Nancy Vienneau

Special to Nashville Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK — TENNESSEE

Austin Ray opened The Melrose Neighborhood Pub in 2008 in a retail strip along Franklin Pike.

Ten years later, the re-branded M.L.Rose has opened locations in Sylvan Park and the Gulch.

His business growth parallels that of local craft breweries.

M.L.Rose serves 34 local and regional craft brews, and creates beer and burger pairings.

A burger, a brew and a neighborly place to hang: There’s a recipe for a quintessential American pleasure. For years, Nashvillians could find that at a handful of joints around town: Brown’s Diner, Rotier’s and McCabe Pub spring to mind.

Obsessed with creating such a place in a neighborhood to call his own, entrepreneur Austin Ray jumped in, opening his first restaurant in December 2008. Initially dubbed The Melrose Neighborhood Pub (or simply, The Melrose), it took up residence in a funky retail strip along Franklin Pike, in what Ray calls “the carcass of the former Chute.” Considering the Melrose corridor had been in long decline, and the nation in economic free fall, it was a bold move.

No matter. The shopworn bones of the building provided the right base for Ray to create the hospitable-divey vibe he’d been missing. Walk into the place and you’ll think it’s always been there. That sense, coupled with terrific burgers, an evolving roster of brews, and affable service garnered The Melrose a fast following.

Ten years, one name change (he rebranded to M.L.Rose to maintain the link to the original neighborhood but avoid confusion in expanding to Sylvan Park) and two locations later, Austin Ray remains on the burger-and-beer forefront.

“Growing in tandem with a city like Nashville requires constant adjustment and careful navigation,” he says. And when the craft beer movement took off here, Ray adapted. You’ll find 100 beers on the menu, including 34 local and regional craft brews on tap.

Craft beer and burger pairings

His business growth parallels that of local craft breweries, demonstrated by these recommended pairings, best accompanied, of course, with a pile of waffle fries.

Yazoo was Ray’s first relationship with a local brewery (Yazoo happens to be celebrating its 15-year anniversary) and there’s no better pairing to represent the original Melrose pub than the cheeseburger with Yazoo pale ale. Nothing fussy — just an excellent grind of natural hormone/antibiotic-free beef under a cloak of American and white cheddar cheeses with lettuce, tomato, red onion on a Charpier bun — washed down with Yazoo’s clean, hoppy brew.

In 2012, Ray opened his second location in the Lavender Motors building on Charlotte Pike. Concurrently, he rebranded to M.L.Rose and introduced a creative line-up of craft burgers and beers. The year prior, Jackalope opened its brewery on Eighth Avenue South, to wide acclaim. With its citrusy hops and bready malts,Thunder Ann, their much-loved American pale ale, makes a great match for the popular NashVegas burger, stacked with tobacco onions, pimento cheese and barbecue sauce on a custom-made sweet potato bun.

The Capitol View development in the north Gulch is the site of the latest M.L.Rose, and marks Ray’s first foray into an emerging neighborhood. The pairing that best speaks to that locale is the Belgian burger with Black Abbey’s The Rose. What began as a special to celebrate the new location quickly became a menu mainstay. There’s something uniquely satisfying about two smashed patties sandwiched with smoked gouda, crispy onions, chopped bacon and a slather of garlic-peppercorn aioli. And it goes well with The Rose, a Belgian blonde ale that’s Black Abbey’s best-seller.

Relax and linger

Looking ahead, Austin Ray’s focus is two-fold: Continue to mentor his team and do what it takes to earn his regulars. The neighborhood pub is always about providing the right recipe of food, drink and vibe for folks to feel like they’ve got a second home.

“As good as I think our burgers are, and as much passion as we put into them, I still believe M.L.Rose is first and foremost about the experience of interacting with your neighbors,” Ray says. “In a world of ever-expanding brands and fast-casual concepts designed to get you in and out, we're happy for you to stay a while and have that third beer.”

Ten-year anniversary special

Celebrate with the M.L.Rose gang. Get a classic cheeseburger, waffle fries and any draft beer for $10 at any of the three locations — valid during lunch, dinner and late-night service Dec. 1-23.

M.L.Rose locations

www.mlrose.com

Melrose: 2535 Eighth Ave. S., Ste 107; 615-712-8160

Sylvan Park: 4408 Charlotte Ave.; 615-750-2920

Capitol View: 431 11th Ave. N.; 615-729-4445

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