The November Hit List: 1 Kitchen, Marsh House, Frankies, and More

As the main restaurant at the sustainably-focused 1Hotel in the heart of downtown, 1Kitchen maintains the hotel’s mission through fresh and local farm-to-table cuisine, thoughtfully sourced by culinary director Chris Crary. The chef spotlights local purveyors at quarterly “A Supper that Sustains Us” events highlighting ingredients from regional suppliers paired with cocktails created by the talented bar team. Even if you can’t make it to the special dinner, a meal at 1Kitchen is always a delicious taste of the region.

The team behind the luxe Thompson Hotel in the Gulch has deep roots in New Orleans, so you know that the property’s signature restaurant would be inspired by the food of Louisiana and the abundant seafood of the Gulf Coast. With a choice of three sizes of seafood towers that are legendary around town, a creative raw bar, and piquant main dishes featuring Louisiana ingredients and techniques, a dinner at Marsh House feels like a trip to the Big Easy that is much more convenient than flying Southwest. Take advantage of the renowned wine program — or the sublime breakfast — and you’ll be traveling first class.

Frankies Nashville is the first outpost of the beloved Brooklyn-based Italian restaurant group outside of New York (although it looks like they might have left their apostrophe behind). The Nashville edition represents a combination of concepts: There’s The Pizzeria, offering slices and whole pies along with cold beer, wine, and cocktails. And then Frankies 925 Spuntino features many of the familiar Italian-American classic antipasti, housemade pasta and meatball and sausage dishes found at the original, and a planned Bottega specialty store that will serve coffee and pastries along with prepared foods and imported grocery items. Who says you can’t be all things to all people? Certainly not Frankie.

This gem on the ground floor of the Kimpton Aertson Hotel across the street from Vanderbilt is designed to feel like the welcoming front portion of a stately Southern manor, from the outdoor seating like a veranda on the sidewalk to the cozy bar known for top-notch mixologists to the comfortable dining room where guests enjoy straightforward seasonal cuisine prepared using classic French techniques. There’s even a secluded snooker room that serves as a private dining space as well as the secret entrance to the exclusive Rabbit Hole chef’s kitchen dining experience.

A little more than a year after first opening Pink Hermit Café, world-renowned chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten has relaunched the casual sidewalk restaurant at the Hermitage Hotel as an Italian-inspired all-day dining destination. Vongerichten has long wanted to take advantage of the wood-fired pizza oven in the larger Drusie & Darr inside the hotel, so he revamped the menu to feature pizzas, bruschetta, and shared plates, along with an extensive wine selection and craft cocktails to make Pink Hermit an ideal spot for pre-show drinks and dinner or a lingering midday meal among friends. With lots of natural light and outdoor seating when the weather allows, here’s a refreshing refuge and a perfect place to treat yourself to a refined dining experience without pretension.

Even in a crowded steak house market like Nashville has become, Harper’s manages to stand out thanks to fun international accents that show up everywhere from the cocktail menu to the Argentinian chimichurri topping a plate of grilled elk tenderloin to the traditional English mint sauce atop the double-cut lamb chops.Big spenders with big appetites can tackle large format steaks, including a huge bone-in chateaubriand and a porter house that weighs in at a whopping 2 ½ lbs. Come hungry; leave happy.

For reservations, call 615-208-6435.

A relative newcomer to the Nashville dining scene, Gathre is the flagship dining option at Hotel Fraye. The stylishly modern dining space features bold lighting fixtures and a terrace overlooking downtown as well as contemporary American cuisine prepared with care using ingredients sourced from across the region. In addition to an elegant dinner service, Gathre offers a more casual brunch daily, including midday DJ brunches on the weekend.

Chef Sean Brock raised a few eyebrows with the announcement that his already vaunted restaurant, The Continental in the Grand Hyatt, would morph into a tony music listening room. Always a stickler for details, the chef has created a novel experience inspired by the “listening bars” of Japan where patrons actually concentrate on the act of absorbing music played off of vinyl records through high-end sound systems. With theme nights including “Soul Sunday,” “B-Sides Only,” and evenings dedicated to the works of one specific artist, Bar Continental is now an appointment listening destination where guests can enjoy snacks and small plates from Brock while getting lost in the wall of sound.

No reservations.

When you can smell the sweet smoke from the parking lot, you know you’ve found a special restaurant. That’s the case at Pelican & Pig where almost everything on the menu is cooked over live fire, grilled, or roasted over embers and ashes. Chickens and pineapples hang from strings above the hearth, taking advantage of a kiss of smoke while cooking, and the seasonal menu offers thoughtfully-sourced proteins and produce combined to create innovative dishes that are served without pretense in this “fine casual” restaurant. The chef’s wife and co-owner is an extremely talented baker, so don’t skip dessert!

After earning a James Beard award and a Michelin star for his kitchen at Spiaggia in Chicago, Tony Mantuano and his wife Cathy have brought their considerable skills to Music City. Yolan offers a serene respite from the energetic buzz of Lower Broad where diners can enjoy well-executed regional Italian fare and a wine list that reaches deep into that country’s finest cellars for some rare pours to accompany the dishes. Huge full wheels of aged Parmigiano cheese separate the dining room from the open kitchen where you can watch master chefs and pâtissiers at work.

Call 615-231-0405 for reservations.

Ella’s on 2nd is a more casual Italian alternative tucked away a few blocks off the Lower Broad entertainment district. Bright and airy with lovely blue walls and tile accents, Ella’s exudes a cozy vibe. The kitchen’s take on soulful and seasonal West-coast Italian classics also reflects a light touch with some delightful salads and fresh seafood dishes. Of course, there are also heartier pasta dishes if you’re looking for something more substantial. Or heck, just order a plate of meatballs and torn burrata with country prosciutto and treat yourself to a dinner of meaty appetizers.

To book a table, call 629-248-9515.