Make It A Double

Written by Melissa Mahanes / Photos by Brianna Balducci, Noah Fecks, Nicole Frantzen and MJ McGeeney

When we covered the grand opening of the W Hotel Nashville in the November/December 2021 issue, we teased that we would be telling you all about the W’s new dining venues. We have had the opportunity to visit both, and it was a double delight!

Carne Mare is inspired by an Old-World Italian trattoria with chic contemporary touches. Double James Beard Award-winning and Best New Chef from Food & Wine recognized chef Andrew Carmellini, alongside Luke Ostrom and Josh Pickard of NoHo Hospitality, brings a new culinary experience to Nashville. Carne Mare is intended to be a special night out on the town but feels like a familiar regular neighborhood spot. Carne Mare’s hand-selected cuts of steak, fine seafood, and Italian specialties reflect Carmellini’s impressive international experience, including working under Valentino Mercantile at the Michelin two-star San Domenico in Emilio-Romagna, Italy, an undisputed culinary mecca.

We immediately felt drawn into the warm and friendly environment and were expertly directed on a culinary trip full of delicious stops throughout Italy. A dramatic vaulted ceiling over the main dining area designed by New York-based architecture and design firm The Rockwell Group elegantly balances warm and rustic design details such as rich walnut millwork, brass accents, and leather banquettes. The open seating plan is intended to draw guests’ attention to the glass-walled kitchen, where food is cooked over the wood-fired grill. The main dining room opens up to an outdoor patio, which will be wonderful in warmer weather. The barroom, set apart by a black, gray, and white mosaic tile floor, offers additional banquette seating and leather barstools at the large, wood-paneled bar with a striking green quartz counter. There is also a private dining room, which seats 22.

A delightful selection of Oysters, a Jumbo Gulf Shrimp Cocktail, “Tartares and Carpaccios” (like Wagyu Beef Tartare with tomato sauce and Sardinian paper bread and octopus carpaccio with sweet drop peppers and crispy pepperoni) are an excellent way to start the evening. “Chophouse Snacks” such as mozzarella sticks with caviar or spicy crab lettuce cups with Italian chili crisp are designed to pass around the table to get a delicious hint of what is to come.

A selection of salads, some tossed tableside include a House Wedgini, a Sicilian Caesar, and the Tableside Farmer’s Salad. The handmade plates of pasta and seafood specialties are special: like salt-baked black sea bass wrapped in fig leaves and a dazzling Spicy Lobster Spaghetti, and the Milanese cowboy veal chop with charred lemon was beautifully crusted and tender.

The vast selection of Prime American beef are the stars of the show at Carne Mare. Both traditional and new-age techniques are employed to prepare the various cuts. From steaks and chops for one, notably the 10oz Snake River Wagyu “Bavetta” Steak, to behemoths like the 40oz 30-day dry-aged Tomahawk and the 45oz 45-day dry-aged Porterhouse in the style of ‘Bistecca Fiorentina’ to share, to the 16oz 12-hour porchetta-spiced roast prime rib, there is a tender cut of meat to suit all tastes. There are vegetarian offerings as well, including the creatively prepared Smoke-Roasted Beet Steak, which is finished tableside on the grill.

Shareable sides were a delicious complement to our steaks and chops. The Heirloom Polenta with herb caprino was smooth and buttery, and the fresh and peppery arugula was a great foil to the richness of our steaks and chops.

Carmellini’s longtime Beverage Director and Master Sommelier Josh Nadel leads the wine program. The list primarily focuses on Italy’s indigenous varietals, including selections from the Piedmont, Sicily, Tuscany, and Campania regions, with some North American and French wines offering a supporting role. They strive to demystify wine and present a quality selection that will appeal to everyone and complement the cuisine perfectly. They also feature local and imported beers, a range of Italian aperitifs, and expertly crafted cocktails, including a few finished tableside.

For a sweet finish, the 17-layer chocolate espresso cake is a spectacular treat, and the baked spumoni for two flambéed tableside is a theatrical marvel. Finally, a homebrewed limoncello was the perfect conclusion to a delicious meal. We will certainly consider Carne Mare for those special occasions when we want to be treated to a sublime culinary journey to Italy.

The Dutch serves as a delicious counterpoint to Carne Mare, providing a more casual dining experience without sacrificing any of Chef Carmellini’s talents. The Dutch’s comfort food is elevated to a new level using seasonal ingredients.

Either way, you can’t miss, and you will find both experiences molto bene.

Valet parking is available at the W Nashville, and there’s also a paid parking lot directly across the street that offers the first hour free. Carne Mare / W Hotel Nashville / 300 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203 Dinner / Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday / 5:00PM-10:00PM / Friday and Saturday / 5:00PM-11:00PM / Reservations: carnemarenashville.com and OpenTable The Dutch / W Hotel Nashville / 300 12th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203 Dinner / Monday-Thursday 5:00PM-10:00PM / Friday–Saturday 5:00PM-11:00PM Breakfast / Monday-Friday 7:00AM-10:30AM / Saturday & Sunday 7:30AM-10:30AM Brunch / Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10:30AM-3:00PM Lunch / Monday-Thursday 11:00AM-2:00PM Reservations: thedutchnashville.com and OpenTable