Sunday brunch is serious business, and on a recent road trip, I decided to check out a popular Nashville brunch spot, Marche' Artisan Foods.
We arrived at about 11:15 on a rather warm, sunny morning and the first thing we see is a sign apologizing because the air conditioner isn't working properly. Undeterred we put our name on the list and prepare to wait the quoted 15 minutes for our table. Less than 5 minutes passed before our name was called and were seated.
Marche' is open and airy with huge windows and a relaxed vibe. The kitchen is completely open, and there are shelves at the front of the restaurant where they sell gourmet food items.
I ordered the bread basket and Tom selected the chilled corn soup to start off the meal. Now, I generally think that bread baskets should be complementary, and if they're not, there should be a very good reason. The Marche' bread offering does not disappoint.
The basket was loaded with three different homemade selections and served with five delicious spreads: butter, honey, peanut butter, apple butter and Nutella (a chocolate-hazelnut spread). This thoughtful attention to detail was definitely worth the $4.50 price tag.
Tom's corn soup had good flavor with hints of pepper and spice, but it lacked salt.
For my entree, I chose the croissant French toast with a side of bacon because multiple reviewers said that it was the best French toast they'd ever had. While I did appreciate the texture that the croissants provided, the flavor was just okay. The bacon, however, was delicious: crispy and not at all greasy.
Tom ordered seared tuna on a salad of arugula, olives, lemon and fennel. Everything was well-seasoned, and tasty but the tuna was bordering on being overcooked and was a little tough in areas.
Final Impressions: I enjoy the openness of the restaurant. It has a bright, airy, cheerful vibe and would have been a very comfortable atmosphere if the air conditioner had been working properly. I also appreciate the fact that the brunch menu changes weekly to utilize seasonal ingredients. Take caution, the sangria is more like a wine spritzer, and since the space is small, you will usually have to wait a few minutes for a table. There is also an option to get half portions of brunch options. While I enjoyed the feel of the space, I don't think the food was worth the money after my pocketbook was $50 lighter.
Tiffany's Favorite Part: Bread Basket
Tom's Favorite Part:Seared Tuna and Arugula
Tiffany's Rating :) :) out of :) :) :) :)
Marche' Artisan Foods
1000 Main Street
East Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 262-1111
Average Appetizer Price: (breakfast/brunch) $4-$6 (lunch) $3-$10 (dinner) $3-$12
Average Entree Price: (breakfast/brunch) $5-$12 (lunch) $8-$12 (dinner) $10-$15
Average Dessert Price: $2-$5
Operating Hours
Breakfast: Tuesday-Friday 8:00am-11:00am
Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11:00am-4:00pm
Dinner: Tuesday-Friday 5:00pm-9:00pm
Brunch: Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm & Sunday 9:00am-4:00pm
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