1799 Brings Date Night-Worthy Bourbon and Prime Steak to Franklin

Franklin finally has a fancy hotel to call it’s very own, and with it, a new date-night destination, stocked with bourbon and buttery cuts of beef. 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails, nestled within The Harpeth Hotel, quietly opened its doors over the holidays with a bevy of Southern-influenced dishes and powerhouse pours of whiskey.

Named for the year the city was founded, the restaurant features dimly-lit alcoves that invite guests to focus on Executive Chef Jay Swift (formerly of Atlanta’s 4th & Swift and Iberian Pig) and Assistant Executive Chef Cassie Upshaw’s (Holland House) robust and regionally-sourced menu. Products from Franklin’s very own Bear Creek Farms, Noble Springs Dairy, Triple Crown Bakery, and Franklin House of Bread can be found on the restaurant’s show-stopping charcuterie board and in dishes like the pork trio (crispy pig ears, braised belly and chicharrones), lamb two ways, and buttered sweet potatoes.

Jackie Gutierrez-Jones

A 16-ounce bone-in ribeye and 14-ounce NY Strip lean toward the heartier end of the protein scale, but those looking to go easy on the beef in 2020 are well served by the branzino “a la plancha” and squash ricotta ravioli on the menu.

The full-service bar at 1799 focuses heavily on handpicked bourbon, rye and American whiskeys, and boasts over 35 small batch and single barrel spirits from around the world. Stirred, classic cocktails are also play a starring role here, along with seasonal tipples like a Winter Old-Fashioned made with spiced blood orange and the Nickel Rose made with Campari, Aquavit, grapefruit juice and Velvet Falernum.

1799 is open seven days a week, offering brunch from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.