Roze Pony
For locals, Julia Jaksic’s Roze Pony and its sister restaurant, Café Roze (1115 Porter Rd.) on the east side, are so much more than chic, cozy, all-day cafés. From addictive smoked trout dip to country-ham toast to chili eggplant with salsa Negra, Jaksic quietly and consistently turns out the city’s best American food. Sure, the atmosphere of both places are social media catnip with their pink-and-white color palette, but you won’t find (too many) bachelorettes in here getting turnt. Instead, you’ll see neighbors who come here weekly for “Salt & Spirit” happy hour, slurping briny oysters and cheersing with their favorite sips from the martini menu. You’ll see first-time diners reacting with surprise when they crunch into the crispy Chicken Paillard, served with a zippy salad of watercress, green olives, slow-roasted tomatoes, capers and ricotta salata. And you’ll meet Jaksic, when she’s not dashing between restaurants or working to get her new bar in The Arcade up and running, stopping to chat with all of them over Salmon Tartare or Coconut Curry Mussels. This place is as much community as culinary, and it’s worth a trip on either end of town. Tip: If you’re headed to Cheekwood, Belle Meade Plantation, or anything else on the west side, this is the place to dine on the way to or from.
For locals, Julia Jaksic’s Roze Pony and its sister restaurant, Café Roze (1115 Porter Rd.) on the east side, are so much more than chic, cozy, all-day cafés. From addictive smoked trout dip to country-ham toast to chili eggplant with salsa Negra, Jaksic quietly and consistently turns out the city’s best American food. Sure, the atmosphere of both places are social media catnip with their pink-and-white color palette, but you won’t find (too many) bachelorettes in here getting turnt. Instead, you’ll see neighbors who come here weekly for “Salt & Spirit” happy hour, slurping briny oysters and cheersing with their favorite sips from the martini menu. You’ll see first-time diners reacting with surprise when they crunch into the crispy Chicken Paillard, served with a zippy salad of watercress, green olives, slow-roasted tomatoes, capers and ricotta salata. And you’ll meet Jaksic, when she’s not dashing between restaurants or working to get her new bar in The Arcade up and running, stopping to chat with all of them over Salmon Tartare or Coconut Curry Mussels. This place is as much community as culinary, and it’s worth a trip on either end of town. Tip: If you’re headed to Cheekwood, Belle Meade Plantation, or anything else on the west side, this is the place to dine on the way to or from.
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