Long-Awaited Croquet Cafe Opens This Summer
Centennial Park's first permanent on-site dining destination and nonprofit restaurant brings locally inspired Southern picnic fare
This summer, Centennial Park Conservancy will officially open Croquet Cafe, the park's first nonprofit cafe and only permanent on-site dining destination, offering locally inspired food and beverages in the heart of one of the city's most beloved public spaces.
Created and funded by Centennial Park Conservancy in partnership with Metro Parks, Croquet Cafe transforms the park's historic 1963 Croquet Clubhouse into a welcoming gathering place where visitors can enjoy fresh, approachable cuisine while supporting the park they love. Every purchase directly benefits Centennial Park as proceeds go toward the Park’s beautification and revitalization, Parthenon preservation, and the Conservancy's mission to partner with Metro Parks to sustain Nashville's central park as a thriving public space.
"The opening of Croquet Cafe marks an exciting new chapter for Centennial Park," said John Tumminello, president of Centennial Park Conservancy. "For years, visitors have asked for a place where they could grab a cup of coffee, enjoy lunch, or simply relax without leaving the Park. Croquet Cafe fulfills that vision while creating a sustainable source of revenue that helps us continue investing in the beauty, programming and long-term vitality of Centennial Park. We are grateful to our partners in Metro Parks for trusting us to operate such a wonderful amenity to the Park."
“For more than a century, Centennial Park has been a place of connection for locals and visitors,” stated Metro Parks Director Monique Horton Odom. “The ongoing revitalization of Centennial Park and opening of the Croquet Cafe are fine examples of how Metro Parks works with private-public partnerships to enhance Nashville’s park system and ensure it continually serves the community.”
The cafe's culinary vision was developed with the guidance of acclaimed Nashville restaurateurs Joseph Bogan and Crystal De Luna-Bogan, founders of the beloved Grilled Cheeserie. The husband-and-wife team, known for elevating familiar comfort food through thoughtful, chef-driven recipes, served as strategic advisors on the cafe's concept and menu development and are planning to partner with the Conservancy to provide strategic guidance on cafe operations.
Inspired by a Southern picnic and designed specifically for the way people experience Centennial Park, Croquet Cafe features an approachable, locally driven menu filled with fresh, seasonal favorites. Guests can enjoy healthy salads, paninis, wraps, picnic boxes, locally roasted coffee, baked goods, handcrafted smoothies, soft-serve treats and grab-and-go options perfect for enjoying throughout the park. The menu also includes vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free offerings to serve the diverse needs of park visitors.
"Centennial Park is one of Nashville's most treasured gathering places, and we wanted the menu to reflect that," said Joseph Bogan and Crystal De Luna-Bogan, co-founders of The Grilled Cheeserie. "The menu was designed around the idea of sharing great food outdoors, whether you're meeting friends, enjoying a family picnic, visiting the Parthenon or simply taking a walk through the park."
Located just steps from the Parthenon, Lake Watauga, and the park's expansive green spaces at 2530 Park Plaza on the park’s north side, Croquet Cafe offers indoor seating, covered outdoor tables and picnic spots on the adjacent lawn. Whether visitors stop in for a morning coffee, a quick lunch, an afternoon ice cream or a ready-made picnic to enjoy under the trees, the cafe is designed to seamlessly extend the Centennial Park experience.
This distinctly Nashville concept represents the adaptive reuse of the park's historic mid-century Croquet Clubhouse, preserving part of Centennial Park's history while giving it new life as a vibrant and inclusive community destination. A team of Nashville-based partners led by Metro Parks, in partnership with Centennial Park Conservancy, helped bring this vision to life, including Collier Engineering Co, Dryden Studio, Hodgson Douglas Landscape Architects, and R.C. Mathews Contractor. The transformation was further made possible through over $1.7 million in philanthropic support including a leadership gift from The Frist Foundation, along with generous contributions from The Dettwiller Foundation, Sandra Schatten Foundation, Joe C. Davis Foundation, Marlene and Spencer Hays Foundation, and the Tennessee Historical Commission.
The opening of Croquet Cafe is the latest milestone in Centennial Park Conservancy's long-standing public-private partnership with Metro Parks, which has helped bring more than $30 million in philanthropic improvements to Centennial Park over the past decade. Metro Parks and Centennial Park Conservancy are currently working on an update to the park’s long-term revitalization plan that will envision future Park improvements and preservation efforts.
Croquet Cafe is currently expected to open its doors in late August. A Grand Opening is being planned to celebrate the completion of the Park’s revitalized northside, which also includes a Grand Entrance on Park Plaza, new Centennial Park Event Pavilion, and enhanced pedestrian pathways. Hours of operation, full menu, opening date, and additional details will be announced soon. Visit croquetcafe.com.