BY KRISTINA ROSEN
The family that brought you Lyles BBQ Company is opening Nash’s Southern Table and Bar, a new southern comfort food restaurant, in the former Willie’s Locally Known on Southland Drive.
Last November, Willie’s announced it was closing and the building went up for sale. It leased for three months until Greg, Jennifer and Chandler Lyles agreed to take the building without knowing what they were going to do with it.
“It wasn’t like we were trying to open a southern restaurant,” says co-owner, Chandler Lyles. “It was more so a beautiful building in a great location became available that checked off everything we never knew we needed or wanted. It was too good of a deal not to take advantage of.”
While the Lyles are best known for their barbecue, and their appearance on an episode of CNBC’s ‘The Profit’, their newest restaurant should not be confused for another Lyles BBQ location. Nash’s Southern Table and Bar is a traditional table side service restaurant rather than carryout. The menu includes southern comfort food favorites like fried green tomatoes, hush puffies, fried chicken hot brown, and bourbon meatloaf.
Southern food is subjective, and unlike barbecue, there’s more room to experiment with it. The new restaurant allows the Lyles family to step into the similar realm of southern food without taking away from what they do best: barbecue. Nash’s fried chicken hot brown features Lyles BBQ pork and the brisket burger is topped with Lyles BBQ smoked brisket.
The menu was created by Jennifer “Momma” Lyles and Nash’s executive chef, Ben Fatula. The entire menu is made from scratch or supplied by another local vendor including Stith Family Farm, DV8 Kitchen and Crank & Boom. There’s a full bar with 24 beers on tap, including a variety of local craft beer and a wide bourbon selection.
“If we were to open another Lyles BBQ restaurant, we know all the answers on how to do it. What’s been most exciting about this is we’re back to where we were four or five years ago. We’re doing it from the start again, hoping it works, and learning as we go. As an entrepreneur, you love that more than anything.”
Nash’s will be open for lunch and dinner beginning on Monday, June 24 at 286 Southland Drive. The hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am to 10 pm.
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