This New Arcade Alley Restaurant Specializes in Fish and Chips

Fish and chips haven’t traditionally been a dish people order in landlocked Nashville. A couple who moved to Nashville earlier this year seeks to change that by opening Red Perch — a seafood joint located downtown in the Arcade. Their new restaurant opened just two weeks ago, and downtown crowds have been showing up, as Red Perch has been selling out of fish nearly every day. Parked centrally downstairs in Nashville’s 1902 Arcade modeled after those in Italy, Red Perch has less than 20 seats.

The menu at Red Perch relies heavily on Chef Cameron’s expertly beer-battered fish and chips, which can also be grilled upon request. Choose from cod, whiting, flounder, and catfish. Poke, a seafood special of the day, tender calamari, and a spicy shrimp banh mi round out the seafood spot’s offerings.

Owners Cameron and Nicole Payne moved to Nashville earlier this year. Cameron hails from Australia and spent time cooking there at the highly-acclaimed tasting restaurant Attica. He also spent time as an executive chef in Turkey and as a private chef on a boat traveling the world. He is an avid spear-fisher and grew up on the water. Cameron eventually made a move to Hawaii, where the couple met before relocating to Nashville.

Red Perch is open Monday through Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.