The Opossum’s Tale, a pub and restaurant, opened in July of 2023 in downtown Jonesborough. Owned by couple Anna Floyd and Elena Gonzalez, their business offers essential pub foods and a rotating variety of ales and ciders.
Inspired by classic British mysteries and English and Irish folk culture, The Opossum’s Tale has an undeniable atmosphere about it — warm, cozy, and somehow astir and harmonious all at once.
It is both a perfect place to have a beer and watch the Premiere League Soccer game with your friends, but also to find a seat at the bar and delve into a good book.
Their food menu, though not vast, checks all the boxes for traditional pub foods, from fish and chips to bangers and mash. They also have gluten-free and vegan options, as well as a kids menu.
“I like the beans and greens”, said Elena Gonzalez, head chef, of her favorite menu item.
Though the Opossum’s Tale pulls inspiration from its counterparts across the pond, the owners are hesitant to call it a “British-style pub” or an “Irish-style pub."
“It’s its own thing,” said Gonzalez. “It’s an Appalachian pub.”
This can be found in all of the unique little touches in their recipes.
They also have a rotating weekly dessert. Last week, it was a chocolate Guinness cake for St. Patty’s Day. The week before, it was sticky toffee pudding.
Above the door to their kitchen a sign reads “Eat, Drink, and Be Merry”, one of the many plaques, banners, and posters that cover the walls of the 'Tale,' all of which invoke its nostalgia-tinged atmosphere.
“We’re doing this instead of having kids,” said Anna Floyd, co-owner, as she polished beer glasses with the care and attention of a devout parent.
The attention to detail, craft and care that Elena Gonzalez and Anna Floyd have brought to their public house makes one wholeheartedly believe that statement.
The Opossum’s Tale is located at 103 Fox Street, Jonesborough, Tennessee.
For more information, you can visit them at theopossumstale.com
Their winter hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.