The Mindfield Grill sits beneath one of Tennessee’s largest and most intriguing pieces of art, a collection of welded objects by artist Billy Tripp. “If you drive by and look at it, you might think it’s an electrical power plant at first,” says restaurant owner Elise Clinton. “When you look more closely, you can see it’s made up of a grain bin, a canoe, a water tower, and all kinds of other objects.”

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Tripp named his enormous sculpture The Mindfield because it represents a conversation in his mind. The sculpture has received widespread attention and attracts a stream of curious visitors.

Two years ago, when Clinton was looking for a new location for her restaurant, Tripp was willing to rent part of a building near The Mindfield. “I thought this was a perfect location because a lot of people stop off the interstate to see his art,” Clinton says. “He offered to let me use the sculpture’s name in my restaurant title, and I did.”

Clinton incorporated elements from The Mindfield into her logo and décor. “We tried to bring through the industrial feeling with lots of burlap, earth tones, and exposed air-conditioner ducts,” she says. “Tripp gave me some framed photos of his work and we have those hanging on the walls.”

Moving her restaurant was a success, according to Clinton. “I see people out taking pictures every day, and then they wander over and have a glass of tea or lunch,” she says. Locals and visitors alike enjoy home-cooked dishes in The Mindfield Grill’s casual atmosphere. “We make our rib-eye steaks really thick so they cover the whole plate,” she says. “That’s one of our most popular entrees. We also serve a lot of grilled salmon and shrimp.”

During the warmer months, The Mindfield Grill offers an array of fresh entrée salads, including a strawberry spinach salad with feta cheese, dried cranberries, mandarin oranges and pecans. “In the fall and winter, we serve a range of homemade soups,” Clinton says. “And our hand-patted hamburgers and club sandwiches are always a hit.” Customers also enjoy seasonal homemade desserts, from coconut cream pie to strawberry shortcake.

Home-cooked, high-quality fare is a priority at The Mindfield Grill. “We try not to use anything that’s pre-made,” Clinton says. “My rule is if I wouldn’t cook it and eat it at home, I won’t serve it.”