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Sweet Paris
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Ocean Prime
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Prime + Proper
Emerging Nashville Yards
Culaccino
CULACCINO’S
900 Commerce Street, Nashville; culaccinotn.com
After wowing the denizens of Franklin since opening in 2021, Chef Frank Pullara has launched his second Culaccino’s, serving the antipasti, bronze-cut pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and signature entrees with the panache that has made his restaurant a success.
Recommended: Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe; Mafalde with rock shrimp; Wood-grilled Lamb Loin over polenta
SWEET PARIS CRÊPERIE & CAFÉ
931 Signal Crossing, Ste 21, Nashville; sweetparis.com
Whether simply dusted with vanilla sugar and a squeeze of lemon or filled with ham and Gruyère, drizzled with bechamel, there’s nothing like the pleasure of eating thin, golden-brown crepes. Houston-based Sweet Paris offers this French delight, serving signature sweet and savory crepes, and other cafe treats.
Recommended: Dulce de Leche crepe with banana; Chicken Florentine with creamed spinach; Croque Madame breakfast crepe
Prime + Proper
PRIME + PROPER
1000 Broadway (inside Grand Hyatt), Nashville; primeandproperrestaurants.com
Hailing from Detroit, this high-end steakhouse inside — but distinct from — the Grand Hyatt hotel lives up to its name: Prime being the quality of its meats, butchered and dry-aged in-house, and Proper being the hospitality, with the staff all trained as service artists.
Recommended: Dry-aged Steak Tartare; Rare Cuts: unicorn specialties from P&P’s butcher; Tableside Dover Sole
OCEAN PRIME
990 Signal Crossing, Nashville; ocean-prime.com
Ocean Prime offers luxury in the form of seafood, steaks, cocktails and setting, from Cameron Mitchell, whose modest start in Columbus, Ohio, in 1993, has grown into an acclaimed restaurant group with a national presence. “Glitz & Glam meets Surf & Turf” is the fitting slogan for this grand 370seat restaurant. (Opening in April)
Recommended: Sea Scallops over Parmesan risotto; Dutch Harbor King Crab Legs; Filet in Maytag Blue Cheese Crust
Earls Kitchen + Bar
EARLS KITCHEN + BAR
26 Platform Way South, Nashville; earlsrestaurants.com
Upscale casual dining restaurant Earls Kitchen + Bar will open its first Tennessee location at Nashville Yards at 4 p.m. on April 16, bringing its signature blend of bold flavor, lively energy, and elevated design to one of the city’s most dynamic new developments. The 260-seat space centers around a vibrant lounge and a showstopping bar defined by sweeping wood arches, complemented by local artwork from Shabazz Larkin and Amanda Woods. With a globally inspired modern American menu, a cocktail-forward bar program, and twicedaily happy hour, Earls offers a casual yet sophisticated destination for lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, or late-night gatherings.
Recommended: USDA Prime-grade steaks; seafood towers; Sticky Korean Ribs; Spicy Calabrian Pasta; Chilaquiles Brunch Bowl; Tomato + Feta Shakshuka; Sticky Toffee Chocolate Pudding; Crème Brûlée Cheesecake.
By the numbers, 2025 was a stellar year for Nashville dining — five James Beard Foundation semifinalists, one finalist, and a Best Chef Southeast honor — while the Michelin Guide’s American South edition further validated the scene with three starred restaurants, seven Bib Gourmands, a Green Star, a Sommelier Award, and 12 recommended spots. New openings arrived at a steady clip of roughly three per month, reshaping neighborhoods and expectations alike.
By another measure — our taste buds — the year stacked up as stunning. Food trucks leapt into brick-and-mortar spaces, hospitality groups from major metros planted flags in Music City, and local independents branched into sister concepts. Nashville takes its food seriously, but never at the expense of a good time — and nowhere captures that better than this issue’s cover star, V Modern Italian in the Gulch.
Born from European aperitivo culture and built for all five senses, the 7,000-square-foot see-and-be-seen space blends velvet booths, a leafy patio, DJ nights, and a lively bar with Italian classics reimagined. Collaborations with Michelin-starred Chef Stefano Ciotti shape playful dishes — house-made pastas and Neapolitan wood-fired pizzas made with a sourdough starter tracing back to 18th-century Italy — while cocktails by Federico Pollarolo keep the energy high from brunch to late night. It’s exactly the kind of place Nashville dining has become: ambitious, social, and just as much about atmosphere as appetite.
Led by V Modern Italian, the following is a snapshot of those places that captured our hungry eyes and appetites.