NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For years Fifth and Broadway has been an intersection, but now it’s become so much more. The first of two grand openings is Thursday, but we’re taking you behind-the-scenes of what it took to transform this portion of Broadway.
Try telling anyone familiar with Nashville that you’re headed to Hattie B’s on Fifth and Broadway and you’ll most likely get a few confused faces.
Brian Morris is a Nashville-native and executive chef of Hattie B’s latest addition. The restaurant is one of two facing Broadway as you enter the plaza. It’s a taste of something familiar before you walk further into nothing like you’ve seen before in the historic district.
“There’s a lot of great people who put in a lot of time and hard work and passion and love into making this the coolest Hattie B’s on the planet,” Morris said.
Unlike the other locations across Nashville which fit more with the theme of a neighborhood eatery, Morris says this location is all about being in the middle of the party.
“This is going to be high energy, great music, sights, and sounds,” Morris said.
At Fifth and Broadway, you’ve got the Nashville Predators across the street and Honky Tonks down the road. Now you add six acres of more retail, restaurants, and spectacular views from the 501 Commerce terrace. For now the terrace is used by commercial tenants of the building, but soon you can rent the space out for events.
The grand opening of phase one includes most restaurants and what’s being called the largest food hall in the country. You can walk right off Broadway and eat at any one of the eight restaurants open on day one.
David Daniels is a VP with The Food Hall Company who developed Assembly Food Hall. He says it’s been three years from start to finish for his group, including two years simply curating the food lineup. It’s all open kitchen format where Daniels says you get to watch your food being made right in front of you.
A few more features include:
- Two full-service restaurants (coming soon)
- Three levels of dining and entertainment
- Ten bars
- Expansive rooftop live music venue overlooking Broadway
- Three stages
- Expansive outdoor terrace space with views of the Ryman, Broadway, and Bridgestone Arena
By the time phase two is complete in May, Daniels says the hope is this development will be just as much as part of the Nashville experience as anything else.
Hattie B’s will open on Saturday, seven days a week. As for how late they plan to stay open, they say it’s still up for debate. As it turns out, most restaurants including places like Shake Shack plan to close by midnight on most nights. If the demand is there, restaurant managers say they’re willing to stay open as late as bar close.
