After 16 years, two of Nashville’s most prestigious food and beverage destinations have found a new home.
The Patterson House and The Catbird Seat, opening May 13 and 14 respectively, are ready to welcome guests to their 8,028-square-foot, fifth-floor perch atop The Bill Voorhees Building in SomeraRoad’s Paseo South Gulch development.
“We didn’t just move for a new space, we moved to provide ourselves and our team the freedom to grow,” Benjamin Goldberg, Strategic Hospitality cofounder, said in a statement. “This new home gives our team the room to dream bigger, create without constraints and bring more thoughtful, exciting experiences to life. It’s about deepening what we can offer our guest and creating longstanding memories.”
Both The Patterson House and The Catbird Seat will feel familiar to longtime patrons, but each space brings new additions.
Strategic Hospitality's The Patterson House is now open at Paseo South Gulch.
Nicola Hargar
The Patterson House, designed by Dryden Studio with Powell serving as general contractor, is encased in cherry wood walls and tin ceilings with crystal chandeliers. A red oak bar is rimmed by more intimate booth seating.
The "Private Bar Room" (PBR) is tucked away behind curtains and ready to host a variety of private gatherings and events.
“We have been fortunate to be able to grow alongside our city and we could not be more excited about this momentous move,” Josh Habiger, partner in Strategic Hospitality, said in a release. “In its new home, The Patterson House team now has a space where they can realize their full creative vision, expanding their program in offerings and experiences to create more meaningful moments for our guests.”
There will be two distinct drink menus at The Patterson House. The first will be showcase nine more modern cocktails that will change frequently. To start, it includes the birdseed aperitif and mango negroni. The second menu features The Patterson House classics, rotating through 150 selections across 12 categories. Wine, beer and non-alcoholic beverages are also offered.
The food menu is designed by The Catbird Seat chefs Andy Doubrava and Tiffani Ortiz, as well as Habiger. The dishes can serve as a snack or full meal, ranging from the broth burger to the hearth grilled asparagus and leeks.
Open seven days a week from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., reservations are available on OpenTable for large parties. Otherwise, the bar operates on walk-in only.
The Catbird Seat, one of Nashville's most pivotal restaurants, has relocated after 14 years.
Nicola Hargar
The Catbird Seat, an award-winning restaurant and chef incubator, is entering its next chapter in a larger space with Doubrava and Ortiz in the kitchen.
“The Catbird Seat has been an incredible journey these past 14 years, with every chef residency bringing something entirely unique and inspiring to the restaurant on Division Street,” Habiger said in the release. “However, in the true spirit of The Catbird Seat, we must continue to push forward and our new location promises to usher in a new and exciting era for the restaurant with changes that elevate the entire dining experience.”
A 25-seat, U-shaped Tennessee pink marble counter anchors the space underneath bird’s eye maple cabinetry and shelving. Open Wednesday to Saturday, the tasting menu is $165 per person, with beverage pairings at an additional cost. Reservations are open on OpenTable from May 14 to the end of June.
The new wine lounge is suitable for pre- or post-dinner, and features a emerald green quartzite counter with six barstools as well as velvet corner booths. It will be led by Beverage Director Sarah Salim, with a full bar featuring exclusive Catbird Seat cocktails.
The Patterson House has been serving cocktails since 2009, racking up recognitions like multiple semi-finalist nominations for Outstanding Bar Program from the James Beard Foundation, Bon Appetit’s Top 10 Cocktail bars in 2010 and Thrillist’s 33 Best Cocktail Bars in 2019.
The Catbird Seat opened in fall 2011, becoming one of Nashville’s first tasting menu restaurants and bringing attention to the city’s burgeoning food scene. It’s garnered accolades like Best New Restaurant from GQ Magazine and Bon Appetit, is featured on 50 Best Discovery and more.
“To see the ripple effect that Josh and the chef team has helped create in terms of the food community in Nashville has been one of the coolest things for us. And thinking about the ripple effect that the bartenders and the bar staff have had at The Patterson House that go off into other spaces or to open their own places has been such a joy,” Max Goldberg, cofounder of Strategic Hospitality, said in a previous interview with the Business Journal.
Paseo South Gulch is filled with a mix of international, national and local dining spots. Maiz de la Vida, founded by James Beard-nominated chef Julio Hernandez, famous Florentine sandwich shop All’Antico Vinaio and local café Barista Parlor are just a few.
Strategic Hospitality has had a busy year already — they were up for James Beard’s Outstanding Restaurateur Award, and are opening Babychan in Germantown in partnership with Brian Lea and Leina Horii. Their portfolio also includes Henrietta Red, Kisser, Locust, Bastion, The Band Box and several spots at Nashville International Airport.
