Spring on Main Street: How Smith & Lentz Fits Into Your Perfect East Nashville Day
It’s warming up, and East Nashville is transforming once again into a bustling hub of activity. Whether you’re a local or welcome visitor, spring in Music City is one of the best times of the year to enjoy our walkable, eclectic neighborhood. Shops are ready for the tourist season. Live music events and a roster of festivals are set to launch. And our regional, seasonal produce and farm-fresh fruits are in full swing.
Ready to explore?
Things To Do in East Nashville This Spring
With so many things to see and do in our evolving neighborhood, it’s hard to pick and choose. So, we’re going to point out some hidden treasures and popular places to fit into a day of local exploring right on (and near) Main Street.
We recommend starting your spring day at East Park Donuts & Coffee, one of the neighborhood’s great little East Nashville restaurants featuring one of the most classic combinations in culinary history: a rich cup of coffee paired with an artisanal donut. You can also choose a frothy smoothie and a delicious breakfast, but when you’re in a place that specializes in brioche donuts, delicious coffee, cold brew, and espresso drinks, you almost feel compelled to do as the East Nashvillians do and dose up on quality caffeine and sugar-glazed pastry perfection.
If you’re here on a Tuesday afternoon, you’re in luck. Take a stroll to the East Nashville Farmers’ Market on Woodland Street, a local favorite that kicks off in April (3:30-6:30 PM on Tuesdays). Here's where you can wander among kiosks and tented tables featuring locally grown vegetables and fruits, farm-fresh eggs, grass-fed meats, baked goods, prepared foods, and a rotating mix of artisan vendors. There’s even live music! We’re big fans of the local market, as we source our ingredients from local farmers. Check it out, and you’ll see why.
Local Shops That Are Worth the Walk and Talk the Talk
Head toward Woodland Street, cut through to Fatherland Street, and about 20 minutes down the road is the iconic Abode Mercantile.
This shop is full of unique gifts you can browse and bear in mind for friends and family when birthdays and other milestone celebrations hit. The product range here is incredible; everything from a pantry full of upscale jams, jellies, chocolates, spice mixes, sauces, condiments, and more, to their exclusive line of bath and body products and lifestyle products and gifts. You’ll never be left scrambling for something thoughtful (but also totally last-minute) again.
A 20-minute walk from the mercantile are the Five Points Alley Shops. This is the place for all things fine leather, books, vintage and modern accessories, local artisan jewelry, and awesome vibes. For anyone who has that friend who’s notoriously difficult to buy for, consider your challenge resolved. Thanks, Five Points!
Ready for an IG-worthy mural? The art scene in and around Main Street Nashville is next level.
Only in Nashville: The Mural and Art Scene
Find color, creativity, and mind-blowing photo ops when you put aside time to visit our Nashville murals.
At 600 Main Street, you’ll find the East Nashville Mural. It features stylized text and a 70s color palette, making for a stellar photo background. And just down the road, at 625 Main Street, is the TV test-patterned “Stay Tuned” mural. At 917 Woodland, you’ll find the “I Believe In Nashville” mural.
A little further away is Fanny’s House of Music Mural, a neighborhood icon that gained national attention for its place in the music business, established in the midst of the 2008 financial crisis.
Along the base of the house is a lineup of unsigned panels by Andee Rudloff. And before the 2020 tornado smashed through everything, the focal point of Fanny’s House of Music was a large painting by Scott Guion. It featured a host of female greats, including Suzi Quatro, Maybelle Carter, Dolly Parton, and Joan Jett.
Inside Fanny’s House of Music are guitars for sale, people who live and breathe Music City, and smaller reprints of Guion’s groundbreaking original.
Hungry for Artisanal Pizza and Craft Brewed Beer?
If by now your dogs are barkin’, it’s time to treat yourself to an artisanal, East Nashville pizza and an ice-cold, craft-brewed pilsner, IPA, lager, or Kolsch.
Head back to Main Street until you see the Smith & Lentz sign at 903 Main Street. Pass through the doors and take a load off. Our friendly front-of-house host and staff are here to deliver a great dining experience in keeping with our exceptionally vibrant neighborhood, and the locally sourced farm-fresh foods philosophy we uphold.
Choose a table in our dining area, or head on out to the patio. Order some appies (try our meats, cheese, seasonal jam, and pickles “Snack Pack,” or a crisp, colorful salad). A house-made pizza is calling your name.
Come on in for award-winning, oven-fired pizza and some really great beer. Order online for pickup, and don’t forget to follow us on socials for all the latest updates.
See you soon!
