Last taste: Several Nashville eats shutter during final weeks of 2023
December brought the end of 2023 — and the end of many Nashville restaurants. Several beloved neighborhood spots announced imminent closures, while other eateries served their final meals.
Sorry, vegetarians. You too, saloon and sports bar supporters.
Alas, hope remains. A handful of locally-owned spots celebrated openings, and more are on the horizon. Read on for everything you should know about how the Nashville dining scene changed in December 2023.
Food industry openings in Nashville
New location for small batch ice cream
Hattie Jane's Creamery opened a new shop in Donelson in December, marking the fourth Tennessee location for the small batch ice cream shop. The brand first opened in Columbia in 2016 and has since added locations in Murfreesboro and Nashville.
“We are so excited to officially join the growing community of Donelson,” founder Claire Crowell wrote in a news release about the opening.
The shop opened Dec. 20 and is located at 2418 Lebanon Pike.
Buchanan Arts District welcomes Tio Fun!
Tio Fun!, a Mexican snack shop from Mockingbird co-owner Mikey Corona, opened in December after months of anticipation.
The restaurant has a colorful, fun vibe in the Buchanan Arts District of North Nashville and showcases Corona's Mexican heritage. Tio means uncle in Spanish, and the restaurant was inspired by Corona's nieces and nephew.
Shake Shack location opens in Antioch
A new Shake Shack location opened at the Tanger Outlets shopping center in Antioch, offering another spot for fans of the franchise to grab favorite menu items in Nashville. The restaurant is located adjacent to a new location of TailGate Brewery.
Closings
East Nashville vegetarian restaurant shutters
The Wild Cow, a popular vegetarian restaurant in East Nashville, closed at the end of December after more than a decade. The restaurant group also owns Graze, another vegetarian restaurant.
The team at The Wild Cow announced the closure on Instagram, stating rising rent and food costs were to blame, making the business unsustainable.
"We want to thank our community, our staff and our customers for 14 years of supporting The Wild Cow," the post read.
Wildhorse Saloon to enter new era
Wildhorse Saloon also closed at the end of December, leaving behind a 30-year legacy of line dancing. The bar and entertainment venue on Second Avenue in downtown Nashville will reopen as a Luke Combs themed bar with the country music star as a collaborator.
The property is owned by Opry Entertainment Group.
McCabe Pub announces closure after more than 40 years
A neighborhood gathering place in Sylvan Park announced its imminent closure in December. McCabe Pub plans to serves its last meals during the month of January — after 41 years in business. The exact day of closure has not been announced.
According to an Instagram post, the restaurant started in 1982 as a dive bar in a "depressed, unknown neighborhood" of Nashville. It has transformed several times over the years and survived a major recession, citywide floods, tornadoes and pandemic closures.
The building's owner has said the property will continue to be home to a restaurant in the future.
12 South loses local eatery
The last day of service at Josephine in Nashville's 12 South neighborhood was Dec. 23, ending a 10-year run for the chef-driven restaurant.
Josephine was led by chef Andrew Little, a James Beard semifinalist.
More to know
Arnold's plans reopening
Beloved meat-and-three restaurant Arnold's Country Kitchen plans to temporarily reopen in January while the building it's housed in remains for sale. The exact opening timeline is unclear at this time, but owner Khalil Arnold said he is in the process of hunting for a new permanent location for his next culinary venture.
Arnold's originally announced its closure in late 2022 when a deal was taking shape to sell the Eighth Avenue property. That plan has since fallen through, but the building is still on the market. Arnold said he is sure it will sell when the time is right. In the meantime, the restaurant hosted several Thanksgiving week pop-ups.
New tacos in 5 Points
Pie Town Tacos announced it would open a second location in the 5 Points neighborhood of East Nashville sometime in early 2024. The restaurant serves street-style tacos for lunch and will take over the Burger & Co space.
What to know about new fast food in Antioch
New details have emerged for the incoming locations of In-N-Out burger, Chic-fil-A and Whataburger in Antioch's Century Farms development.
Antioch's In-N-Out Burger will be located at 4136 William Turner Pkwy. A plan application filed with the city Nov. 29 shows the building would be nearly 4,000 square feet with a drive-thru and patio.
A Chic-fil-A location will open at an unspecified time at 4234 Century Farms Terrace, and Whataburger has a location slated for 2110 Century Farms Pkwy.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville restaurant updates: New ice cream, tacos, fast food options
