Audrey

"Audrey could be confused with a mad scientist’s lab full of gizmos and gadgets that turn ingredients like pawpaw and jimmy red corn into a culinary wild ride. The space—a two-story building that used to house June—has a warm minimalist aesthetic with lots of Appalachian art and dried herbs hanging from the ceiling. In other words: just the kind of place you can spend a few hours admiring (and eating) the artful plates coming out of the massive open kitchen. The menu changes seasonally, but expect things like grits with sorghum-cured egg yolk, pate of Texas deer, and hickory grilled sunburst trout with tomato gravy." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak, adam sloan

"Chef Sean Brock’s flagship restaurant was built for gathering, with a spacious dining room that showcases an open kitchen right in the center. Large groups are encouraged at lunch and dinner for Brock’s menu of Appalachian fare like country ham with rolls and horseradish, or quail with sweet potatoes and sarsaparilla." - Ellen Fort

"One of Eater’s 2022 picks for best new restaurants in the country, Sean Brock’s East Nashville ode to his grandmother Audrey boasts a museum-worthy art collection, historic photographs, patchwork quilts on the walls, and, of course, a world-class kitchen. If you snag a reservation, look for Appalachian-inspired dishes — like the heirloom Jimmy Red corn grits topped with sorghum-cured egg yolk and Appalachian salt-risen bread — served on incredible plateware. For a special night out, book a tasting experience at his 37-seat space June, located right above Audrey. You’ll have a full view of the chefs meticulously plating your meal and Brock’s food laboratory while you wind your way through 15-plus courses. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort

"Sean Brock is Nashville’s most famous chef, and he's been involved in quite a few restaurants over the years: Husk, The Continental, Bar Continental, and Joyland, to name a few. Audrey is the best Sean Brock restaurant in town and has been ever since it opened in 2021. The concept is an ode to his Appalachian grandmother, and the food follows suit with dishes using indigenous Appalachian ingredients and staples. This is a solemn temple to fine dining, and a place that never disappoints for a special occasion. The menu shifts seasonally, but you’ll always find ancient grains and ingredients native to the South. Think: perfectly crumbly cornbread and creamy grits made with Cherokee White Eagle corn, surryano ham from a Virginia smokehouse, and desserts that make quick work of the tropical-tasting pawpaw fruit." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak

"When the usual brunch suspects can't lure you away from a weekend in bed, the hearth souffle omelet at Audrey in East Nashville should do the trick. The eggs have been whipped for 30 minutes until they form the cumulus cloud of your dreams. We don’t claim to have eaten an atmospheric fluffy white mass, but we can only imagine it goes a little something like this. Along with those eggs, you’ll find dishes that use ingredients indigenous to the Appalachians like whipped goat chandh buckwheat and cornmeal pancakes topped with shagbark hickory syrup. And even the simple sophistication of the dining room with its sleek woods and Appalachian art makes this place feel far more impressive than your normal weekend brunch spots. " - jackie gutierrez jones 2