Christen Clemins
A long and ever-growing waitlist of entrepreneurs needing commissary space prompted Citizen Incubator Kitchens founder Laura Wilson to reach out to the folks of Fresh Hospitality.
Clearly the demand was greater than her west Nashville facility could meet, and both companies share a common goal: to help young food-based businesses grow and flourish. They joined forces to create Hunters Station, an ambitious project that transformed Hunters Automotive at Main and South 10th Street into a fast-casual food hall built over a state-of-the-art kitchen commissary. Home to locally born food and beverage businesses, it is a testament to the ingenuity and collaborative spirit that defines our city.
You can’t miss the bright white building with bold red letters across the front. Six separate eateries share the space, each on brand, with its defined look, service counter, and dining area. (You are welcome to dine inside or out.) All six are new to East Nashville, giving residents the chance to enjoy these fast-casual concepts in their own neighborhood.
At the front and left is The Grilled Cheeserie serving their much-loved melts and cheesy tots. As you step onto the black-and-white tiled floors to place your order, you take in the aromas of toasty butter. Directly across is The Picnic Tap, Eric Woodard’s craft beer garden and pub, which debuted in the Nashville Farmers Market in 2014. Sidle up to the rustic wood dining counters or bar for a drink and a picnic-inspired nosh. Along with a rotating array of local and regional craft brews, Woodard also offers four wines and four batched cocktails on tap. Chef Chris Futrell oversees The Picnic Tap kitchen, enlivening the roster of pub grub.
Continue your stroll, and you’ll encounter Tacos Aurora. This Cali-Mex taqueria was started by Arthur Orr and his brother, Luis, first
Christen Clemins
as a food truck operating out of Citizen Kitchens on the west side. The brothers follow the cooking traditions of their Taquero father and grandfather. You’ll gape at the spiced pork and pineapple on a spit, sliced to order and packed into Al Pastor tacos, or hefty Mission burritos layered with pintos, rice, guac, and cheese. To wash it down, choose from the agua frescas, bottled Mexican sodas and beers, or frozen booze slushies.
Sharing the next section in complementary earth tones are Vui’s Kitchen and Citizen Market. This makes the third location for Vui Hunt’s fresh Vietnamese cuisine, and she’s excited to be in East Nashville. “I’ve felt immediately welcomed here,” she beams. She and her staff prepare their signature bahn mi sandwiches, noodle bowls, lettuce wraps, and soulful 12-hour bone broth phos.
Citizen Market is Laura Wilson’s brainchild, a logical outgrowth of the incubator kitchen. It showcases the wares of Citizen Kitchen entrepreneurs. Come here for your morning coffee or espresso, and breakfast. Whether spread with butter and jam or tucked with tenderloin, the biscuits are delicious—as are Darla’s Bagels, toasted and smeared. Village Bakery’s Sam Tucker supplies butter-rich croissants and pastries, plus loaves of Pugliese to take home. And don’t pass over Caity’s hand pies, ultra-flaky, and plump with sweet or savory fillings. Look, too for the soup and quiche of the day.
Chilled display cases brim with grab-n-go salads and sandwiches, as well as handcrafted pastas and sauces, cold-pressed juices, artisanal cheeses, and compound butters. Market shelves are laden with locally made goods from notable independents, like Nashville Jam Company, Ousley Ouch Salsa, and Bae’s Butters.
Anchoring the right end of the food hall is Pat Martin’s popular burger-and-barbecue joint Hugh Baby’s. Tapping into the spirit of southern burger shacks of the ’60s and ’70s, there are no freezers or microwaves ever—just good, fresh food that also fast and affordable. There’s no drive-thru at this location. Instead, and fittingly, there’s a walk-up window. And yes, Fridays are for Slugburgers.
Hunters Station, 975 Main St.; huntersstation.com
Know Before You Go
The rear parking lot offers 90 minutes of free parking for guests. The front lot is designated for to-go pick up and handicapped parking only.Patio spaces are pet-friendly, and a dog park is in the works.Hunters Station practices sustainability. All of the restaurants use compostable packaging. Throughout the food hall are disposal stations divided into recyclables, compost, and landfill—with the intention of having little to nothing in the landfill bin.