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“Our food philosophy is a delicious reflection of our love of history.”
A 10 minute walk from the country music hall of fame, no problem! Pushing a baby in a heavy stroller up-hill, a little more challenging but great for the legs and builds an appetite.
Walking up to the restaurant I really liked the outside appearance. It made me want to enter and I was excited to see what the inside looked like. Upon entering 417 Union the first impression is a beautiful updated building rich with history. We were greeted with a very warm welcome which instantly made us feel at home. The main level restaurant was cozy with wood and had an updated feel of a post world war 2 era. The focus of the restaurant design.
What really stood out to me was how knowledgeable our server was about the history of the building and the inspiration behind the restaurant from owners Anthony and Susan. He took the time to sit down with us and share the fine details and thought process that went into creation the fine establishment. I got the sense that he didn’t feel like an employee but was proud to be a part of a bigger family.
417 Union is famous for their chicken and waffles and when I had it I could taste why. The blend of soft succulent chicken, with a sweeter waffle, dressed with some Louisiana hot sauce made my taste buds dance. Anna would only let me only try a couple of bites as it was too tasty for her to share much more.
My turkey club sandwich was the perfect lunch if you want something that is filling but not too heavy. Anna’s mom couldn’t stop raving about how delicious her salmon was. When it comes to fine dining she has high standards from having managed 5 star restaurant in Russia.
What I really liked about their ingredients is that they are all sourced from local farmers. This is evident in the taste of the food. You can check out the MENU HERE
The dining experience was very enjoyable and we were also fortunate to get a personal tour of the beautiful facility. The first thing you will notice in the restaurant is the incredible collection of pictures, posters, and newspaper clippings from the second world war. Moving up to the second floor, owner Anthony showed us the secondary dining area that was decorated like a space from the civil war era. It had a beautiful southern luxury feel that would be perfect for high end dining experiences and meals. It had lots of amazing memorabilia from the civil war. Being a bit of a war history geek, I really enjoyed the combination of rich design and history artifacts.
We than moved on down some secret passages to the back galley where the cooking magic happens. It was incredible to see the craftsmanship that went into the construction and upgrading of the facility 30+ years ago. Anthony showed us where they had to jack up the entire building to make room for a state-of-the-art cooling facility that was the first of its kind back in the day. The original door and hinges were still in tact on the freezer door. Past the freezer we than got an exclusive look into his specialty chocolate lab. One of Anthony’s latest endeavours is perfecting the art of chocolate candy in collaboration with one of his employees. We got to try some of their latest tasty treats fresh from cooling.
We were very grateful to get to get to experience the full story and people behind 417 Union. Anthony explained to me that the most important aspect to a successful restaurant is the people you work with and the importance of finding a position for them to do what they love. They then become the core “family” unit and drive the success. This was very clear in every aspect of 417 Union.
One of my favourite parts of a dining experience is getting to know more about the story and the people behind the food. It adds a whole other element to the dining experience and evolves the way you experience the food.
When visiting Nashville, 417 Union must eat restaurant to dine at. We will definitely be back our next time in Nashville. A special thank you to Susan, Anthony, and the staff for creating such a wonderful experience for our family. We even got their awesome specialty mugs!