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Puckett's Grocery & Restaurant

4142 Old Hillsboro Rd., Franklin, TN - (615) 794-1308
Posted By Michael Stern on 9/23/2007 11:05:00 PM
Puckett's is in a part of Franklin known as historic Leiper's Fork. We're not sure about its original historical claim to fame, but we did see a significant pop culture artifact parked right nearby: the General Lee (from "Dukes of Hazard"), apparently purchased by local resident celebrity Alan Jackson and now on display for all to enjoy.

Our Franklin friend Roger Waynick brought us here because he figured this was the kind of Roadfood place we'd like. Wow, was he right. It is one of those multi-purpose establishments that is a joy to browse as well as to eat at. It is a café; it is a grocery store with shelves that include boxed and canned foods as well as bins of farm-fresh tomatoes and potatoes; and it has a small array of dry goods for sale, too. A scattering of mismatched tables occupy the front of the store, to the side of which is an open kitchen where meals are cooked and assembled.

Hamburgers are excellent: thick, hand-pattied rounds sizzled to order and piled into buns with bouquets of garnishes and condiments; you can also get a fried bologna sandwich and the local favorite, pimiento cheese. But it's meat-and-threes that call out to us. The Monday we came to lunch the star attraction was pulled pork, which we watched yanked from the roast with tongs and plated along with broccoli rice casserole, green bean casserole, and a pair of moist, onion-dotted corn cakes hot off the grill.

Several pies are available for dessert, but who can resist a nice piece of red velvet cake?

Sundays feature a buffet of what the management calls "Southern-style dress-up fare." Friday nights starting at 5:30 guests wine, dine, and are then entertained by local musicians (reservations required).

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Scorecard

5 - Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Overall: Legendary - Worth driving from anyplace
Hamburger
Red Velvet Cake
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The beauty of pulled pork, aside from its delicious taste, is variety: shreds, chunks, velvet-tender nuggets, crusty edges from the outside of the roast, lean strips, and veins of meltaway fat.
" The beauty of pulled pork, aside from its delicious taste, is variety: shreds, chunks, velvet-tender nuggets, crusty edges from the outside of the roast, lean strips, and veins of meltaway fat."
Michael Stern





The pork is pulled to order. It is moist, piggy, and impossible to stop eating. There's sauce available, but we needed none. To the left are a couple of corn cakes. Above that, broccoli rice casserole, and in the upper right, green bean casserole topped with fried onions.
" The pork is pulled to order. It is moist, piggy, and impossible to stop eating. There's sauce available, but we needed none. To the left are a couple of corn cakes. Above that, broccoli rice casserole, and in the upper right, green bean casserole topped with fried onions."
Michael Stern


This beautiful hamburger is hand-pattied and cooked to order. It's thick, so it takes a while to cook.
" This beautiful hamburger is hand-pattied and cooked to order. It's thick, so it takes a while to cook."
Michael Stern


Puckett's banana pudding is thick and luxurious.
"Puckett's banana pudding is thick and luxurious."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle


Sweet as the dickens, red velvet cake is a Southern dessert we find impossible to resist.
" Sweet as the dickens, red velvet cake is a Southern dessert we find impossible to resist."
Michael Stern


Of the many fine-looking dessert options, the colorful blackberry cobbler jumped out at us. Puckett's has a homemade cobbler everyday.
"Of the many fine-looking dessert options, the colorful blackberry cobbler jumped out at us. Puckett's has a homemade cobbler everyday."
Cliff Strutz


Oh how we longed for a sample of the smoking meats! But we tried so hard to pace ourselves during the Roadfood tour.
"Oh how we longed for a sample of the smoking meats! But we tried so hard to pace ourselves during the Roadfood tour."
Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle


Puckett's is The Hub of Leiper's Fork, meaning you can come here to buy groceries, eat a meal, listen to music on Friday nights, and enjoy a big after-church buffet on Sundays. This view from the front of the store shows dining tables in the foreground and grocery shelves in the back. The open kitchen is at the right. To the left is Jane, sitting with our friend Roger Waynick, who clued us in to this great country eatery.
"Puckett's is The Hub of Leiper's Fork, meaning you can come here to buy groceries, eat a meal, listen to music on Friday nights, and enjoy a big after-church buffet on Sundays. This view from the front of the store shows dining tables in the foreground and grocery shelves in the back. The open kitchen is at the right. To the left is Jane, sitting with our friend Roger Waynick, who clued us in to this great country eatery."
Michael Stern


Every table at Puckett's is a little bit different.
"Every table at Puckett's is a little bit different."
Michael Stern


Just outside of camera view are the gas pumps outside.
" Just outside of camera view are the gas pumps outside."
Michael Stern


Jane stands next to the General Lee, star of the car-lover's TV show,
"Jane stands next to the General Lee, star of the car-lover's TV show, "Dukes of Hazard.""
Michael Stern



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