Nashville’s dining scene is set to expand with 20 new restaurants and bars opening this spring, from Chicago expansions to home-grown establishments
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Several new restaurants are set to open in Nashville this spring, expanding the city’s dining scene.Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group is opening three concepts in Wedgewood Village: Momotaro, Alla Vita and Middleman.Other notable openings include concepts from chef José Andrés, a new Italian restaurant at the Four Seasons, and the return of Calypso Cafe.The new establishments range from fine dining and upscale steakhouses to casual neighborhood spots and cocktail bars.
Nashville’s restaurant boom continues apace, with more than a dozen new restaurants slated to open in spring 2026.
Locally grown concepts, such as a new Cledis Burgers & Beer location coming to the Gulch, slightly outweigh out-of-town arrivals. Still, the trend of established restaurant groups expanding into the city continues, including an outpost of José Andrés Group’s Bar Mar.
Other expansion restaurants include Momotaro and Alla Vita from Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group, founded by Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, the team behind Girl & the Goat and more than a dozen other concepts. They’ll also open a third spot, a cocktail bar called Middleman, between the two restaurants.
Middleman, Momotaro and Alla Vita will open together on the ground floor of a 170,000-square-foot building along Houston and Martin streets as part of AJ Capital’s Wedgewood Village development, an 18-acre, mixed-use, multi-phase project in Wedgewood-Houston.
Gabe Garza, Boka Restaurant Group’s chief development officer, said the timing of the openings came down to a simple factor: project delivery.
“The spaces are part of a larger development, and once they are ready, that ultimately dictates when we can open,” he said. “That said, we have always liked the idea of opening with a full deck of cards.”
The concepts are designed to work together within the property, allowing guests to move from one experience to another, Garza said.
“It creates a great sense of energy in the building and allows guests to experience the portfolio as a whole rather than discovering each concept one at a time,” he said. “And after what felt like a long and challenging winter in Nashville, opening in the spring certainly feels like a bonus.”
Garza also pointed to the momentum of Nashville’s dining scene, calling it an exciting time for the city and operators alike.
“It continues to attract great operators and chefs who want to be part of its growth,” he said. “That momentum brings curiosity and energy to the dining scene and creates an audience that is eager to explore new restaurants. We are excited to be a part of the conversation.”
Momotaro
515 Houston St.
Chicago‑based Boka Restaurant Group has three Nashville concepts set to open this spring in AJ Capital’s Wedgewood Village: Momotaro, Alla Vita and a cocktail bar called Middleman that connects the two restaurants. All three will be located near Bastion and Pastis, further cementing the neighborhood’s reputation as a dining destination.
Momotaro is a modern Japanese fine‑dining restaurant from chef Gene Kato. The flagship location opened in Chicago in 2014. It’s received recognition from the Michelin Guide, in which reviewers praised the signature Jidori kimo chicken liver pate, beef tsukune sliders from the robata-yaki and the ebi uni maguro (shrimp, sea urchin and tuna) maki.
Alla Vita
523 Houston St.
Alla Vita brings a proven Chicago Italian concept to Wedgewood Village in this neighborhood Italian restaurant from chef Lee Wolen. The menu revolves around handmade pastas, wood‑fired pizzas and Italian comfort dishes like the pillowy cacio e pepe ricotta dumplings. There are also some Nashville‑exclusive dishes in the works. Alla Vita’s food is paired with an Italian‑leaning wine list and cocktails built around vermouths, amaros and seasonal spritzes.
Middleman
Houston St., Wedgewood Village (between Momotaro and Alla Vita)
Middleman is the third Boka concept on Houston Street, designed as a connective bar between Momotaro and Alla Vita. Inspired by European arcades, the bar is intended to be a space where guests can gather for drinks before or after dinner. The bar program centers on small-batch Tennessee whiskies, international whiskies, rare agave spirits and vintage liqueurs. With seating for 83, Middleman adds a dedicated cocktail destination to the ground floor of the Wedgewood Village development.
Sally’s Stay Awhile
611 Wedgewood Ave.
Sally’s Stay Awhile is set to open in spring in Wedgewood‑Houston, marking Andy Little’s return to a permanent kitchen after overseeing culinary operations for Strategic Hospitality. The restaurant will be the group’s second concept in the swiftly growing neighborhood, following Bastion. This is Little’s first standalone kitchen since Josephine closed in late 2023 and is intended to be an easy, all‑day neighborhood restaurant rather than a special‑occasion spot. The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, with familiar dishes ranging from breakfast sandwiches and pastries to rotisserie chicken, prime rib, pasta and seasonal sides. There will also be a full bar and a robust to‑go program.
Cledis Burgers & Beer (Gulch)
719 8th Ave. S.
On March 30, Cledis Burgers & Beer will debut its third location in The Gulch, taking over the former Party Fowl space at 8th Avenue and Division Street. The counter‑service restaurant from chef and owner Shane Nasby expands the local burger concept beyond its existing locations on Elm Hill Pike and in Bellevue. The Gulch outpost will serve smash burgers, wings, sandwiches, salads and a full beverage program in a space filled with ’80s and ’90s pop‑culture nostalgia.
Calypso Cafe (Charlotte Ave.)
3307 Charlotte Ave.
Calypso Cafe is set to reopen its Charlotte Avenue location for dine‑in service this spring, returning the longtime Nashville restaurant to its original West End footprint after operating as a commissary kitchen since the pandemic. The reopening follows new ownership by David Parker and his wife, who took over the nearly 40‑year‑old restaurant in early 2025.
Known for its Caribbean‑influenced, health‑forward fare, Calypso has been a Nashville staple since 1989, particularly for oversized salads, rotisserie chicken, rice and beans and its signature fruit tea.
Cauponor
1316 Adams St.
Cauponor — meaning “tradesman” in Latin — is set to open in the Neuhoff District in Germantown in spring, likely April, according to Chef Jake Howell. The European‑leaning restaurant is the second new concept in the mixed‑use development from the Peninsula team, following cocktail bar Charmers. The menu focuses on what the team calls “choose‑your‑own‑adventure European dining,” favoring larger‑format and shareable à la carte dishes over tasting menus, paired with a European wine list.
Hattori Nori
L&L Market, 3820 Charlotte Ave.
Nashville’s first handroll bar is coming from local sushi Chef Arthur Stacks, who operates Ricey & Co., a sushi catering company. Handrolls, also called temaki, are nori rolls filled with sushi rice and proteins, served whole and best eaten right away, while the nori is still crisp.
According to the restaurant’s website, Hattori Nori will be an “elevated handroll bar where precision meets elegance. Inspired by Japanese ateliers, every detail reflects mastery, refinement and craft. Chef-driven. Made one at a time. Served immediately. Freshness isn’t a claim here, it’s the entire point.”
Lost & Found: Piza Lolo, Fortunate Sun, more
Opening March 20, this new food, drink and shopping destination is designed as a central gathering place for East Nashville’s Inglewood neighborhood. The development marks the first brick‑and‑mortar home for the popular pop‑up Pizza Lolo and also houses Fortunate Sun, a new open‑air bar from Jamie White — an intentional misspelling of the Creedence Clearwater Revival song that nods to the space’s outdoor focus. Additional offerings include rotating food trucks and Birdie’s, a carryout wine shop rounding out the mix.
Lion’s Share
4410 Murphy Road
James Beard semifinalist Robbie Wilson and his wife, Emily Wilson, will open Lion’s Share in the former McCabe Pub in Sylvan Park in the spring. The cozy tavern and restaurant will serve elevated comfort food. Robbie Wilson has experience working with culinary heavyweights like Tom Colicchio and Thomas Keller and helped launch M Street Entertainment Group, positioning Lion’s Share as a neighborhood spot with pedigree.
Ocean Prime
990 Signal Crossing
Opening April 21 at Nashville Yards, Ocean Prime marks the first Tennessee location for this upscale seafood and steakhouse concept from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. The 10,000‑square‑foot restaurant will include more than 370 seats, two covered terraces and multiple private dining rooms. Signature items include a dry ice-bedecked “smoking” seafood tower, white truffle and caviar deviled eggs, lobster mac and cheese and various prime steak cuts.
Bar Roza
211 Arcade Alley
This new cocktail bar from Cafe Roze and Roze Pony Chef‑restaurateur Julia Jaksic, co‑owned with Roze Bar Director Owen Gibler, centers on a thoughtful, exploratory drinks program. The menu includes smaller‑format aperitif‑ and digestif‑based cocktails, paired hot‑and‑cold drinks built around shared ingredients, and classic shaken and stirred options, alongside non‑alcoholic offerings. Bar Roza is slated to open in April.
Bacco
100 Demonbreun St.
Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Nashville will debut a new Italian restaurant this spring with Bacco. The concept centers on seasonal Italian cooking with an emphasis on premium steaks, house‑made pastas and pizzettas, and an extensive Italian wine list, following a multimillion‑dollar renovation of the hotel’s restaurant space.
Culture Club
1212 Martin St.
This frozen Greek yogurt café from brothers Bear and PJ Kaminer is opening in Wedgewood Village with a focus on premium, house‑made Greek yogurt. The concept includes a chef‑driven toppings bar overseen by James Beard Award semifinalist Noelle Marchetti and plans for seasonal flavors and collaborations with nearby businesses. Culture Club will function as a daytime café with coffee and yogurt bowls before shifting into a dessert‑focused neighborhood stop in the evening.
Earls Kitchen + Bar
26 Platform Way South
Opening April 16 at Nashville Yards, Earls Kitchen + Bar marks the first Tennessee location for the upscale‑casual restaurant, which operates more than 70 locations across North America. The 260‑seat restaurant will serve lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and twice‑daily happy hour, with a menu spanning modern American fare with global influences and a cocktail‑forward bar program.
Bar Mar
300 12th Ave. S. (W Hotel)
José Andrés Group will open Bar Mar this spring at the W Hotel in the Gulch, marking the second location of the Chicago‑based seafood restaurant. The menu focuses on reimagined seafood classics and Spanish‑style charcuterie, including crudos, chilled shellfish, and Iberian ham.
Butterfly
300 12th Ave. S. (W Hotel, 13th floor)
Butterfly is a newly launched rooftop concept from José Andrés Group, located on the 13th floor of the W Hotel in the Gulch. The bar features nearly 360‑degree city views, agave‑based spirits, and Mexican‑inspired light bites such as ceviches and tacos.
Mackensy Lunsford is the senior dining reporter for The Tennessean. Reach her at mlunsford@tennessean.com.
Dining and Cooking