There’s nothing like good old Southern comfort food to make you feel at home, wherever you may be in bustling Franklin. Fortunately, the city boasts some of the finest restaurants serving the best Southern-style food in Middle Tennessee. Here’s a look at five of them.
1. The Honeysuckle Located at 1770 Galleria Boulevard, The Honeysuckle features the creations of Executive Chef Skylar Bush, an Alabama native who spent years perfecting his homegrown recipes.
Chef Skylar’s Southern roots have greatly influenced his creations, making use of the region’s best produce. And with his passion for fishing, the chef also knows his way around seafood and fish. All these influences have resulted in delectable modern Southern dishes that use only the freshest ingredients.
The Honeysuckle’s house specialties include in-house dry-aged meats, the Tennessee stuffed grout and the meatloaf. The restaurant also boasts an oyster bar, which is a rare find in Franklin.
2. Cork and Cow This is restaurateur Jason McDonnell’s latest offering after the highly successful Red Pony. Located at Main Street, Cork and Cow continues the Red Pony tradition of serving a homegrown menu using the finest meats and freshest ingredients.
Cork and Cow’s signature dishes are succulent steaks served the Southern way, but with a touch of Italian and other international flavors that McDonnell has picked up from his global travels.
In addition to the steaks, must-try dishes are the veal parmesan, the filet burger with Benton’s bacon, and the asparagus salad.
3. Moe’s Original BBQ Moe’s Original BBQ is a casual dining spot featuring mouth-watering barbecues with home style sides. Named one of the top barbecue chains in the country by USA Today, Moe’s describes its offerings as “Southern soul food revival.”
The restaurant chain was founded in 2001 by three friends from Alabama, who perfected their Alabama-style barbecue over the years. Along with daily smoked pork and chicken, the restaurant is also known for their signature Alabama white barbecue sauce. Other must-tries on the menu are the Angus beef brisket, St. Louis spare ribs and the fried catfish. Moe’s Original BBQ can be found at 901 Columbia Avenue.
4. Merridee’s Breadbasket Merridee’s Breadbasket was founded in 1984 by baker and entrepreneur Merridee McCray, who was asked to open a shop in downtown Franklin as part of the area’s historic revitalization. The bakery and restaurant soon became a local favorite, and over the years has maintained its tradition of making everything from scratch every day.
In addition to their famous pastries, breads, cakes and cookies, Merridee’s Breadbasket also serves homemade soups, quiches and salads. It was voted Best Bakery in Williamson County three years in a row, and has received the Sizzle Award from Southern Exposure Magazine. It can be found at 110 Fourth Avenue South.