Zane the Bartender
Every now and then I encounter an exceptional bartender and for some reason it seems to be in the less likely of places. Sure there are a lot of really good bartenders in the world. New York City is known for them. And a London establishment, Tales of the Cocktail, just won 2017 Spirited Awards World’s Best Cocktail Bar. The bartenders at these places are exemplary at their craft and maybe it’s because, as PDT’s Jeff Bell’s, named the American Bartender of the Year, mother told him, “you’re the most amazing human ever because you do what you love.”
So when I was traveling around looking for a place to call home for a while, I landed in a small town south of Nashville called Franklin, Tennessee. I do a lot of travel research (understatement) so somehow I found The Honeysuckle and its bartender, Zane.
Zane exudes the kind of energy someone has when they’re clearly doing what they love. As soon as you walk into his bar, even before you sit down, you can see the excitement on Zane’s face. It’s as though he knows each and every patron who walks in the door at The Honeysuckle in Franklin, Tennessee where he works and manages the bar, is a new possibility. Maybe even a challenge. And even if I’m just having a glass of wine, which is often the case, he knows every wine they offer and by the end of my first visit, he also knew my tastes. This is incredible to me. Every single time I have been to his bar, and trust me, it is HIS bar when he is working, has been pure
delight.
It’s one thing to be able to craft an amazing cocktail but another to be able to make your guest feel at home. Feel as though they’ve found their “Cheers”. Zane has this effect on people. I know people who drive 40+ minutes just to come to The Honeysuckle to see Zane. I am not surprised one bit. I would do the same if I lived more than the 3 minute drive it takes for me to get there! (Yes, I really lucked out!) I noticed they have a “Meet Executive Chef Jim O’Connor” page on their website. No question the chef knows what he’s doing and deserves every accolade. If The Honeysuckle were my restaurant I would add a similar feature for Zane Triplett.
If you’re ever in the Nashville area and want to venture a bit south of the city, go to The Honeysuckle. The food is very good. And sit at the bar. Hopefully you’ll get lucky and Zane will be working. I won’t recommend anything but I will say that his lemon drop might be the best I have ever had. Just ask him to whip something up for you. I am certain you won’t be disappointed. You can see by just the photos featured here he has a plethora of creative cocktails in his repertoire! Here’s a link the The Honeysuckle:
PS Yes that it is a scorpion.
