Folk

Folk builds its case on pizza, and the case is strong. The naturally leavened dough carries a sourdough crust with real character, and the littleneck clam pie — parsley, bonito, lemon — has earned enough devotion that the restaurant sells hats over it. That kind of specificity separates a good pizza kitchen from a great one, a dish people plan a visit around.

The kitchen doesn't stop there. Rotating specials like a carbonara pie finished with egg yolk jam show a team still pushing the format, and the ribeye keeps reinventing itself, most recently sliced thin against black garlic. Italian-adjacent small plates round out a menu clearly built for groups. The vegetable plates lag behind, thinner ideas in a menu otherwise full of them, but that's a minor complaint against a kitchen with this much command of its main event.

This comes from the people behind Junior and Rolf & Daughters, and the confidence shows. Recognition followed: a James Beard Best New Restaurant nod, a Best Chef semifinalist nomination, and a spot in Nashville's Michelin selections. The trophies confirm what the clam pie already proves.