Franklin Mercantile Deli

Not the best choice for a lunch in downtown Franklin. They struggled with my order a little bit. Their service was decent and they got my food out pretty quick. I ordered a type of quesadilla there and there was barley any cheese on it!!! If your really in too some old time stuff, then this probably a place for you.

Adorable local eatery. Loved the casual & lived in feel with unique pieces & lights strung up above the tables. We had breakfast… the egg plate… both meat & veggies. Our eggs were delicious & seasoned perfectly!!! The Sourdough toast tasted homemade & was perfectly toasted. Coffee very good, bonus to be served in a pottery mug. Just loved all the little touches everywhere. Quick service & pleasant staff. No complaints and would definetly return again!

This is one of the few lunch/​kid-​friendly places in downtown franklin. We enjoy their sandwiches and have heard they have a great breakfast. I enjoy their fruit tea. It’s delicious! There are a few tables outside which can make for a good date spot.

We have only been for breakfast but have really enjoyed the food and atmosphere each time. The cashier could be a little friendlier and less put out by our presence, but the food quality made up for it.

On our most recent trip down south, I wanted to stop in Franklin, TN. because I had read so many great things about how cute and quaint it is. So we made an extended stop and had all day to explore and see what the downtown is all about. The two older littles and hubs were getting hungry, and hubs wanted to find a deli. When we spotted this deli and decided to give it a try. There is limited seating outside, only four tables with 2 – 3 chairs at each one, so if you are needing more seating than that, timing is everything, as we noticed. We were able to get a table and then these other two gentlemen were getting up and we snagged their table as well. At this point we hadn’t even gone inside yet, just snagged the table. So we put our stuff down, Mimi sat with all the littles and we went inside to order food.
Man oh man, this place was hoppin’! The line was backed up from the counter to past the door. Maybe 17 people in front of us. At this point, we knew this place had to be good, but whoa. The line cut through the seating area where patrons were sitting eating their food, so it gave us a good chance to scope out what the food looked like and what looked yummy (just the thing people who are eating their food love; people staring at them while they’re eating! lol) The menu is a black chalkboard over the counter with the sandwiches, sides and beverages written in white chalk. There are cold sandwiches, on your choice of bread or wrap, and there are hot panini and grilled sandwiches. There is also a kids menu off to the side for those picky littles who won’t eat anything other than pb&j and chicken nuggets.
It took about 20 – 30 minutes in line, and when we finally got to the front, I ordered a Homemade Tuna Sandwich and Baked Potato Salad. Hubs got Mable’s Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich and Pasta Salad and we got a pj&j and fruit cup for the littles.
I took a leap for myself and got the baked potato salad, since I’m usually pretty consistent with my food choices (hubs always makes fun of me for ordering a club sandwich everywhere we go, lol). I wasn’t all that impressed with the baked potato salad. It was very salty and there was a heavy bacon taste. Now, I love traditional potato salad, and mustard potato salad, but this was different, it seriously tasted like a loaded baked potato, in a salad form. I didn’t finish it, and offered it to hubs, a sure sign I don’t like something, haha. My sandwich was very good. I thought it had a nice consistency and the bread was very good. I just wish I would have gotten the potato chips with it instead.
Hubs really liked his sandwich and ate all of it. He also really enjoyed the pasta salad, but if my memory serves me right, there was feta in it, and I don’t eat feta, so I didn’t try it, even though it looked good.
The littles had a little taste of their sandwiches and wouldn’t eat any more. Not sure if they didn’t like it (what’s not to like, peanut butter and jelly is pretty much the same everywhere, amiright?) or they weren’t hungry. But they ate the fruit cup just fine, and the bottle of orange juice they shared.
Mimi got Fruit Tea, and I tried it, man was that good! I wished I would have gotten that, but by the time I tried it and liked it, the line was still super long and I couldn’t justify getting back in that long of a line for a beverage.
The prices were comparable to any hometown deli, but a bit steep for an ‘on the go’ quickie lunch.
If we ever go back to Frankin, I may want to try someplace else, but this was a great place to give a try.

Quaint deli dressed in shabby-​chic décor. Menu was cute & appealing, food was fresh, but my pimento cheese sandwich was just ok (but I loved that they even had it on the menu, as it’s a rare find in delis these days). My tomato basil soup was good & the sweet tea was perfectly sweet & delicious.

Nothing like a hot cup of soup and a hot panini on a rainy day or any day for that matter. This is a great lunch spot away from the office to unwind for an hour. You step up to the counter and order from the menu on the wall. They take your name and call you when it’s ready. In the meantime you take a seat at one of the tables or if want to feel at home there are couches available. The staff was friendly and I was amazed at how soon they called my name for my order.
I had my heart set on trying the Philly Steak and Swiss Panini so I had to get that. The soup of the day was either tomato basil or chili. I wanted to try the chili as well so I ordered the Philly Steak Panini with the chili. The Panini was great! The meat was very tender. The chili was just the way I like with a lot of beef in it. It had a unique flavor that was very good.
This will now be on my list of regular lunch spots as I work down the street.

Finally stopped in here, as our first choice was closed. DELICIOUS. Clean, bright, comfy. Enjoyed their cold roast beef sandwich on sourdough. Daughter had chicken club panini. We shared a bowl of their freshly made tomato bisque soup… TO DIE FOR!!! Sandwiches and ingredients are very fresh and the soup, perfect. Tad on the sweet side, which I liked but daughter said too sweet for her. Staff very friendly and helpful. Cannot wait to go back!

Great sandwich place. The $ 35 lunch for two with a bottle of wine was great. Tomato basil soup and smoked turkey panini were awesome.

On our previous trips into Franklin, we try to head to Merridee’s Bakery, however the past few times we have tried to eat here, the line has been ridiculous. So, being we are visiting our family here from Nebraska, it was time to find a new ritual.
We actually stumbled upon this place via Unilocal,and thought we would give it a try after flying and driving all morning. What a nice and welcoming atmosphere. I really enjoy coming to the Nashville area when you get to experience true Nashville people, and not the imports the GM plant brought out awhile back. They are so hospitable, and it shows here. We don’t get that in Nebraska at all!
It was shortly after 11:00am and the place was not too busy, however shortly after it was jamming. We ordered the Philly and Robin’s Roast Beef with the Potato Salad. They were both delicious and were delivered quickly. The food selection was very nice as well, and we look forward to going there again when we are back in town.

Oh how I hate writing the stark gray reality of a recent visit but coming from a food service industry back ground I feel it s only fair for the owner to hopefully stumble across this updated review and to then in turn review the quality of his waitstaff. I first visited Franklin Mercantile Deli 18 months ago and loved the food and the atmosphere. I wish I could say the same for today.
I ordered the hot panini chicken club (which I’ve had before) with potato salad. After 20 minutes of waiting (way too long) and seeing other people order after me and get their orders before me, I promptly walked up to the counter to see what was taking so long where upon the waitress/​order taker handed me my plate.
I sat down and once I picked up my much anticipated panini I saw the back side was completely burnt. Looks like someone forgot it was on the griddle. Instead of placing it upside down hoping i wouldn’t see it, I would have appreciated them coming over saying the sandwich was made incorrectly and that they would get a fresh one out shortly. Nope. Since I had my 7 month old with me I decided to just eat and get out of there since he was antsy, cute but antsy.
The sandwich was TERRIBLE. overcooked dry chicken and burnt bacon. There was no flavor!
To add to this disappointing experience there was also a lovely brunette hair in my potato salad probably donated by the lady making my sandwich with her bare hands I might add.
I’m usually not critical but like I’ve mentioned before I’m also in the food/​service industry and have high standards because of this. So when I walk in a restaurant after the lunch rush see that the floors have left over food and napkins scattered on them and the tables need to be bussed I would as a waitstaff start cleaning the restaurant when ever there wasn’t a customer in my line. Or maybe do table touch ins, where in you see if the guest need anything, make them feel special. But in the 45 mins I was there not once did the two ladies do so, they continued to get on their phone, loudly talk about their weekend and eat at the counter.
Franklin Mercantile has such great potential with how cute the ambiance is… But the food (from my most recent visit) and the leadership of the waitstaff (when the owner isn’t around) is making me wonder if I should have just gone across the street for my lunch. Perk up Mercantile, you got the looks but do you have the brains.

Been coming here since they opened. You cannot beat the Annabelle, grilled with a side of tomato soup, and a cup of the fruit tea. I almost always have a pleasant interaction with the employees. The cookies are also very good. I’ve also enjoyed the Apple Blossom tea many, many times.

I’ve had lunch here a few times and it’s always been A-​OK. Today I had the BLT on multigrain… I ordered it because the menu said it had sundried tomato cream cheese on it. I was halfway into the sandwich and didn’t notice the cheese… I looked for it and there was a teensy bit on there but I couldn’t taste it. Other than that the sandwich was good. The young lady at the counter was friendly. You go up to the counter to pick it up when the young man barks your name. Seriously, I felt like I was being called to the principal’s office. It’s not the best food but not the worst either. My friend and I were able to sit and chat for about an hour and we had a nice time.

As excited as I was to see the Deli in town, the actual experience falls quite short of any deli, independent or chain, you’re likely to encounter. The counter person was unable to attempt or maintain any eye contact while taking my order, a sign the could-​not-​care-​less contest was in play here. I ordered the chicken salad and asked about the choices of bread, and behold, there were two whole choices, multigrain and white. As I ordered to-​go, I had no idea what to expect.
When I opened the box at home, I almost laughed out loud at the crustless bread sandwich. Perhaps the homogenous are afraid of variation of texture — that was my first thought. To their credit, the fruit was quite fresh. The chicken salad was disappointingly bland.

A lot has changed since I last came here. Unfortunately, the overall experience was disappointing. The food quality was low even though the prices have increased. Even my kids didn’t like the food. Since I last came, plates have been replaced with styrofoam and silverware has been replaced with the cheapest plastic wear. It’s the small changes that make a big difference. I won’t be back.

Edwin W’s review was spot on. There is nothing amazing about the food here. Cute rustic décor and kitschy mason jars are great but I would rather have better food. We ordered 2 different types of paninis –turkey & ham– most popular according to the cashier. They were so bland! One slice of meat with barely any cheese or special condiments as advertised. At $ 20 for 2 mediocre sandwiches & sides, I expected better. We will not be back. Meridees is a much better option, but closed on Sundays.

Like the rest of Franklin: Pop a weathered façade on it and call it homey.
I had the roast beef sandwich which was fine nothing special. Not house roasted, so over done and lacking in flavor. The cheese addition was a precut slice of flavorless Colby jack.
For kids they were out of chicken nuggets at 1120am and my boys chose quesadillas. Nothing to write home about. Flour tortillas with am some shredded cheese grilled.
Ho hum.

Stopped in for a bite and so glad we did! The Annabelle sandwich (turkey, cheese, mayo, balsamic…) was wonderful combo with the tomato basil soup! Definitely stop in for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You won’t be disappointed!
*I’ve also been here for a rehearsal dinner. GREAT place to host a private event!

A good lunch spot when you are looking for something inexpensive and quality in Downtown Franklin. The line was quite long and they ran out of tomato soup which made me sad, but I opted for a seafood chowder instead to go along with my roast beef sandwich and both were good.
I wouldnt drive to Franklin just to have lunch here but I could see myself going back when I wanted a casual meal and something other than pizza (Mellow Mushroom). Even though the line was really long, the service was quick and there was plenty of seating.

We were in the area touring the civil war sites. We wanted a good quick lunch and asked a few locals. This is where they sent us. We all got sandwiches and you get your choice of side. Fruit, chips or potato salad. Cost around $ 8 a sandwhich. All were made to order all were fresh and tasty. The service was extremely friendly. Street parking can be found near the place. If back in the area we would stop in again.