It’s Sho-Time!

Nashville offers an array of places where you can get your pizza fix. But Sho Pizza Bar — a new Sean Brock creation in East Nashville — uniquely invites you to pull up a chair, silence your cell phones and indulge in a show for the senses. Sho’s name is derived from the Japanese word “shonukin,” meaning “master of one’s craft.” “It’s all about the show,” says co-owner MC Gambill. “You get into our dining room, and we want you to feel energy and see every part of the process.”

Sho doesn’t only offer delicious neo-Neopolitan pizzas — it ushers guests into an immersive dining experience. Every seat in the house provides a prime view of the kitchen, where glimpses of Sean's culinary expertise are on full display. 

MC and her husband Ben Gambill, took a trip to Japan last March where they stumbled on Savoy — a pizza place offering a true Tokyo twist. There, MC and Ben witnessed a caliber of pizza-making like never before. “Neo-Neopolitan was made almost like rock music,” Ben says, “pushing the boundaries.”

Soon after their divine dining experience, the couple had an idea — to bring this distinct style back to Nashville. “We flew home,” MC says, “and the day after, I called a friend who’s a broker, and I said ‘I’m looking for a space. I’m opening a pizza place.’”

This friend then arranged a lunch between MC, Ben and Sean, a renowned chef originally from Virginia but an adopted son of Nashville. Before meeting the Gambills, Sean had been perfecting his own Japanese-style pizzas in his backyard for 10 years. After MC and Ben tasted his creations, they were instantly transported back to Tokyo and filled with the drive to perfect the recipe. 

As a result, the trio developed delectable pizza dough, created via a three-day fermentation process — which MC says eases digestion and makes you feel “really good after.” To this day, dough remains a passion project, as MC, Ben and Sean are still working to improve and develop the recipe.

And the pizza is truly melt-in-your-mouth good. Picture rich, savory sauce with a subtle sweetness, overtop a fluffy, Italian-style crust. Also consider the toppings, which include tender, flavorful vegetables harvested from local farms. Flavor aside, the experience is further elevated with large pizza scissors placed at every table, which mirror a classic Japanese dining experience. “It’s so much fun to have that mix of what’s best in the world, but also what’s unique to us in Nashville,” Ben says. 

To learn more, visit www.shopizzabar.com or check out @shopizzabar.