the Big Brunch Salad, a marvel of jammy eggs, avocado, corn, pickled onion, tomato, and avocado-ranch dressing over local greens. Cool weather calls for Seasonal Hash, a comforting meld of crispy potatoes, sweet potatoes, peppers, kale, and Calabrian chili-romesco sauce. For something on the sweet side? The family recipe for buttermilk pancakes should do the trick. Regarding brunch, we’ll add this postscript to Hathorne’s “Love the guest, share the food” motto: Never on Sunday. (hathornenashville.com)
HIFI CLYDE’S
It’s Brunch All Day at this Midtown hotspot. It’s also the place for game- playing, sports-watching, couch-lounging, patio-dining, perfect for groups and parties, yet Clyde’s is family-friendly too! Standout dishes: Fried Chicken and Waffles, which comes with honey hot sauce, maple syrup and country gravy to punch it up. Huevos in the Hole: sunny eggs in toasted bolillo roll, plied with spicy south-of-the-border ingredients. And don’t sleep on their generously layered Avocado Toast. With the likes of Punch Bowls, Candy Shots, and a Brunch Bar of coffee, espresso and teas, Clyde’s offers a fun beverage service too. (hificlydesnashville.com)
HUSK NASHVILLE
For 10 years, guests have been treated to Husk Nashville’s celebration of Southern ingredients: singular food and drink served in relaxed yet informed style inside the Rutledge Hill Victorian. Brunch is no exception! Together with pastry chef Rachel Rathgeb, executive chef Ben Norton draws inspiration from the bounty of local farmers as well as the onsite garden, creating brunch favorites like Tennessee Mushrooms and Grits with a farm egg, and Cornmeal Fried Catfish with a cutting celery remoulade. Sweet Potato Bread with brown sugar toffee and peanuts falls into the super-delicious category. Beverage manager Adam Morgan’s roster of creative quaffs, from booze- forward to zero proof, complements the food and vibe. (husknashville.com)
LOU
Chef Mailea Weger envisioned the little white East Nashville bungalow as a neighborhood gathering spot with Parisian sensibilities: relaxed and sociable, a place to linger with friends over good food and wine either inside the cozy house, or out on the covered outdoor patio. By day, Lou is dedicated to brunch. On the seasonally changing menu, you can order an array of shareable plates pour la table: scrumptious eggs cooked in chili oil, fennel-rubbed bacon, salmon rillettes, local greens in honey vinaigrette, a soft scramble with melted leeks. Weger is also well-regarded for her compelling selection of natural wines. (lounashville.com)
LUOGO
Two words to pique your interest at Anthony Scotto’s Italian restaurant in the Gulch: Bellini Brunch. Embrace the breezy vibe of the Amalfi coast, sipping a peachy Bellini Martini while you share a platter of Frito Misto— shrimp, calamari, and zucchini in a delicate crust. Must-try egg dishes are the Frittata Caprese made with heirloom tomatoes and arugula pesto or Ouvo y Trippa—eggs poached in the house tomato sauce, sidled by pickled red onion, fresh mint and focaccia. For your sweet tooth, look no further than the Bomboloni: made- to-order donut rounds with chocolate and vanilla cream dipping sauces. (luogorestaurant.com)
NOKO
This Asian-inspired restaurant in East Nashville has been drawing crowds since opening this spring; garnering raves for chef Vo’s smoked and wood-fired dishes. Sundays are Brunch Days, where tables quickly fill inside and on the expansive deck. Look for specialties such as Japanese Fried Chicken and Waffles, the Burnt Ends rice bowl with smoked beef belly, or the Noko All Star Breakfast featuring all the things, plus sweet Filipino sausage. Care to go over the top? The Big Baller Brunch— 42-ounce tomahawk ribeye, eggs, waffles, and hash browns—is the way to go. Complete your meal with this treat: Vietnamese coffee with a scoop of vanilla gelato. (nokonashville.com)
PROOF
Perspective is everything. And, from the rooftop perch of Proof, thirteen stories up in the W hotel, you can’t help but feel uplifted. That’s the mission of their weekend Not Your Average Brunch. In the light of day, the views of our ever-changing city are astonishing; the drinks are crisp and refreshing (and some, like the mimosas, are Always Flowing); the concise menu covers all the brunchy elements, plus the DJ is spinning. Must-haves include the Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit and Loaded Tots, crunchy nuggets buried under smashed avocado, bacon, tomatillo, jalapeño, ranch, and sriracha, crowned with an over-easy egg.(proofnashville.com)
WHITE LIMOZEEN
On the rooftop of Midtown’s Graduate Hotel, the riot of pink in cushioned chairs, pillows and frilly umbrellas sets a joyous scene, designed as a nod to Dolly (and remarkably prescient of Barbie.) Executive chef Angeline Chiang has enlivened the menu with distinctive touches: Oysters with pink peppercorn mignonette, beer- poached shrimp with Bloody Mary cocktail sauce, crudité with French 75 dip, a lush Monte Cristo with Gruyère, Benton’s Ham pâté, sauce Mornay and blackberry-thyme marmalade. Savor your meal with a WL Bloody Mary (Kettle One vodka and house briny bloody mix) or Golden Hour (Ford’s gin, spiced pear, ginger, pineapple) to drink in the sunshine. (graduatehotels.com)
ROZE PONY
As the guiding force behind West Nashville’s Roze Pony (and its sibling Cafe Roze in East) chef Julia Jaksic has long understood the art of brunching— which melds beautifully with her concept of an all-day cafe. Hence, you can count on her vibrant daytime menu seven days a week. Sparkling cocktails like Pretty Pony are designed for laid- back day drinking and non-alcoholic concoctions like Firewater (carrot, lime, habanero and soda!) will rev up the morning. A gratin of Baked Eggs in cream, kale and Pinewood sausage is soul-satisfying. Beet-cured salmon on rye is a stunner. Allow extra time for the Soufflé pancakes with blueberry syrup— it’s worth the wait. (rozepony.com)
STATIONAIRY
Inside the Union Station Nashville Yards, Stationairy is modern, yet its circa 1900 setting recalls the bygone time of train travel. It’s easy to pretend you’re on a trip. Dine in the handsomely appointed room surrounded by its grand stone walls, sculpted fireplace and arched windows looking out onto Broadway. Come with friends and share The Brunch Platter, a sweet and savory arrangement of buttermilk pancakes, waffles, the house fruit compote, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, and Tennessee sausage. Also recommended is the Pull-Apart Bread, remarkable for its stuffing of cheese, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, eggs and bacon—and a spicy Hollandaise for dipping. (stationairynashville.com)
SAMBUCA
One of the earliest denizens of The Gulch, Sambuca has long defined itself as a place for great live music, food, and drink. Brunch can be a little bit rock and roll, a little bit jazzy. And with choices like Breakfast Tacos plumped with scrambled eggs, queso fresco, and chorizo; or the Rustic Benedict, where poached eggs and Canadian bacon come ladled with black pepper-sausage gravy, brunch will be delicious. For a cool sip try Sambuca’s fruit-forward Sangria. It has an undercurrent of peach Brandy to give it potency. Wanting warmth? Get the Carajillo, made with Licor 43 and espresso. (sambucanashville.com)
GATHRE
Inside midtown’s Hotel Fraye, Gathre is the place to gather above the fray. Brunch, served every day, holds a firm place in the elegant, eclectically decorated restaurant. On weekends, however, the energy ramps up with the DJ Brunch. Favored quaffs include the bottomless mimosas, but don’t pass up other cocktails, like the Bourbon Bramble, combining Buffalo Trace with lemon and blackberries. Southern in slant, the menu offers a Giant Cinnamon Roll, the grand swirl drenched in cream cheese icing; a clever Bacon Flight; fluffy buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy; and Avocado Toast, punched up with Boursin and feta cheeses, radishes, pomegranate “pearls,” and poached egg. (gathrenashville.com)
1799 KITCHEN AND COCKTAIL
This modern restaurant and bar inside The Harpeth, downtown Franklin’s first luxury hotel, recently added brunch service. Here, it’s the sauces that take traditional dishes and make them memorable. Tender beef featured in the Grilled Tri-tip Steak and Eggs gets a tangy punch from chimichurri. Tomato gravy caps the Eggs Benedict, poached cage-free eggs on toasted English muffins served with arugula and crispy potatoes. Cast-iron French Toast boasts a rich Grand Marnier-laced custard. Kick back and enjoy a Pinkerton Paloma: tequila, Pamplemousse liqueur, honey, and fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice. Afterward, repair to the chic hotel library and relax by the blazing fireplace. (harpethhotel.com)