Sunday lunch in Nashville

[shelleybell]

I will be passing through Nashville on a Sunday around noon-1:00 and would like to find a nice place for lunch or brunch. Any suggestions?

[njfreqflyer]

Well, we planned to go to ChaChah, but the plan was altered at the last minute and we ended up at Chappy's.

Brunch was fine; one of us opted for the "champagne brunch" menu, which included bottomless sparkling wine. She opted for the turtle soup, eggs rockefeller (which came with a house salad), and some bread pudding. The other two of us went al a carte from the lunch menu, choosing a half dozen raw oysters, an artichoke and oyster soup, fried green tomatoes, and a blackened snapper with crabmeat. The artichoke and oyster soup was especially good. I had a few spicy bloody marys which helped start the day off right.

Nice live jazz by a fellow on a guitar. Good and engaging service. Not crowded.

Menus available on-line at:
http://www.chappys.com/index.html

[Dee S]

Chappy's is pretty good and the jazz guy (John Roberts, if memory serves me) does a fine job. I'm hindered by an allergy to bell peppers but every time I go there, they are more than accomodating. I prefer their snapper and redfish preparations but I don't think you can go wrong with anything.

[njfreqflyer]

I'm gonna hijack this thread a little. I'll be in Nashville on CMA Music Fest weekend and looking for Sunday brunch (pre-noon) spot. (Hmm, I wonder if that statement identifies me as some kind of sadistic idiot?) There will be 3 of us. The ability to reserve a table would be a clear bonus.

Ideal profile:
- bloody marys and champagne
- fried green tomatoes
- oysters (fried or raw)
- shrimp, grits
- crab cakes, fish
- eggs, waffles

I realize that "ideal" may not be the same as reality. Having said that, I'd appreciate your recommendations among the following (for which I've taken a look at their menus already) or others you can suggest:

- Chappy's
- Tavern
- ChaChah
- Garden Brunch Cafe

- Marche and Margot certainly look nice too, even if they cover less of the wish list. I might be swayed if you tell me the quality and experience there exceed some of the other options.

Based on what I've researched, I'm not so interested in Monell's (not looking for the fried chicken, ham, and gravy breakfast), Pancake Pantry, Loveless.

Thanks.

[TLF]

Assuming you've already looked at menus and determined that your list meets your type-of-food-and-drink criteria:

Chappy's - OK, nothing special
Tavern - good, upscale but VERY casual, lots of TVs with sports, small outdoor spaces
ChaChah - excellent, excellent, but food isn't going to have that overt Southern slant you seem to be looking for
Garden Brunch Cafe - no idea
Marche & Margot are two of the top restaurants in Nashville

Other suggestions:
Germantown Cafe
Holland House
Table 3
Bricktops

Southern Steak & Oyster (aka The Southern) is brand new, so no scuttlebutt yet, but run by experienced restauanteurs

[njfreqflyer]

TLF, thanks for your comments and suggestions. I'll check them out!

[StrandedYankee]

Ummm, really, I wouldn't do raw oysters in the South in the summer. Nashville is also too thoroughly landlocked for oysters to really be a big deal in the area. I've eaten at Garden Brunch Cafe three times, and have never had a really terrible experience...but have never had an experience that I would rave about either. For what you end up paying, it should be much better that I have ever found it to be. Of the places you've listed ChaChah is my favorite, hands down.

[StrandedYankee]

TLF's suggestions are all great places. Especially Marche and ChaChah. However, let me add Monell's to this list. Monell's is family style Southern home cooking. They have two locations, and one is quite close to the interstate (Monell's at the Manor) if you'll be driving through.

Marche is my favorite restaurant in Nashville, but there WILL be a line and it WILL be crowded for Sunday Brunch. ChaChah is lovely, with usually wonderful food, and they aren't usually mobbed for Sunday lunch/brunch.

TLF has a point...a bit more info about what you're looking for might help us make better suggestions.

[TLF]

Having NO idea what you mean by "nice place" or what sort of food/budget you have in mind:

ChaChah
Margot
Marche
Capitol Grille