Your Daily Guide

🚣 Rollin’ on the River

With the paddlewheelers of Nashville Riverboats joining the tourist traffic on the Cumberland, City Cast Nashville contributor and paddling enthusiast Margaret Littman joins the podcast to talk about our floating entertainment options, and encourage locals to get back in touch with the river. Plus, tune in for a bonus conversation with Nashville Riverboats owner and captain Troy Manthey! [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🛑 Mayor Backs Data Center Moratorium

Mayor Freddie O’Connell signed an executive order yesterday afternoon backing a temporary data center moratorium. The order instructs Metro departments to support efforts to halt large-scale data center development while reviewing potential impacts, and deliver their findings and recommendations within two months. [NewsChannel 5]

• A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office told City Cast Nashville that this order wouldn’t affect the data center regulation bill currently before Metro Council, and that the study doesn’t need to be complete for that bill to pass. The intention is to use collaboration between departments to strengthen legislation, and to set up an internal system for review and scrutiny.
• Councilmember Rollin Horton explained his bill regulating data centers on yesterday’s podcast. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• Councilmember Courtney Johnston told CCN that she will amend her moratorium legislation to reflect the executive order, specifically by removing language that ends the moratorium once a regulation bill is passed.

🌳 New Memorial Honors Nashville Enslaved

On Saturday, the Nashville City Cemetery Association unveiled a bench honoring the 3,000 enslaved people who were buried there in unmarked graves from 1822 to 1865. Among them are 24 men, women, and children who were purchased by the city of Nashville to build the water infrastructure we still use today. [Nashville Banner]

• City Cast Nashville contributor and local historian Betsy Phillips spoke at the event. Read her remarks here. [Nashville Scene]

🏛️ Substitute Metro Budget Introduced

Metro Council Budget chair Kyontzé Toombs has submitted her substitute budget, which will be considered at tonight’s meeting. It includes an additional $2.1 million for the Eviction Right to Counsel program and adds $1 million to the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, among other items. If council approves, the substitute will replace the mayor’s budget and go into effect July 1. [NewsChannel 5]

• We spoke with CM Toombs last week as she was working to create her substitute. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

The challenge: Can we eat at an authentic restaurant for every country in the 2026 World Cup, owned by (or at least cheffed by) someone from the country in question? Well, no — but you’ll be surprised at how many options we do have. As the world comes together for this Copa Mundial, let’s support these local faves, as sorted by FIFA region.

Looking for World Cup watch parties? Here’s a great list.

AFC (Asia) + OFC (Oceania)

A well-represented group! For Iranian food, Noôsh joins the excellent House of Kabob and Taste of Persia; for Iraqi dishes, both Al Rasoul Restaurant & Market and Jerusalem Reebar come recommended, with the latter offering some Jordanian cuisine as well. (We are waiving the rules for the talented Palestinians at J.R., because we made the rules.) OSH and Michelin Bib Gourmand winner Uzbegim have us covered for Uzbek food. Don’t miss Sonobana for Japanese, Hai Woon Dai for Korean, or Aussie coffee shop Two Hands.

CAF (Africa)

Of the 10 countries representing Africa at this year’s World Cup, I could only find authentic options for two of them. Ragab Rashwan serves up terrific Egyptian fare at King Tut’s (a must-eat on your way to the zoo), and Polé Polé’s food truck/catering service specializes in Congolese. Plenty of other restaurants offer African fare from non-World Cup countries, though, and we will forever shout out The Horn’s life-changing chai.

CONCACAF (North and Central America, Caribbean) + CONMEBOL (South America)

From Tres Gauchos Argentinian resto inside Plaza Mariachi — a great place for a watch party — to the ice cream at La Super Michoacana, this region is rockin’. You can’t skip the Mexican masas at Alebrije and Maiz de la Vida, and Colombia fans have great choices in La Cucharita and Mi Colombia. We trust you know where to find North American food on your own. As for Canada? It’s Tim Hortons time — unless we cheat again to include the tandoori poutine at Chauhan Ale and Masala House.

UEFA (Europe)

Lola Nashville’s executive chef lives in Spain, and the brothers at New Berlin grew up in a German-speaking household. You gotta try the French pastries at Olala Cafe, and A Taste of Sweden bakes up sweet treats from their home in Hendersonville. But the big winner in this region is Türkiye, repped by both TashTea (shout out to our local Kurdish community) and Anatolia, where you should order the mixed grill if you want to happily fall asleep before halftime.