Folk

"Philip Krajeck’s pizza-focused Folk has earned its way into many restaurant rotations. Consistency, clam pies, and pork Milanesa from the McFerrin Park restaurant prove that yes, Krajeck can steer two ships at once — both Folk in East Nashville and Krajeck’s second restaurant, Rolf and Daughters in Germantown, remain local favorites. The restaurant’s new Apero Hour offers reduced prices on snacks and sips from 5 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. —JGJ" - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones, Ellen Fort

"A glass of Spanish manzanilla sherry and a pizza from Folk is like having the car in front of you pay for your Starbucks drive-thru order—it’s sure to turn a mediocre day right around. If the manzanilla sherry didn’t tip you off, this isn’t your typical neighborhood pizza shop, but the vibe is still chill enough that you can feel comfortable leaving your designer Birks at home. Folk is owned and run by the same team behind Rolf & Daughters, so you can count on perfectly-blistered sourdough littleneck clam pies with bonito and lemon. If you want something beyond pizza, the menu also has some great meat and seafood dishes, like beef tartare and a smoked trout spread, that nicely round out the meal." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak

"Folk makes some of the best pizza in Nashville. This East Nash spot, which is from the same people behind Germantown’s Rolf & Daughters, serves naturally leavened pies with an exceptionally tasty sourdough crust. But they also make phenomenal Italian-adjacent mains and apps that are perfect for a big group meal. The pizza is the main event here, and the littleneck clam pie—as they say in colloquial parlance—is the sh*t. Sprinkled with parsley, bonito, and lemon, it’s become such a cult classic that the restaurant makes hats in its honor. But the other plates, like mussels mingling with fiery calabrian chili or a ribeye with a dusting of fennel pollen, shouldn’t be missed either. " - jackie gutierrez jones 2, carlo mantuano, ann walczak

"WHEN: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday, 5-6PM THE DEAL: $4-14 small plates, $10 spritzes, sherry tonics, café apertivos, martinis At Folk, it’s all about their Apero Hour menu with margherita pizzas by the slice and calabrian chili chicken wings that dwarf the ones you’d find at most Happy Hours. In terms of drinks, any of their amaro, sherry, or vermouth spritzes are good. You won’t feel out of place here if you’re flying solo, either—just bring a book, order some meat and cheese at the end of the bar, and enjoy some alone time in public." - adam sloan

"Folk makes some of the best pizza in Nashville. This East Nash spot, which is from the same people behind Germantown’s Rolf & Daughters, serves naturally leavened pies with an exceptionally tasty sourdough crust. But they also make phenomenal Italian-adjacent mains and apps that are perfect for a big group meal. The pizza is the main event here, and the littleneck clam pie—as they say in colloquial parlance—is the sh*t. Sprinkled with parsley, bonito, and lemon, it’s become such a cult classic that the restaurant makes hats in its honor. But the other plates, like mussels mingling with fiery calabrian chili or a ribeye with a dusting of fennel pollen, shouldn’t be missed either. photo credit: Folk photo credit: Folk photo credit: Andrea Behrends photo credit: Folk photo credit: Folk It’s a handsome space, with potted plants throughout and lots of two-tops and cozy banquettes that work for every member of your social circle. Folk is also excellent for decompressing after another round of passive-aggressive “per my last email” missives. The bar’s apero hour—with its various spritzes, hunks of soft-ripened sheep’s milk cheese, and slices of NY pie—is the perfect antidote to a downer day at work. Food Rundown The menu at Folk changes frequently, but here are a few examples of the kind of dishes you might find here. Focaccia The focaccia is a Folk staple. The naturally leavened loaf is laced with a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil, so it has a warm butteriness to it. The crust is perfectly crisp and shatters to reveal an airy crumb. Cana De Oveja This soft-ripened sheep’s milk has a buttery tang that works well with the accompanying fig mostarda. Mussels The presentation of this dish changes, but—no matter what surrounds it—the mussels are always so good. They’re tender but still have a slight chew that’s the hallmark of this salty shellfish. photo credit: Andrea Behrends Clam Pie The clam pie will never come off of Folk’s menu because, frankly, they’d like to avoid a riot. It starts with charred bubbles on a chewy sourdough crust topped with a sauce that combines cream and the white wine broth the clams were cooked in. Cooked mollusks, bits of parsley, shaved bonito, and a spritz of lemon round out the toppings on one of the most perfectly balanced pies in the city. Ribeye There are plenty of steakhosues around Nashville where you can find a great ribeye, but Folk has an unexpected sleeper hit on its hands. The black garlic adds a tangy pungency to the meat that’s offset by the anise notes of fennel pollen. You see that? That’s a steak that’s ready for its New York Fashion Week debut." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones