Friday Night Fun in Franklin
What a fun night in Franklin, IN! Brick oven pizza and classic films. How can you go wrong? Right?
During a recent weekend trip to Franklin, IN we enjoyed a wonderful evening in the darling downtown. Franklin has a beautiful courthouse surrounded by shops, restaurants, and businesses. A true traditional small town square. Thanks to our favorite resource Yelp, we began the evening with dinner at Richard’s Brick Oven Pizza. The outside was simple and unassuming, but inside was warm and inviting. The pizza oven was front and center, the decor was eclectic (lots of fun artwork, a small stage for live music, etc.). There is even a patio out back for outside seating.
Our server, Dominic was friendly and attentive. If you eat at Richard’s, ask for him! He knew the menu inside and out and was able to make recommendations. In fact, for the calzone, we asked him just to make one that would be amazing, and he came up with the following: roasted red peppers, cajun sausage, goat cheese, bacon and homemade alfredo sauce on the side. Yum! For the vegetarians in our family, we split a Greek/Margarita pizza and an absolutely amazing Caprese salad. The tomatoes in the salad were fresh from the local Farmer’s Market. My kind of salad!
Sodas were all homemade with no fake flavoring, and the soda was also used in the mixed drinks. I indulged in a Hoosier Donkey – love that name! It was basically a Moscow Mule but made with Indiana vodka and Richard’s homemade ginger beer. Tasty.
Richard’s is absolutely a place I’d go back to next time we find ourselves in Franklin.
After dinner, the weather was perfect – warm but not hot, so we walked over to the Artcraft Theatre. The Artcraft was built in 1922. In 1948 it was renovated – all the beautiful Art Deco lighting, streamlined lines, etc. were added. That look is still in place today. I love that this theater is running classic movies constantly.
Tickets are affordable, as are concessions and you don’t just get a movie with your admission – I’d call it more of an experience! There are drawings for prizes, a cartoon short before the film and of course the actual film itself. The Artcraft also holds special event nights – a few coming up are the movie Clueless with a glass of local wine and Talladega Nights with a glass of local beer.
We enjoyed the classic 1945 movie Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra and Gene Autry. It was a fabulous experience for all of us, but especially the kids who have rarely seen older movies. My daughter especially loved it – she immediately went to Google to find more old movies to watch.
There are so few old restored theaters left that are this well-maintained and used! I highly recommend taking in a show if you get a chance.
Richard’s Brick Oven Pizza, 229 South Main St.; (317) 738-3300; https://richardskitchen.com/
Historic Artcraft Theatre, 57 North Main St.; (317) 736-6823; https://www.historicartcrafttheatre.org/
Thanks again to the Festival Country CVB and the Artcraft Theatre for sponsoring parts of our weekend in Franklin, the opinions expressed are all my own.
