Fido coffeehouse and restaurant, in trendy Hillsboro Village

A mainstay of the snazzy shopping and restaurant neighborhood of Hillsboro Village, gay-popular Fido (1812 21st Ave. S, 615-777-FIDO) is part of the quirky Bongo Java (famous for the "nun bun" controversy) caffeine empire. This rambling little restaurant and coffeehouse serves frighteningly potent and delicious coffee drinks, plus all kinds of tasty foods - huevos cubano, peanut-butter-and-banana bagel sandwiches, fried catfish tacos, grilled portobello-and-mushroom sandwiches. It's all tasty. Patrons line up for the weekend brunches (although not quite as much as they do for the Pancake Pantry, a block away), and the dinner menus offers somewhat more substantial fare, including green chile-coconut tamales with espresso mole sauce, and steak-and-hash with Jack and cheddar cheese, and topped with aioli and basil pesto. Fido serves Bongo Java coffee, and you'll find the original Bongo Java Cafe relatively close by near the Belmont University campus. Neighboring shops and cafes of note include the chic clothier Posh, along with a number of other fine shops and restaurants.