182 VOGUELIVING.COM.AU
CONCIERGE
STAY
The 404 Hotel This is a stylish blink-and-you’ll-miss-it
landing pad in bourgeoning neighbourhood the Gulch.
404 12th Ave S.
the404nashville.com
The Hermitage Hotel The grand dame of hotels
in the city is the epitome of southern decadence
with its extraordinary gilded lobby and dark wood-
panelled subterranean bar. 231 Sixth Ave N.
thehermitagehotel.com
Urban Cowboy B&B More louche than luxurious,
this beautifully converted six-bedroom Queen
Anne-style mansion is the embodiment of the
nonchalant cool of New Nashville. 1603 Woodland St.
urbancowboybnb.comEAT AND DRINK
Adele’s It raised eyebrows when Jonathan Waxman
of New York’s Barbuto chose to open a restaurant in
Nashville, but the simple food philosophy of this
farm-to-table chef was a perfect fit for a city
surrounded by rich farmland. 1210 McGavock St.
adelesnashville.com
Arnold’s Country Kitchen Don’t be fooled by the lines,
the no-frills approach or the fluro lighting, this working
man’s cafeteria on the edge of downtown is southern
comfort food at its best. Come for ‘meat and three’
(yes, mac ’n’ cheese is classified as a vegetable),
a slice of pecan pie and a substantial side of local
insight. 605 Eighth Ave S. arnoldscountrykitchen.com
Barista Parlor Australians can stop complaining about
the quality of the coffee in the United States. Along with
hipsters come cool little coffee bars and in Nashville
there is no shortage of either. 519 Gallatin Ave.
baristaparlor.comThe Catbird Seat Brothers Max and Ben Goldberg are
the hospitality operators of the moment. At The Catbird
Seat, their 22-seat degustation-style restaurant, southern
fare is elevated to the avant garde. A seat here is one
of the hardest reservations to score in the United States
right now. 1711 Division St. thecatbirdseatrestaurant.comPinewood Social At this retro revival bowling
alley-cum-restaurant and bar, the Goldberg brothers
have channelled new Nashville’s polish with its
timeless sense of fun. 33 Peabody St.
pinewoodsocial.com
Pepperfire Hot Chicken For obvious reasons, hot fried
chicken is not an everyday food, but it does make
essential Nashville eating. For reliably spicy, crispy-on-
the-outside, tender-on-the-inside chicken without the
lines or the tourist traps, come here. 1000 Gallatin Ave.
pepperfirehotchicken.com
Rolf and Daughters Fluent Italian with a slight
southern drawl is how you might describe the food
at this extraordinarily accomplished restaurant that
purports to be a neighbourhood joint but is the equal
of its peers in heavy-hitting dining towns like San
Francisco and New York. 700 Taylor St.
rolfanddaughters.com. SHOP
Ernest Tubb Record Shop With the advent of digital
music, most record stores have ceased to exist or become
dusty and depressing time capsules. Not so at Ernest
Tubb; as vinyl finds new devotees so too does this
Nashville landmark, where young and old come to buy
the records of Taylor and Tammy alike. 417 Broadway.
etrecordshop.com
Serenite Maison The city is surrounded by the rolling
hills of the Tennessee countryside, and a trip to the
quaint pre-Civil War era town of Leiper’s Fork provides
respite from the honky-tonk good times and some
of the region’s best antique-ing to be found.
4149 Old Hillsboro Rd, Franklin. serenitemaison.com
Third Man Records Rocker Jack White shocked many
when he relocated here from New York in 2006 with
then-wife Karen Elson. Tellingly, both have stayed on,
with White establishing his hugely successful label,
Third Man Records, a combination of studio/record
store/performance venue/HQ. Its establishment was
a watershed signalling that Music City was about
more than country music. 623 Seventh Ave S.
thirdmanrecords.comWhite’s Mercantile The affable Holly Williams
— musician and granddaughter of country music
legend Hank Williams — established this new kind
of general store in a former gas station as a way to
celebrate southern design and hospitality. Here she
presents a good-humoured edit of the giftable and
collectable. Think doormats emblazoned with
“Welcome y’all” and cast-iron skillets perfect for making
breakfast grits. 2908 12th Ave S. whitesmercantile.com
Peter Nappi Creating fine leather footwear that owes
more to Italy than it does to the Grand Ole Opry, this
shoe designer works out of a spectacular red-brick former
meat-packing warehouse. 1308 Adams St. peternappi.comLISTEN AND SEE
Ryman Auditorium The home of the Grand Ole Opry,
the birthplace of bluegrass, the spiritual seat of country
music — call it what you will, this legendary venue
is the heart of Nashville. From Patsy Cline and Elvis
Presley to Dolly Parton and Carrie Underwood,
virtually everyone worth mentioning in the history of
traditional American music has played here and, because
of its storied acoustics and history, it is one of the world’s
most prestigious music sites. 116 Fifth Ave N.
ryman.comRobert’s Western World The most authentic dive
bar on the rhinestone strip, this is the Nashville
that lives in the collective imagination. Brilliant
but down-on-their-luck musicians play for tips, the
drinks come quickly and the night, if you’re lucky,
will lead you astray. 416 Broadway.
robertswesternworld.comHatch Show Print If you don’t recognise the name
of this poster printer you will certainly know its visual
hallmark. Founded in 1879 and one of the most
influential graphic designers and printers in American
history, Hatch Show Print pioneered a letterpress
movement that mixed high and low style with
irony and art. A look through their catalogue
is to simultaneously witness a living history of
American music and design. 224 Fifth Ave.
hatchshowprint.com VLNashville
David Prior’s biggest hits of the Music City.
clockwise from left: a music corner at Urban
Cowboy. A sign at Serenite Maison. Downtown
Antique Mall is located in an 1800s warehouse.
Detail of an artwork at Peter Nappi. Rebekka Seale,
owner of Camellia Fiber Company, which sells
yarns and fibres online. Details, last pages.