Local-only · no chains · not ranked
Franklin's pizza comes NY-style and hand-tossed, from a brick oven, and on sourdough. The family Italian places also do pasta, subs and calzones. They're spread along Highlands Road, Georgia Road, East Main and downtown. Listed A to Z, not ranked.
459 E Main St (inside Hot Spot gas station) · French-Italian bistro
The famous 'gas-station French bistro' — somehow the best wine list and the deepest wine knowledge in Franklin, tucked into the side of the Hot Spot convenience store on East Main. Chef Richard E. Long has been running it for 20+ years. Cash only, no reservations.
86 W Main St · House-made sourdough pizzas
Cocktail bar and serious sourdough kitchen on West Main, newly settled into the long-running Motor Co. Grill space (Motor Co. closed under owner Tim Crabtree). The Culture crew earned their following first as an organic sourdough pizza truck circulating the Beer Mile — Currahee, Lazy Hiker — before opening the brick-and-mortar. House-made sourdough pizzas, shareable small plates, pasta, balanced cocktails. Closed Monday and Tuesday; open late Friday and Saturday.
607 Highlands Rd · NY-style hand-tossed pizza
Family-owned NY-style pizza tavern since 1998 on Highlands Rd. Hand-tossed dough, scratch sauce, signature pizzas like the Franklin Tower, Sasquatch, and Tree Hugger. Local beer on tap, wine list. Indoor and outdoor (dog-friendly) dining. Open Wed–Sat 4–8:30 PM, Sun 12–8 PM; closed Mon/Tue.
1111 E Main St · Italian pizza, calzones & subs
Cozy family Italian on East Main. Homemade pizza, creamy Alfredo, generously portioned calzones and subs.
What to order: The homemade pizza, the creamy Alfredo, and a calzone big enough to share
Hours: Mon–Fri 11 AM–7 PM · closed Sat & Sun as of 2026-09-06
Phone: (828) 634-4103
381 Depot St · Hand-tossed pizza
Pizza-and-BBQ spot on Depot St — hand-tossed stone-cooked pizzas (10" / 14" / 18"), wings, and BBQ smoked in-house daily. Hand-breaded mushroom bites and onion rings are sleeper favorites. Dine-in, takeout, delivery.
91 Georgia Rd · Italian
Artisan Italian eatery on Georgia Rd — Anthony Dell's "Taste of South Italy." Brick-oven pizza, paninis, salads, gelato, espresso and pastries with ingredients imported from Italy. Italian wine list + beer. Indoor seating with free wifi, patio for sunny days. Hours seen on third-party listings as Tue–Sat 11 AM – 8 PM (closed Sun/Mon) — call (828) 349-0115 to confirm.
Phone: (828) 349-0115
313 Highlands Rd · Italian
Scratch-made Italian on Highlands Rd — dough, pasta, and famous garlic rolls baked fresh daily. Lucio Gamboni (born in Naples, 1948) and Dorothy opened it in 1984; it's one of the longest-running independent restaurants in Franklin. Chicken Parm and Lasagna are the signatures. Open Wed–Sat 5–8 PM; closed Sun–Tue.
1024 Georgia Rd · Family entertainment center & pizza
Western NC's premier family entertainment center: 100+ arcade games, region's largest go-kart track, mini-golf, laser tag, 10 bowling lanes. Plus a restaurant.
Every entry was cross-checked against at least two public sources (Yelp, the Franklin Chamber, Experience Franklin, the venue's own site). Restaurants are categorised, not ranked. Kid-friendly and alcohol notes reflect what reviewers and venues themselves say — if your experience differs, let us know and we'll fix it.
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