Chicago-based restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You is planning two concepts in Nashville this year.
Aba is slated for 345 Houston St. near the former Turnip Green space in Wedgewood-Houston. It is the third location for the restaurant, which features modern Mediterranean food, with existing locations in Chicago and Austin. Chef CJ Jacobson’s menu features smoky garlic hummus, whipped feta spread, shawarma-spiced skirt steak and frozen Greek yogurt with olive oil and sea salt, according to a press release.
The Aba location will feature a patio, indoor and outdoor bars, and more than 250 seats.
In addition, Lettuce Entertain You plans Sushi-san for the 12South neighborhood at 2212 12th Ave. S. It will join Krewe eyewear, Reformation, SunLife Organics and other businesses at the Ashwood 12 South Development, Nashville Post reported in January. The Nashville location of Sushi-san will be the company’s first outside of Chicago.
From chef and partner Kaze Chan, the menu will feature maki, hand rolls and nigiri, in addition to rice, noodle and robata-grilled dishes. It will also offer a “robust selection” of Japanese whisky and sake by the glass, according to a release.
Lettuce Entertain You President and CEO R.J. Melman noted the two restaurants represent the company’s first foray into the Music City market.
“Nashville is a great food city. And what we felt was also special about Nashville is its neighborhoods and the two concepts that we are opening are both neighborhood-driven restaurants with Aba coming to Wedgewood Houston and Sushi-san in the 12South neighborhood. Lettuce looks forward to becoming part of the Nashville hospitality community,” Melman said.
Ladybird Taco to add Gulch location
Ladybird Taco is slated to add its third Nashville-area location, according to a Metro permit.
The Texas-inspired breakfast and lunch tacos will operate within the Pullman high-rise located at 1206 Demonbreun St. in the Gulch Union mixed-use development.
Gulch Union, when completed, will feature Pullman, an accompanying residential building and an existing 20-story office and retail building that rises on the northeast corner of the intersection of Demonbreun Street and 13th Ave. S. In February 2024, images were released for the second tower, to be located at 1207 McGavock St.
Ladybird has grown quickly in the past several years. It started with a 12South location in 2020 and later added a location in Birmingham in 2023 and the Riverside Village neighborhood in East Nashville in 2024.
Local firm to open three cocktail bars
Pikeld Hospitality is adding three new cocktail bars in Nashville, the company confirmed with Nashville Business Journal.
As the Post reported earlier this month, locally based Pikeld plans 1960s themed Demure Cocktail Lounge for 1319 Sixth Ave. N. in Germantown. In addition, the company will open Steampunk Social at a yet-to-be-named location in Wedgewood-Houston, and a bar downtown, about which details have not been released.
Across the four locations, Pikeld will employ about 80 people, NBJ reports, but did not disclose when the three locations are slated to open.
The company launched its first concept, Amendment XVIII Cocktail Club, in downtown Franklin in 2021.