The Palm Nashville

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Century of Tradition at the Table

The Palm has been a place where people come to celebrate life since 1926, when Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi — two immigrants from Parma, Italy — opened their first restaurant on Second Avenue in New York City. The name itself carries a story: "Parma" was reportedly misheard and registered as "Palm" due to their thick Italian accents. That small accident of language gave birth to one of America's most enduring dining institutions.

The Italian roots run deep. From the beginning, Bozzi and Ganzi brought the warmth and generosity of Italian hospitality to every table, attracting journalists, artists, tycoons, and working families alike. What started as a neighborhood restaurant became, in the words of its own guests, "the family you want to visit again and again — authentic, intimate, a little quirky, always amazing food."

Four Generations, One Philosophy

The Palm's guiding principle has never changed: treat guests like family, serve great food, and always exceed expectations. That ethos was passed through four generations of the founding families — from Pio and John, to Walter Ganzi and Bruno Bozzi, then to Bruce Bozzi Sr. and Wally Ganzi Jr. — each era adding its own chapter. The second generation introduced a two-pound lobster to the menu, launching the Surf 'n' Turf combination that became a signature. Later decades brought relaxed dress codes, a younger clientele, and a steady expansion across major American cities.

The Nashville location, set in downtown on Fifth Avenue South, carries all of that accumulated character. It is part of a carefully grown family of restaurants, each one honoring the traditions on which the original was built.

Recognition and the Room

Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence reflects what regulars already know: the wine program at The Palm is taken seriously, chosen to complement the Italian-American cooking that has defined the brand for a century.

The dining room itself is part of the experience. The Palm's walls across all its locations are famously lined with caricatures of regulars and celebrities — a living record of the community that has gathered here over the decades. It is a detail that speaks to the restaurant's character: this is not a place that forgets its guests.

With options for private dining, events, and catering alongside its main dining room, the Nashville outpost serves the full range of occasions — a business lunch, a family milestone, an evening that simply deserves good Italian food and an unhurried table.