Stone outdoor kitchen island with a built-in grill and granite counter on a paver patio

Outdoor kitchens · Nashville

Outdoor kitchens and grill islands in Nashville

Grill islands, prep counters and bars in block, brick and stone, laid out around the way you actually cook and eat outside.

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From a grill island to a full kitchen

The simplest outdoor kitchen is a masonry island with a built-in grill and counter space on each side. From there you can add a side burner, a refrigerator, a sink, storage doors, a bar top with stools on the far side, or a pizza oven. The best size is the one that keeps the cook from running inside for every plate and spatula.

Materials that hold up outside

The island is a concrete block core faced in stone, brick or stucco, so there’s nothing in it to rot or warp. Tennessee stone works well here, from local limestone to the buff and gray tones of Crab Orchard sandstone. Granite and other natural stone make the most durable countertops. Matching the facing to a nearby fireplace, seat wall or the house itself ties the kitchen into the rest of the yard.

Laying it out

Think about where the cook stands and what they’re looking at, where the smoke drifts, how far it is to the back door, and where guests will sit. An L-shaped island lets the cook face the table. A straight island against a wall or fence keeps it out of the way. Choose the appliances first, because each one sets the size of its cutout and how much space it needs around it.

Gas, power and clearances

Gas, outdoor outlets and a sink each mean a line trenched from the house, so they’re planned before the patio goes down. Running gas and adding a GFCI circuit usually mean permits and inspections through Metro Codes. A built-in grill comes with its own clearance requirements in the maker’s manual; one DCS model, for example, calls for 18 inches to anything combustible. Metro’s fire code sets grills 15 feet from combustible material and from buildings with more than two units.

Adding a roof

A pavilion or patio cover over the kitchen keeps the cook out of the rain and the summer sun and makes the space usable for more of the year. It also gives you a place to hang lights and a ceiling fan.

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Answers

Questions about outdoor kitchens

How much does an outdoor kitchen cost?

The appliances and utilities decide where it lands. A grill island with a counter is the starting point, and a side burner, refrigerator, sink, bar seating, a roof overhead, and gas, power and water trenched from the house each add to it. Pick the appliances first, then price the island around them.

What should an outdoor kitchen include?

At minimum, a built-in grill with counter space on both sides for prep and plates. The most useful additions are a refrigerator, so drinks and food stay outside, and a sink if water can reach it. Storage doors, a side burner and bar seating come next, depending on how you cook.

Is an outdoor kitchen worth it?

It is if you already cook outside often. An outdoor kitchen puts the prep counter, the trash and the fridge right beside the grill, so the cook isn’t running inside for every plate. Paired with a roof overhead, it gets used through more of the year in Nashville.

Do I need to cover an outdoor kitchen?

Not necessarily. A masonry island can stand in the open, and stainless appliances and stone counters are made for the weather. A roof makes the kitchen usable in rain and summer sun, while a fitted grill cover is the minimum for an open island. Under a roof, the grill maker’s clearances govern what’s overhead.

How far does a grill need to be from the house?

There are two numbers to check: the grill maker’s clearance to combustibles, 18 inches in one DCS built-in manual, and Metro’s fire code, which sets 15 feet from combustible material and from buildings with more than two dwelling units. Wood siding, a wood pergola and a wood fence all count as combustible.

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