Chef-owner Margot McCormack’s cozy brick cafe in East Nashville is a charmer, a 1930s-era building with flower boxes and exposed brick walls that was originally a service station. The menu changes daily but often includes classic French preparations like pan-roasted chicken breast with butternut squash polenta, Swiss chard, and walnuts; braised rabbit; or house-made mafaldine with beef-cheek tomato sauce. The stone bar has been one of the best spots in Nashvile to have a cocktail for two decades, with unusual wines by the glass, limoncello, and sophisticated mixed drinks to choose from. Service is friendly, and the place has a magical ease despite its fine cuisine pedigree. Fun fact for food lovers: City House’s Tandy Wilson got his big break working under McCormack.