The finest restaurant in the mountains! Food is always great and the servers are the best anywhere. Had the Steak Tornedoes and the steak was cooked perfect and the Italian Crème Cake is amazing.
We have been eating her for several years and drive about 40 miles each way to eat with Chef Richard.
My favorite place in Franklin! The food is outstanding and everything on the menu is delicious and decadent. My favorite is the carbonara with added scallops...yum!
What a wonderful surprise this was!! This place was phenomenal, and quite frankly, being located at the back of a gas station I didn't expect at all to be blown away by the quality of food. Came here because of a friend recommendation and was not disappointed. The food was delicious, the portions were generous and and entire experience just extraordinary. Would strongly recommend visiting here on your next travel to Franklin.
At first glance this looks like a place that I would steer away from….. because it’s connected to a gas station and in the past my experiences were less than spectacular in similar venues. Well we tried it and now in a very short period have gone again ! I was too full to try the Blue Crab Bisque (one of my favorite soups) we went back yesterday to try it after a morning hike and oh my goodness! We would have licked the bowl of deliciousness if we didn’t want to be looked upon as heathens ! And the bread with dipping sauce is perfection ! I foresee many more trips to get the Bisque and all the good things that they offer ! Cheers to the chef and to the wonderful staff !
10 🌟 rating $$. A friend from our home state of Florida highly recommended Caffe Rel in Franklin, NC, and damn it really rates high on our places to eat. We went with the French pot roast and it was so delicious. Bread and home made marinara dipping was so good, had seconds. 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 Katie, also owner, was our waitess, she was awesome! Needs to be on Diners and Dives!
What a gem of a restaurant!! Totally unexpected adjacent to a gas station! The menu has lots of items to choose from and a nice wine list. The food was excellent and the portions were copious! Our waiter was friendly and service was great. What's not to like? I look forward to returning there soon!
The best place to eat in Franklin! The food is unbelievably flavorful; don’t let the fact that it’s attached to a gas station fool you. I highly recommend the Pork Osso Bucco, it’s outstanding! The French pot roast was delicious as well. We’ve never had a bad meal here!
I wanted to give rave reviews and really I love hidden gem restaurants..no frills family friendly, great neighborhood local feel. The prices weren't outrageously high as other restaurants in the area so it's fair price fair quality. What disappointed me was the overly saltiness of the dishes. My daughter had to linguini Alfredo which she couldn't finish because it's too salty. To me it tasted delicious because my dish was even saltier than hers. I got the bowtie with crawfish. I took it home and added a cup of milk and still salty. Other dishes were ok . Staff were friendly and im glad to find a French restaurant that was not pretentious.
Oh my goodness. One of the specials was sesame ahi tuna served over jasmine rice and pickled cabbage. It was soooo very delicious. Huge portion. Actually never had that much on a dish before. Jim had turkey BLT. He said it was delicious. We were traveling with a group of around 20. Everyone had a delicious meal. Will return the next time in the area.
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This is one of those hidden gems, right next to and sharing a bathroom with a gas station.
Great hometown atmosphere, friendly staff, inviting row of obscenely delicious looking cakes!
I ordered the crawfish bow tie and my partner had a chicken Milanese. Huge, generous proportions. Great flavor. The only reason I give the food a four is that there’s far too much cheese. Every bow tie stringy with cheese and more cheese melted on top. Overwhelmed the delicious delicate sauce. If I were to order again, I’d ask for the sauce on the side and no extra cheese. Chicken Milanese had a ton of melted cheese too. Same with the crab soup. Just an overwhelming amount of cheese. Almost like eating a bowl of melted cheese with crab flavor. It’s a shame because the delicate sauces were prepared with care and skill and then someone from Subway or Olive Garden came in and threw handful of extra cheese on everything. We took home dinner (mountainous servings guarantee leftovers and all the oil from the cheese pooled in the carton after heating up).
Cakes were yummy-but a little on dry side. But it’s very hot outside right now…
The only thing that detracts from the wonderful interior atmosphere is the bathroom. Ugh. On the disgraceful side as it’s a gas station bathroom. Not nice. There needs to be a schedule where someone cleans up hourly or something.
Would be good to put a sign on the door going back to the restaurant from the bathroom. I’m a little navigationally challenged and that would help!
Would definitely go again though.
Good. Golly. Day.
Seriously the very best meal we’ve had in a long time! Everything was fresh, flavorful and delicious! Portions are huge. Get the Mac and cheese appetizer…best Mac and cheese we’ve ever had.
I wish I had caught our server’s name…she was delightful; even was gracious and kind to take a picture of us…we were there celebrating our fifth anniversary! (We live in VA on the coast)
And get this….the restaurant is located in a gas station…..which truly only adds to the uniqueness of the establishment.
Do yourself a favor and make it to Caffe Rel…you won’t regret it!
The basil shrimp bowtie pasta, scallops with pasta, and pot roast dinners were all delicious. The food tastes like a 5-star restaurant, but the price is very reasonable, especially for the large quantity. The bourbon pecan torte desert is like an upscale pecan pie. We plan on returning for the shrimp and grits.
They don't have a lobby, so they ask everyone to wait outside until they call your name. Be prepared to wait in the cold or heat when they are busy.
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