The Iberian Pig

The Iberian Pig came to Nashville by way of Atlanta, and it earns the trip. A third of the menu leans on Spanish cheese and ham flown in from the Iberian peninsula, and the kitchen treats that import with the seriousness it deserves — the Iberico is the reason to sit down in the first place. The room runs dark enough that you'll tilt your menu toward a candle to read it, but that's a small tax against what's coming out of the kitchen.

The small plates are the real argument, and they're mostly hits: roasted carrots dressed with hazelnut chili crisp turn a humble vegetable into something worth ordering on its own, and the pan con tomate, especially with boquerones added in, is simple in the way that only works when the ingredients are right. Not everything lands, but the misses are minor next to how often the kitchen gets it right.

The jamón happy hour is its own reason to show up — sangria by the goblet, olives, a room built for lingering before dinner even starts. This is a restaurant that understands its own strengths and builds around them instead of overreaching. Come hungry, come early, and prioritize the small plates.