The August Hit List: The 404 Kitchen, Pastaria, Hearts, and More

It’s tempting to spend an entire evening on the ground floor of the 404, mainly because Gertie’s Whiskey Bar boasts one of the most remarkable collections of bourbons in the country, and the talented bartending staff creates amazing craft cocktails from the towering shelves of whiskey filled with rare bottles. However, diners should make the trip up the steps to the dining room if they want to discover one of the best restaurants in town, headlined by chef Matt Bolus, whose proficiency in interpreting classic Southern dishes using locally-sourced ingredients is second to none. An expansive elevated deck offers views of the throngs below making their way through the trendy Gulch neighborhood, probably wishing they were eating here.

Layer Cake is an Instagrammer’s paradise, an immersive experience of four different dining experiences, each filled with colorful decor to maximize the impact of iPhone photos. The Wonder Room on the first floor hosts DJ-fueled extended brunches, while the main dining room on the second story offers a slightly more refined dining environment. The subterranean Cherry Lounge serves clever cocktails along with available bottle service, and the rooftop is the place for the party people seeking out great views of downtown plus pulsing beats.

Call 615-988-7698 for reservations.

Inspired by the cafe scene of Melbourne, Australia, Hearts pays homage to the food- and drink-obsessed inhabitants of the Aussie city with a menu of specialty coffee drinks along with breakfast and brunch dishes. The offerings at this new outpost in 12 South closely mirror the menu at the original East Nashville location, focusing on egg dishes, salads and bowls, and two standout sandwiches, a fried chicken katsu roll and an elevated Aussie burger topped with cheese, bacon, tomato jam and a fried egg for good measure.

Henley is the fine dining restaurant at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Midtown, but a secret lies behind a passageway through the library that leads to the inner sanctum of the kitchen. Enjoy a drink at the bar until a staff member guides you to a private four-top table where the head chef will prepare a multi-course tasting menu of small plates that vary depending on availability of ingredients and the whim of the kitchen. The view into the kitchen and the presentation of plate after plate by the talented executive chef is like dinner and a show all at the same time!

Call 615-340-6378 for reservations.

While diners await the opening of January, the flagship restaurant at the luxurious Southall inn and resort complex, they’ve enjoyed a preview of the property’s culinary vision at Sojourner, the lobby-side bar and cafe. Featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients including many from Southall’s own fields, greenhouses, and hives, the menu showcases Southern classic dishes enhanced with modern twists. The cozy bar area and a roaring fireplace make Sojourner a fine spot to take shelter from a storm.

Chef Ryan Poli and his brother/general manager Matthew represent a dream team of hospitality professionals who have worked together at notable restaurants in Nashville and around the country. Together, the brothers have created their dream Italian restaurant with Iggy’s. The neighborhood gathering spot shows off all of the Polis’ most beloved things: handmade pasta, great Italian wines, craft cocktails, and a diverse soundtrack of energetic music to help set the mood. And because what’s old is new again, you might find that the Polis’ old favorites quickly become your new ones.

For reservations, call 615- 645-9949.

This amiable Inglewood neighborhood bar is quite popular during daily happy hours from 5 to 7 thanks to discounts on draft beer, wine, and cocktails. Despite the intentionally divey ambience provided by the old-school jukebox, pool table, and dartboards, the food and drink offering is delightfully elevated with small plates of Latin-inspired plates and cocktails as crafty as you’d find in other establishments that make you wait behind a velvet rope for entry.

Pastaria is a jewel of the ONEC1TY complex on Charlotte, offering multiple experiences for different clientele. It’s a family-friendly destination for a bountiful meal of gourmet pizzas and pasta dishes, or a fine spot for a quiet date night of cocktails and amari in the sultry bar area. A seat at the pizza bar offers the chance to watch talented pizzaiolos at work in the kitchen, and Pastaria’s happy hour (Thurs. to Sun., 5 to 6 p.m.) is a bargain for everyone with drink specials and discounted appetizers, pizzas, and pasta dishes.

Streetcar’s restored building once housed the first grocery store in West Nashville, and the name of the restaurant honors the fact that the old streetcar running from downtown took a right at the corner to head out to the prison in days of yore. The modern gastropub pays homage to classic Southern recipes using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients to put a modern spin on dishes like Frito pie and smoked trout. Chef Carter Hach also acknowledges his European heritage with several German additions to the menu, the perfect accompaniments to a glass of lager enjoyed in the outdoor beer garden.

No reservations. See the menu at Streetcar’s website.

The “peninsula” in question at this East Nashville favorite is decidedly Iberian as the kitchen features innovative takes on classic Spanish and Portuguese cuisine. Working out of a seemingly impossibly tiny kitchen, the chefs prepare sweet and savory tapas along with revelatory larger plates. In addition to a menu of craft cocktails, wine, and beer, the bar offers eight variations of the favorite cocktail of Spain, the iconic gin & tonic. Try them all and pick your favorite.