Dragon Alley, an Asian street-food restaurant and bar concept, is opening its second-ever location inside Albion Music Row, a 29-story apartment tower at 1501 McGavock St. in Nashville’s Midtown neighborhood. The restaurant will occupy just over 10,000 square feet of the building’s ground floor, a footprint several times larger than the typical restaurant space, which usually runs between 1,000 and 5,500 square feet.
Joining Dragon Alley in the same development is Surefire Coffee Co., which will open a 250-square-foot shop marking its ninth Nashville-area location. Albion Residential executive vice president of development and construction Andrew Yule said in a release that the pairing reflects “two very different but highly complementary concepts that can create activity throughout the day,” describing a vision for the tower to serve as “a welcoming destination” for residents and the surrounding Midtown and Music Row community alike.
Dragon Alley got its start in Huntsville, Alabama, where its menu built a following around dumplings, noodles, rice-based plates and other dishes inspired by Asian street markets. The Nashville expansion gives the concept a foothold in a much larger market, with a space sized more like a food hall than a standalone restaurant.
Albion Music Row opened earlier this year, ahead of its original schedule, and includes a rooftop pool, an indoor and outdoor fitness facility, a podcasting studio and coworking space. A large outdoor plaza wraps the tower, anchored by a preserved “Beaman Motor Co.” sign that nods to the site’s previous use as a car dealership. Albion is also planning a second tower on the same plaza, a 20-story building set to add 392 units to the block.
