Inside Nashville’s Most Ambitious New Restaurant
Words by Ashley Locke
Photos by Emily Dorio
In a city known for live music and hot chicken, you might not expect to find one of the country’s most exciting new fine dining concepts tucked behind a discreet exterior in the Gulch neighborhood. But Choy is full of surprises. Equal parts bold and understated, ambitious and deeply personal, this fine Chinese restaurant is quietly—and unapologetically—changing the way Nashville eats.
The mind behind Choy is Nishaan Chavda, a hospitality veteran whose culinary journey has passed through some of the world’s most iconic kitchens: The French Laundry, Per Se, and the Michael Mina Group, where he led openings across the globe. “I’ve opened restaurants in Dubai, in Vegas, all over,” Nishaan says. “But I chose Nashville because I saw so much growth in the city. Southern hospitality rubbed on me pretty quickly—I started really enjoying all the people out here and what this town had to offer.”
He first came to the city to open Bourbon Steak in the JW Marriott. What he found was more than a growing food scene—it was a city on the edge of something bigger. Nashville was starting to feel like a blank page for chefs. People were ready to go beyond the classics and try something new. So he stayed. And in 2024, he opened Choy.
It’s not just the kind of restaurant Nashville needed—it’s the kind of restaurant any city would be lucky to have.
Located in a building that doesn’t scream for attention, Choy is what fine dining looks like when it’s done with confidence. There’s no need for flash. The experience speaks for itself.
Inside, the space is warm and moody, the playlist featuring early 2000s hip-hop. It’s an intentional departure from the stuffiness often associated with white tablecloth service. “What we’re doing is so unique and different,” he says.
And while Choy feels cool and effortless, the details are obsessive. The glassware, the lighting, the flow of the meal—it’s all designed to be seamless, immersive, and emotionally resonant. “It’s all about creating a legacy—an environment—that can live on past you,” he says.
The menu is both a celebration and a statement: elevated Chinese cuisine rooted in tradition but executed with fine dining finesse. Think applewood smoked Peking duck, melt-in-your-mouth sourdough scallion pancakes, flaky salt-baked Bucksnort trout, and vegetables that hold their own on the plate. Each dish is layered, intentional, and bursting with flavor.
And the wine list? A revelation. Built with care by a team of industry pros who believe in the beauty of pairings, it spans classics and new wave producers—curated for those who want something more than the usual suspects.
“More often than not, the wine list in Asian restaurants tends to be an afterthought,” Nishaan says. “I wanted the wine list to be something that could hold its own.”
Choy doesn’t just raise the bar—it flips the script. It’s proof that Nashville is ready for a new era in dining, one where soulful Southern hospitality meets boundary-pushing food. Where curated wine and beef chow fun can share the same table. Where chefs come not just to feed—but to create. What makes that ambition feel so real is that it’s not about ego. It’s about impact.
So yes, the music will always be here. But make no mistake: Nashville is becoming a food city. And Choy is leading the charge.
Reservations recommended. Curiosity required.
