Nestled in the historic Hermitage Hotel, this stylish dining spot vibes modern and retro, serving delectable, seasonal American fare in an inviting atmosphere.
"We’re pretty sure Drusie and Darr was literally built for special occasions. It’s in The Hermitage Hotel, a historic stunner of a space that looks like it was ripped straight from the pages of Gone With the Wind. Also, it’s from Jean-Georges, a big, fancy French chef. The massive mother-of-pearl chandeliers and soft gray curved banquettes help set the scene for potato cakes topped with smoked egg yolk and caviar, grilled octopus with smoked paprika aioli, and mushroom-crusted salmon with a lemon emulsion. And while it sounds low-key, the black truffle pizza is anything but. Dress it up with a bottle of bubbles and dig into that pizza, with your pinkie up." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
"There’s no swankier New Year’s Eve destination than Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s restaurant at the Hermitage Hotel. The festivities start at 8:30 p.m. and include a truffle and caviar-covered five-course prix fixe menu with an unlimited open selected bar, a Champagne toast at midnight, a live band, and more. Dinner reservations can be made on Resy. For a classy atmosphere and a nightcap, live music and an open well bar can be found in the lounge. Reservations can also be found on Resy." - Ellen Fort
"Indulge in a three-course meal at the Hermitage Hotel’s Drusie & Darr this Christmas, with seatings beginning at noon. The service will run $128 for adults and $65 for children under 12. The restaurant’s a la carte menu, which includes black truffle pizza, prime beef tenderloin, caviar, and crispy sushi, will also be available. The Hermitage Hotel will also host a Christmas Day brunch in the veranda from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Book here." - Kellie Walton
"When Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten announced he was going to helm the restaurant at the Hermitage Hotel, Nashville took notice. The restaurant is named after the children of the hotel’s former manager, who ran down its halls and played in the elevators. For all the nods to nostalgia, Drusie & Darr is thoroughly modern, from its décor to its approaches to fine dining. Feel free to order Vongerichten classics—warm shrimp salad and crispy sushi, for example. Or check out the dishes that Executive Chef Kelsi Armijo develops with Vongerichten’s support, as she combines Asian and European traditions with Tennessee ingredients. And watch her at work in the remodeled open kitchen. The restaurant is open all day, but dinner is the special-occasion standout." - Margaret Littman
"What were your first impressions when you arrived? For more than century, the Hermitage Hotel has been downtown Nashville’s address for refined elegance, even as that aesthetic has changed. Drusie & Darr, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is located on its lower floor. As you descend the steps, walking past the uniformed doormen, you might not expect to find barrel-vaulted ceilings and mother-of-pearl pendant light fixtures in what might be a windowless basement gym in another hotel. Drusie & Darr went through an extensive renovation before opening in 2021. The space shows off the hotel’s historic character, while the paint and textiles bring in a more modern feel. The chefs at work are visible in the open kitchen. What’s the crowd like? Drusie & Darr and its Hermitage Hotel are some of the few places where you regularly spot people wearing business suits in Nashville these days. Diners are there is appreciate a leisurely fine-dining meal, either as a big night out in Music City or before heading across the street to a show at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Drusie & Darr is one of those restaurants where people speak in hushed tones, something about the reverence for the food and the coziness of the space encourages restraint. What should we be drinking? Drusie & Darr might not have the longest wine list in Nashville—no one is handing you a giant binder here—but what is on the menu is intentional and well-selected. Ask the sommelier for a wine or Champagne (yes, actual Champagne, not “sparkling) to pair with your meal. The cocktails and mocktails are inventive twists on standards, such as the jasmine cucumber gimlet or a green bell pepper soda. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. When Celebrity Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten announced he was going to helm a restaurant at the Hermitage Hotel, it was his first project in the South and reinforcement for anyone who still doubted it that Nashville’s culinary scene had arrived. The menu includes Vongerichten classics such as warm shrimp salad and crispy sushi. But that doesn’t mean you’ve seen and eaten at all even if you have dined at other Vongerichten restaurants. Executive Chef Kelsi Armijo continues Vongerichten’s traditions of combining Asian and European tastes with local ingredients. Try the smoked salmon hash with caviar or the mushroom Bolognese pasta. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? The Hermitage prides itself on good service, this is somewhere hotel staff greets you by name and holds the door open, so it should be no surprise that the staff at Drusie & Darr is attentive, engaged and knowledgeable. Ask away about any of the dishes; there’s no question they can’t answer (and if you stump them, they’d find the answer somewhere else). And, if you spill your wine or drop your fork? It’ll be picked up before you realize what’s happened. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? Because Drusie & Darr is in the hotel, it is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The meals at all three are good, but dinner is the standout, the place to go to take a prospective employer, business partner or spouse to impress them." - Margaret Littman
