The beloved Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish in Nashville has served locals Southern soul food since the 1990s. After its namesake founder Bolton Matthews passed in 2021 from a battle with colon cancer, the restaurant remained open. However, owner Dollye Graham has decided to take the future of the restaurant’s brand into her own hands, while still paying homage to her late husband.
Graham has announced the opening of a new concept called Bolton’s Spicy Cafe to open in the Midtown Foods restaurant co-op at 614 18th Ave N. The project, inspired by Bolton’s Spicy Chicken and Fish iconic menu, initially opened shortly after the pandemic began, but has since closed. It’s now slated to come back this spring in May, though an official grand opening date has not yet been decided.
According to Graham, the menu will look slightly different than the original Bolton’s, and will “feature some of the best southern comfort foods available.”
“I’m most excited about stepping out with my own name branding of the cafe. I’m not limiting the menu to just fish and chicken. There will be different entrées of the day, some veggies cooked without meat, and some nondairy foods. Hopefully, we will be able to offer items for everybody,” Graham told What Now Nashville.
Midtown Foods is described as a one-stop, centralized food hall for takeout and delivery kitchens in Nashville. It currently partners with over 20 restaurants, offering direct ordering through the co-op’s website or in-person through a touchscreen kiosk. It offers everything the traditional food hall includes, except an area to sit and eat.
Some restaurants at Midtown Foods that will soon neighbor Bolton’s Spicy Cafe include Smashin’ Crab, Keto Kitchen, and Fire Birria Tacos.
Graham described that after the Midtown Foods location begins to drive some success, she plans to open a brick-and-mortar location of Bolton’s Spicy Cafe, potentially in the Murfreesboro area.
