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Culinary Dropout, the modern restaurant brand known for crowd-pleasing food, expertly crafted cocktails and a passion for live music, will open its first Tennessee location in Franklin's McEwen Northside shopping center on Wednesday, September 10. Created by Arizona-based Fox Restaurant Concepts (FRC) and nationally acclaimed restaurateur Sam Fox, Culinary Dropout is a growing brand that prioritizes scratch-made recipes and fresh ingredients produced in-house daily. Marking the concept’s 15th location nationwide, Franklin is Culinary Dropout’s first outpost in Tennessee, where Fox has already established a strong presence with The Twelve Thirty Club, Pushing Daisies, Flower Child, The Henry, Doughbird, and Blanco Cocina + Cantina, highlighting the hospitality group’s continued investment and growth in the area.
“We were overwhelmed by the warm welcome we received from the Franklin community when we opened Flower Child earlier this summer, and we are so excited to introduce another new neighborhood staple to the area,” said Sam Fox, founder of FRC. “Culinary Dropout is known for its laidback atmosphere and commitment to hospitality, and is another perfect fit for Franklin. We can’t wait to open our doors and welcome in the community.”
When guests walk into Culinary Dropout Franklin, they’re greeted by a familiar face — though not the way history books remember him. The city's iconic namesake, Ben Franklin, takes on the role of honorary house DJ in a vibrant, contemporary mural that sets the tone before you even step inside.
The heartbeat of Culinary Dropout Franklin lives on the live music stage because music is in their DNA. The stage wall is wrapped in a custom, hand-drawn wallpaper featuring caricatures of legendary artists who changed the world and left us far too soon. Amy Winehouse, David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, The Notorious B.I.G., and Tupac Shakur all share the space, each drawn with equal parts reverence and edge.
Anchoring the interior is a larger-than-life contemporary painting of Johnny Cash, the ultimate Tennessee original and the embodiment of unapologetic authenticity. The Man in Black’s presence is both commanding and intimate, rendered in a style that blends modern artistic techniques with the grit and gravitas that defined his life.
The heart of the brand is a passion for classic comfort food done right, with signature menu items including shareable appetizers like the Soft Pretzels and Provolone Fondue, BBQ Pork Belly Nachos, and a hearty antipasti board known as “The Slicer” (a play on the 163rd episode of Seinfeld). Must-try entrées include the very limited Korean Style Ribeye Cap; Mongolian Short Rib served with a soft egg on a bed of crispy rice, topped with Thai chili; and their famous slow braised 36-hour pork ribs, in addition to a variety of craveable salads and sandwiches like the Crispy Chicken Katsu sandwich, piled high with napa slaw and a spicy miso aioli.
Culinary Dropout’s beverage program is anything but ordinary, offering a bold lineup of handcrafted cocktails, curated wines, and local beer. Elevate your dining experience with signature cocktails, like the Giddy Up Espresso Martini with vodka, Caffè Borghetti Espresso Liqueur, Spanish vanilla, and a cinnamon spiced cold brew; the Abandoned Cadillac with Patrón Tequila, Grand Marnier, pomegranate redux, and tart lime; and the Full Moon Party with lemongrass-soaked Tanqueray, Velvet Falernum, Thai basil leaf and English cucumber.
Culinary Dropout will kick off its grand opening with live music all day on Wednesday, September 10, continuing through the weekend and culminating in a headlining performance by country-pop singer-songwriter, Levi Hummon on Saturday, September 13. Hummon, who has written songs for Tim McGraw and Steven Tyler and is best known for his hit single “Paying for It” with Walker Hayes, will perform a 90-minute set at Culinary Dropout on Sept. 13 from 8:00 – 9:30PM, followed by an exclusive meet-and-greet. The meet-and-greet will be available to the first 50 guests who dine at Culinary Dropout on opening day. Backstage passes will be issued only to guests who present proof of reservation for Wednesday, Sept. 10. Live music will be a staple of Culinary Dropout Franklin, with regular music programming happening every Thursday – Sunday.
Located at 4020 Aspen Grove Drive, Culinary Dropout Franklin is situated near the heart of Cool Springs in the vibrant McEwen Northside community, a walkable neighborhood destination with popular shopping and dining opportunities, luxury apartments, state-of-the-art offices and public green space. The 10,395-square-foot space was designed to be the ultimate hangout spot for locals and visitors, offering the perfect setting to unwind with weekday happy hour and weekend brunch, enjoy live music over a great meal, and catch all the action on game days – making it the go-to destination for every occasion!
Reservations are now available via OpenTable. Guests will be able to enjoy lunch, happy hour, and dinner daily, as well as weekend brunch service. Ahead of the Franklin opening, Culinary Dropout is hiring numerous positions for both the front and back of the house. The restaurant is looking for confident, go-getters who are passionate about hospitality. Those interested can apply online at foxrccareers.com or in person at Culinary Dropout’s Job Fair through August 24.