Returning to its roots with a refreshed menu and reimagined space, Chef Julio Hernandez is reopening the Maíz de la Vida Tortilla Shop as a dine-in Fonda Fina. In celebration of the concept’s fifth anniversary in North Nashville, the Maíz de la Vida Fonda Fina opens to the public tomorrow Wednesday, April 29.
Used as a deliberate culinary paradox, Fonda Fina pairs fonda, (a small homey eatery, with fina, denoting the highest level of quality. At Maíz de la Vida Fonda Fina, this duality continues the throughline and ethos of all of Chef Hernandez’s concepts, centering everything around the humble corn tortilla. It also maintains its role as a commissary for the East Nashville food truck and Gulch full-service restaurant, sourcing heirloom corn primarily from Caney Fork Farms in Carthage, Tennessee, as well as from Mexico (approximately 15 tons annually), nixtamalizing it into roughly 30 tons of masa, and producing up to 800 tortillas daily that serve as the foundation for the Maíz culinary family.
The 12-seat restaurant operates Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with counter service for walk-in dining and takeout, as well as delivery via UberEats and a selection of grab-and-go commissary items.
The Menu
The Maíz de la Vida Fonda Fina serves a combination of originals and new additions: Quesabirria including three tacos (a choice of chicken or birria) with onion, cilantro, TQ salsa, and lime; Burritos (a choice of chicken or birria) on a sonora flour tortilla with monterrey jack cheese, rice, beans, crema, complete with a side of chips and salsa; Flautas in chicken or potato with spicy mayo, cascabel salsa, cotija cheese, and escabeche; Memelas with mole negro, salsa roja, onion, and queso fresco, and Empanadas with ground beef picadillo, salsa tatemada, and crema. Accessible in price, the dishes range from $12 to $16.
Beverages available include soft drinks and a rotating selection of Aguas Frescas made in-house. No alcoholic beverages will be offered at this location.
The Design
A warm, casual eatery geared toward Nashville locals, the Maíz de la Vida Fonda Fina showcases a refreshed space that feels personal to Chef Hernandez and the team. The dining room is light and colorful, with warm orange walls and soft green accents that tie into interior design elements of the Gulch restaurant and a gallery-style wall curated by Chef Hernandez displays an eclectic mix of new artwork, framed prints, alongside collected handmade objects and cookbooks. Stacked bags of heirloom corn line the space as a visual fixture, reinforcing the backbone of the Maíz concepts and reflecting the Fonda Fina’s approachable, lived-in feel.