Open Table Ranks Franklinville Inn Among Top 100

OpenTable has released its Top 100 Romantic Restaurants in America for 2025 and the local Franklinville Inn made the list. Open Table is an online restaurant-reservation company.

“Whether seeking an intimate spot for a first date or a lively atmosphere for a double date, OpenTable’s Top 100 Romantic Restaurants list offers diverse options from coast to coast,” an OpenTable representative said. “The list is compiled by analyzing more than 10 million diner reviews, along with diner ratings, reservation demand, percentage of five-star reviews among other factors, and features a diverse list of restaurants perfect for any occasion.”

According to its website, the Franklinville Inn captures the quaint charm of days when Benjamin Franklin traveled through town to Cape May. In the late 1700s the nearest ocean resort to the first capital of our nation, Philadelphia, was Cape May, New Jersey. Cape May was an extremely popular resort, drawing aristocrats from many of the original colonies. Cape May was an 85-mile stagecoach ride from Philadelphia on what today is known as Delsea Drive, which stretches from the Delaware to the sea. When a coach reached Franklinville from Philadelphia, one-third of the trip was completed. On the return trip from Cape May, Franklinville was an exhaustive 56-mile journey. This Stagecoach Stop was there to offer warm hospitality to those early travelers.

So began the life of this little village situated on Reed’s Branch, a part of the headwaters of the Maurice River. It consisted of the hotel at the Stagecoach Stop, a sawmill, three general stores, two churches and several dwellings.