Chef Julia Jaksic has worked all over the world, helming kitchens as executive chef of Employees Only Singapore and earning a reputation for her talents at Jack’s Wife Freda in New York City, but Nashville seems to have won her heart. A little more than two years after opening Cafe Roze in East Nashville to almost universal acclaim, she has recently announced a second concept coming to the Belle Meade Galleria at 5133 Harding Pike.

Her new restaurant will be called Roze Pony and will be an all-day market café opening at 7:00 am seven days a week. Similar in concept to Cafe Roze, the new spot will feature approachable dishes made using local, seasonal ingredients plus a full complement of beer, wine and cocktails to accompany meals. A grab-and-go market will offer coffee and small bites for dining on the run or the option to pick up an entire dinner to take home for a night off from cooking.

The decor is intended to be warm and welcoming with leather banquettes and precious penny tiles on the floor. It should prove to be a popular dining destination for residents of West Nashville who certainly deserve more options outside of the fast food outlets that dominate that part of town. Plus, many of the neighborhood denizens have already been making the trip across the river to dine with Chef Jaksic at her original spot, so now they can cut down on their carbon footprint by staying closer to home!