Celebrating the people, passion, and stories behind great hospitality with Tock 10.
The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club
Nashville, TN
The concept
Tucked behind an Italian restaurant with an inconspicuous entrance, The Fox blends 1920s Art Deco elegance with Nashville charm: exposed brick, dim lighting, and 1930s flooring from the original pharmacy. The bar pulls off an effortless balance of bold experimentation and timeless classics, crafting an ever-evolving menu with something for everyone.
The menu changes monthly and the bar team has significant creative freedom to experiment. You’ll find inventive originals alongside impeccably made classics, whether that’s a stirred house Old Fashioned or something entirely new, like the Concord Grape Margarita (Altos reposado tequila, concord grape citric, St. George Spiced Pear, violets, and lime stock). The Fox is known for its impressive selection of 400 bottles including a selection of whiskies from around the world. And the team prioritizes sustainability through minimal waste practices and staff wellness (cloth hand towels vs paper, metal straws over plastic). Private cocktail experiences and classes offer guests a deeper dive.
For the thoughtful menu, filled with colorful illustrations of cocktails and bites, like oysters on the half-shell, a hearty Mortadella sando on butter brioche, and shrimp on a fish-shaped plate served with yuzu kosho cocktail sauce.
January
Franklin, TN
The concept
Rolling hills, sprawling across 300 idyllic acres in Middle Tennessee, set the stage for January, part of Southall Farm and Inn. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the land that sustainably grows much of the restaurant’s food from seeds. Led by Chefs Andrew Klamar and Nate Leonard, the mindful menu changes daily based on availability.
With the first bite of the Parker House Rolls smeared with Southall honey butter, you are reminded of an enlightening conversation with the beekeeper at the apiary yesterday. You will never see bees the same ever again, and perhaps now have a new theory for how Dolly Parton got to be so sweet.
The immersive, seed-to-fork dining experience at January never gets stale, as the ever-evolving menu promises a novel and unexpected meal with each visit. Every season welcomes new surprises; don’t miss the arrival of crisp, sun-ripened apples from the onsite orchard in late summer and early fall.
iggy’s
Nashville, TN
The Concept
Hospitality veterans and brothers Ryan and Matthew Poli unleash their full creative prowess at iggy’s, their Italian pasta restaurant in Nashville’s Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. Chef Ryan runs the back of house, while Matthew, who is a sommelier, oversees the front. Central to the dining room is a stunning 13-seat maple chef’s counter that wraps around the open kitchen.
Pasta is made fresh each morning, with about nine varieties on the menu at any given time. Expect classics, like rigatoni bolognese and spaghetti aglio e olio, as well as more inventive flavor combinations, like pillowy potato gnocchi cooked with soy and dashi braised beef short rib and fermented spring onion. Snag your favorite, along with jars of sauces from the fresh pasta case on your way out.
For the weekly ‘No Decision Sunday’ offering in which Chef Poli serves an improvisational menu exclusively at the counter. For $145 per couple, you get two apps, three pastas, dessert, and a bottle of wine for an incredible value. “We have a dialed in clientele that wants to sit here, so they’re super open to being challenged,” Poli says. “It’s an amazing vibe and a great chance for us to try new dishes.”