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Williamson County: Cocktails or Coffee, Anyone?

Social scenes grow around fun coffee shops, bars and restaurants

By Jessica Walker Boehm on September 11, 2019

Franklin
Franklin / Jeff Adkins

Whether you’re looking for coffee, a cocktail, a glass of wine or craft beer, Williamson County has you covered when it comes to quenching your thirst and enjoying a night out.

Williamson County’s nightlife scene has never been hotter, and its recently expanded selection of spots to grab a drink – alcoholic or otherwise – is making the community an even more appealing place to spend an evening out on the town, especially considering that the many go-to bars and dining spots also offer live music and entertainment.

Franklin
Jeff Adkins

Frothy Monkey

With its original location in Nashville’s 12 South neighborhood, Frothy Monkey opened in downtown Franklin in January 2013. Jennifer Sheets, Frothy Monkey’s creative director and chief marketer, says the decision to expand to Williamson County was an easy one; not only are two of Frothy Monkey’s owners, Ryan Pruitt and Chef Chase Ingalls, from the area, but they also felt drawn to Williamson County’s charm and proximity to both rural and city amenities.

This coffee shop and dining spot offers a little bit of everything – coffee and espresso drinks, daylong brunch, dinner service after 5 p.m., and beer, wine and cocktails – along with special events like weekly Wine Down Wednesdays from March through November and quarterly Wine Dinners that include five courses with wine pairings.

In addition to its impressive menu, Frothy Monkey’s Franklin location offers plenty of historic charm. 

The building, which is more than 100 years old, originally served as the manse for the Historic Franklin Presbyterian Church. Frothy Monkey owners took great care to maintain the structure’s design and architectural integrity during renovations, and as a result, the property was honored with an Award of Merit for Historic Renovation from the Heritage Foundation of Franklin & Williamson County in 2013.

Franklin, TN Restaurants
Franklin / Jeff Adkins

O’ Be Joyful

Established by Joni and Michael Cole, also owners of longtime Williamson County staple Gray’s on Main, downtown Franklin’s O’ Be Joyful opened in 2018 to offer craft beer, whiskey and stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.

Located next door to Gray’s on Main, O’ Be Joyful is an intimate, upscale tavern that has quickly become a top spot for lunch and dinner as well as drinks with friends. Menu items include burgers, hot dogs and chicken wings, just to name a few options, and customers have access to one of the area’s most expansive whiskey collections, which is still growing.

“At both Gray’s on Main and O’ Be Joyful, we focus on serving up amazing food, drinks and hospitality,†Joni says.

“Michael and I want you to feel comfortable and at home with us, whether you’re a tourist popping in for the first time or a ‘regular,’ and we think we’re achieving that goal.”

Franklin
Franklin / Jeff Adkins

Kings Dining & Entertainment

Hot spot Kings Dining & Entertainment opened in Franklin’s CoolSprings Galleria in 2016, giving residents easy access to tasty food and drinks as well as activities like bowling, billiards, shuffleboard and air hockey.

Sports fans often set up shop in The Draft Room, which features 14-foot HD LED screens and has more than 20 beers on tap, including several local options. Kings Bowl also lays claim to The Whiskey Room Live, a top spot for live entertainment that hosts local and regional acts on Saturday nights and offers opportunities for guests to take the stage during weekend karaoke events.

“We try to put a unique fingerprint on each of our locations, and being in Tennessee so close to Music City, it made perfect sense to create The Whiskey Room Live,†says Doug Warner, Kings Dining and Entertainment’s senior vice president of marketing and business development. “The build-out was inspired by The Grand Ole Opry; it’s a 120-seat live music space with a beautiful stage, and it has a selection of more than 25 whiskies from around the world.”

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