1. 21c Museum Hotel’s Gray & Dudley, the artful setting with creative entrées bring the museum’s exhibitions to the table.
2. Makeready Libations & Liberation, an Art Deco establishment on the bottom floor of the Noelle Hotel has a hip, retro feel and tavern food for the “working man.”
3. Ellington’s Mid Way Bar & Grill, a new addition to the city by way of Fairlane Hotel this restaurant is like stepping into a scene from Mad Men–the hotel’s lobby even has a bar cart that makes daily rounds at 5 p.m.
4. Carter’s at Union Station Hotel, is set in a former Art Deco train station, which proves to be a stunning atmosphere with inventive, yet appreciated, takes on Southern fare
5. The Hermitage’s Capitol Grille is a classic, set in a grand dining room with vaulted ceilings. The hotel, which opened shortly after the turn of the century, was built in the Beaux-arts style.
6. Marsh House at the Thompson Hotel offers some of the best seafood in town. Situated in one of the trendiest neighborhoods, the Gulch, Marsh House is tailored, yet chic and beckons to the 70s.— Mary Margaret Harris