Melvil Arnt (Once Upon a Time in France) just opened his third French spot the Authentique at 925 Gallatin Road. The wine bar is Arnt’s lifelong dream and serves a list comprised 50 percent of French wines alongside wine classes, beer, and a small food menu. Arnt has been busy since first opening their first French restaurant in East Nashville back in late 2019, which is wildly popular among locals for date night.

Samurai quietly slid into the former Eastland Cafe space in April of 2021, bringing in a new chef from Tokyo, Tomo, to bring an upgraded menu to its third location, complete with wider nigiri and sashimi options plus plenty of raw and cooked rolls.

Tyler Alkins’ Nashville Urban Winery, which debuted in 2018 and was destroyed in the March 2020 tornado, has been reborn in the same location under Alkins’ wine label’s name Love and Exile Bar, and it has a fancy new look and food offerings. An added perk: much adored Ricey & Co. catering will be a permanent Monday night fixture for sampling sample sushi rolls and other offerings.

Church and Union opened in September downtown, dishing out American cuisine from two-time Top Chef alum Jamie Lynch and chef Adam Hodgson. On the menu, find swanky seafood towers, French onion agnolotti, and a Kurobuta pork chop, plus confit Spanish octopus and a Certified Angus Beef porterhouse for two. Photo perk: a giant Church & Union dollar bill is on display diagonally behind the bar, decked out with Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash.

Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa opened in June — adding a much-needed female name to that celeb-named stretch of Lower Broadway. It’s a chic taco and queso lover’s dream because the food here is actually really good. Step away from the bro-country bars that pepper the street and step into a room surrounded by hot pink booths, intricately tiled floors, and Miranda and Elvis-themed walls prime for photo ops. On the menu, find Tex-Mex treats from chori-queso and barbacoa tacos to the quintessential Nashville hot chicken burrito, or even a queso-stuffed Juicy Lucy.

The Texas-based wine lovers’ dream restaurant opened in May at Fifth + Broadway. Find the stunning, sprawling space on the third floor of the development, where diners can feast on pizzas, pasta, and charcuterie while choosing from so many options of wines by the glass.

Now open with dozens of new food and beverage options for Lower Broadway visitors and downtown residents alike, Assembly Food Hall/Fifth + Broadway completely changes the look and feel of the familiar honky-tonk strip, nestled smack dab across from the historic Ryman and Bridgestone Arena. For breakfast, look for Whisk Crepes, Donut Distillery, or grab coffee from Elixr Coffee downstairs. Later in the day take your pick from food stalls including Nashville favorites like Prince’s Hot Chicken Thai Esane or boozy shaved ice from Cotton & Snow. Down below at Fifth+Broadway, stop for Hattie B’s or visit Broadways’s first-ever black-owned restaurant Slim + Husky’s for a create-your-own pizza. Find the full rundown of current restaurant offerings here.

The Texas-based swanky seafood and steak chain opened its first Tennessee location in April, with oyster platters, opulent shellfish towers, prime seafood entrees, and steaks aplenty.

Feast on pork pibil tamales, Oaxacan empanadas, and plenty of salsa options alongside barbacoa and carnitas tacos and grilled pescado at the new Mexican restaurant on the ground floor of the AC Hotel by Marriott. The decor draws inspiration from dia de los muertos — the traditional Mexican holiday celebrating friends and family members lost with a multi-day occasion filled with culture and cuisine.

James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Carmellini partnered with hospitality experts Luke Ostrom and Josh Pickard (NoHo Hospitality) on the Nashville outpost of his NY-based restaurant, located within the newly opened W Hotel. Open in early October, the restaurant serves classic American dishes with some international twists for breakfast, dinner, and weekend brunch. Menu highlights include chilled Atlantic red crab with bloody mary dressing, smoked beet salad, an Ora King salmon tostada with pineapple pico and chipotle crema, and Maine scallops with mezcal butter.

Nicole and Cameron Payne’s Red Perch sold so many chips and fish platters they had to move a few miles west to bigger digs, and their loyal fans are following. The new space (at Sylvan Supply) is so much more spacious than the Arcade — with ample seating and the addition of alcoholic beverages. And as always, it’s much more than fish and chips here — the filet-of-fish sandwich, Ahi poke, and lumpia are all-stars here too.

Maher Fawaz of Siege Hospitality (Epice, Santo, Kalamatas) debuted a stunning Spanish spot recently in Sylvan Park, at 4401 Murphy Road. On the menu, look for cold tapas like Spanish olives and montadito, plus jamon Iberico and rotating cheese and charcuterie boards alongside hot dishes from fried artichokes and croquetas to papas bravas and octopus with spiced chorizo. 

Shokku Ramen, the Las Vegas-born ramen spot expanded to Music City — and it’s the first Asian-owned ramen-specific spot in town. The Japanese anime-themed ramen shop is known for serving up both traditional and newly innovated styles and varieties of made-from-scratch broths and house-made spice blends, fried rice, beer, and sake at their 24-hour operation in the heart of Las Vegas’s Chinatown.

Several restaurants have been highly awaited in the 12 South stretch — and the first to race to the finish was Emery, located in the former Royal dry cleaners site. From the owners of the Stillery, alongside restaurateurs Steve Sargent, Jeff Greenlee, and Sasha Qualkenbush and veteran chef Sean Williams, Emery’s menu is an intriguing one. Expect starters like duck liver mousse, clams, and charred onion dip and vegetables-forward dishes like roasted beets, coconut ginger carrots, and grilled Henosis mushroom toast. A handful of pizzas are on offer — from classics like spicy sausage or pepperoni to cacio e pepe and bagel-themed pies. Pasta is looking impressive here too — think crawfish tagliatelle and spicy bison Bolognese with gochujang, whipped ricotta, and basil tuile. Steaks and seafood plates round out the menu.

The South Indian restaurant ventured just west of the city center for its new home back in July. 615Chutney began its life as a food truck, with a focus on gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian South Indian dishes. Some popular choices include samosas, pickled idli (steamed rice cakes with South Indian spices), malabar parotta (a layered flatbread), and Chutneyville sambar (lentil-based vegetable stew cooked with dal and tamarind broth).

New near Lenox Village, Pegasus Pizzeria replaced a recently closed pizza joint and is already getting rave reviews as the much-preferred alternative. On the menu, look for a variety of thick Detroit-style pies with Vegan, dairy-free options plus a selection of six pasta dishes including penne pesto or spaghetti with meat sauce. To start, folks also rave about the Sicilian-baked meatballs and the mozzarella sticks.

Named after the Peruvian city most known for the drink and the area code of Miami, Pisco305 is getting big-city rave reviews well outside the Nashville city limits. Quick crowd favorites here include ceviche platters, Peruvian fried rice, lomo saltado, and churrasco verde. Pisco305 also serves brunch on weekends.