It feels like in today’s world, grab-and-go meals and drive-thru windows often dictate our dining choices. Finding food that’s both convenient but also nourishing can feel like a luxury. More and more people are prioritizing dishes made with real ingredients that fuel busy days without sacrificing flavor or health. Luckily, our beloved Franklin is a community where mindful eating and mouthwatering cooking can happily coexist! Check out our favorite spots for a healthy meal below.
Herban Market
What started as a humble organic food market now shines as a full-scale restaurant, bakery, and coffee bar all under one roof. Herban Market offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a focus on real, thoughtfully sourced ingredients. Their mission: serve wholesome food made from scratch, with no seed oils, no artificial additives, and plenty of options for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or keto diets.
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Don’t miss their house-made bakery goods (fresh sourdough, buns, muffins), or the rotating olive-oil and balsamic tasting bar!
Flower Child
Flower Child brings its upbeat, “feel-good eats” vibe to Franklin’s Southside at McEwen. It’s the chain’s first Tennessee location, and it brings all the energy, color, and healthy convenience the brand is known for. Their menu features customizable bowls, wraps, salads, seasonal dishes, and plenty of mix-and-match veggies, fruits, grains, and proteins suitable for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo.
The space itself is friendly and art-filled, with a sunny, relaxed atmosphere ideal for casual lunches or feel-good dinners.
A few favorites: the “Avocado Caesar,” a fresh twist on the classic salad, and the gluten-free chicken enchiladas, packed with 47g of protein.
Chetzels Bakehouse
If you love baked goods but want to avoid gluten, grains, or seed oils, you have to try out Chetzels Bakehouse. This cozy bakehouse has carved out a niche by offering scratch-made, gluten-free, keto-, paleo-, and vegan-friendly treats. Karina and her crew were recently featured in an episode of Tennessee Crossroads showcasing their menu (and ethos) that emphasizes clean ingredients and mindful baking, rather than shortcuts.
Be sure to try their signature and namesake Chetzel while you’re there, a delicious grain-free pretzel that will have your mouth watering the moment you enter the door.
Perenn Franklin
Perenn Franklin brings a slice of European bakery-bistro charm to the heart of Franklin, with a riverside location in a restored boathouse on Main Street that overlooks the Harpeth River. Perenn has made a name for itself in the healthy eating scene in the Middle Tennessee area by refraining from using seed oils in their products, sourcing their grains from local farms, and milling their own organic flour that they use for their pastries onsite! They even sell 5-pound bags of their flour in-store for you to try your hand at making your own pastries at home. Enjoy a healthy breakfast, lunch, or dinner along the river or get it take-away.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, don’t miss the griddled banana bread with whipped butter. For something savory, the crispy brunch potatoes are a classic, but the standout dish has to be the Turkish eggs.
Health Sushi
Did someone say guilt-free sushi? Count me in! Health Sushi is locally owned, and Chef Joseph Khup sources only the best organic and wild-caught ingredients. Each item is made to order, ensuring the freshest and best quality sushi. Health Sushi also offers gluten-free and wheat-free options, catering to any dietary need you might have. The beautiful presentation of the specialty sushi rolls shows the care put into each item. The Tennessee Roll and Dragon Roll are two local favorites.
Franklin offers plenty of places where eating well still feels delicious. Next time you’re hungry, choose a spot that fuels you, body and soul. Enjoy!
