“There will always be good barbecue, hot chicken, and meat’ n’ threes in Nashville,” said Margaret Littman in Condé Nast Traveler. But if you sample only the city’s classics, “you’ll be missing out on the breadth and depth of its chef-driven restaurants.” Widely acclaimed chefs abound in Music City. Here are a few of the fine-dining destinations where you’ll find them.
Drusie & Darr
Though located in the historic Hermitage Hotel, this elegant Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant is “thoroughly modern” in its approach to fine dining. Choose between Vongerichten classics such as warm shrimp salad or savor executive chef Kelsi Armijo’s fusions of Tennessee ingredients and Asian and European technique. 231 6th Ave. N.
Margot Cafe & Bar
“This small restaurant has a big reputation.” Chef Margot McCormack is “Nashville’s culinary matriarch,” and her “gimmick free” French-inspired, daily-changing menu keeps regulars coming back. In summer, look for the tomato pie or tuna with peach tomato relish, though her roast chicken is “never out of season.” 1017 Woodland St.
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Bastion
To the left is a lively bar. To the right is a 24-seat, reservations-only restaurant best thought of as “performance art about food.” You choose several small plates, and your reward is “a mind-bending experience.” 434 Houston St.
City House
This “sophisticated oasis” is a showcase for the “playful” Italian-Southern cooking of James Beard–winning chef Tandy Wilson. The entrées are best shared, and the pastry chef’s icebox cakes are “not to be missed.” 1222 4th Ave. N.
Tailor
When you settle in for a prix fixe meal at Tailor, “dinner is the show.” Chef-owner Vivek Surti weaves the influence of his Indian origins into the food as well as the stories he tells during a delightful, 8-to-10-course meal. 620 Taylor St.
