"Catbird has always been the best special occasion meal in Nashville, but now it’s even better. The experimental fine dining powerhouse (and one of our highest-rated restaurants) recently moved to the Gulch, and got a makeover so fantastic you’d think it just left a bad relationship. The old space was stark, while the new space is warm with a soft glow, adding to the sense of calm and serene confidence about the meal you’re about to have. If you’ve been here before, most of what you’ll find will feel familiar: You’ll still gather around a u-shaped dining room and open kitchen, with a front row seat to the choreographed theater that is their dinner service. And the current chefs continue to use as many local ingredients as possible—grown on a farm or in their own backyard—turning them into things like clover cream tarts and stuffed golden hen with kumquat glaze. Each dish is an exercise not only in precision, but in how delicious food can be." - jackie gutierrez jones 2, ann walczak