Home Conference at a Glance Nashville Symphony Staff Recommends/Things to Do in Nashville

Nashville Symphony Staff Recommends/Things to Do in Nashville

Nashville Symphony Staff Recommends / Things to Do in Nashville

The Nashville Symphony staff has graciously put together this list of recommendations.  You'll find Places to Eat, Places to Hang, and a few Places to See below. Where available, they have added a code of $, $$, or $$$ to indicate how expensive they are.  Some places don't have the code and are listed at the top of the section.

Cab Companies

Some of the recommendations may require transportation; if so it is indicated in the listing.  Here are three companies to call.

Allied Cab: 615-883-2323
Checker Cab: 615-256-7000
Music City Taxi: 615-262-0451

Farmer's Market
900 8th Ave. North—Downtown
615-880-2001
www.nashvillefarmersmarket.org/
Daily farmers' market with local farmers and produce re-sellers; an interior Market House with eateries and specialty food shops; and a weekend Flea Market with independent entrepreneurs selling new and used items.
—Christy Crytzer, Senior Director of Communications

H.G. Hills Urban Market
415 Church St.—Downtown
Upscale urban grocery store that has a great deli with prepared salads and sandwiches.
—Jennifer Kamper, Artistic Coordinator

Jack's Bar-B-Que
416 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-254-5715
www.jacksbarbque.com
Great place for lunch downtown. Serves Tennessee pork shoulder, Texas beef brisket, smoked turkey, Texas sausage, St. Louis ribs, smoked chicken and lots of other southern cuisine.
—Tanya Davis, Finance, Executive and HR Assistant

Marché Artisan Foods
1000 Main Street—East Nashville ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-262-1111
www.marcheartisanfoods.com
A European-style cafe and marketplace serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and more. A great place for light fare or a full meal, or select from the prepared menu for carryout. They also have great coffee and wonderful blood orange mimosas.
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

Monell's
1235 6th Ave North—in Germantown ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-248-4747
monellsdining.citysearch.com/
At Monell's, the table service is communal. All items are passed around the table, just like Grandma's house. Each day's menu includes 2-3 meats (and fried chicken is always served, even at breakfast), 3-4 salads, 4-5 hot vegetables, drink and dessert. You better be hungry!
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

Pancake Pantry
1796 21st Ave. South—in Hillsboro Village ***cab ride away
Ph. 615-383-9333
Best-loved Nashville breakfast restaurant.
—Laura Faust, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO

Symphony Café
Schermerhorn Symphony Center—One Symphony Place—Downtown
Ph. 615-687-5702
www.nashvillesymphony.org
The Café, located at the West Lobby of Schermerhorn Symphony Center adjacent to the courtyard, offers a bistro-style a la carte menu, including Panini and salads. Open for lunch during the conference.
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

Places to Eat—$$

The Acorn
114 28th Ave. North***cab ride away
Ph. 615-320-4399
www.theacornrestaurant.com
Contemporary American/American Bistro with Italian, French, Mediterranean and Asian genres represented.
—Makiko Freeman, Vice President of Artistic Administration

Demos'
300 Commerce St.—Downtown—3rd and Commerce
Ph. 615-256-4655
www.demosrestaurants.com
Demos' is a great option for Italian food in Music City.
—Mark Blakeman, Vice President and General Manager

Germantown Café
1200 Fifth Avenue, North—Germantown ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-242-3226
www.germantowncafe.com
Offers comfortable American cuisine at reasonable prices as well as a fully-stocked bar and an amazing view of the Nashville skyline.
—Christy Crytzer, Senior Director of Communications

Ichiban
109 2nd Ave. North
Ph. 615-244-7900
http://ichibanusa.com/
Great Japanese/sushi restaurant.
—Jennifer Kamper, Artistic Coordinator

Margot Café
1017 Woodland St.—East Nashville ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-227-4668
www.margotcafe.com
A blend of French and Italian cuisine with a seasonal menu to ensure freshness.
—Makiko Freeman, Vice President of Artistic Administration

Parco Café
207 3rd Ave. North—Dowtown in Printers Alley
Ph. 615-259-7863
Fusion cuisine with great vegetarian options.
—Makiko Freeman, Vice President of Artistic Administration

Ru San's
505 12th Ave. South—in the Gulch ***short cab ride away
Ph. 866-519-9581
www.ru-sans.com
A popular Japanese restaurant that features over 500 sushi menu items and an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet.
—Adrienne Issi, Manager of Corporate and Community Relations

Sambuca
601 12th Ave. South—in The Gulch ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-248-2888
www.sambucarestaurant.com
Live music and delicious food in a posh environment.
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

Sole Mio
311 3rd Ave. (1 block South of Schermerhorn Symphony Center)
Ph. 615-256-4013
www.solemionash.com
Sole Mio's traditional Northern Italian cuisine and it's proximity to the Schermerhorn make it a great place to go before one of the conference concerts!
—Mark Blakeman, Vice President and General Manager

Places to Eat—$$-$$$

The Mad Platter
1239 6th Ave. North—in Germantown ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-242-2563
www.madplatter.citysearch.com
Traditional gourmet blended with Californian cuisine.
—Makiko Freeman, Vice President of Artistic Administration

Merchants Restaurant
401 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-254-1892
www.merchantsrestaurant.com
Casual dining on the 1st floor, fine dining on the 2nd floor. Features steak seafood and pasta.
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

Radius 10
1103 McGavock—in the Gulch ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-259-5105
www.radius10.com
Self-described as "eclectic modern American cuisine."
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

Places to Eat—$$$

The Capitol Grille at the Hermitage Hotel
231 6th Ave. North—Downtown
Ph. 615-345-7116
www.thehermitagehotel.com/site/dining_capitolgrille.aspx
Very elegant dining at the beautiful and historic Hermitage Hotel.
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

Flyte
718 Division St.—8th and Division ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-255-6200
www.flytenashville.com
New York "chic" atmosphere featuring global cuisine and a wide array of wine and beer selections.
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

The Palm
140 5th Ave. South—Downtown—5th and Broadway
Ph. 615-742-7256
www.thepalm.com
Upscale seafood and steaks.
—Alan Valentine, President and CEO

Watermark
507 12th Ave. South—in the Gulch ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-254-2000
www.watermark-restaurant.com
Urban-inspired atmosphere and chic fusion cuisine.
—Laura Faust, Executive Assistant to the President and CEO

Wildhorse Saloon
120 2nd Ave. North—Downtown
Ph. 615-902-8200
www.wildhorsesaloon.com
This famous saloon offers live entertainment, famous barbecue and line dancing lessons.

Bluebird Café
4104 Hillsboro Road **cab ride away
Ph. 615-383-1461 **reservations strongly recommended
www.bluebirdcafe.com
The Bluebird Café has gained a reputation worldwide for presenting the best original country and acoustic music seven nights a week. Performers do not generally play cover songs, but instead favor original tunes. Songwriters frequently are accompanied by just one guitar or piano.  As a listening room, quiet is requested at all times during a performance.

Places to Hang—$

Broadway Brewhouse and Mojo Grill
317 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-271-2838
www.broadwaybrewhouse.net
A good neighborhood bar with good food as well.
—Jonathan Norris, Director of Human Resources

Robert's Western World
416 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-244-9552
www.robertswesternworld.com
THE honky tonk; you can't say you've truly been to Nashville until you have been here and had a PBR in a can! Also home to Brazilbilly, a stellar Western Swing band who will be playing the Tune-Up Party on Thursday night.
—Jonathan Norris, Director of Human Resources

The Station Inn
402 12th Avenue, South—The Gulch ***short cab ride away
Ph. 615-255-3307
www.stationinn.com
Bluegrass and roots music's premiere listening room, where you'll find great music, good times and friends you've yet to meet. This is where people like Béla Fleck and Edgar Meyer go to hear great Bluegrass. Live music begins at 9 p.m. each evening. Cover charge varies.
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
422 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-207-3999
www.tootsies.net
Another famous honky tonk—always packed—you should go, just to say that you went, but it is normally too crowded to really enjoy yourself—make sure to head up the stairs to the back—bigger bar, and band is usually better.
—Jonathan Norris, Director of Human Resources

Places to Hang—$-$$

The Flying Saucer
111 10th Avenue South—Downtown
Ph. 615-259-7468
www.beerknurd.com
The selection of beers on tap at this bar is massive—and from more countries than I can name.
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

Places to Hang—$$-$$$

The Oak Bar at the Hermitage Hotel
231 6th Ave. North—Downtown
Ph. 615-244-3121
www.thehermitagehotel.com/site/dining_theoakbar.aspx
Private, upscale ambiance. Extensive wine list.
—Ronda Combs, Senior Director of Marketing

The Arts Company
215 5th Ave North
Ph. 615-254-2040
www.theartscompany.com
Presenting fresh and original art in a welcoming and contemporary environment in a historic building. Featuring Artists from legendary to emerging, Southern to international, self-taught to formally trained.

Cheekwood
1200 Forrest Park Drive—Belle Meade ***cab ride away
Ph. 615-353-6982
www.cheekwood.org
Within its 55 acres, Cheekwood is a complex institution rich with history, beautiful gardens and fine art. The Botanical Garden showcases fine horticultural collections, acclaimed for their diversity and quality. The Museum of Art presents American and European art and is recognized as a center for contemporary art in the Southeast. These collections reside in one of the grandest estates in Nashville, the former Cheek residence. Named to the National Register of Historic Places, the mansion and the original boxwood gardens are an amazing work of architecture and design and the ideal setting for the gardens and art museum. Adults $10; seniors (65+) $8; college students w/ID and children (6-17) $5; 5 & under free. $30 household cap.

Country Music Hall of Fame
222 5th Ave. South (diagonally across from the Schermerhorn)
Ph. 615-416-2001
www.countrymusichalloffame.com
Current exhibits feature Ray Charles and Ray Price. Adult admission is $17.95.

Downtown Presbyterian Church
154 Fifth Avenue North
Ph. 615-254-7584
www.dpchurch.com
Built in 1848 in the New Egyptian Revival style, designed by William Strickland. The public is welcome to enjoy self-guided tours. Guided tours are available for groups of five or more if arranged for in advance.

Frist Center for the Visual Arts
919 Broadway
Ph. 615-244-3340
www.fristcenter.org
Current exhibits feature Masters of American watercolor from the Brooklyn Museum and Jim McGuire—The Nashville Portraits. Adult admission is $8.50.

Grand Ole Opry
2802 Opryland Drive **cab ride away
Ph. 615-871-OPRY
www.grandoleopry.com
The Opry, an American icon and Nashville's number-one attraction, is world-famous for creating one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences for audiences of all ages. It's been called the "home of American music" and "country's most famous stage."

Hatch Show Print
316 Broadway—Downtown
Ph. 615-256-2805
www.countrymusichalloffame.com/hatch
One of the oldest-known letterpress poster shops in America, Hatch Show Print has been in business since 1879 and still continues to use the same techniques employed in the 15th century. Now owned and operated by the Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum, Hatch has been a leading poster printer for vaudeville, circuses and sporting events; however, Hatch is probably best known for posters of the Grand Ole Opry stars. Free admission.

Music Mile/Music Row
www.visitmusiccity.com/walkoffame
"The Music Mile" is roughly a one-mile stretch that connects downtown to Music Row. Heading west from the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, you'll encounter nearby neighbors such as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the Nashville Arena, the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and the soon-to-be-under-construction Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Just a bit further on The Music Mile are the ever-changing galleries of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, and down the road you'll find vibrant new entertainment, restaurant and shopping venues on Demonbreun Street and the Music Row Roundabout. The Roundabout, site of the imposing Musica sculpture and adjacent to Owen Bradley Park, serves as a gateway to the music industry that has collected on 16th and 17th Avenues South, including RCA Studio.

NashTrash Tour
Ph. 800-342-2132 or 615-226-7300 for reservations
www.nashtrash.com
You'll see Nashville like never before through the irreverent antics of the Jugg Sisters, who'll dish the dirt on your favorite polyester, double-knit, sequined country music legends...and you don't even have to be a country music fan to appreciate this laugh-filled experience! The 90-minute NashTrash Tour begins at the Farmers Market and travels throughout downtown Nashville. You'll ride past major country music sites: the Ryman Auditorium (home of the original Grand Ole Opry), the Wildhorse Saloon (as seen on CMT), historic Printers Alley and the beautiful Country Music Hall of Fame. The Bus also cruises along legendary Music Row before returning to the Market. As an added bonus, we'll even drive past a spot where some of our idols have spent idle time—the Nashville City Jail!

Nashville Public Library
615 Church Street
Ph. 615-862-5800
www.library.nashville.org/locations/loc_main.asp
The Public Library chose to allocate $600,000 of its construction budget to public art. Artists were selected through national and local calls for artists by a collaborative process involving the Library, Architect Robert A.M. Stern, a project manager, an art design review committee and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission. As a result, Nashville's Main Libary includes six integrated public artworks, five posters created by local artists and photographs by five local photographers—all of which enhance the library user's experience of this beautiful modern classical building.

Parthenon
Centennial Park **short cab ride away
Ph. 615-862-8431
www.nashville.gov/parthenon
Originally built for Tennessee's 1897 Centennial Exposition, the Parthenon contains a re-creation of the 42-foot statue Athena as its focus just as it was in ancient Greece. The building and the Athena statue are both full-scale replicas of the Athenian originals. The Parthenon also serves as the city of Nashville's art museum. The focus of the Parthenon's permanent collection is a group of 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists donated by James M. Cowan.

State Capitol and Bicentennial Mall State Park
600 James Robertson Parkway
Ph. 615-741-5280
tennessee.gov/environment/parks/Bicentennial
The Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is located in the shadow of the State Capitol in downtown Nashville. The 19-acre park is designed to complement the Tennessee Capitol Building, give visitors a taste of Tennessee's history and natural wonders, and to serve as a lasting monument to Tennessee's Bicentennial celebration.

Tennessee State Museum
505 Deaderick Street
Ph. 615-741-2692
www.tnmuseum.org
This museum occupies three floors, covering approximately 120,000 square feet with more than 60,000 square feet devoted to exhibits. $5 suggested donation.