HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A farm-to-table seafood spot has moved out of Nashville and is preparing to reopen in the suburbs.
Sea Salt will now call Indian Lake Boulevard in Hendersonville home. The restaurant used to be located at 3rd Avenue North in downtown Nashville.
Co-owner Keith Zust said rent near Broadway was expensive. During the partial shutdown due to the pandemic, it didn't make sense to stay downtown. Their base customers would dine with them before conventions, the symphony, and other shows that were all put on pause during the pandemic.
"Without a doubt, margins in restaurants nowadays are getting so slim," Zust said.
He said the benefits of Sumner County include free parking, more affordable rent, and small business support.
"A place like Hendersonville right now, if you get a chance to look with Eat Hendersonville, and some of the things they do, they are incredibly driven to focus on mom-and-pop restaurants," Zust said.
Zust said the property tax hike in Nashville would have been tough last year as well. "I hope everyone understands the restaurant owner takes the brunt of that," Zust said.
Now, he's leaving the past behind and turning to the future. One side of the restaurant includes a piano and oyster bar which is aimed at being family-friendly. The other side of the restaurant is more formal and conducive to date night. It's separated by a bar with a Himalayan salt wall. "It changes the ions in the air. It makes your breathing easier. It can eliminate allergens. There’s a lot of amazing things, so if you sit at our bar you become healthier," Zust said. "We’re really excited about this."
They're launching their online reservation system on Monday and will be open to the public on May 21. Their farm-to-table menu is being cultivated by their chef now. The plan is to start with dinner, and they will launch a Sunday brunch menu soon.
