Vui’s Kitchen brings Vietnamese cuisine to Franklin

The long-awaited Vui’s Kitchen opened the doors Thursday to its fourth Middle Tennessee location, on Liberty Pike in Franklin, allowing the Williamson County community to enjoy its fresh, healthy Vietnamese dishes without having to trek up to Nashville. 

Mollie Murphree, CEO of Vui’s Kitchen, said they have had their eye on Franklin for a couple years and were excited to settle on Liberty Pike, in what she deemed the health district of Franklin, near Life Time Athletic and Williamson Medical Center. 

“(The menu) is also super healthy. We’re very dietary friendly, so pretty much our entire menu can be vegan, it can be gluten-free, it can be dairy-free, it can be soy-free,” Murphree said. 

Vui Hunt, who founded the restaurant with her husband John, said many of these recipes are her interpretation of those from her childhood. 

“A lot of people are so intimidated when they hear Vietnamese food,” she said. “I wanted to create a really approachable, simplified, easy menu.” 

She said she is excited to teach others through her menu of banh mi, pho, salads, noodle and rice bowls and more. 

“It’s not just family recipes,” she said. “Recipes are meant to be taught to learn the flavor profile.” 

Joey Marston, a Franklin resident and Vui’s first customer upon its opening Tuesday evening, shared she’s very excited to be able to enjoy the beloved restaurant without having to drive to Nashville’s Berry Hill neighborhood. 

Laura Benold, the marketing and communications director for the restaurant, said the restaurant gives 5% of its proceeds on a quarterly giving day to a charity, and Vui’s is excited to connect with local nonprofits and partner with local businesses in Franklin. 

For more information about the restaurant, visit vuiskitchen.com.