Steak, biscuits and beer: Check out these recent changes in Nashville's dining scene

The Nashville dining scene definitely brought the heat in August.

Several first-to-market concepts opened their doors and other locally-owned brands expanded to new locations. The trend of restaurateurs from around the country wanting a piece of the Nashville dining scene continued.

Meanwhile, one beloved pizza restaurant closed for good after several decades in downtown Nashville. Fans of the family-owned mainstay were very sad to see it go.

Here's what opened and closed this month:

Openings

Harper's arrives

A new-to-Nashville steakhouse has opened, complete with a globally-inspired menu, world-class cuts and simmering plans for lunch and brunch service.

Harper's comes from the Dallas-based restaurant Milkshake Concepts, which also owns Layer Cake in town. The hospitality group has plans for several more Nashville outposts.

Menu highlights include the beef wellington potstickers and crispy rock shrimp tempura on the "Arrivals" menu (starters). Select cuts include a 40-day, dry aged bone-in New York strip and an elk tenderloin.

The upscale restaurant is located at 2 Lea Ave. in the Peabody Plaza building. It's open from 4-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 4-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Biscuit Love opens Berry Farms Town Center location

A favorite for locals and visitors alike, Biscuit Love opened its fourth Middle Tennessee location, this time in Franklin's Berry Farms development, 3100 Village Plains Blvd #130. It's the brand's second location in Franklin.

The new location leans heavily into Biscuit Love's playfully pink identity with a fresh yet retro interior design. Longtime menu favorites include the "bonuts" — biscuit dough topped with lemon mascarpone and served with warm blueberry compote — the "Southern Benny" and "Bill Neal's Shrimp and Grits."

Open daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hi-Wire Brewing opens Nashville outpost

Nashville has the good fortune of being the last city to gain a Hi-Wire Brewing taproom before the Asheville-based brewery pumps the brakes on expansion and switches over to "fine-tuning."

That's what co-owner Chris Frosaker told The Tennessean in an interview about the Nashville taproom, now open in The Gulch.

"This is going to be our last one," Frosaker said. "I never say never, but there are no plans to build additional locations after this one. We want to sit back and fine-tune what we've built over the last 10 years."

The huge taproom is the anchor tenant of the Modera Gulch, a mixed-use apartment building that recently opened. It's located at 820 Division St. and the hours are 12-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 12 p.m.-12 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 12-9 p.m. Sunday.

Bad Ass Coffee brings Hawaiian coffee to Nashville

A Hawaiian coffee company with locations in 14 states recently opened a second Tennessee location in Nashville's Hillsboro Village neighborhood. Bad Ass Coffee originated in Hawaii in 1989 with the goal of serving island-grown coffee on a large scale.

The Nashville location has room to sit and spend time. Menu items include espresso drinks, cold brew, smoothies, energy drinks and blended coffee.

The coffee shop is open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week at 1608 21st Ave S.

HERO brings another option for doughnuts, breakfast to Wedgewood-Houston

A new breakfast and lunch option is now open in Wedgewood-Houston's Nashville Warehouse Co. building. HERO was founded in Birmingham, Alabama by Chef Wil Drake, who later joined forces with The Pihakis Restaurant Group to expand to four different locations.

The new spot offers brioche doughnuts, full breakfast plates, loaded hash browns and specialty coffee drinks. A lunch menu is also available, featuring sandwiches, salads and more.

Find it at 1131 Fourth Ave. S. Open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

Locally-owned barbecue in Assembly Food Hall

Nashville has no shortage of quality locally-owned barbecue joints. HoneyFire Barbecue is joining the ranks at the hugely popular Assembly Food Hall, at 5055 Broadway.

HoneyFire owners Ben Claybaker and Shane Nasby opened their first location at One Bellevue Place in 2018.

Claybaker now runs the modern barbecue joint solo. His first job at 14 was at a pit barbecue restaurant.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to open a barbecue restaurant... now to have two, I’m beyond grateful," Claybaker said in a release about the new location. "The Assembly Food Hall team is the perfect partner for this expansion, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.”

The Assembly Food Hall is open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. Individual eatery hours may vary.

Joe Muer Seafood makes a splash (pun intended)

A Detroit-based seafood restaurant opened this month in Capitol View after months of anticipation. The restaurant's dining room is huge, with seats for more than 300 guests.

"Our team is thrilled to finally be open in Nashville,” said restaurant group president Joe Vicari in a release. “We have been greeted with the utmost southern hospitality since announcing our first location outside of Detroit, and we are excited to bring our 90-year legacy to this energetic, culinary city.”

Dinner service runs from 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Find it at 500 11th Ave.

Pelato opens in Germantown

A new restaurant from the same ownership group behind the upscale Italian restaurant Luogo has opened a casual, small plates trattoria (Italian for restaurant) called Pelato.

"After opening Luogo just eight months ago, we cannot wait to open our second location in Nashville, where we’ll bring our favorite Brooklyn Italian recipes to this community,” chef Anthony Scotto said in a release.

The restaurant, featuring classic Italian comfort food, fosters an intimate dining experience in the Germantown neighborhood.

“Nashville has welcomed us with open arms, and for that we are so thankful," Scotto said. "We couldn’t think of a better community than Germantown to open our next restaurant, as it’s one of Nashville’s most historic and fastest-growing neighborhoods.”

Crema Brentwood serves up new menu in largest location

Locally-owned Crema Coffee Roasters opened its largest location yet in Brentwood, marking the shop's expansion into Williamson County.

Owner Rachel Lehman has been working in the Nashville coffee industry since 2003, and she's seen it explode with new businesses and roasters opening constantly. The Brentwood location offers an opportunity for the coffee company to grow a customer base outside of Davidson County.

The expansive new location is designed for all-day service. A newly expanded food menu is available, and there's plenty of parking nearby. Find it at 330 Franklin Rd Suite 904D.

Closings

Manny's House of Pizza shutters

One major restaurant closure hit Nashville this month, and it was a doozy.

Manny's House of Pizza was a downtown favorite for years. The owners have decided to shutter the popular eatery due to ongoing construction in the Arcade building, they said.

"It has been the greatest pleasure serving multiple generations of families in Nashville and welcoming tourists from all over the world," the owners said in a statement announcing the closure. "Your patronage has meant everything to us."

In other news

The Nations is set to gain two new restaurants next year.

Brotherly Love, serving Philly cheesesteaks, will open in Nashville in early 2024, according to the business's website. Louisiana-based Barracuda Taco Stand will also open in 2024.

Both businesses are moving into Southeast Venture’s Silo Studios, according to a release.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville dining scene heats up in August with Harper's, Hi-Wire, more