With the constant stream of so many new, excellent restaurants opening in Nashville, it’s always difficult to single out just one as “the best.” A criterion I use: Which restaurant do I recommend, without reservation, most often to locals and visitors alike? For 10 years, my answer has been Butcher & Bee. Led by opening chef Bryan Weaver and current exec Chris DeJesus, “The Bee” checks so many boxes. Looking for farm-to-table fare? The kitchen is fanatical about sourcing seasonally and locally. Interested in vegetarian food? More than half the menu is meat-free, but dedicated carnivores won’t be disappointed thanks to Middle Eastern flavors that deliver punches of spice and umami. Concerned about a restaurant’s culture in general? Management is committed to empowering employees and promoting from within while maintaining a humane working environment, including adding a “healthy hospitality” charge of 2.2 percent to every check to provide staff with health insurance and other benefits. Want to know what it’s like to be a food writer at a restaurant? Take advantage of Butcher & Bee’s “Order Like a Pro” prix-fixe option, in which you put yourselves in the capable hands of the cook staff, who prepare and present their current favorite dishes of the moment. Add those factors up, and you can see why Butcher & Bee is always an excellent answer.
Best Restaurant
Butcher & Bee
Butcher & Bee
