Did You Know These Nashville Favorites Started at Farmers’ Markets?
From croissants to curry, these six Nashville eateries started at farmers’ markets before becoming brick-and-mortar favorites! Image: Facebook / Nicoletto's Italian Kitchen
When it comes to discovering Nashville’s best eats, sometimes the most unassuming beginnings lead to the most delicious outcomes. Case in point: rather than shiny kitchens or flashy dining rooms, a surprising number of our favorite restaurants got their start in the bustling stalls of local farmers’ markets. Before they were packing dining rooms and racking up press, these chefs were slinging pretzels, noodles, and pastries to shoppers juggling tote bags full of kale and kombucha.
Here are six farmers’-market-to-brick-and-mortar success stories that prove great things can come from humble tents and temporary booths.
Tantísimo
More Info: tantisimo.com
What began as a pastry-forward stall at the Richland Park Farmers’ Market has blossomed into one of Sylvan Park’s sweetest new additions. Tantísimo still honors its roots with buttery croissants and guava-filled delights, but its brick-and-mortar location now serves up a full menu of Latin-inspired dishes, along with coffee and cocktails. Consider it the glow-up every farmers’ market vendor dreams of. Only this one comes with happy hour.
“It gave me a connection to the truest community I’ve ever known,” says owner and chef Ana Aguilar of her farmers’ market days, “not only with the farmers and small business peers who make their living there, but the customers who’ve been with us from the beginning, giving us a reason to exist!”
And her adoration for her market cohorts is apparent. “People at the market are the kindest, most supportive, most hard-working, and generous,” she says. “Hauling to and from the market, and working in all weather, can be really rough work. Those beginnings gave me the grit I needed to get this far. The whole experience was a gift that made the gruel worth it and shaped me as an entrepreneur. Today, our menus reflect a lot of the relationships we made then, from our herbs and produce to our espresso!”
Kisser
More Info: kisserrestaurant.com
Chefs Leina Horii and Brian Lea didn’t need much more than rice, seaweed, and a dream to get Nashville hooked on Japanese comfort food. Their onigiri and skewers drew long lines at farmers’ markets and pop-ups, and now, at their Highland Yards counter-service spot (and their newest Germantown eatery, Babychan), they’re serving an expanded menu that has national food media fawning.
“We started at the East Nashville Farmers’ Market, then also at Richland,” shares Leina. “It made us extremely efficient — our food is all prep-heavy with very fast pick-up times. It was always the plan for us; we always wanted a brick-and-mortar. But the market helped us define what our concept was and formed the backbone for what Kisser would become.”
FatBelly Pretzel
More Info: fatbellypretzel.com
Not all heroes wear capes; some twist dough into pretzels. What started as a driveway and farmers’ market project for Levon and Kim Wallace became FatBelly Pretzel Bakery & Deli in East Nashville, complete with incredible sandwiches like my personal favorite, the “Hamma Mia,” which is sourdough focaccia, shaved ham, genoa salami, mozzarella, artichoke cream, spicy Italian chili crisp, balsamic drizzle, and arugula. Yum. Their market days were fueled by pretzels so good they could stop traffic, and now their deli proves that they’re in it for the long haul.
Nicoletto’s Italian Kitchen
More Info: nicolettos.com
Back in the early days, the Nicoletto brothers sold their fresh, bronze-cut pasta at farmers’ markets, winning over home cooks who were tired of boxed spaghetti. Fast forward a few years, and Nicoletto’s Italian Kitchen has multiple Nashville locations where you can order their pasta sauced, tossed, and plated.
They’re living proof that Nashville is hungry for more than hot chicken. It’s also craving rigatoni. Not to mention, you can choose your own pasta adventure with the build-your-own-bowl option. My favorite? The radiatori with walnut pesto and meatballs. But it’s all delicious.
Cocorico!
More Info: cocoricocuisine.com
If you’ve ever strolled a Nashville Farmers’ Market and followed the scent of baguettes, you may have stumbled upon Cocorico! ‘s flaky French pastries before the bakery found a permanent home in Midtown. Known for croissants that could make a Parisian homesick, Cocorico! moved from stall to storefront at the beginning of 2024.
“Working at the markets is where Cocorico! really started,” says founder Elodie Habert. “Being face-to-face with people taught me the value of connection, consistency, and quality — you only have a few minutes to earn someone’s trust. I carry that into the bakery today, but now it’s not just me. Our whole team shares that same mindset: greeting people warmly, baking everything from scratch, and fostering a sense of community.”
Bonus: You can still find the Cocorico! team at the Richland Park and Vanderbilt farmers’ markets serving baguettes, galettes, and more.
Thai Ni Yom
More Info: Facebook
It’s hard to believe Thai Ni Yom’s punchy, flavor-packed dishes once came from a farmers’ market pop-up and the Grow Local Kitchen at the Nashville Farmers’ Market. Their cult-favorite Thai Basil Chicken and other street food staples eventually landed them a permanent spot at L&L Market, where they’ve become a hidden gem for those in the know (in fact, you can read my love letter to Thai Ni Yom here!). No gimmicks, just authentic Thai food that’s bold, authentic, and impossible not to love.
Farmers’ markets are proven incubators for some of Nashville’s most beloved culinary concepts. Whether it’s pretzels, pasta, or pastries, these restaurants remind us that humble beginnings can lead to delicious destinations.
So next time you wander through a market, don’t underestimate the power of that little booth tucked between the kombucha and the goat cheese stand. You may just be looking at Nashville’s next big thing!
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Jenna von Oy Bratcher
Jenna von Oy Bratcher is StyleBlueprint's Associate Editor and Lead Nashville Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville almost two decades years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.