Accent Limousine Restaurant Review: The Franklin Cafe
Posted by Julie Ryan on Tue, Aug 02, 2011 @ 12:01 PM
Today I'm going to give you a restaurant review on an amazing little place called The Franklin Cafe in the South End. It's located at 278 Shawmut Ave, Boston, MA 02118 (for your GPS). If you're looking for an absolutely incredible meal that won't break the bank, I point you straight to The Franklin. They opened back in 1996 (anyone else think it's strange that 1996 was 15 years ago?!? man I'm getting old) and have since opened two more Franklin's, one in Southie and one in Cape Ann. I've only ever been to the flagship restaurant but I wouldn't bat an eye about venturing to one of their sister restaurants.
I first went to the Franklin Cafe way back in 2002 by way of a chef I was dating. I was so young and new to the city that stepping into the dimly lit Franklin made me feel so "underground Boston". It was as if my date was the only one who knew about this restaurant, even though every seat was taken. I remember bites of amazing food and thinking that The Franklin is where the best chefs in the city must go after work every night when they're too tired to create their own meal. This was a place that served real food. Chef's food.
Nine years later... well, I'm embarrassed to say that I've only been to the Franklin a handful of times. With all of the great dining options in Boston, I'm not one to be a regular at any particular restaurant. I like trying new places and having new experiences and sometimes my favorite restaurants end up taking the back burner until I return to them a year or so later. That being said, if I were to be a regular at any restaurant, the Franklin Cafe would be my home.
Stepping back in for dinner last weekend and belling up to the bar felt like going to an old friend's house that you haven't seen in awhile. The same familiar decor, the same amazing smells, the same feeling in your belly of excitement. There is just such an amazing energy in this place. A gorgeous plate of mushroom carpaccio was placed in front of me while they placed a steaming bowl of smokey skillet roasted mussels in front of my husband. We shared our plates and fought over the last bites. We then ordered an amazing fusilli dish with tomato, corn, basil... it was the epitome of summer on a plate. They must be at the Farmers Market every morning at 5:00am getting the best of the best.
Every single thing I have eaten here is absolutely divine. Every server I've ever had here has made me feel at home. Every experience at The Franklin Cafe has left me full, warm, and buzzing for days.
The menu changes almost daily and they update their special of the day on their website at 5:00pm every night. They also serve their full menu until 1:30am seven days a week which makes it ideal for all of those times you're still in the city after midnight and looking for gourmet instead of settling for McDonalds. The place is on the small side and doesn't take reservations so be sure to hit it on an off-hour (say 6pm or 9pm) if you're not up for a wait. If you haven't been to the Franklin Cafe, you are truly missing out on one of Boston's best restaurants. What are you waiting for?
Instead of dealing with parking in Boston to get to The Franklin, be sure to call Accent Limousine for a hassle-free day or night of fun in the city. You can leave here with a belly full of deliciousness, a little drunk, and very happy and it won't matter once you have one of Accent's drivers on the case! They'll take care of all your needs from boston wedding limousines to a limo trip to Foxwoods to a fancy night out in the city whether or not it's Providence, Boston, Hartford, or New York. All you have to do is decide where to go and Accent Limousine will take you there in style!
Be sure to tell me how you like it!!