Lyra
Middle Eastern restaurant · East Nashville
935 W Eastland Ave, Nashville, TN 37206
Highlights
Middle Eastern tapas, pita baked to order, great cocktails
Middle Eastern tapas, pita baked to order, great cocktails
"THE DEAL: $7 hummus, $7 cocktails Happy Hour can be just as much about the food as the drinks, so meet your friends on the patio of Lyra for things like hummus, za’atar-spiced french fries with Lebanese garlic toum, and a bowl of aleppo butter chickpeas served over pita chips and topped with tahina labneh. (Yes, you should dip the fries in the hummus.) Lyra’s cocktails take classics and infuse them with Middle Eastern flavors that really complement the food—they do a riff on a mule featuring gin, hibiscus, and cardamom, and add cinnamon bitters to their bourbon old fashioned." - adam sloan
"You won’t have to give up your firstborn to get a reservation at this East Nashville Middle Eastern restaurant. Still, it’s the sort of moody, candlelit spot that’ll impress the lucky person joining you. The pillowy puffs of pita are legendary and a perfect vehicle for all of the aggressively great dips here—like the hummus, baba ganoush, pistachio-whipped feta, and roasted carrot dip with date molasses. They have other small plates that are made for splitting with someone you like a lot, like grilled octopus or sumac fried chicken. Both of which you can enjoy on the lush green patio or tucked into the corner of a dining room banquette, all with a Turkish coffee martini in hand." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak
"Local hospitality veterans Hrant Arakelian and Elizabeth Endicott opened hip Lyra in the summer of 2018, bringing man’oushe, hummus, baba ghanoush, and lamb manti to East Nashville. Beyond the refreshing (and vegan-friendly) menu, Lyra’s bar program impresses with a diverse slate of cocktails that might incorporate some arak, green tea, and even dill syrup. Save room for baklava with some Turkish coffee. —JGJ" - Ellen Fort
"Whether diners tuck into a table in its modern-industrial dining room or perch beneath hanging lights on the outdoor patio, East Nashville’s Lyra is a casual but intimate option for date night. The Middle Eastern tapas-style shared plates offer plenty to talk about when celebrating either a first date or a milestone anniversary. Break the ice over a savory whipped feta, then take things a step further with a shared sumac fried chicken paired with a zhoug labneh. If all goes well, cap the evening with a shared dessert from the rotating menu — two spoons." - Kellie Walton
"Lyra is an excellent warm-weather restaurant in East Nashville, with a lush, sprawling patio beckoning folks off the street. And there’s almost no place we’d rather relax while eating wood oven-roasted halloumi and some hummus with a kabob when the weather allows. It’s also the answer when the first date has led to a more adventurous second, where you can debate the logistics of getting an extra order of pomegranate and walnut molasses-coated olives to smuggle into your pocket for later (just us? OK, fine). But outside of castelvetrano contraband, you must end the meal with the savory sesame tahini cookies sandwiching sweet and dreamy pistachio ice cream." - Ann Walczak
