Confirmed: St. Louis Chef Gerard Craft Is Bringing Pastaria to Nashville's OneC1TY

It's official: St. Louis restaurateur, chef and 2015 James Beard Award winner Gerard Craft has chosen Nashville has his first expansion target outside his adopted hometown, bringing Pastaria, his casual Italian concept, to the OneC1TY development.

Located at 8 C1TY Blvd., Craft tells Eater that the restaurant, which specializes in all-day menus of organic pastas, pizza and gelato, will be 6,000 to 6,500-square-feet and seat approximately 120, with a private dining area for up to 50 to 60 guests. A large patio overlooking the stage at OneC1ty is also part of the plan, along with two bocce courts.

Craft, who owns and operates five restaurants under his Niche Food Group umbrella, says that he chose Nashville for his first venture outside St. Louis due to the similarities with its neighbor to the north, as well as its unique differences. He also tells Eater that he had been looking for space in Nashville for several years, but "had not been in a rush" to make the move.

As for why he chose to bring Pastaria, he describes it as a "really accessible restaurant" that's "about really solid food with good roots at reasonable prices."