Fine dining and multi-course tasting menus aren’t just for the New Yorks and Londons of the world anymore. A chef-driven experience maximizes what we can taste and learn, and Nashville is rife with exploratory menus that offer so much flavor with little to no decision-making. Here’s our ultimate list of Nashville tasting menus … from starched white to red-and-white checkered tablecloths.
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Present Tense
Wedgewood Houston‘s buzzy new izakaya spot has started omakase, and it’s of “run, don’t walk” caliber. Chef/owner Ryan Costanza and co-owner Rick Margaritov float through Present Tense‘s funky interiors, imparting their serious sake knowledge and approachable fine-dining dishes to eager diners. Weekend omakase venturers will perch on the six-stool chef’s counter for 14 small-but-flavor-packed courses as Chef Ryan explains each creation and flips the vinyl to side B.
Cost: $170 per person, 14 courses; additional $60 per person for “bridged” wine/sake/shochu pairing; additional $120 per person for complete pairingAvailability: Friday and Saturday; seatings at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.mReservations: ResyPinMost of Present Tense’s fresh fish is flown in overnight from the Northeast and Japan. Image: Present Tense
O-ku
Over in Germantown, O-ku offers another omakase experience for those who want to sit back, relax, and let Chef Kevin make all the critical decisions. This multi-course tasting menu includes assorted hand rolls, fresh nigiri, and a hot dish course — typically O-ku’s famous seared tuna steak with a mouthwatering Ikura beurre blanc. Add the sake pairings for a true culinary adventure.
Cost: $140 per person; additional $50 per person for sake pairingAvailability: Every day at any dinner reservationReservations:OpenTable
Drusie & Darr
Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has brought his fine dining empire to Nashville. Dreamily designed Drusie & Darr at The Hermitage Hotel always offers a five-course tasting dinner menu with seasonally changing dishes. Their winter menu includes egg toast with caviar, red snapper crudo, basil-y burrata, roasted cod, prime beef tenderloin, and the famous molten chocolate cake.
Cost: $158 per personAvailability: Every day at any dinner reservationReservations:ResyPinThe egg toast with caviar is a Drusie & Darr staple. Image: Drusie & Darr
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Tailor
Designed with dinner party vibes at every corner, dinner at Tailor is a complete experience from start to finish. Between stories about chef and culinary creator Vivek Surti’s South Asian American heritage, each course better depicts his story through color, flavor, and design. The rich yet rustic interior is draped in shimmery family heirloom chandeliers that have followed Chef Vivek from India to Germantown. You’ll leave marking the calender to book the next season’s menu.
Cost: $163.88, inclusive of service charge and taxAvailability: Thursday through Sunday; seatings at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.Reservations:TailorPinKadhi, a yogurt soup seasoned with cumin, white turmeric, and ginger, is one of Chef Vivek Surti’s father’s favorite Indian dishes. Served with sesame-topped fry bread, it’s the perfect kick-off to your dining experience. Image: Tailor via Facebook
The Catbird Seat
One of the most iconic tasting menus in Nashville (and the whole dang South) is the elusive The Catbird Seat, perched above Patterson House on the edge of Music Row. If you can snag a reservation around the 22-seat U-shaped kitchen, buckle up for a night where Chef Brian Baxter and team are the main event. The walls are bare, and the lights are a little bright, but it’s all for the appreciation and display of each bite-sized course. Both experiences invite you to linger for multiple hours and enjoy a generous wine pairing.
Cost: Late seating: $245 per person, 15 to 18 courses; Early seating: $185 per person, 10 to 12 coursesAvailability: Wednesday through Saturday; early seatings at 5:30 and 6 p.m. and late seatings at 8:15 and 8:45 p.m.Reservations: Sevenrooms
Bastion
You know Bastion‘s big bar, but do you know its mysterious other side? The restaurant at Bastion offers an inventive six-course tasting menu within funky warehouse-style digs. The variety of ingredients and flavors is as bold in the food as it is in the cocktails (and mocktails). The menu is ever-evolving, making Bastion many Nashville epicure’s favorite tasting menu in the city.
Cost: $125 per personAvailability: Wednesday through Saturday, from 5:30 to 9 p.m.Reservations: SevenroomsPinReservations open on the first of each month for the entire following month. Image: Bastion
Butcher & Bee
Arguably the most relaxed and casual inclusion on this list, Butcher & Bee’s “Chef’s Choice” menu is a delightful way to experience the vibrant East Nashville eatery. “Eat like a chef,” and let the team style your table with the freshest ingredients and most-loved flavors. Butcher & Bee is an excellent option for groups and sneakily has one of the best outdoor seating scenarios in the city.
Cost: $56 per personAvailability: At any dinner reservation, seven days a weekReservations:OpenTable
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Rabbit Hole at Henley
If you have a group of two to four people, there’s a secret table in the kitchen of Henley calling your name. At the four-seat enclave, endless possibilities await this magical tasting menu experience inspired by the whimsy of Alice’s adventures in Wonderland. Henley’s “creative captain,” Chef Kristin Beringson, marries local fare with modern fine dining techniques to craft an ever-changing menu.
Cost: $180 per person; additional $85 per person for custom drink pairingsAvailability: Limited seatings each monthReservations:TockPinThis “rabbit hole” table nook next to Henley’s kitchen sets the stage for a spectacular prix-fixe dinner. Image: Henley
Moto
Moto in The Gulch offers a five-course tasting menu featuring signature Italian flavors and of-the-moment dishes. Previous tasting menu highlights entail an artisanal cheese board, burrata-and-tomato salad, black strozzapreti pasta, crispy Brussels sprouts, and a classic affogato of espresso and gelato to finish. Add the “Enoteca Experience” wine pairing for a scrumptious enhancement to the meal.
Price: $138 per two guests; additional $35 per person for wine pairing
Availability: Book the “Chef’s Tasting Menu” reservation; participation of the entire table is required
Reservations:Seven Rooms
June
June’s 37-seat restaurant atop Audrey is chef Sean Brock’s blank canvas of creative culinary expression. Intimately designed to explore the freshest and most luxurious ingredients in new and innovative ways, both menu options build upon themselves one bite after the next. Rooted in Appalachian food traditions, Sean and his team weave in exotic ingredients and global cooking techniques to create a hyper-seasonal and delightfully layered tasting menu.
Cost: $150 per person (8 courses); $250 per person (16 courses)Availability: Thursday through Sunday, reservations from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.Reservations:ResyPinDrink pairings are available at June, too. Image: Emily Dorio
The Chef & I
Husband-and-wife duo Chris and Erica Rains have created a multi-purpose culinary gem in Midtown Nashville. The Chef & I offers an à la carte menu, musically named cocktails, cooking classes, interactive competitions, and a five- or seven-course tasting menu at dinner. Right in front of you, Chris and his team prepare bigger-than-one-bite dishes that are as creative as they are comforting.
Cost: $95 per person (5 courses); $125 per person (7 courses)Availability: At any dinner reservation, seven days a weekReservations:OpenTable
“No Decision Sundays” at Iggy’s
A cozy Sunday experience has landed at Wedgewood Houston’s darling new pasta joint, Iggy’s. Chef Ryan Poli and his brother and beverage director extraordinaire, Matthew, hold eight reservations for parties of two around the chef’s counter each Sunday. Priced for two, you and your date get a hearty six-course dinner of two starters, three pastas, a dessert, and a bottle of wine picked by the team.
Cost: $130 per coupleAvailability: Sundays, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. (only eight reservation slots available)Reservations:TockPinPull up a stool and jive to the Poli brothers’ tunes and tastes. Your Sunday plans have been made. Image: Iggy’s
Pre-Show Dinner at Mimo
Four Seasons’s flagship restaurant, Mimo, recently launched a pre-show express dinner menu. Before a show at The Ryman, an event at the Schermerhorn, or any Nashville sporting event, head over for three courses of Southern Italian favorites. We love that you can pick from two options for each course. Mixed green salad or beef carpaccio? Catch of the day or Radiatori ragu bolognese? Another plus for downtown: this reservation includes complimentary valet parking until the night’s end.
Cost: $75 per personAvailability: Every day, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.Reservations:OpenTableEnjoy eating your way through Nashville’s tasting menus — all of the flavor and none of the decision-making!
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For even more local dining inspiration, check out our New Nashville Restaurants series, updated monthly.
Zoe is a StyleBlueprint freelance writer, Charlotte native, Washington & Lee graduate, and Nashville transplant since 2012. She teaches Pilates, helps manage recording artists, and likes to "research" Germantown's food scene.
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