• Some of Nashville's 19th century townhouses are now home to gourmet restaurants.restaurant image by Francis Lemp??ri?¡§re from Fotolia.com
  
  Those seeking a gourmet restaurant in Nashville will find they have plenty to choose from. From grand surroundings to alfresco dining, there are options for every occasion and budget. Nashville's fine dining restaurants offer American classics, world cuisine and Mediterranean cookery.
  
  

The Standard at The Smith House

• This restaurant is housed within Nashville's only remaining townhouse dating back to the 1940s. Once home to a ballroom, the townhouse used to host lavish weddings and dances. Today, The Standard still caters to wedding parties and other events. The menu features mostly fish and meat dishes such as Alaskan cod with creamed spinach and fondant potatoes, Canadian-style pork loin wrapped in bacon and beef tenderloin with mushroom ragout. There is a separate bar menu available in the lounge, serving truffle garlic russet fries with sweet potato fries and open BLTs.
  
  

The Yellow Porch

• This restaurant has received excellent reviews from Versus Magazine, Nashville Scene and City Lifestyle. The food at The Yellow Porch is prepared with fresh ingredients from the vegetable garden at the front of the restaurant. Diners enjoy the homey atmosphere, whether they choose to dine outside on the patio or in the cozy, intimate dining area inside. The menu features an array of Mediterranean cuisine such as Spanish paella, Moroccan spiced salmon and filet mignon. Their lunch offerings range from sandwiches to sirloin salads and quesadillas.
  
  

Valentino's

• Valentino's has been serving Italian food and garnering awards since opening in 1991. Some of its many accolades include the AAA Four Diamond Award and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. The menu is classic Italian, featuring pasta, meat and fish dishes. Diners can choose from dishes such as shrimps wrapped in pancetta, veal escalop in Marsala wine, chicken breast with prosciutto and mozzarella or spaghetti with mussels and clams. As befitting an award winning restaurant, Valentino's boasts a very large selection of Italian, French and New World wines.
  
  

Flyte World Dining and Dinner

• This restaurant prides itself on its elegant decor, knowledgeable staff and the use of humanely raised produce. The menu at Flyte fuses ingredients from all over the world to create its dishes. North Carolina snapper with beats and cocoa beans, roasted duck breast with shiitake mushrooms and pork cheeks and shoulder with walnut sage pesto are some of the options available. To accompany the food, Flyte has a range of imported beers and European wines.