The January Hit List: The Golden Door, 51 North Taproom, Geist, and More

Named after James (aka Jimmy) William Buffet, JWB Grill is an upscale dining destination within Nashville’s SoBro Margaritaville Hotel. Parrotheads and their friends can dine upon Wagyu skirt steak and frites, Ora King salmon with a miso glaze, and pork-belly tacos in the large indoor dining room, or sit on the covered patio to watch the bachelorettes pass by.

Dining Status: Dining room and patio are open.

2020 has been a bitter pill to swallow for everyone, but not everyone had their historic Germantown restaurant severely damaged by a tornado days before the March lockdown. Geist was one of several Nashville businesses to sustain severe tornado damage; now it’s back open, with a little upgrade in the form of a Champagne garden. Its spacious outdoor area is now equipped with heaters, a retractable patio covering, and ice-filled buckets of Champagne for all seasons. Dinner and brunch menus got a little refresh too, featuring hot broiled oysters with Aleppo bread crumbs, blue crab fritters, and shrimp and grits.

Dining Status: Dining room is now open with a heated patio. Call 615-920-5440 for reservations.

Do you love National Parks? And cocktails? Well, there’s a bar for you in East Nashville serving drinks inspired by various parks, while raising money and awareness to save them. The interior is filled with rugged, parky decor like a fish tank, trees, and boulders. Cocktails are designed to match, rotating specific parks and using ingredients from those regions. (Acadia National Park on Maine’s seashore inspired a martini with a range of salty marine garnishes.) Food is limited to snacky things like jerky and trail mix, so plan accordingly. Reservations are available for seated cocktail service.

Dining Status: Bar is open, reservations recommended. 

A staple for Nashville natives — its first location opened in Music City, in fact — J. Alexander’s remains an excellent destination for hearty salads at lunch, and wood-fired mains. It has that contemporary American vibe, with a large selection of steaks and prime ribs, and seafood; the French dip is a classic, and no meal at J’s can begin without its Mexico City spinach queso dip. And don’t forget the Cypress salad, topped with chopped crispy chicken tenders, pecans, avocado, bacon, cheese, croutons and ranch dressing.

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

From food truck to fast-casual restaurant, Banh Mi and Roll+ is now serving its signature Vietnamese flavors in Hillsboro Village. As the name suggests, banh mi are the main attraction, with vermicelli noodle bowls, and fresh rice paper rolls. The “+” refers to the restaurant’s new offering, premium boba tea made fresh, without the powders used by many quick service boba spots.

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

Despite Nashville’s obsession with hot chicken, burgers, and barbecue, everyone still needs a salad once in a while. Thankfully, a new option has arrived in Hillsboro Village with a focus on healthful dining. Two Vanderbilt grads have opened a fast-casual spot aptly named The Greenery Co., focusing on salads and bowls, like the Tennessee Thai salad topped with blackened shrimp and Thai cashew vinaigrette.

Dining Status: Open for takeout and curbside pickup only; dining room opens January 4.

A low-key cocktail bar has arrived on Charlotte Ave., bringing East Nashville’s hip watering hole vibes to the west side. Located within a former auto body shop, the bar is all plants, beat-up oriental rugs, and low lighting, and it’s the perfect addition to the neighborhood. Classic cocktails like Negronis and painkillers mingle with spritzes, wines, and beers. The food menu is short for now, with “1980s tacos” or nachos, plus brunch bagels; the menu will expand in the coming months. The major draw in COVID times: a heated patio, and a connecting garage door that rolls up to let fresh air into the bar.

Dining Status: Bar and heated patio are open. 

Head over to the Nations for some cozy pub fare and beers at this taproom from two Nashville natives. 30 taps are constantly rotating local breweries, while a menu of sandwiches, street tacos, quesadillas, and burgers offers a hearty foundation for drinking them. Grab a seat on the patio next to a heater, or in the roomy dining room.

Dining Status: Dining room and patio are open; delivery, takeout and curbside available.

The uber-cute coffee and CBD cafe has moved out of its West End digs, trading up for a roomy space in one of Hillsboro Village’s newest developments. Located directly across the street from the Belcourt Theater, Anzie Blue is serving up espresso drinks, pastries from D’Andrews Bakery, charcuterie plates, and cocktails all day long. The menu has greatly expanded along with the space, adding pizza, sandwiches, salads, and entrees like gnocchi and chicken pot pie. Spike your drink with a shot of CBD or booze to seal the deal.

Dining Status: Dining room is open; takeout is available. More info here.

In what appears to be a quaint East Nashville bungalow lurks an interactive art installation that’s also a bar. The Golden Door, which bills itself as a showcase venue and social house, is open for an out-of-the-box drinking experience; each room is decked out in a different theme, with neon, funky decor, and Instagram-friendly details galore. An entire section of the drink menu is dedicated to glitter-infused cocktails, while another focuses entirely on shots. Food is meant to be shareable and easy to eat: charcuterie boards, bruschetta, and fresh baguettes stuffed with fillings like thins-sliced tenderloin, parmesan flakes, and rosemary mayo. A notable selection of vegan offerings, too, including a “carpaccio” of zucchini. It’s currently reservation-only, so plan ahead.

Dining Status: Dining areas are open; takeout available.