Nova Market and Cafe Brings a Taste of Israel, and a Table for Everyone, to Music City

If you have ever landed in Nashville craving authentic kosher food, you know options used to be slim. Enter Nova Market and Cafe, a welcoming space serving classic Israeli comfort food the way it is prepared back home.

Nova was founded by Ornit, an Israeli entrepreneur who moved to the United States two decades ago. For years, she distanced herself from her Jewish heritage and community, but everything shifted after October 7. “You find yourself facing the news from Israel, asking how you can help, where you can give,” she says.

The community went to rallies and conferences, but she felt nothing she did was meaningful enough. Wanting to turn grief and helplessness into tangible local support, she built Nova. Naming it after the Nova music festival, a poignant tribute in a city that calls itself Music City. Inside, the walls serve as both a memorial and a community gallery, displaying portraits of victims tied to local families alongside photographs of Nashville’s Jewish community.

Behind the stove is Ornit’s mother, Vered, preparing family recipes honed over generations without shortcuts. Her signature shakshuka arrives sizzling in the pan, with two soft eggs. Crispy malawach, flaky bourekas, creamy hummus, and vibrant house-made salads make up the rest of the Israeli centered menu. Nova’s food will bring you right back to the homeland. On the market side, the shelves evoke a neighborhood Tel Aviv makolet, stocked with staples like Bamba, Bissli, halva, and imported treats. As the only kosher cafe in the area, Nova also provides catering for community milestones and events.

Stepping in has meant showing up for others. When a delegation from Israel came to Nashville, Ornit and her family hosted two young women for a month, and she says Nova always helps Israelis who are in town. Following the principle that “no one eats alone on Shabbos,” on Fridays the tables are covered in white cloth and fresh challah, keeping a seat for anyone who needs one. 

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The invitation could fit on a sign: come because you’re hungry for kosher food, and stay because you feel at home. As the only kosher cafe in the area, Nova Market and Cafe isn’t just a place for your morning brew and rugelach, it’s a home for Jews everywhere in Nashville. 

📍 Nova Market and Cafe

• Location: 7648 Highway 70 S, Nashville, TN
• Hashgacha: Kosher (Cholov Yisroel)
• Website & Socials: Visit their website at Nova Market and Cafe or follow them on Instagram (@nova_market_nashville)

*Kashrut status is subject to change over time. We always recommend verifying current hashgacha certification directly with the venue before visiting.