This here is the picture of small business. When you support a small business, you’re supporting regular people who probably live right inside your town. These two wonderful people are the face of Father Tom’s Pub.
Actually, Tom here is the actual face of Father Tom’s if you notice the logo in various places around the pub! Kidding aside, Tom and Jennifer are sweet, caring locals who work hard and care about their business. It’s evident when you talk to them as they boast about their staff by name, or when they recommend meals they personally enjoy from the menu, all along crediting their excellent chef.
Friendly, Hard-working Staff
They aren’t wrong, either. Every member of their staff that we’ve encountered so far is working hard at their job. Every time we come in, we have the sweetest young server in the world, and she’s so kind and friendly. I can’t imagine a single person in the world being anything but thrilled to have her as their server. The bartenders are kind, other waitresses always friendly. Obviously, our only contact with Chef Steve has been with his delectable masterpieces but we’ll get to that in a minute!
Ambiance
My husband and I love the look of Father Tom’s Pub. So much of the artwork that lines the walls actually comes from local high school performances that have ended. How’s that for supporting local?
The walls also feature other artwork, like pretty cork creations, and photographs of loved ones. The outside seating areas have lovely decor too. Father Tom’s is just its own quaint, original place that truly gives you that real, family feel in a community.
The bar is stocked heavily with beer from local breweries and while I personally do not drink, I love seeing so many of our local breweries displayed up there. Another point for community!
Phenomenal Food
Lovable owners, a great staff, and flowing ambiance are spectacular benefits to any restaurant but the food is always reason number one that we will come back to any place and that is the case with Father Tom’s Pub.
Long menus get confusing and short menus are boring but Father Tom’s menu is just the perfect length to keep you interested and trying new variations all the time. We’ve enjoyed starting off with the bruschetta (pictured) and also the cheddar soup, which I must say was also delicious leftover with soft pretzels the next day.
Every main course we’ve tried has been mouth-watering and completely different from the one before it. The Bernie Mac is a popular dish which is hot honey wings mixed with white cheddar macaroni and cheese. The Nine Iron (pictured) is a corned beef sandwich with bacon and garlic aioli. My husband said it was to die for so it’s next on my list!
The dessert menu is short and sweet and that’s all it needs to be because my heart beats for their crème brûlée (pictured) every time.
The main takeaway about Father Tom’s menu for me is that it’s pretty original, consisting of a lot of things I don’t find elsewhere. They know what they’re doing in the kitchen and serve me a platter of perfection every time.
I call Father Tom’s my favorite local treasure because I love every single thing about it and if there was ever a restaurant (or pub!) that made Tennessee feel like home to us, it’s this one. My husband and I regularly enjoy date nights here and always plan to recommend Father Tom’s to anyone local or visiting the Cookeville area of Tennessee!
COVID-19 Practices
Until the chaos is over, I want to mention that Father Tom’s is functioning a bit differently and to share those details with you. Dine-in is not currently open (I will update this when that changes). They are offering take-out, take and bakes, and to-go beverages and growler fills (bring your own growler!). Follow Father Tom’s on Facebook to keep up-to-date with the latest menu, brought to you by Chef Steve. Since the state changes began, they’ve featured meals like crab cakes and salad, stuffed peppers, beef and broccoli – all $16 for 2 people.
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