Culinary Dropout, a modern restaurant concept from Arizona-based restaurateur Sam Fox and Fox Restaurant Concepts, recently opened in Franklin, showcasing live music, creative cocktails, and comfort food made from scratch.
Marking Culinary Dropout’s 15th location nationwide, Franklin is the first outpost in Tennessee. It is the latest highlight of the hospitality group’s continued investment and growth in the area. Over the past 10 years, Fox has established a strong and growing presence in the local hospitality space with True Food Kitchen, The Twelve Thirty Club, Pushing Daisies, The Henry, Flower Child, Doughbird, and Blanco Cocina + Cantina.
The 10,395-square-foot restaurant and live music venue is located in Franklin’s McEwen Northside Shopping Center, near a cluster of other sparkling new restaurants and retailers that includes North Italia, Radish and Condado Taco. McEwen Northside is a walkable neighborhood destination with popular shopping and dining opportunities, luxury apartments, state-of-the-art offices and public green space.
“We were overwhelmed by the warm welcome we received from the Franklin community when we opened Flower Child, and are excited to introduce another new neighborhood staple to the area,” Sam Fox, founder of FRC, said in a release.
Inspired Attention to Detail
One of the first sights to greet you upon arrival is a mural of Ben Franklin as honorary house DJ, and beyond that it’s clear the in-house design team have learned what works for the concept —low lighting, soft leather, rich wood, and a slightly subversive sense of humor that can be seen in design details throughout the space, like the wallpaper in the bathroom that features monkeys drinking martinis and smoking joints.
The stage wall is wrapped in a custom, hand-drawn wallpaper featuring caricatures of music icons like Amy Winehouse, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur. Anchoring the interior is a larger-than-life painting of Johnny Cash.
There is live music every night Thursday-Sunday, and as for the food, it is a greatest-hits collection of crowd pleasers, from fried chicken to pork belly nachos. The bar is fully stocked, including custom cocktail options and local beer on tap.
“Culinary Dropout is known for its laidback atmosphere and commitment to hospitality, and is another perfect fit for Franklin,” Fox said.
