The Franklin

Very good food, excellent atmosphere with really good drinks. Our server, Tuesday, was terrific. Overall it was a very good night. The only downside is that it's a small dining room and the servers had very little room to get between the tables. We kept getting brushed as the tried to get by. Not badly, and we tried to keep our chairs in but still... The desert was one of the best we have ever had.

Since I heard that the owner of Groundswell Café in Tiverton opened a new restaurant in Bristol, I couldn’t wait to try it. My husband and I finally went to celebrate our anniversary, and it was such a wonderful experience. The restaurant was cozy, beautiful, and full of character. Every detail—from the interior design to the dishes, cutlery, and decorations—felt harmonious and thoughtfully curated. For appetizers, we had the French onion soup and mushroom croquettes. Both were delicious. For the main course, I had a creamy ravioli-style pasta, while my husband ordered the duck confit. The duck was perfectly cooked—crispy on the outside and tender inside, reminding us of Peiking duck. Dessert was hard to resist. We shared Chocolate pot de crème, a chocolate mousse topped with a delicate

The restaurant is beautiful and very very well designed. However, there are perhaps 2 tables too many as we found our romantic meal abutting another larger table always within earshot and rather cramped. One thing that got under my skin was the waiters hard sell of their $8 bottles of water. We were asked “is still ok?” Assuming this was tap, we were brought a bottle of water. Granted we could have declined it quickly when it arrived but we weren’t fast enough before the bottle was opened. This left us immediately feeling duped rather than welcomed. My cocktail was terrific and I loved the variety of liquor they packed into a small bar. At $20 it was on par with what I’d expect For our meal we ordered a cheese board which was minimalist in offerings, the filet and a fish dish both were

We tried Franklin on our recent trip to Newport. The place is cozy and the décor is just beautiful. It gives an old English aesthetic but with a new fresh vibe. Our cocktail was pretty and delicious. The tuna crudo was fresh and complimented well by the seasoning. Onion soup was good. Our entree the ravioli was a bit blend and the truffles lacked the truffle flavor. Desserts were again beautiful and tasty. The cheesecake is not traditional in looks but is light and flavorful. Overall it’s a 4.5 and would have been a 5 if our main entree was better. Good restaurant and will recommend.

I’ve been lucky enough to eat at some of the best restaurants in the world. It’s wonderful to dine in a place like Bristol and experience food, service, and ambiance on par with what you’d find in cities like Paris, New York, and London. Wow. From the filet to the pasta we were in love.