The Iberian Pig
A new year means new restaurant openings... and we couldn't be more excited! Check out our list of eight new digs opening up this year in Music City, below.
The Iberian Pig
The Iberian Pig opened in Atlanta in 2009 followed by a second location in Buckhead. The restaurant is now opening a location at 607 Overton Street in The Gulch. Similar in spirit to the original locations, The Iberian Pig Nashville will boast tastes of Spain with an eclectic, social atmosphere, and a menu of traditional charcuterie, queso, and tapas. Favorites like the bacon-wrapped dates and pork cheek tacos will be on the menu alongside a creative expression of dishes that will be new to Music City. Designed by award-winning Smith Hanes Studio, the 4,500-square-foot Nashville outpost will feature a large rooftop patio with its own private bar. The space will pay homage to the Atlanta locations in use of color and lighting with accents of gold and maroon. The restaurant is targeting an early 2023 opening.
St. Vito Focacceria
After a few years of successful pop-ups, St. Vito Focacceria, a sfincione pizza and Sicilian street food concept, is opening a permanent location in The Gulch. Chef Michael Hanna is at the helm of the soon-to-be bricks-and-mortar location. Whole pies plus slices and other entrees will be available for purchase. The intimate setting will also feature a bar. The targeted opening is in March.
Barstool Sports
Digital media company Barstool Sports is looking to open a restaurant and bar in Nashville some time in 2023. The concept will be located at 123 Second Ave. S., last home to Joe’s Crab Shack.
Blind Barber
Blind Barber, a community-hub barbershop and speakeasy, is opening in Paseo South Gulch, a dynamic mixed-use district. The concept began in 2010, when Blind Barber first set up shop in Manhattan’s East Village. Founders Matt Breen and Josh Boyd had a simple idea: blend a classic style with modern expectations, and invite everyone inside. It has since grown from New York to Chicago, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles, and now, Nashville. The concept will feature 3,300-square-feet of space facing 8th Avenue. While it may be a barbershop, Blind Barber is also very much a full-time cocktail bar with a dedicated cocktail and bites menu. Blind Barber is also known for its high-quality hair and grooming products, which Major League Baseball All-Star and recent NLCS MVP Bryce Harper is the face of. The targeted opening date is set for some time in the spring.
Iggy’s
Nashville brothers Ryan and Matthew Poli are opening iggy’s, a new restaurant concept in Wedgewood-Houston that will focus on freshly made pasta, raw pasta to-go, prepared sauces, preserves, and cheeses. The new restaurant will be located at 609 Merritt Avenue and is slated to open in the spring. Iggy’s is inspired by Chef Ryan’s culinary experiences and training around Europe and Asia, as well his love for making fresh pasta. The menu is designed to celebrate local farmers, producers, and pasta. In addition to the restaurant, The Market at iggy’s will feature items to-go such as raw pasta (shapes, sizes, flavors, dried, and fresh), prepared sauces, cheeses, preserves, and merchandise. Guests can purchase monthly pasta subscriptions, wholesale for other restaurants, and pasta classes taught by Chef Ryan.
Noko
Noko, a forthcoming Asian-inspired, wood-fired restaurant, is set to open in East Nashville’s Eastwood neighborhood in early 2023. Noko is influenced by wanderlust and simplicity of the region. Executive chef Dung “Junior” Vo aims to perfect the balance of new and old techniques in wood fire cooking, putting his Asian-influenced spins on familiar proteins and indigenous vegetables through smoking, searing, and roasting. Classic comfort food dishes undergo an elevated twist with dishes like Wagyu Brisket with a housemade Asian spice rub and Smoked Gochujang Hot Wings, alongside other unique menu items like rotating crudos and tartares, fire-grilled seafood, and, a collection of seasonal vegetables. The space will feature art and design features inspired by an intimate Japanese farmhouse. In addition to the high-quality fare, the Noko team will utilize wood fire and Asian traditions in their seasonally inspired beverage menu, which includes options that range from non-alcoholic cocktails with toasted garnishes to Wagyu-fat washed Old Fashionds made with Japanese whiskies.
Pastis
Pastis, a legendary Parisian-style bistro in New York City's Meatpacking District has been a go-to for A-list guests and traditional French fare for nearly fifteen years. The restaurant will soon open a location in Nashville. Restaurateurs Keith McNally and Stephen Starr have partnered with Adventurous Journeys to debut Pastis within the May Hosiery Mills project, an adaptive re-use project of a historic sock factory on Houston Street in Nashville's Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. The restaurant will be adjacent to the newly opened Soho House. Much like Pastis in NYC, the Nashville location will live up to the Parisian-inspired ambiance with signature Pastis décor including exposed brick, gold lighting, Parisian bistro chairs, subway tile, and factory-style windows overlooking the neighborhood. The Nashville restaurant is expected to open some time later this year.
To-Be-Named Bar by Café Roze/Roze Pony Owners
Julia Jaksic and Eric Lincoln, owners of the all-day cafés Café Roze and Roze Pony, have announced a third local hospitality concept: a bar in the center of downtown Nashville’s historic Arcade building. The to-be-named business will open in fall 2023 at 15B Arcade Alley. The co-owners were intent on creating a convivial and comfortable space for Nashville locals and visitors looking for a chic refuge downtown. The bar will feature a range of custom specialty cocktails and a limited menu of small, shared plates.