Nashville’s dining scene is about to get a little brighter, and a lot more Mediterranean. Aba, the celebrated restaurant from Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants, is opening in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood. Already beloved in Chicago and Austin, Aba brings its fresh, modern take on Mediterranean cuisine with a breezy California influence to Music City. This marks Lettuce Entertain You’s first restaurant in Tennessee, and at 10,000 square feet the Nashville location will be the largest Aba to date.
The project is led by Executive Partner and Divisional President Marc Jacobs and Chef Partner CJ Jacobson, a Top Chef alum whose cooking blends rustic flavor with inventive technique. “We are thrilled to join the creative and up-and-coming neighborhood of Wedgewood-Houston,” Jacobs says. “The innovative food scene in Nashville continues to grow, and we are excited to be a part of the restaurant community.”
Aba, meaning “father” in Hebrew, nods to tradition while embracing reinterpretation. The menu draws from Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece, threaded with Jacobson’s California upbringing, resulting in plates meant for sharing and lingering. Expect house-made hummus and bright spreads, hot and cold mezze, wood-grilled meats and kebabs, along with seasonal desserts that balance comfort and surprise. Signature staples such as Whipped Feta Spread, Muhammara, Greek Village Salad and Char-Grilled Lamb Chops sit alongside Nashville-focused additions like Spicy Chicken Ragu Hummus, Hot Honey Halloumi, Sweet Potato Hummus, Grilled Beet Steak, Pork Tenderloin Kebab and Black Pepper Braised Beef Short Rib. For dessert, Banana Pudding Cake offers a Southern wink to round the meal.
The beverage program mirrors that mix of old-world reverence and modern curiosity. Sommelier John C. Slatter curated a wine list favoring boutique Mediterranean producers, with many selections from women- and minority-owned cellars and an emphasis on sustainable or organic practices. Cocktails lean on regional botanicals and Middle Eastern spices to create drinks that feel exploratory and approachable, while a lineup of inventive zero-proof options ensures everyone at the table has something to savor. Local partnerships, including Jackalope Brewing Co. and Diskin Cider, bring exclusive pours that root the menu in Nashville and celebrate local craft.
Design is part of the story. The two-story space was realized by Jacobs in collaboration with Lettuce Entertain You’s in-house design team and Avril Zayas. High ceilings, steel-framed doors and a skylight create a cathedral of light where Italian Murano chandeliers hang above tables layered with Moroccan lanterns, millwork, curated artifacts and rich finishes of leather and stone. Industrial bones nod to Wedgewood-Houston’s warehouse past while tiered sightlines and warm materials make the room feel intimate and immediate. A wraparound patio blurs the line between indoors and out, and an upstairs private dining room for twelve offers a quieter vantage point overlooking the dining room below- a first for Aba.
Since debuting in Chicago’s Fulton Market District in 2018, Aba has earned praise for both cuisine and design; its Austin location won a Restaurant & Bar Design Award for alfresco and biophilic design. The Nashville outpost continues that legacy while folding itself into the city’s distinct culinary personality, leaning into collaboration with local producers and creative neighbors to make a space that feels both familiar and new.
Dinner service will begin first, with carryout and delivery to follow, and lunch and brunch coming later. Reservations are available on OpenTable and at abarestaurants.com/nashville, with updates posted at @abarestaurant on Instagram.
With layered flavors, thoughtful sourcing, and a design that invites conversation, Aba feels like a natural fit for Nashville — a place where Mediterranean sun meets Southern warmth, where plates are made to be passed, savored and shared. Plan a visit with friends or solo; Aba promises warm hospitality, dishes to share and savor.
Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants looks forward to continuing to expand in Nashville with the opening of Sushi-san in the 12 South neighborhood later this year.
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Aba Nashville
Hours:
Monday-Thursday 4:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 4:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sunday 4:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Address:
435 Houston Street, Nashville, TN 37203