Fido

Fido is a popular cafe/restaurant for the 20-30 something aged crowd in Nashville and for good reason. It is located on 21st Avenue, just across the street from Jeni’s (my favorite place in the whole world if you didn’t already know). It appears to be a quaint cafe from the outside, but don’t be deceived; Fido has space for all of your needs — a brunch meet up after church with friends, a dinner date with your someone special, or a coffee & cake break from studying. The back room can even be rented out for private events!

Fido can get a little loud during peak business hours (brunch on the weekends or lunch almost any day of the week), but it offers an overall great environment for studying with lots of seating options throughout the cafe. Outside, there are places to sit in front of the building if the weather is nice, or you can sit inside at a high-top with a window view, at a booth, or at a table.

Fido is somewhat known for their coffee (hence the fact it is a cafe), but personally, I like to go to Fido to study during a meal time so I can eat some of their delicious food while I’m there. Their menu is quite extensive and offers everything from all-day breakfast including items such as “Banana French Toast” and “Huevos Rancheros,” sandwiches like the “Fido Burger” or “Havana Ooh-Na-Na,” salads featuring the, “Good Boy Salad” and “1122 Hummus,” and entrees such as the “Beef Barbacoa Quesadilla” and “Tuscan Pesto Pasta.”

The menu was recently updated and no longer includes my favorite sandwich. However, the baristas are happy to make modifications to the menu items, so you can have just what you want! My favorite dish so far on the new menu is the “Cauliflower Steak” sandwich (pictured below). No, I am not vegan; however, I was intrigued, so I gave it a try. The sandwich is served on a pretzel bun and is composed of browned cauliflower, baby kale, blue cheese, pumpkin seed slaw, and buffalo sauce. I have never been a fan of blue cheese; I mean, sorry, but I don’t choose to eat mold if I don’t have to. I am also not a fan of anything spicy, so I asked for brie in place of the blue cheese and no buffalo sauce. It was delicious!! The combination of the warm pretzel bread with the brie and perfectly cooked cauliflower was unlike anything I had ever tasted before. I really think Fido should make the changes I made to the sandwich permanent and re-name the it the, “Cauliflower Samie.”

All sandwiches are served with fries, but substitutions can be made upon request. Other sides include salad, fruit, or sweet potatoes. If you know me, you know the sweet potatoes clearly sounded like the best option, and I was not disappointed. They are perfectly crisp and delectable (pictured above).

Another sandwich on the new menu is the, “Brie L. T” (pictured below). My friend tried it, and we were both overwhelmed by the amount of bacon sandwiched in between the two slices of toast. If you are a bacon lover, this is definitely for you! The sandwich also features tomato marmalade, triple cream brie cheese, arugula, and garlic aioli.

As I mentioned earlier, Fido has an all-day breakfast menu and is the perfect spot for brunch. I recently ordered the, “Hot Chicken & Waffles,” a plate composed of buttermilk waffles, creamy slaw, Nashville hot chicken, and apple cider maple syrup (pictured below). My dish appears a little less exciting because I asked for no seasoning on my chicken since I don’t like spicy foods, and I also asked for no slaw. However, it was delicious nonetheless! The fried chicken was honestly some of the best flavored and juiciest chicken I have ever had. This is definitely something I will order again!

A trip to Fido’s is truly not complete without dessert. Fido is part of the “Bongo Java” family of businesses which makes many homemade treats. There are cookies as big as your hand, muffins, brownies, and cereal treats, as well as slices of various cakes and cheesecakes. I have sampled a few of these different items, including an Oreo cheesecake (pictured below), and my taste buds have always been pleased.

Ok, now it’s time to talk parking and prices. Fido has its own private parking lot located behind the building where you may park for free for 90 minutes. During peak business hours, it may be difficult to find a spot, but I have generally been able to park either there or in a parking garage across the street which also offers 90 minutes of free parking.

Fido’s prices are a little high but comparable to other cafes in Nashville. Drinks on the barista menu range from $2.50-$5. Most breakfast plates cost between $10-12 with additional sides ringing up around $4. Sandwiches range from $12-$14, including a side. Salads cost around $10 but adding meat is an additional $5-$6, depending on what you get. Entrees are the priciest category on the menu and range from $14-$18.

Fido is one of my favorite spots in Nashville, and I hope reading this post has shown you why. If you don’t agree yet, head on down to 21st Avenue, and give it a try for yourself! You won’t be disappointed, but if you are, it’s probably because you didn’t order the, “Cauliflower Samie.” 🙂