I frequently make the comment to my husband "Never go to a restaurant connected to a gas station ". I was proven wrong today. We were traveling through Franklin, North Carolina and found Caffe Rel on Yelp. I'm glad we gave it a try. The blue crab bisque is delicious. My husband had the lamb burger and gave it a 5/5. This place has a great menu with quality food, a great value and cozy ambiance. Wish we didn't live 400 miles away. If we ever get back this way we will make sure to eat at Caffe Rel. read more

I wasn't able to experience this restaurant. We noticed on the menu that it was pretty pricy and said CASH ONLY, no cards accepted. I don't carry cash on me so I had to go elsewhere. Maybe next time. The parking lot was crowded and there was a line waiting to be seated. This is usually what says eat here it's great. I wish they accepted credit cards. read more

Ages ago, I was impressed to find a really nice bistro adjacent- practically inside- a gas station in a dusty mountain town. Probably the best spot for lunch in town. read more

Place was highly recommended by lady at Antique Mall. Nice small dinning area, finished adequately, but nothing special. Restaurant is attached to gas station. Parking was at a premium. Ordered food from a large menu. I ordered meatballs with linguini and marinara. It came with mixed vegetables. Meatballs were very good, but the marinara settled to the bottom of the bowl and was hard to get on the noodles. Watery! Vegetables were undercooked and overpowered with garlic and oil. My wife ordered eggplant with marinara and mozzarella instead of goat cheese. She indicated that the eggplant was too dry and there was not enough sauce to keep the eggplant moist and flavored properly. She also did not like the vegetables. Too much oil and garlic. Waitress was attentive and pleasant. Was OK but would not go out of my way to return.... read more

Caffe Rel - Meatballs w/marinara - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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This place is truly excellent. My wife and I visited on a busy Saturday. We didn't have to wait for a seat, service was fast, and the food came out quickly. Our server, Melissa, was super friendly and made us feel welcome immediately. She was happy to answer any of our questions and give us recommendations. We sat on their beautiful patio and enjoyed the traffic of people at the gas station next door. It was a better dinner and show than Medieval Times! My wife got the macaroni and cheese and was very happy with it. The sauce was rich and creamy, and the pasta was perfectly cooked. I got the classic Reuben. It was probably the best I've ever had. For desert we shared a slice of key lime pie (which was not green! as a former Floridian, this is always something I look for) and a serving of tiramisu. They were both excellent. Probably the best I've ever had of either of those as well. The beauty of the food here is that it is classic dishes done perfectly. They don't try to spiff it up with strange ingredients or flashy techniques. This is a top recommendation. You have to visit! Also note: they only take cash or checks! No cards! read more

Great service & delicious food! We had the lunch alfredo and the prime rib sandwich. Both were amazing. The food came out quickly and the waitress was very quick to get refills. read more

There was 12 in our party. The survivors did a great job. The food was 100% everyone had a good time and enjoyed the food they ordered

Still swooning. . . all the positive ratings validated! Visiting Nantahala Forest for a few days and looking for high-quality dinner. Caffe Rel did not disappoint! Setting is humble. Food is divine. Our server, Mae, was terrific. We savored homemade bread with brushetta (more like a caponata because capers), bacon-wrapped scallops and pasta, steak/shrimp scampi and an incredible three-layered chocolate cake. Yikes. Yum. Highly recommended. read more

Who'd guess the best restaurant in Franklin adjoins the Hot Spot gas station? Inside is nice and the food is tasty and portions generous! Very popular, but they don't take reservations. read more

Ok here is the real deal it is a gas station and food for a gas station it gets high marks best gas station food I ever had now far as fine dinning it is lacking while the smoked turkey blt was good it wasn't great and the French fries are bar chips and are ok fair food for a fair price nothing more ps the dinners are $$$ read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

Restaurant's have an important obligation to their customers; the responsibility to prepare food safely and protect patrons from food borne illness. Appropriate hand washing and using gloves is an obligation to the public. I witness numerous staff taking dirty dishes to the kitchen and returning to cut bread with no hand washing or gloves. Disgusted to know that my bread was wearing the dirty dishes germs of other patrons. Apparently this is an ongoing problem that the owner does not take as a serious health risk to the public. Most recent inspection from regulatory authority. https://public.cdpehs.com/NCENVPBL/INSPECTION_VIOLATION/ShowVIOLATIONTable.aspx?INSPECTION=3228057&ESTABLISHMENT=19772&esttst_cty=56 read more

A.T. THRU-HIKERS: GO HERE! Hands down best gas station food on earth. This place has great service, great food, and a great atmosphere. Yes, it is in a gas station, but in my opinion it adds to the restaurant, gives it character. The chicken cordon bleu was the best I've had ever, and was at a decent price. If you get a chance, go to this little, relatively unknown gem. read more

Wonderful lunch. My ravioli was beautifully presented and delicious to boot. read more

Caffe Rel - Awesome vodka ravioli. - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

Always great service and amazing entree's. The Chef always uses fresh high quality ingredients. Highly recommend!!

When I told Hubs we were having date night at the Hot Spot, I got the one-eyebrow cocked at me, the are-you-serious look. I insisted. True to the other reviews, it was delightful. Yes, it is next to the Hot Spot, and yes, the bathrooms are IN the Hot Spot, as is the ATM (which you need to know, since it is CASH and checks only). When we got there we were greeted by a very friendly host who was bringing wine (glass or bottle) out to waiting guests. There were already several parties waiting. Fortunately we only waited about 30 minutes. The interior is much more inviting than the exterior, so don't be put off. Our server was friendly and attentive. We split a garden salad that was really sized for a meal or to be split for 4 - seriously. More interesting was snails and tails - escargot and crawfish tails. We split the steak and shrimp entree over pasta, and somehow still ended up full. Food was well prepared (one of the better steaks I've had), ambiance was lovely, service was good. You really can't go wrong. read more

Phenomenal food!!! The wait was lengthy, but worth every minute. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone!!!

Absolutely amazing! Will be back! Richard the owner and chef was very nice. Best meal I have had in a long time! Price was not too bad for a great meal. Don't let the fact that it is attached to a hot spot scare you. Not at all what you would expect! Very pretty inside. And have to get the chocolate cake! read more

Caffe Rel - Surf and turf special 2-13-16 $23.99 - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

After hearing wonderful reviews about this place but for years always being thrown off because it is attached to a gas station, we finally decided to try it Saturday night and we are soooo glad we did!! They are social distancing each table and only sitting at 50% capacity so we felt safe. They didn't have their full menu that is displayed online, but they have a Covid menu that is still packed full of wonderful menu items! We got a cup of the Blue Crab Bisque and it was so good, next time we will get a bowl! We also got the Rosemary Mac & Cheese and the Steak and Shrimp Scampi. Both delicious! The steak had perfect seasoning! For dessert we topped it off with the Caramel Cake, yummy! The waitress was super sweet! Like all other reviews before say, don't let it being connected to the gas station deter you away! We are so glad we tried it finally and it will now be on our go to list when in Franklin!! read more

Great food!!! Awful service. Rude customer at the table next to ours. Yelled loudly at the waitress to bring her check. Oh, cash only. No credit cards. read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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Amazing. Big town taste in a great small town setting. Nestled in the mountains this is a true gem. If you are within a 50 mile radius passing through - than do yourself a favor and come get some shrimp and grits. Bon appetite! read more

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Great, made-from-scratch dishes for a moderate price. Generous portions--enough to share. read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

The server was very polite and knowledgeable too. The food was amazing! Will go back every time we visit Franklin! read more

ate there for lunch with a friend...awesome scallops and shrimp...and fun to have friendship over food..

Two locals recommended this place. They said the chef was amazing .... And the location quirky... Connected to a gas station. Checking into other reviews, we decided to give it a try. There was a wait ... Outside ... With a nice glass of Chardonnay. My husband had the park tenderloin special and I had the local trout. This was after trying the crab bisque (thank you reviewers!) (FYI - they sell the bisque by the quart). Our server was Mei, who has recently become a US citizen ... The restaurant had an awesome congratulations sign for her. So back to the amazing meal.... Everything was fantastic... Even the bread and fresh bruschetta type dip was perfect! We treated ourselves to the chocolate cake... Thank goodness we shared. So... If you are anywhere near Franklin.... Stop by .... You will be glad you did...and we may head there tomorrow for lunch on our way out of town. read more

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This restaurant is terrible. Cold appetizer, cold mushy vegetables, pasta tasted like lemon. Food was terrible. Service was good though.

Service and food were very good! Had the soft crab shell sandwich and the Angus Burger - both were delicious.

The Shrimp Provencale was one of the best meals I have ever had. The full bodied sauce gave the shrimp and noodles an exceptional flavor that goes beyond the butter and garlic dishes normally served. The desserts were hard to choose amongst but I was delighted with the Tiramisu. I highly recommend stopping and enjoying a meal and the excellent service. read more

Excellent food. No cocktail service and no plastic cards. A little pricey but a great place to lunch or dine with friends.

Connected to a gas station really sets expectations low for this place. It's probably the most well executed magic trick. All preconceived notions get thrown out the door once you've tasted the food here. Bread is soft, bruchetta is tasty, shrimp and grits was money. Nothing bad to say except I'm from Atlanta and you aren't located there. read more

I lived in Franklin years ago, and if this place had been here then, I would've had to think twice before I left! The meal I had was fantastic. Everything was fresh and delicious. And the Italian cream cake was good, too! Just remember to bring cash or a check with you, they don't take credit cards. read more

Food was good. Atmosphere was as confused as the menu though. For a French restaurant the menu looked more Italian with splashes of New Orleans and Curry to boot. Service was fine. Ultimately nothing to complain about just not great enough to bring me back. read more

guy fieri needs to triple D this place. Gas station food at its finest. Everything we had was good or great. Truly a unexpected meal in an unexpected place. read more

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We are from out of the area ( California) and had heard about this place from locals. Absolutely wonderful. Service is professional and friendly, food sooooo yummy and restaurant decorated really cute. Cash only (and they have some good wines by the bottle at decent price). Dress code anything from VERY casual to dinner formal, everyone will feel comfortable. Definitely will be back. read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

We had heard a lot about Caffe Rel from friends who spend the summer in Franklin and were eagerly anticipating visiting this restaurant. The exterior is a little deceiving as it is attached to a large Gas Station and covenience store. The large parking lot is always crowded when Caffe Rel is open. On the first visit I had the Shrimp and Grits. I love this dish and have had it at several places, the best being Sunset Grille In Hilton Head Island SC. No one has matched up to it until I had it here at Caffe Rel. True, while it did not have the usual Andouille Sausage added to it the excellent bacon gave it the elusive smoky flavor while the Hot Sauce kicked it up a notch. The Grits were perfectly cooked and just creamy enough to tempt the palate. There was absolutely no room for dessert but we did take home the HUGE Chocolate Cake slice for later. The second visit I had the Crawfish with Cognac on Linguine. The Crawfish were cooked perfectly, not rubbery, and the Cognac Cream Sauce was rich and full of flavor. Feeling very stuffed at the end, we had to regretfully decline the beautiful cake desserts that I could see from my chair. Make sure you have cash because they do not take credit cards! Limited Wine selection with no beer or alcohol available. However, you can bring your own wine or beer. There is a sign inside that says if you have reservations, then you are at the wrong place. If I go back again, I think I will try the Mac and Cheese with Rosemary and Gruyere and a Salad!!! read more

We were told our table will be ready in 20 minutes but we ended up waiting about an hour. The hostess was waiting for people to leave. Once we were seated our experience was good. The waitress came quickly with bread for my very hungry kids. My husband and I had the filet sandwich and it was wonderful. They also offered kid choices such as pasta with marinara and bow tie pasta. Great choice for dinner. read more

We LOVE this place. It is such a joy to come to a small town and find such a jewel. We have eaten here about 5 times, and every single time was a delight. The food is flavorful, creative and delicious, and the service is hopping. We love small towns, but one never knows what to expect in terms of dining. We don't want fancy..just good quality delicious food. This place hits the mark. And don't let me get started on their cakes!! OMG. read more

The food and the service here are incredible. I would highly recommend the crab bisque- it's so delicious! The menu was a reduced tonight but the classic Italian sandwich and the filet mignon sandwich were both very good. We also had a slice of caramel cake which I would also recommend. Can't ever go wrong when dining here! read more

I have been here numerous times for lunch and the food here is delicious! I had the Greek salad today and it was fresh and amazing. The only downside is they don't have high chairs for children and there is always a wait but the food is worth it! read more

My husband and I are here visiting friends. They told us we were going to the gas station for dinner. Well to my surprise this was a first class restaurant. Decor was a little eclectic kind of like the idea of restaurant next to gas station. Food was wonderful and presented very nicely and desserts were great. Some of the cakes I swear were 7-8 inches high. Beautiful looking. I had Key Lime Pie because that's all I had room far. Next time will try the cake also. read more

Caffe Rel never disappoints. Ordered takeout lastnight and curbside service was flawless. Food was super fresh and delicious. We ordered the filet sandwich, the Cuban and the blue crab soup - NEVER miss out on the soup! Will definitely make it a point to visit Caffe' Rel frequently. read more