As guests enter the newly opened Lola’s European Cafe, housed in an unassuming white-brick building in Midtown, they’ll find a master class in eclectic design. The foyer floor is done in black-and-white penny tile with a cursive "L" in the center. A large arrangement of dried wildflowers on a marble-top table sits next to vintage windowpanes and charcoal gray wainscoting. A whimsical white scooter stands in the corner.
On a recent Monday afternoon, a line formed to the right of the entryway as customers queued to sample the many flavors of what may be the eatery’s main draw — its house-made gelato. Rotating flavors include orange creamsicle, bourbon vanilla, coconut, Dubai chocolate, tiramisu, raspberry chocolate, strawberry, and Cap’n Crunch. Espresso drinks — featuring a custom blend that 8th & Roast created especially for Lola’s — tempt the palate. And Little Gourmand supplies an array of delectable pastries. For a light bite, there are also turkey-and-brie and Italian tuna sandwiches, flatbreads (including gluten-free options), caviar with potato chips, and a kale Caesar salad.
Now that the cafe has obtained its liquor license, it’s open from 7 a.m. until midnight Sunday through Wednesday, and until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Nighttime offers the perfect backdrop for an introduction to Lola’s signature martini.
“Once people find out about our frozen martinis — those gelato martinis — everybody will be coming in for dessert,” says Joe Rice, who co-owns Lola’s with Scott Mizrahi, founder of the original Lola’s (named after his mother) in Asbury Park, N.J. The two New Jersey natives are longtime friends.
Joe, who relocated to Nashville 10 years ago with his family, has always dreamed of owning a bar or restaurant. He finally decided to take the plunge, opening both Lola’s at 1616 Broadway and nearby cocktail bar The Asbury with Scott. Scott travels to Nashville every couple of months to visit the businesses.
Lola’s — which is 2,200 square feet, seating 83 inside and 35 on the patio — shares its 1940s building with One Garage, a membership-based coworking and event space, aptly named for its former incarnation as a tire shop and car dealership. Joe calls One Garage a place for “enthusiasts” — fans of wine, fine art, motorcycles, cars and more. And they recently hosted a “Lunges and Lattes” Pilates class on their patio. The space is designed to make guests feel at home — oversized leather sofas, throw rugs and textured pillows suggest staying a while. Everything is also designed to be movable, depending on the occasion.
A Family Affair
Joe and his son, Joseph Rice Jr., who comes up with many of the rotating flavors, spent hours learning the craft of gelato-making. The pair trained under Italian-born Gianluigi Dellaccio, founder of Dolci Gelati.
And Joe’s daughter, interior designer Taylor Rice, oversaw the design of the restaurant. “I love anything European — French, Italian, you know, just bringing in that Old World feel,” she says. “I wanted it to feel really collected … It was a little dream project of mine, coming in and putting it together in a way that I thought Nashville was missing.”
High-Low Design
When you walk in the restaurant, Killarney handmade antique brass chandeliers immediately draw the eye. The lighting fixtures, which came from Ireland, are suspended from exposed dark-wood ceiling beams, creating a stunning focal point in the space.
In keeping with the “collected” theme, Joe drove four hours to Kentucky to purchase two church pews for $100. Tweaked, painted and distressed, they work perfectly as banquettes amid the original concrete floors and exposed brick. General manager Josh Griffin “mixed stains and paint” to distress the plaster on the walls and repurpose furniture, achieving a “perfectly imperfect” look.
Al Fresco
Another highlight of Lola’s is a covered patio with checkerboard concrete floors, wood tables and an assortment of metal chairs with off-white canvas cushions. “Everybody loves outside,” says Joe. “I love to go to bars and sit outside.”
Even on a hot summer day, many of the tables are reliably taken. Joe and Scott plan to open the patio nearly year-round, using heaters in the winter to keep things cozy.
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