In the title complex, [Zn(2)(C(10)H(7)NO(6))(2)(C(5)H(5)N)(2)](n), the repeat unit is a centrosymmetic tetra-carboxyl-ato-O,O'-bridged dimer in which each Zn(II) atom is five-coordinated by four O atoms from different dianionic 4,6-dimethyl-5-nitro-iso-phthalate ligands [Zn-O = 2.0283 (18)-2.0540 (19) Å] and one N atom from a pyridine mol-ecule [Zn-N = 2.030 (2) Å] in the axial site of a slightly distorted square-pyramidal coordination sphere. The Zn⋯Zn separation is 2.9750 (6) Å. The complex dimers are extended into a two-dimensional polymeric structure parallel to (100) through bridges provided by the second carboxyl-ate group of the ligand.