Serving breakfast and lunch six days a week and dinner service on the weekends, Uncle Lenny’s Country Cafe aims to provide homemade food for the hometown crowd, with a pinch of the North and a dash of the South.
Eight months ago, a Nashville Grammy nominated musician, mother of a special needs child, and freelance Television Producer sat in the parking lot of a closed restaurant on Highway 100 and had a vision… to create a place in the growing Nashville suburb of Fairview, TN for people to “Gather, Eat, and Be Happy.”
LynnMarie Rodick, along with her husband Eddie, brother Lenny and his wife Gail, have taken on a project that most would have run away from. Proving that if you believe in something, you can make it happen. Just 252 days later, they are proud to announce that Uncle Lenny’s Country Café will hold its Grand Opening from 11am–3pm on Thursday, September 12, 2024, with lunch service. Normal business hours will start on Friday, September 13.
“We saw the need in Fairview for a restaurant like this and we’re excited to be serving our community, both the people who have lived in Fairview their whole lives, but also the folks who are moving into our town,” says Eddie, who is originally from Cleveland, Ohio but moved to Nashville in 2018. “LynnMarie and I are both from the North, but she has lived in Nashville for over thirty years, so we wanted the menu to reflect food from both the North and the South.”
Uncle Lenny’s Country Café will be serving breakfast that includes southern biscuits and gravy, but you can also get a chewy bagel sandwich. For lunch and dinner, you can have your choice of “The Jacket”, a pulled pork sandwich named after the local high school mascot, or Pierogies, an ethnic northern staple that the owners grew up eating.
“We’re also offering the ‘James Burger’ and ‘E3 Burger’ on the menu because my son James’ (and Eddie’s) favorite food is a cheeseburger. We plan to feature a Burger of the Month as well,” LynnMarie adds.
The 50-seat space, located in a building that was built in 1943, is one of the oldest buildings in the City of Fairview (originally called Jingo). It is located just 9 miles west of the Natchez Trace Parkway on Highway 100. It has been the home of two other restaurants in its over 80 year history, including a staple Meat and Three.
“We will continue to offer the meat and three option, but the menu includes so much more,” says Gail Hrovat. “We will have fresh soups and salads and some items for Vegetarians and Vegans, as well as a plethora ohomemade desserts!”
In just eight months, the owners have been able to renovate the inside of the building, create a menu, and hire and train staff. “In a time where it seems that good staff is hard to find, we are thrilled that we have been able to hire a dedicated staff family that is extremely qualified,” says Lenny. “We have chefs, cooks, hosts, and managers who bring years of expertise to our Café. And we couldn’t be more grateful.”
“We are not just in the restaurant business, we are in the people business,” says LynnMarie. “We plan to provide a place where people like my son James (born with Down syndrome and diagnosed with Autism) will be able to work and thrive. We are also working with Fairview High School on a mural project for our building, as well as many other charity and community projects. I have spent most of my life entertaining people from the stage or creating television projects that entertain, but now, I’m excited to have created a space where I can use my talents to make people feel welcome and fill their bellies and their hearts!”
Along with delicious food offerings, Eddie and LynnMarie are looking forward to bringing music to Café guests in the future, similar to the famous Bluebird Café. As musicians themselves, they know the happiness and joy music brings to people and want to share that with the community of Fairview. “We hope to provide songwriters and musicians a new venue on the west side of Nashville,” says Eddie.
The restaurant is fast-casual, no reservations needed. They are currently waiting on final approve for their liquor license.
Opening hours are:
Monday: Breakfast 7-10:30am | Lunch 10:30am-2pm
Closed on Tuesday
Wednesday: Breakfast 7-10:30am | Lunch 10:30am-2pm
Thursday: Breakfast 7-10:30am | Lunch 10:30am-2pm
Friday: Breakfast 7-10:30am | Lunch & Dinner 10:30am-9pm
Saturday: Brunch 9am-4pm | Dinner 4-9pm
Sunday: Brunch 9am-4pm
For more information visit www.unclelennyscountrycafe.com
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