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Fenwick’s 300
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Fenwick’s 300
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8th and Roast
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8th and Roast
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Pre to Post Modern
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Pre to Post Modern
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Downtown Antique Mall
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Downtown Antique Mall
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Arnold's Country Kitchen
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Arnold's Country Kitchen
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Third Man Records
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Third Man Records
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Grimey's New & Preloved Music
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Grimey's New & Preloved Music
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Urban Juicer
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Urban Juicer
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Flyte
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The Cannery Ballroom, Mercy Lounge, The High Watt
Nashville is full of evolving neighborhoods, but none as eclectic and unpretentious as 8th Avenue. Running north-to-south from the historic Cannery building to the affluent residential Oak Hill, this nook of the city is full of staple attractions and music venues as well as under-the-radar restaurants, a famous vinyl emporium, and too many antique stores to mentionthough not too many to visit.
Morning
At the corner of 8th Avenue that faces Kirkwood Avenue, you'll find Fenwick's 300, a new diner designed by the coffee gurus at Bongo Java, featuring indulgences like coffee beignets, chorizo breakfast tacos, and gooey housemade cinnamon rolls. Drive or walk three-quarters of a mile north to 8th and Roast, a specialty coffee shop with a sleek interior that's usually full of creative-type freelancers posted up at the two large community tables made from reclaimed bowling lanes. Order an iced vanilla latte to caffeinate for the day ahead.
With coffee in hand, peruse the neighboring antique shops. Pre to Post Modern features affordable midcentury furniture and vintage clothing, Dealer's Choice Antiques brims with high-end furniture and Persian rugs, and 8th Ave Antiques is a hodgepodge of findsit's like the city's best yard sale goodies all ended up in the same shop. The savviest bargain hunters also hit up the Downtown Antique Mall, located several miles north on 8th Avenue, between Fogg and Drexel streets.
Afternoon
You'll be hungry after all that shopping; luckily, Arnold's Country Kitchen, a meat-and-three-style restaurant, is just across the street from the Downtown Antique Mall. Plan to eat early, eat late, or waitArnold's is a Nashville hot spot, serving up hearty specialties like from-scratch biscuits and country-fried steak. If you remember only one thing, let it be this: Don't skip the pie.
Later, drop in at rocker Jack White's recording studio, Third Man Records, which houses the label offices as well as a record store, photo studio, dark room, and live music venue with an analog recording studio. For more vinyl, drive a few miles south to Grimey's New & Preloved Music and take your time flipping through records. If you need an afternoon refresher after that heavy lunch, the Mood Lifter at Urban Juicer is freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juices plus a dash of ginger.
Evening
After a long day of activity, recline with a glass of wine at Flyte, a luxe restaurant that was filling its menu with creative takes on local fare long before it was cool. The roster changes daily, and the ambiance is always relaxed and invitingindustrial details meet soft touches in this dimly lit dining room. And no visit to 8th Avenue is complete without music. The Cannery Ballroom, Mercy Lounge, and The High Watt, located at historic 1 Cannery Row, host concerts nightly, and the lineups are as varied and memorable as the neighborhood these venues call home.