The November Hit List: The Continental, Henrietta Red, Yolan, Hathorne, and More

Sean Brock is back in the hotel restaurant business — he spent career-defining time as the chef of the Hermitage’s Capitol Grille back in the mid-2000s — with the opening of The Continental in Nashville’s posh new Grand Hyatt. Classic American cuisine rooted in French technique is the menu’s focus, with dishes like a 10-ounce prime rib with horseradish cream, a chilled Maine lobster salad, and a game bird pithivier (a classy puff pastry-enrobed pie). It opened in early October for some seriously upscale carryout and delivery, with plans to open its dining room Nov. 20. And the seriously luxurious vibes — plus Kaluga caviar service — make it one of Nashville’s most elegant new dining destinations.  

Dining Status: Curbside, carryout, and delivery are available; Reservations now available for Nov. 20 and beyond.

After a summer stint as a casual seafood takeout joint, chef Julia Sullivan’s restaurant has returned to its full-service self. The menu is refreshed for fall, too, with dishes like gorgeous roasted cauliflower with pickled mushrooms and pepitas, and homey lamb gnocchi with ricotta, preserved lemon, prunes and mint. Favorites from the summer remain as well, including an epic lobster roll and the perennially popular fish and chips. Head in for dinner and brunch.

Dining Status: Choice of covered patio or dining in the bar area; takeout and delivery still available.

Chicago chef Tony Mantuano has landed in Nashville in a big way, with the opening of a fine-dining restaurant Yolan in the Joseph Hotel. The chef is offering his Michelin-approved style of Italian cuisine in a tasting menu format, or à la carte. Luxe dishes like gnocchi with white truffle and lobster risotto lead up to a 36-ounce Kansas City strip steak strip steak with rosemary lardo. Choose bottles from a deep list of Italian wines, or classic cocktails to match. 

Dining Status: Dining room is now open. Call 615-231-0405 for reservations.

Fresh seafood reigns supreme at Marsh House, where impressive seafood towers come brimming with oysters, mussels, shrimp, ceviche, smoked fish dip, and more. The recently revamped restaurant, which lives within the Thompson Hotel, is serving dinner in the dining room and on the patio. Enter through a separate entrance to bypass the hotel lobby, and peruse the menu for Southern-inspired seafood dishes like barbecue shrimp with Israeli couscous, shrimp dirty rice, and red snapper with miso glaze. 

Dining Status: Dining room and patio are open for dinner. Call 615-262-6001 for reservations.

The building that houses Hathorne was once a fellowship hall and many of those elements are incorporated into the restaurant: diners can grab a seat that was formerly a pew. Now, the doors to the dining room are open once more, after months of carryout only, as its roomy patio. Chef John Stephenson’s menu of New American dishes with Southern influences is filled with fall inspiration, like pierogi stuffed with duck confit and parsnips, served with red cabbage and Hakurei turnips.

Dining Status: Dining room and patio are now open; carryout available.

In addition to The Continental, the Grand Hyatt also contains the Nashville Grange, a casual restaurant focused on upscale comfort food. It’s located on the lobby level with views of Broadway and Union Station, as well as a look inside its large, open kitchen. The menu is Southern-leaning featuring flavors from around the world — think radishes with miso and tahini —  and devoted to produce and meats from local farms. It’s currently open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Dining Status: Dining room is open for reservations.

12 South’s star continues to rise with the addition of a dumpling and kakigori shop from former Catbird Seat chef Trevor Moran and Strategic Hospitality (also behind Pinewood Social, Paradise Park, The Catbird Seat, and other restaurants). It’s now open with a tight menu of steamed dumplings, crispy dumplings, spicy noodles (“Numby Noodles from Hell”), charcoal-roasted oysters with chili butter, and kakigori (Japanese shaved ice topped with flavorings like salted caramel and cherry sauce). Toki highballs, Japanese beer, and canned sake will also be available. 

Dining Status: Indoor and patio seating available; text 615-205-3737 for reservations.

Music City’s music venues and musicians are struggling due to COVID-19 restrictions. Luckily, you can support them simultaneously with dinner and a show in City Winery’s outdoor wine garden. Dine on flatbreads, goat cheese and mushroom risotto balls, and more, while sipping one of the winery’s 11 wines on tap. Both the Barrel Room and Skyline Patio (a rooftop dining area) are open for brunch and dinner; dining during shows is also allowed.

Dining Status: Dining room, rooftop, and patio are open.

A much-needed addition to Nashville’s Asian food options has opened in East Nashville. Hawkers Asian Street Food — a reference to the Asian street food vendors known as “hawkers” — is now open with a long menu of dishes from China to Thailand to Vietnam. That means chicken dumplings, bao, meat skewers, pad thai, fried rice, and more  all coexisting in one restaurant. There’s also a selection of Asian beer, wine, sake, tiki cocktails, and Japanese whisky. The Florida-based chain was founded by four friends with backgrounds spanning Asia; this is their first Tennessee location. 

Dining Status: Dining room is open; takeout and delivery is available.

The food of the Iberian peninsula is on display once more, as Peninsula has reopened its dining room for warm olives, Spanish tortillas, and gin tonics. The restaurant is offering two tasting-menu-only seatings per night: nine courses at 5:30 p.m. and twelve courses at 8 p.m. Each seating is for ten people, so make sure to snag your preferred time ASAP. And for those not ready to dine indoors quite yet, sign up to have Peninsula’s rich, golden bone broth delivered to your doorstep. 

Dining Status: Dining room open for two nightly seatings.