Mellow Mushroom

Don and I ate lunch on Sunday at one of our favorite restaurants, Mellow Mushroom. There are two in the Nashville area: one on 21st Avenue South near Vanderbilt, and one on the square in Franklin. We usually go to the Franklin one because the parking is better (there is a multi-level garage right behind it that is free to park in), and since part of my growing-up years were spent in Franklin, I like to go back and visit there. I like the atmosphere at that one better too. Our visits there usually accompany a trip back to visit my old church, Christ Community, which I miss, though I like the church I go to now as well.

It is a very casual Italian restaurant. The staff all dress hippie-style. The food is delicious. Don loves their calzones, and has never ordered anything else. I like them too, but they’re really too much for me to eat by myself (Don is always happy to help me). I also like their Hawaiian pizza and meatball hoagies. Besides pizza, sandwiches and calzones, they also serve salads and various appetizers. I’ve had their garlic bread with cheese, which was pretty good. The prices are not too bad. A small Hawaiian pizza is $8.75, but most of their other pizzas are in the $12-13 range for a small. The calzones are $7.50 for just cheese, but more if you add ingredients. They are really enough for 2 people, unless they are bottomless pit-types like my husband. Their sandwiches are $4-5 for a half, which is enough for most people.

We’ve never had to wait very long for a table. They offer outdoor seating right on the square in Franklin, so there is a lot going on to watch while you eat. I think this restaurant is a nice little hang-out and would recommend it to anyone.