Perenn - Franklin — Restaurant in Franklin

Being from Chicago, the 'food scene' is what I miss most, so I am thrilled to see a restaurant who excels in all aspects of the food service industry.  From the moment the Franklin location opened, our taste buds were forever changed! Truly, the croissant cinnamon roll is in the top 3  'best bites Ive ever had'. The lemon ricotta pancakes are a close second, tied with the soft scramble in a croissant. Salivating just typing this!

In addition to the food, the attention to detail and customer service are what elevates every experience we have had there. The owners CARE. Ive seen them restocking gum, washing dishes and assembling boxes. They support small-- their tables were made by a 2 person local furniture company, the little vases on the table, by a local gal. Do they need to have flowers for sale? No, but just another way to support a fellow local business. The passion behind what they do truly shows in every interaction. One of the owners took the time to tell me all about how they source their butter and how they mill their own flour. Details like this should not be lost on the consumer.

Which is why I was SHOCKED to see anything less than a 5 star review for Perenn. The 'overpriced' criticism is what always gets me. I certainly can't afford a Lamborghini, but does that make it overpriced? Not necessarily, its just OUT of my price range. Other folks complaining about parking. PARKING! Something that is certainly not an indication of a restaurants commitment to superior ingredients and a delightful dining experience.

I can't imagine opening a restaurant (let alone any business) in the age of social media. Having potential customers dream up a preconceived experience about your restaurant because they saw a 20 second reel on Instagram, only to enter the restaurant looking for a way to burst their own bubble with 'disappointment', and then head to their computer to tell the entire internet the croissant wasnt the perfect temperature and no one should ever consider dining at that establishment.

One of the reasons we moved to Franklin is because of the 'small town' feel. Folks are SO friendly, helpful and genuine. Which is why it made me so sad to read some of these negative reviews that completely dismissed the camaraderie that I so love about TN. Do yall realize that a family uprooted their lives from the other side of the country to come here and fulfill their dreams?! We need to be applauding them! I get that every single dining experience for every single person can't be a 10/10. But, maybe shoot them a DM, or an email with some constructive feedback. Im so proud to live here, but was so ashamed reading some of the outlandish criticisms of this business. Lets encourage the small businesses that open in our community and support the people who own and...

The food here is done pretty well. We got two breakfast sandwiches. One on a croissant and one on an English muffin. The iced latte with their homemade rosemary syrup was fantastic and unique. But unfortunately, we passed on the pastries, because honestly, every single one of them was overpriced. I couldn't justify paying $6 for a pain au chocolat when I saw the baker laying out hundreds of FROZEN pastries right in front of me!

We waited 40 minutes to get our food. My English muffin was hard as a rock. That typically happens when you freeze bread then try to microwave it from frozen. But the sausage, caramelized onion, and egg in the sandwich was delicious. The croissant was soft, but had little to no pull or texture to it.

Perenn claims to be a "European rotisserie, bakery, and cafe." I'd say it's an American tourist trap. Visit any boulangerie in France and they pride themselves on FRESH bread and pastries daily. Im not above eating a frozen pastry. I am above paying $6 for one.

Our bill for takeout was just under $50. We will come back for dinner or brunch because I didn't have the best experience here. I want to give it another shot! The outdoor patio is a vibe. But, the line inside clashed with the dining, which clashed with coffee orders being placed, which clashed with the togo coffee station. It seems they still have much to figure out.

I genuinely was hopeful about this place, but all I was left with was the impression that another pretentious restaurant cares more about their brand than the experience of their guests. Their packaging is beautiful, but incredibly unnecessary. Boxes and bags for every item with their logo on it drive up the price for the customer who uses that box or bag ONE time.

I asked about the steak entree for dinner and they told me it was a 6oz cut of Bavette for $36. Bavette is tender if cooked right, but I couldn't believe they actually have the audacity to charge that much for a 6oz cheap cut of beef.

Perenn has the most beautiful espresso machine I have ever seen. It must have cost them at least $40k. I guess that is why they charge $5 for an americano and $8 for a latte with their syrups. They need to make up the cost of their investment.

I see many reviews complaining about parking. Franklin has free parking garages. Park there and get your steps in. Most of us need it anyways. If not, you can validate parking inside.

As for my final thoughts of Perenn, I wished for a welcoming and warm experience. What I was left with was a hole in my pocket, a disappointed wait time, and a sad feeling that another restaurant cares more about their brand than their guests who...

Classic example of social media hype falling flat. Or maybe it does live up to the hype—if you consider that social media is mostly just curated marketing that rarely delivers in real life.

Let’s start with the parking: there’s no free parking, and the lot is chaotic. Not exactly a warm welcome.

There wasn’t a line when we arrived, but once inside, we found two lines with zero signage or direction. We went to the host stand (because what else are you supposed to do?) and were asked if we had a reservation. We didn’t. They told us they weren’t seating anyone else that day (it was 9:30am lol) but we could order takeout at the counter.

So we grabbed a menu from the host stand and stood in what we thought was the line—until someone waiting for their coffee let us know it wasn’t and that the takeout menu is actually different. Cool. So we moved to another line.

When we finally got to the bakery counter, the person ahead of us ordered the last almond croissant. We asked if there were any more and were told no—they might have more later, but they “don’t know when.” You place your pastry order with one person, but they don’t give it to you or take your name. Then you go to the register and place another order for food and drinks.

Here’s where it gets extra frustrating: the person who ordered the last almond croissant didn’t pay for it, and it was just sitting in a bag off to the side. We asked if we could buy it since it was the last one, and instead of just selling it to us, they turned around and asked the people behind us if it was theirs… after we’d already explained what happened. The whole process was disorganized and annoying.

Then, you have to sit outside in 90 degree heat—the shaded tables to the right of the building are blocked off for “reservations only” even though there are indoor tables available for those people (in the A/C). If you hate your walk in customers, just say that.

By the time I got my food (5–7 mins later), I went back in to get plastic ware and suddenly there were 12+ almond croissants back on the counter. So much for “we don’t know when more will be out.”

And the food? Underwhelming. The $12 avocado toast came on a small, thin slice of bread—definitely not thick or hearty enough to justify the price. The fruit + ricotta toast is pre-made and sitting in the pastry case, which is a big letdown for something at that price. By the time someone orders it, it’s likely soggy.

Overall, the vibes are cute—but the experience is not. Total letdown and will not return (even if the...