The New York Times - WOOD-ROASTED RABBIT sliders. Chesapeake Bay oysters. Osetra caviar. This is not your typical bar food.
Black Rabbit, which opened in November in downtown Nashville, is the latest brainchild of the local chef Trey Cioccia. He and his business partner Robert Compton fell in love with an 1890s brick building near Printers Alley, the hub that buzzed with night life many decades ago. They wanted to recreate that early-20th-century ambience by featuring handcrafted cocktails, small plates to share and live music. While a visit may feel like stepping back in time, the food and drinks are some of the most innovative in Music City today.
“Back then, Printer’s Alley was the place,” said Mr. Cioccia of the one-block-long street. He wanted the bar “to be a cool little social place for adults where you can have a conversation, do business, maybe play a game in front of the fire.”
What’s notable — other than the fantastic cocktails, original brick walls and wood floors — is the quality of the food. Mr. Cioccia made a name for himself nearby at the Farm House restaurant, where he specializes in Southern fare, working closely with local farmers and ranchers to procure the best ingredients.
Black Rabbit, which opened in November in downtown Nashville, is the latest brainchild of the local chef Trey Cioccia. He and his business partner Robert Compton fell in love with an 1890s brick building near Printers Alley, the hub that buzzed with night life many decades ago. They wanted to recreate that early-20th-century ambience by featuring handcrafted cocktails, small plates to share and live music. While a visit may feel like stepping back in time, the food and drinks are some of the most innovative in Music City today.
“Back then, Printer’s Alley was the place,” said Mr. Cioccia of the one-block-long street. He wanted the bar “to be a cool little social place for adults where you can have a conversation, do business, maybe play a game in front of the fire.”
What’s notable — other than the fantastic cocktails, original brick walls and wood floors — is the quality of the food. Mr. Cioccia made a name for himself nearby at the Farm House restaurant, where he specializes in Southern fare, working closely with local farmers and ranchers to procure the best ingredients.