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Marché Artisan Foods
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Marché Artisan Foods
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Marché Artisan Foods
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Tenn16
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Tenn16
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The Shoppes on Fatherland
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The Trunk
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Rusty Rats Antiques & Vintage
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Rusty Rats Antiques & Vintage
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Thrive
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Thrive
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The Local Taco
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The Local Taco
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Art & Invention Gallery
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Art & Invention Gallery
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Bongo East
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Bongo East
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The Treehouse
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Lipstick Lounge
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Lipstick Lounge
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Five Points Pizza
When you stand at the bustling intersection of Woodland Street, Clearview Avenue, and North 11th Street in East Nashville, it's hard to picture what Five Points wasessentially a wastelandjust a few decades ago. A revitalization in the early 2000s graced this neighborhood with establishments like Bongo East and Margot Café; today, the area is thriving with ecofriendly retailers, creative hubs, and a truly mind-boggling number of restaurants and bars. Eclectic and ever-growing, Five Points is more than this city's hipster headquartersit's the heart of the East Nashville community.
Morning
How ya feeling, sunshine? If you're well rested and willing to slip into something other than sweatpants, scoot over to Main Street's Marché Artisan Foods for a classier-than-average brunch. Chef Margot McCormack 's menu changes weekly and often includes treats like croissant French toast or a duck confit crepe with sweet potatoes and kale-walnut pesto. If you're looking for a more low-key joint, around the corner is Tenn16, where you can take in a plate of chicken and waffles or crab benedict as well as whatever game is showing on the ginormous flat screens. After carbo-loading, waddle over to The Shoppes on Fatherland, a nearly hidden cluster of hip stores. Sift through The Trunk's collection of women's and men's apparel that's expertly curated by celebrity stylist Abby Franklin. Rusty Rats Antiques & Vintage is more than a filled-to-the-gills antique shop: Co-owners Jim Gray and Charlie Accavallo (who works in Nashville's prop department) also make custom furniture and industrial lighting.
Afternoon
You'd be crazy if you weren't hungry by now; luckily, you're mere steps away from Tex-Mex, glorious Tex-Mex. The Local Taco opened an east side location late last year, bringing an impressive lunch menu with standouts like spicy avocado tacos and smoked brisket enchiladas. Fill up then backtrack to Woodland and get lost wandering through the Art & Invention Gallery, which showcases works of all kinds by local artists such as cartoon-inspired painter Brian Nash, Tomato Art Fest cofounder Bret MacFadyen, and experimental photographer Andy Detwiler. Snap back to reality with a jolt of caffeine courtesy of nearby Bongo East, yet another Nashville institution that has expanded to this side of the river.
Evening
As the sun sets on East Nashville, make your way to The Treehouse for a cozy and creative tapas-style dinner. Nightlife in Five Points is often associated with a string of rowdy bars along 11th Street: There's 3 Crow, The Red Door Saloon, Drifters, and Beyond the Edge. But we keep finding ourselves back at The Lipstick Lounge, a no-frills karaoke bar. (Then again, have you ever been to a karaoke bar with frills?) Hang back and watch your friends duet to 'Islands in the Stream” or gather some liquid courage and channel your inner Beyoncé or Bowie. The resulting shenanigans are perfect fodder for the quick stroll to your final stop on this tour: the walk-up slice window at Five Points Pizza. Cheesy goodness in hand, it's time to call it a nightand your trusty Lyft driver.
