next great neighborhood nashville s sobro · convention venue, music city center, is quickly...

by Kristin Luna ~ photographs by robbie caponettoT N 6 | s o u t h e r n l i v i n g | o c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

t r a v e l + C u l t u r e d e e p s o u t h i n s i d e r

Celeb chefs, music history, and craft

drink joints are turning this once-lonely

neighborhood into a must-stop

n e x t g r e at n e i g h b o r h o o d

D i r e c t ly s o u t h o f h o n k y-t o n k

heaven broadway, nashville’s sobro used to be a

run-down area of empty buildings and dilapidated

streets, but the arrival of the $635 million

convention venue, Music city center, is quickly

changing that. this month, the neighboring

omni nashville hotel’s debuts directly across the

street. connected to the country Music hall of

Fame, the 800-room luxury hotel is the perfect

jumping-off point for your exploration of one

of nashville’s hottest neighborhoods.

q 2. Pub5

12 South Taproom, the

beer pub at the helm of

another Nashville hot

’hood 12South, opened a

second location in SoBro

complete with a rooftop

patio. Start with a round of

local Yazoo beers before

settling down with a plate

of chimichurri wings ($11).

For a nightcap, try the

Rude Boy cocktail ($12)

made with George Dickel

and Jack Rudy Cocktail

Co. tonic. pub5.com

the Johnny Cash mural on

Fourth avenue South is a

sight to behold in Sobro.

p 1. the southern

steak & oyster

Restaurateur Tom Morales’

latest hot spot combines

the best of the region’s

cuisine—like a double-cut

smoked pork chop with

red onion marmalade

($28). For a post-dinner

drink, try the blackberry

moonshine with sweet

tea ($8). thesouthern

nashville.com

4. country Music

hall of faMe anD

MuseuM

The iconic museum,

home to the Hall of Fame

Rotunda and letterpress

shop Hatch Show Print,

invested in a $75 million

expansion that’ll double

its space to 350,000

square feet by next spring.

This month, check out

Carrie Underwood: The

Blown Away Tour exhibit,

running through November

10, which showcases

dozens of gorgeous gowns,

jewels, custom micro-

phones, and backstage

mementos collected by

the country darling on

her latest tour. country

musichalloffame.org

u 3. creMa

Billed as a coffee brewtique,

this rustic cafe sits near

the Cumberland River on

the cusp of SoBro. The

beans are small-batch

roasted, and the shop

doesn’t shy away from

experimenting with drinks

such as its Coffee Soda

($4.50), served iced and

carbonated. crema-coffee

.com

Korean Veterans Blvd.

Lafayette St.

Demonbreun St.

Shelby St. Pedestrian

BridgeBroadway

Peabody St.

Elm St.

Ash St.

1st Ave. S.

Hermitage Ave.

2nd

Ave. S.

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4th

Ave. S.

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nashville’s

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T N 8 | s o u t h e r n l i v i n g | o c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

t r a v e l + C u l t u r e d e e p s o u t h i n s i d e r

q 5. the listening

rooM cafe

This year, music industry insider

Chris Blair moved his music

venue from Cummins Station

to SoBro, bringing along a

steady rotation of impromptu

shows with hit songwriters.

listeningroomcafe.com

6. Downtown

antique Mall

Housed in a historic brick building

by the train tracks, this well-

stocked mall houses more than

40 dealers specializing in mid-

century modern furniture and

industrial wares. 615/256-6616

p 7. etch

Lauded chef Deb Paquette

spearheaded SoBro’s culinary

rise with the opening of Etch in

August 2012. Deb’s first local

restaurant in three years keeps

patrons guessing with inventive

dishes such as roasted cauli-

flower ($10) with truffled pea

pesto and feta cream, or the

cornmeal-fried catfish ($13) with

a pecan, red bell pepper, and

pomegranate sauce and fiery

plum preserves. But it’s pastry

chef Megan Williams’ desserts,

like the pumpkin semifreddo with

pecan cake, pumpkin puree, and

orange gastrique ($9), that steal

the show. etchrestaurant.com

� 8. the johnny

cash MuseuM Find handwritten lyrics and high

school report cards in the 1,000-

item collection at this homage

to the legendary country music

star, opened in April by one of

his longtime friends. johnny

cashmuseum.com

Johnson

Nursery &

Garden Center1717 East Spring Street

Cookeville, TN. 38506

931-528-8000website: johnsongardencenter.com

email: johnson38506@hotmail.com

Selected for 6 years as one of the

Top 100 Gardens Centers

Just 1 mile north of Interstate 40 between

exits 290 and 288 on US Hwy 70 North

A Family of Nurserymen since 1915

Tennessee Retailer of the Year 2011*

*Tennessee Nursery & Landscape Assoc.

by Today’s Garden Center magazine

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o c t o b e r 2 0 1 3 | s o u t h e r n l i v i n g | T N 9

p 9. thirD Man

recorDs

Both a label and a shop, Third

Man was founded by rocker Jack

White of The White Stripes in

Detroit in 2001 and moved to

Nashville with the musician in

2009. Third Man put SoBro on

the map by bringing in artists

such as Radiohead and Beck to

record in the intimate space.

When it’s not being used to

record, the studio hosts shows

from all kinds of artists—ranging

from The Shins to Willie Nelson—

and audio recordings of most

performances are later sold on

vinyl. The store is open daily

and features cool collectibles

like posters from past concerts,

vintage-inspired tees, and

Third Man-branded guitar picks.

thirdmanrecords.com

p 10. husk nashville

Charleston wunderkind Sean

Brock expanded his empire in

May to include a Nashville out-

post. The menu changes daily

and offers a Tennessee-centric

spin. order the vegetable plate

($25) because, as Sean says, “in

Charleston, it’s all about the sea;

in Nashville, it’s about the dirt.”

Don’t leave without trying a slice

of the buttermilk pie with berries

($7). husknashville.com