Wisconsin-raised chef Frank Pullara moved to Middle Tennessee in 2020, and he’s since made his mark in Franklin. First he opened the upscale yet approachable Italian restaurant Culaccino in downtown Franklin. He followed that in fall 2023 with Bestia Mare (pronounced BEEST-ee-uh MA-ray), a coastal Italian restaurant focused on seafood.
Early reviews suggested that Pullara had a hit on his hands. Yet, we wondered how deft of a hand a Midwest-raised chef who lives in Middle Tennessee could have with a seafood-heavy menu.
Brad: I got psyched as soon as I walked up to the place. Every seat was filled — on a Tuesday night! The tables buzzed with conversations and exclamations as servers brought out out gorgeous plate after gorgeous plate. My head was on a swivel.
The one tiny bummer. My buddy and I were seated at a tiny two-top that was sandwiched in between two big parties. Like many upscale, buzzy spots in the Nashville area, Bestia Mare packs some of its tables so close together that you can feel like you’re part of the party seated next to you.