One of Nashville’s most intimate and unique experiences, The Catbird Seat is destination dining for adventurous eaters. While the chefs at the 22-seat restaurant rotate every few years, they all have a few things in common: They are expertly trained and wildly inventive, always pushing the culinary envelope. Watch as the team prepares umami-laden seaweed pasta with scallop “bottarga” before your eyes and ask their expert sommelier to help you find the perfect pairing, either by course or by the bottle. It’s special-occasion dining, to be sure, but they don’t take themselves too seriously, as you might suspect by ending the night with something like the world’s most delectable deconstructed Snickers bar. 

At the time of writing, The Catbird Seat is in the capable hands of Brian Baxter, who’s brought distinctly Southern touches to the illustrious table. Think a tomato finger sandwich topped with hackleback caviar or something as seemingly mundane as red pepper three ways—pickled, grilled and escabeche—topped with smoked shrimp, burnt-bread sauce and banana pepper emulsion. Tip: There are two seatings per night, with the earlier having fewer courses (still 10-12), so it costs a little less. But be sure to book any seating weeks, if not months, in advance.