One of the best restaurants I have found anywhere. When I saw the gas station I was apprehensive about it but Im glad we went in. The food is spectacular and so is the service. read more

It would be so easy to skip this place if you only noticed the humble exterior. But doing so would mean missing out on the treasure to be found inside. There was a time in my life when I believed the best Shrimp & Grits could only be found in historic oceanside cities like Charleston SC or Mobile AL. But now the top of my list for that meal is the tiny mountain town of Franklin NC in their hidden gem called Caffe Rel. read more

Great restaurant. If I could give this place more stars I would. The menu has something for everyone and the prices are very reasonable. Don't let the location (attached to a gas station) scare you off. The atmosphere inside is very nice. Our waiter Steve went above and beyond. If you're anywhere nearby check Caffe Rel out. You won't be disappointed read more

Do not let the location fool you, this is a hidden gem! My favorite is the Caffé Portabella - the aioli is simply amazing. My last visit I decided to get the coconut shrimp appetizer. The shrimp was perfectly cooked and was paired with a tangy pineapple sauce. Always appreciate a visit to this place! read more

Caffe Rel - Coconut shrimp - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

The trifecta - great food, excellent service and who can argue with the ambience of a gas station? It all works perfectly.

Come hungry because the portion size is generous! We were so impressed with this place on our ride through town... don't let the location deter you. The crab soup is a must. The waitstaff are fantastic and prices are very reasonable for the high quality food. A small but nice wine list. We did not have room for dessert but they looked impressive. read more

Delightful atmosphere and delicious food . Very considerate staff and highly Professional appearances! Wonderful food

Flew into Franklin for a weekend in Highlands and stopped at Caffe Rel. Apparently the chef used to work at the Greenbriar and i think was a James Beard winner. (I did not get close enough to the award to read it). So of course the food is wonderful. I had the lunch portion of Black Muscles over linguine. They were some of the best I have had . We skipped dessert but they looked wonderful. I would love to come back and try more menu items. I really recommend this restaurant for anyone traveling to or through this area. read more

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This is a must for everyone. Great choices and specials. Many great choices that it was hard to Decide. Nice bread and tomato/oil to start. I had the Linguine with meat balls, my husband had the tornadoes with mushrooms. Both were excellent. We did take a huge piece of carrot cake home for later. Wish we lived closer so we could come more often. Wait staff was attentive and she knew the menu and ingredients. Cute little place in the back of a gas station--- but wow a wonderful experience. read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

Great food and wonderful service. Because this restaurant is only open Wednesday through Saturday, we have never had an opportunity to try it. We have always heard great things but didnt realize it would be excellent. Once you are seated, fresh bread is brought to your table, this is so good. We started with a fresh ceasar salad, I ordered the carbonara, best I have had in a long time. My hubby ordered the meatballs and marinara, it was so tasty as well. Definitely going to be a regular stop for dinner read more

Caffe Rel - Restaurant area - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

Food was not cooked correctly the pasta involved in this dish Service well slack not the best we have ever had and for the cost it should have been top notch read more

I'm happy to update my previous review. After a bit of a rough stretch Caffe Rel has turned things around and I can once again recommend eating here. The problems I had with hours of operation and service have been resolved. The food was never in question. Always delicious! read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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I thought the reviews here were mixed, & most weren't very recent. Trip Advisor and Google had a better showing. We dined at Caffe Rel on 10/26 & did not have a single complaint. Our server was Mei & she was fantastic, helpful, and attentive! There were 5 in our party- we all ordered something different and we all loved our entrees and each others'. Mei brought three orders of really soft, warm French bread to the table with a chunky marinara. Three of us ordered cocktails and loved them. I'd say you cannot go wrong choosing Caffe Rel for a nice dinner out!! read more

Location will throw you off, don't let it. Enter and eat. Big selection on the menu. Ambiance was quant and small. 4 of us all had different entries, all were to die for. Great appetizers with bread and oil. Service with Bella was fast and we received everything we ask for. 2 thumbs up. read more

Came here for lunch around 1 and it was very busy inside so we ended up sitting outside. Our orders came out very quickly. The server was friendly and came around to check in just enough. Food was pretty tasty. Would recommend. read more

Don't judge a book by its cover... it shares the building with a gas station , but physical space is separate. Server was delightful and attentive. She also wore many hats: baker and bartender as well. However , she's not responsible for the food. Ordered the house salad (just romaine , that's it), crab bisque (flavor was excellent but way too runny , no thickening agent .) . I ordered the house shrimp pasta dish that only had 4 shrimp on it with a few snow peas on the side ????? and again , chef had something against a thickening agent .... My husband also ordered a pasta dish and had the same experience. Needed a spoon. Also, menu said fresh linguine and we were served bow tie. Other folks' sandwiches looked good. Probably should stick to the basics as the entrees were not in their wheel house. Desserts looked great but wasn't willing to risk it given the disappointment. Raspberry margarita special was perfect and generous. So to say the least it was a mixed bag. I'd try the sandwiches but will abstain from the main courses. Slim pickings in. This part of the world. read more

Café Ariel was anything but what we expected. Even though the management/staff are you otherwise the food is clearly based in Italian cuisine. Most every dish served with or next to with some kind of sauce that best came out of a jar. The best they offered was a reasonable wine selection for the Franklin town area. we did have the scallop appetizer to share while reading the menu. Unfortunately, it appears to have been sitting for quite a while. The scallops had a bit of a fishy smell, and the bacon wrap was nearly crisp enough to break your teeth. Again personal preference but not what I expected. I would strongly suggest they label themselves "Italian" cuisine. Also do not expect much for ambience. The restaurant is directly behind a service station and Quik Mart. Also, interesting enough the bathrooms are shared with the gas station and required the guest to walk into the gas station area to reach the bathrooms. Interesting read more

The highest professionalism. Very good food and service. Extensive menu and all attached to a gas station.

Visited back in 2001/2 with a couple of excellent experiences. Now, a bar & expanded dessert menu were added, BUT food quality is poor, too much sauce & tastes of less than fresh ingredients. Very good service from May. Same setting. Seems the once special spot has settled for a predictable too big menu with large sauced portions. Beware, the filet mignon medallions in pastry are not medallions-- just thin slices of overdone round stead piled inside a pastry with mounds of salty sauce. Disappointed at such a once delightful delicious secret spot. read more

Absolutely unexpected and amazing from start to finish. Amazing great and bruschetta to start. Crab bisque spectacular. Kids had giant spaghetti and meatballs and Alfredo...both delicious and enough for lunch the next day! No joke, and we've lived all over the US and abroad, some of, if not, the best Linguini and Clams I've ever had. Chopped clams, whole clams, fresh garlic (a lot!), absolutely delicious. Caramel cake and great wine as well. Service was incredible...like we were family. Don't forget to buy a round of beers for the kitchen . Oh yeah...and ignore that it's connected to a gas station!!!! Once inside, it's a super cute family feel joint!!! Can't wait to go back! read more

Don't let the location or exterior fool you. This place is either the greatest gas station eatery in the world, or simply an incredible world class restaurant that just happens to be to be attached to a gas station. We loved the service and food here. The atmosphere seemed to be an eclectic mix of vintage and bistro inspired decor with a bit of truck stop ambiance thrown in for good measure. None of this mattered though once the food arrived. I was not prepared for how good the Steak Tournado was. Can't say enough about it. Absolutely wonderful discovery. Can't wait to go back! read more

Don't let the location throw ya! This is a Local Gem! from the Ambiance to the staff and needless to say the FOOD is fantastic! we eat there every chance we get! The Blue crab bisque (Made Fresh daily) is fantastic we sometimes go by and pick up a quart to go! give it a try you won't be sorry! My compliments to the Chef! read more

I've traveled all over the world and this is some of the best food I've ever had. It was an amazing surprise. Highly recommend! read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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I have eaten their for years and never had an experience like last night, Went with five people, had horrible SERVICE and was charged $3,50 to share a salad, Not informed of the charge up front! On top of the poor service at a 5 pm, they were out of five different menu items,and had few desserts items available, The NEW MANAGEMENT can say goodbye to me and all my friends in the Waynesville area, NOT driving 45 minutes for a BAD EATING EXPERIENCE!!! read more

What a fantastic find! Absolutely delicious, delightful servers in front of house staff, expert cooks behind the kitchen wall. We will definitely be back and we are so grateful to have this right here in our own backyard! read more

Didn't know what to expect as it is attached to a gas station. Once you are inside it feels very warm and cozy. Wonderful food and wine choices. read more

Always a winner and now taking credit cards! Hidden gem (in a gas station!) with consistent great food...surprisingly gourmet for a small town restaurant. read more

I come to Waynesville often and always made it a point of driving over to Feanklin (a 45 minutes drive) to eat at Cafe Rel. Drove over in the rain, with 4 others to be there at 5PM. Sat down and was given a long list of what was not available! Ordered a dish med/rare that had a baked crust. It arrived no crust and was then told the oven us broken. The meat was WELL DONE, not as ordered! Service was a 1, as she plopped the food down, NEVER to be seen again until the bill came. BTW desserts were also scarce.... Very disappointed and paid an extra 4% to use my credit card. I blame it on POOR MANAGEMENT. I'll NEVER go back and I'll pass the word around, that it's two** place! read more

We've eaten here a couple of times and the experience has been equally good both times. I've had the meatball sandwich and the Cuban sandwich. My wife has had the carbonara both times (obviously loved it). The portions are huge and I'd recommend to split a salad and an entree. And I'd definitely split a piece of cake also. The chocolate it my fav. Great place, very good food, and the service is also solid. Highly recommend a lunch or dinner here. read more

Literally, in a gas station. But, it was by far, one of the best meals we've ever had. I got the catfish creole and it came with roasted broccolini and scalloped potatoes. My husband got the bow tie pasta with sausage and shrimp. AMAZING! Cheris, our server was great. Knew all the answers to our crazy questions, and even shared the secret to their amazing veggies. My plan is to sneak back to NC at least once a year to visit Cheris and have an amazing 5 star meal! read more

Caffe Rel - Catfish Creole, broccolini, scalloped potatoes and bow tie pasta with shrimp and sausage. - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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Food was good, not as good as we had a few years ago but still good. Nice friendly staff. We will certainly be back!

Prior to the new ownership, the restaurant was know for fine food priced for the working class. No More. Before the take over the pot roast was $16.95. Two months later, $23.95. The staff is fine but the gentleman, one of the owners, has zero personality or interest in building a relationships with his customers. Very disappointing. The invaders from the south could care less but the locals are irritated by it as there are too few restaurants to dine at here in Franklin already. read more

Delicious food and friendly service! A bit crowded, but only because everyone wants to eat there! Prices are comparable to other restaurants these days. I highly recommend going there! read more

The wait for one of the seven available outside tables was about 35-40 minutes. They currently only have outside seating. The waitress was nice and kept my drink filled up. The bread with oil and tomato dipping sauce was good, some mozzarella would of gone great with it. The meatball marinara with linguine was really good. The macaroni and cheese tasted really good also. Cash or check only so be prepared for that. read more

Caffe Rel - Linguine and Meatballs - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

We were looking for a place for lunch when we got gas. This restaurant is in the same building and were amazed at the menu and the food. Despite it being crowded we were quickly seated and served. Save room for dessert made in house. read more

One of our most favorite places to eat! Cajun/French! Mussels aioli appetizer is to die for. Always consistently quality. Their fettuccine Alfredo is so decadently rich! read more

Caffe Rel - Mussels Aioli - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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My friends and I ate at several restaurants while in the Asheville area and Caffe Rel was my favorite. I had the salmon and the mix of flavors was delicious! We split the Carmel cake and, even though I'm not a big cake fan, this had to be one of the tastiest desserts I've ever had. Service was great and attentive and even though this restaurant was in 1/2 of a gas station, the decor was fine. It just underscores the fact that when the food is good, the location doesn't matter. read more

Grandpa was right! When Richard Long was around the service was better and we should've stuck with sunshine as they are far more welcoming. At this facility there was only one nice lady; an older blonde woman. We arrived maybe around 2pm and weren't 100% sure on the signage but gave it a try. Had we been turned around, due to the handwritten message, we would've had zero issue and gone elsewhere- yet we were seated. I caught the young brunette, with accent, waitress talking about us negatively (she seated us) to a gentleman which I knew they noticed I became aware of their chatter thus he turned around quickly thinking I wouldnt be able to hear him - I have good ears so I did. Again, if you close at 2:30, for an hour, why in the world would you seat a patron let alone take their orders? Money tight in a small community? I would say staff needs to follow their own signage especially when asking, via the printed sign, to please be kind to staff. Maybe be kind and not whisper negatively about patrons whom you, as staff, chose to seat vs kindly turn away. Trust me, we would have had no problem and gone elsewhere. Food was OK, not great. My husband had a filet minion sandwich which stated would be sliced but the meat came cubbed. My eldest daughter's sandwich had far too much oil. All in all, this is a one and done and will be sticking with sunshines for lunch both for service and quality when we visit from the west coast. read more

Caffe Rel - Staff should do the same "Be kind" - especially the young brunette with heavy makeup and an accent. - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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My parents have raved about this place for a month or so; so when my hubby and I got into town my dad took us. As I sat waiting for my food, I looked at the decor. The decor is antique crossed with a little vintage and I loved it! They had this old cabinet with a clock built in that I'm in love with (I love old clocks). Once the food came it was time to stuff my face. My dad got the shrimp and grits, my hubby got a pork shank or something like that, and I got a rueben. The food was delicious. I took a bite of my dad's meal and thought wow the flavors are insane. My hubby's meal had tender meat and was also very flavorful. My meal was pretty good too. When we are back in town again we will be back I'm sure. read more

Caffe Rel - American Near Me - Franklin, North Carolina

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Watch out! Once you taste the food here, you'll never want to go elsewhere. And the desserts? Holy moly, if u are on a diet, turn your head away from the countertop where the sweets are lined up And in Full view. And the wine? Even the cheapest glass at Rels is quality, not like what other restaurants serve on the low end. From fresh catch to burgers and everything in between, you can't go wrong. It's all fantastic At Rels. read more