Restaurateur Julia Jaksic is Milwaukee raised, Croatian by blood, and Southern at heart. The owner of East Nashville’s Cafe Roze, Belle Meade’s Roze Pony, and the future Arcade eatery, Roza, she’s been hard at work making her mark on Nashville’s culinary scene. Inspired by her travels and large family, Julia is bringing her Croatian roots and unique perspective to her lineup of must-try eateries. If you haven’t yet tried her beautiful creations, you’re overdue. Please welcome this week’s FACE of Nashville, Julia Jaksic.Â
Can you tell us about your upbringing?
I was born and raised in Milwaukee by a large Croatian family. My father, his mother, and brothers immigrated from Croatia in the ’70s. There were lots of big Eastern European vibes!
A lot of the foundational stuff for me was growing up the way I did. My father, his siblings, and my grandmother lived in a really small village, so they did everything. My grandmother’s basement was fermented foods and canned goods; they didn’t go to the store for much. So, I was around that environment.
I didn’t expect to get into cooking. I moved to Chicago and worked at an internet startup company for these cool tech guys in the late ’90s. I actually enjoyed it! But the culinary field just kept calling to me. It was one of those things I enjoyed and was good at. On a whim, when I was 20, I enrolled in culinary school in Chicago — to the horror of my immigrant father.
What inspired your love of cooking?
My grandmother! She spoke broken English and took care of us as children. As young kids, most of our days involved working with her in the kitchen or cellar. Later in life, I learned that what she passed down to me was the love of food and the love of bringing together the community. Food is one of the best ways to make that happen!
How did Cafe Roze come about, and what led you to open Roze Pony?
Cafe Roze came about because I wanted to recreate the all-day cafe culture I missed after moving to Nashville. I wanted a place where you could grab a solo breakfast, meet up with a friend for a glass, or bring your parents to dinner when they visit. When I moved to Nashville, I thought I was going to open a dinner-and-drinks joint; I was looking for a cool old space. But living here, I missed my everyday cafe — the place where I would grab coffee or lunch or stop by for a drink or dinner. That wasn’t really around in Nashville in 2017.
I wanted to recreate the culture that I missed in New York. That inclusive place. Plenty of people just come here for breakfast and have never been here for dinner. You see the day and people pivoting. It becomes this amazing little gathering space for all sorts of different reasons. The magic of places that stay open all day and are there for anyone and everyone is what pushed me to ditch all the other ideas I had and move forward with Roze.
Roze Pony became a little spark when [I discovered that] so many of our guests were driving over from the west side to dine with us. I have a dear friend from Belle Meade, and she was a big catalyst for choosing that neighborhood. She gave me the push I needed. The idea of being in a strip mall is nothing I would have imagined, but it was so perfect at the same time.
What dishes should we have on our radar?
At Cafe Roze, the BLT is one of my favorites. We use Ornette Sourdough, Gifford’s Bacon, our turmeric pickled eggs, and a housemade caper aioli. It’s so simple but always so satisfying.
At Roze Pony, it’s our Wedge Salad. I’m a sucker for a good wedge! We use baby romaine, poppy seed yogurt dressing, lots of blue cheese, a homemade seeded spice mix, and lots of fresh dill.
Aside from your own dining establishments, what are your favorite go-to local restaurants?
I have so many! One of my favorite parts of living in Nashville has been watching the dining scene grow into such an amazing space. I have a list that keeps growing monthly of places I can’t wait to check out.
I really love Xiao Bao. It’s one of the newer places I’ve been going to a lot. They nailed the decor, and the food is delicious.
Locust is the other place I’m obsessed with (it’s hard to get into now, but we used to go all the time). I think what Trevor’s doing there is incredible. It’s so fun, and it’s wonderful to see someone in their element doing their thing. He has a great team there, and it’s always such a great experience.
What inspires and influences your culinary style?
Travel is such a huge part of my process — I’m constantly learning everywhere I go. Whether I’m in this country or outside of it, I learn from the people I meet, the products I see and taste, and the landscapes I get to immerse myself in.
I’ve been trying to go to Croatia once a year because, obviously, that’s where my family’s from. My family’s from the inland region, and the coast is kind of what everyone knows about in Croatia. So, I have a strong desire to continue discovering Croatian food because it’s so vast. And it’s going back to my roots.
The first time I went to Vietnam, I was floored. It’s the ingredient quality. Growing up in the states, you’re like, “I love Vietnamese food.” And then you go there, and your brain explodes. I went there when I was quite young, and that was one of the first countries where I started to put ingredients in context. What we get in America is just so different — even down to the varieties of herbs. Italy is another place where I try to make it there every other year to go to a different region.
What’s next on the horizon for you?
My business partner Eric Lincoln and I have just signed on a space in the new Arcade downtown! My friend Nick Dryden is the architect tasked to restore the space and found this quirky little space off Arcade Alley, where we’ll be opening a bar in the fall of 2023.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“Keep it simple!” It sounds, well, so simple, but very often, that’s not the case!
 Outside of faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Rose Garden Grey Tea from High Garden. I have that every morning. My dog, Dario. He’s a cute little Lagotto Romagnolo — an Italian truffle dog. Another one is nature; one of the things I moved to Nashville for is to be by nature. Living in cities for so long, there was this internal piece missing, and I wasn’t sure exactly what it was. In Nashville, if I’m having a hard day, I can drive to the park or take a walk in Shelby. I love New York, but what’s so special about Nashville is that we have such incredible accessibility to being out of the city very quickly.
Thank you, Julia!
And, as if she is not busy enough, Julia is also a partner in Employees Only New York and owns Employees Only Singapore. Be sure to taste why we can’t get enough of her food at one of her many establishments!
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Nashville women are doing inspiring work. Meet more of them over at our FACES archives!
