We explored new additions from accomplished chefs and found that some of our favorites were markets and a meat and three. In the end, we found some of the best food in all of Middle Tennessee.
Mackensy Lunsford,Brad SchmittNashville Tennessean
Each year, The Tennessean pulls together an annual Top 25 Restaurants in Nashville list. But what about areas outside of Music City proper?
We set out to explore the dining scene in Williamson County,the most affluent county in Tennessee, home to entrepreneurs, doctors, CEOs, country stars, national media personalities, artists, business execs who live in Franklin, Brentwood and Leiper's Fork and elsewhere in the county. And they apparently like to dine out.
We put together The Tennessean's first list of the top 10 restaurants of Williamson County.
We explored destination dining, ate at new additions from accomplished chefs and found that some of our favorites were markets and a meat and three. In the end, we learned that the top restaurants on our list are as good as, if not better, than Nashville's best.
Mackensy Lunsford: I've not spent an awful lot of time in Williamson County, besides the occasional visit. That all changed this year, with weekly forays to Franklin, Cool Springs, Brentwood and other areas outside of Nashville proper.
I learned some things about downtown Franklin ― it gets awfully crowded on warm winter weekdays ― and Williamson County dining trends as a whole. People eat early, and eat out a lot. All of the restaurants on our list were perpetually crowded.
Brad Schmitt: As a longtime Nashville area resident, I've often enjoyed a quick trip to super-charming, slower-paced Franklin, which is home to some of the region's best restaurants. Our picks, though, may surprise some longtime WilCo residents. Our list may be as interesting for the spots that didn't make it as the ones that did.
10. Wild Ginger
101 Market Exchange Court, Franklin, www.dinewildginger.com
Mackensy: If I lived in Franklin, I would eat at this fusion restaurant quite a bit, but there are a few things I would stick to religiously. The calamari would be hard not to order. And the sushi is undeniably fresh, if not just a tad bit overwrought when you get to the signature rolls. The traditional maki list is for the purists, though it too contains rolls such as The Mexican, a yellowtail-jalapeno roll served with salsa picante. The co*cktails are also very nice, though they in general trend toward the sweet side.
Brad: Every time I walk in Wild Ginger, I remember how much Christian music star Michael W. Smith loves this place! Don't believe me? Check out a 2019 video where Smitty professes his Wild Ginger love (while sitting in front of a table full of food).
The restaurant itself is big and open, with nice design features, easily the nicest Asian restaurant in Williamson County. For me, the food is hit and miss. I agree that the calamari is terrific with big pieces of squid. And I generally stick to the sushi — the simpler, the better — when I come here, and I always leave happy.
9. 1799 Kitchen and co*cktails
130 2nd Ave. N., Harpeth Hotel, Franklin, harpethhotel.com/1799-kitchen
Brad: I don't usually love hotel restaurants, but here's a bright, airy eatery in The Harpeth Hotel that's far from an afterthought. The service is excellent, and I like the big circle in the middle of the dining room that's meant to resemble a whiskey barrel, as the hotel is on the American Whiskey Trail.
Several dishes I tried here were just OK, but where 1799 really shines is wild game. The elk carpaccio melts in your mouth, and the bison was perfectly tender and perfectly medium rare.
Mack: It's almost like there were two different kitchens here ― one from which came that exceptional elk carpaccio with mustard tallow aioli, and the other one that made that absolute clunker of an unevenly cut fried potato and sunchoke dish. Yes, that bison, served with wagyu fat-fried potatoes and a huckleberry bordelaise, was a highlight.
8. Merridee's Breadbasket
110 4th Ave. S., www.merridees.com
Mack: This place is so charming and serves a very good Reuben, which I'm a sucker for, while missing the mark on the pimento cheese. That's an odd turn for a Southern restaurant. But the baked goods more than made up for that. That key lime pie! That French silk! That fudgy grasshopper brownie! The restaurant itself is charming, spacious, and a nice place to while away a meal.
Brad: Sooooooo charming! I love the desserts and I almost always leave with a loaf of bread to take home. I've eaten here on and off for years, and I'm sorry to say that, for me, the quality of the sandwiches ain't what it used to be. Still very much worth a stop, especially for coffee and a treat.
7. Herban Market
3078 Maddux Way, Suite 300, Franklin, www.herbanmarket.co
Mack: The layout of this restaurant is confusing with its double entrances, multiple service counters and not much signage to guide you. The chaotic flow is bad for crowd control, and I had to almost literally push through people chatting in the service area to get to the bathroom. That's where my complaints end. The food here is delicious. Spend some time with the menu; it's huge. The pizzas are great, the salads fresh and massive. I'd order the steak and eggs again and again. This will be my go-to every time I'm in the area.
Brad: Yeah, this popular place almost is a victim of its own success. I very much miss the pre-expansion days when it was half the size that it is now. I used to love spending 15 minutes sampling the different olive oils and having an excellent lunch at one of the few tables shoehorned into the adorable rustic, high-end market. Having said that, man, the food still is excellent and, for me, very much worth negotiating the chaotic layout and crowds.
6. Red Pony
408 Main St., Franklin, www.redponyrestaurant.com
Mack: I love the Grateful Dead-themed co*cktails, which were clever but also very good (yeah I'm tipping my hippie hand here a little). And aside from the server absolutely assailing us with about 8 minutes worth of food-explaining speech I neither asked for nor needed, this restaurant got off to an excellent start with fantastic appetizers including perfect Parisian-style gnocchi and outstanding elk meatballs with a rich Sunday gravy. Things got muddier with the mains, which had far too many elements to sort through, though the pork porterhouse and Steelhead trout underneath it all were flavorful and nicely cooked.
Brad: Red Pony was my favorite Franklin restaurant for years, always pushing the envelope in the kitchen, and consistently delivering excellent food and service. And it's a survivor — the restaurant reopened after a devastating 2021 fire caused about $300,000 in damages. But Red Pony seems to have lost its consistency and its edge. Still, as you described, Mack, there are enough outstanding dishes on the menu to put the Red Pony on this list. I'd go back just for that gnocchi!
5. Barbara's Home Cooking
1232 Old Hillsboro Road, Franklin, www.barbarashomecooking.com.
Brad: I mean, come on, folks, this literally is a house, and a quaint old wooden one at that. But the charm doesn't end there. Hostess Odette Wright, a South African native and owner Brendan Wright's mom, constantly sweet-talks customers, often referring to them as "my darlings." And the desserts are as sweet and joyful as she is. (Get the fudge pie!) The rest of the menu is super-solid meat-and-three fare and it includes a unique and popular poppyseed chicken casserole.
Mack: This is one of those places you hope to god is good when you walk in because it feels like a discovery. With every bite I took I breathed a sigh of relief. You want to root for this place. But it's also legitimately good! This meat and three serves the Southern food I grew up with: fluffy yeast rolls, pork chops, field peas, tomato and cucumber salad, stewed greens, creamy homemade mac and cheese. The service is charming; when I asked for the dessert list, our server tapped her head, smiled, and said, "It's in here." If you want peach cobbler, be prepared to order as soon as you sit down.
4. 55 South
403 Main St., Franklin/7031 Executive Center Drive, Suite 101, Brentwood, www.eat55.com
Mack: I've tried both locations of this restaurant, named for the stretch of I-55 from Memphis to New Orleans. The atmosphere of the Main Street location is better, but you can't go wrong with the food at either one. I loved the bag of shrimp in copious Cajun spiced butter, served with plenty of bread to soak it all up. The char-grilled oysters are delicious. The gumbo is perfect, the fried green tomatoes not so much, and I'd like to buy the spicy pickles served with the deviled eggs by the gallon, please. Whiskey lovers take note: this place has an outstanding selection with a few rarities. Check the chalkboard wall for what's in the rotation.
Brad: For sure, the Franklin Main Street location is the one to visit. Way more charming, and then there's longtime, plain-spoken server Debbie. Hilariously blunt, and somehow sweet at the same time. There have been several restaurants that have tried to bring excellent Cajun/Louisiana fare to Middle Tennessee. For me, 55 South may be the best (but definitely check out Lagniappe Bayou Kitchen in Goodlettsville).
55 South's gumbo, shrimp and grits and chicken and sausage jambalaya are excellent. In fact, 55 South might have the best shrimp and grits in Middle Tennessee. The white wine butter sauce, big fat mushrooms and super fresh shrimp really amazed.
3. Culaccino Italian Restaurant + Bar
104 E. Main St., Franklin, www.culaccinotn.com
Mack: This place was absolutely slammed when I visited and it's easy to see why. This restaurant from Frank Pullara is relaxed, convivial and just plain good. The service was excellent and knowledgeable about every detail, down to the wine. It's clear everyone is well cross-trained, at least in the front of the house. A porchetta special ended up being probably my favorite dish I tried in Williamson County so far this year. The 72-hour fermented pizzas are excellent as is the handmade pasta. What's not to like?
Brad: There's only one thing I don't like, Mack, and it's my usual complaint: the tables for two are a little too close together for my comfort. Having said that, I love the food here so much that I'd sit on top of the host stand if I had to. Love the pizzas, loved that porchetta special as much as you did, Mack. And I love their pastas — I really got a kick out of the rabbit special. (You're welcome.)
I honestly have been torn for weeks about whether Culaccino should be second or third on this list. Fight me on this if you'd like, and I haven't been to the new DeLuca restaurant on White Bridge Road yet, but I think Culaccino is the best Italian restaurant in Middle Tennessee.
2. Culamar Seafood Restaurant
99 E. Main St. suite 190, Franklin, www.culamartn.com
Mack: I'm already plotting my return to this seafood-forward restaurant, also by Pullara and formerly called Bestia Mare. Give me all the gorgeous oysters, crudo, ceviches and add on a seafood tower while you're at it. The co*cktails are exceptional (get the Ships in the Night), the wine list is well-chosen, and though the focus here is on the fish, Culamar also has a way with meat, so don't be afraid to order a steak if that's what's on your mind.
Brad: Yes, the restaurant serves amazing beef and some wonderful veggie side dishes, including spicy Brussels sprouts. But hey, it's a seafood place, and great seafood dishes are hard to come by in Middle Tennessee. So, once you've had the seafood starters, indulge in those perfectly cooked scallops and dig into the fresh, flaky snapper.
What I really love about Culamar is that I can get both excellent fish and excellent pasta. (But can someone please drive me home? I ate too much. Again.)
1. January at Southall Farm & Inn
2200 Osage Loop, Franklin, januarytn.com
Mack: This is one of the best restaurants in Middle Tennessee, full stop. Visiting Southall in itself is an experience. Expect gorgeous grounds, beautifully designed common space, and an attentiveness that begins as soon as you hand your keys to the valet. Make sure to allow yourself some time to sit at the bar, sip an expertly made co*cktail, and soak it all in.
The menu chefs Andrew Klamar and Nate Leonard have put together is both beautiful and playful; I loved the wood-grilled oysters "chowder style," with notes of celery, onion and cream and a tiny oyster cracker. Everything was beautifully prepared: salads of on-site grown vegetables, perfect pillowy gnocchi, gorgeously prepared duck with sunchokes. This is a special occasion restaurant and one that should be at the top of your list, just like it is on ours.
Brad: The experience is exclusive (you have to check in at a guard shack before pulling up to the inn) and awe-inspiring from the start. I walked in with my mouth agape at the grandeur of this gorgeous, high-ceiling, luxurious wood-and-glass edifice. Still, I always felt welcome there, likely due to the kind staff, from valet to host to managers to servers. And I agree with Mackensy, the food itself is among Middle Tennessee's best.
What do you think? What are your favorite spots in Williamson County? Reach senior dining reporter Mackensy Lunsford at mlunsford@tennessean.com and Brad Schmitt at brad@tennessean.com.
