Highlands Supper Club

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To Southerners, supper clubs are revered hubs for friendship, fellowship, and, of course, fantastic food. Highlands Supper Club undeniably lives up to its name.

The restaurant opened in January 2025 in a 1930s log cabin built by renowned and prolific local builder Joe Webb. Many know the historic structure as the former Stringer family mountain home and, later, as home to The Log Cabin restaurant. It is now part of the recently renovated and reopened (in fall 2024) Trailborn Highlands boutique hotel property (see April/May 2025 issue).

Executive Chef Aaron Kulzer believes any successful restaurant focuses on keeping things fresh, local, and sustainable. His menu reflects a blend of Southern comfort foods and Appalachian cuisine “done right,” with thoughtfully injected Lowcountry and Cajun influences. It reflects his Southern Mississippi roots, complementing culinary techniques acquired while working in restaurants from his home state down to the Florida Keys, over to Texas, north to Vermont, and even as far west as Oregon, training with top chefs like Jeremy Noffke along the way. The result is a menu unlike anything on the plateau.

Think traditional with a touch of the unexpected. The blue crab, smoked tomato, and Benton’s bacon deviled egg appetizer filling has the fluffiness only Duke’s mayonnaise affords, and a subtle zing from a bit of crab boil. Butter-rich biscuits have the pull-apart flaky layers of a croissant. Sparingly added sorghum gives a surprising crunch to the pecan-encrusted rainbow trout entrée.

Think fresh and locally sourced. Premium beef, including the 8-ounce American Wagyu Bavette Steak, comes from Providence Farmstead in Otto, North Carolina. Produce and eggs come from 3 Barn Farm in nearby Franklin. Trout Fingers on the Kids menu are 100% fresh fish, cut lengthwise. The only canned goods in the kitchen are San Marzano tomatoes and tomato paste, used solely in the Southerner’s Cioppino, a fish stew with a Lowcountry succotash of lima beans and bacon and Cajun crawfish.

Elk Tenderloin, a nod to Appalachian cuisine, is served with white cheddar Anson Mills grits, asparagus and a red wine demi-glace. Chef Aaron doesn’t overcomplicate his dishes. “I just use good flavors that pair well with the meat,” he explains.

Mushroom Barbecue, a vegetarian and vegan dish made from braised, smoked Highlands Lion’s Mane mushrooms served with Carolina barbeque sauce, warm potato salad, asparagus and napa slaw, has proven surprisingly popular.

Chef Aaron’s menu pays homage to his Southern ancestors and hundreds more who have carried on the simple tradition of cooking things correctly. His unanticipated touches aim to enhance, not corrupt.

Served parfait style in a mini mason jar, the Banana Pudding dessert layers vanilla custard, fresh bananas and crushed vanilla wafers, topped with whipped cream, a whole vanilla wafer and brûléed banana.

Chef Aaron realizes many Highlands Supper Club patrons dined in the historic cabin during its tenure as The Log Cabin. Patrons have been married in front of its main fireplace, celebrated special occasions, and made memories with friends old and new within its walls of tried and true thickly chinked logs. “Our goal is to trigger and build on those memories and experiences while making new ones,” he explains.

From the moment you arrive, it feels like you’re going to a treasured friend’s home for supper. Outdoor chairs surround a conversational fire pit. As you near the front door, the hostess graciously opens it with a warm smile and welcomes you inside. Well-worn hinges creak as the door eases closed. A roomy lobby with plentiful cushioned seating invites you to settle in and stay a while. The delicate scent of a wood-burning fireplace, complete with pops and crackles, permeates the air from the room beyond. To the left, a cozy bar offers an exciting selection of beverages from the conventional to the creative—smoky bourbon cocktails and ample selections of spirits, wine and beer. Barely audible background music takes an intentional back seat to conversation.

Think rustic meets refined. Servers enhance the atmosphere through seamless, purposeful, well-paced attention to detail. Dessert spoons slide onto the table as dinner plates are cleared. Steak knives are placed at appropriate settings before entrees arrive. Specials are described with clarity. Questions are welcome. Flawless. To Chef Aaron, “hospitality” in the South is not defined only by customer service. “It is about taking care of each other, knowing what someone needs before they ask,” he emphasizes.

Chef Aaron is a humble, visible presence. Although he’s been cooking for 16 years and has been a chef for eight, don’t be surprised if he delivers part of your meal or stops to chat about your dining experience. “I own every part of what happens in the restaurant,” he emphasizes. “We want people to feel at home and valued when they sit down for a meal, and I want to learn about their experiences firsthand.”

Entrees are priced from $26 to $44, with most at $28, which is quite reasonable given their fresh ingredients, generous portions, and inclusion of pairings. Additional sides, such as Bacon Braised Collards, Limpin’ Susan, and Mac & Cheese, can also be ordered for the table.

During the summer season, supper shifts will expand to seven days a week and brunch to Saturdays and Sundays. The menu will also be tweaked to incorporate seasonal ingredients.

“Patrons will never get bored by the menu,” promises Chef Aaron.

Reservations can be made on OpenTable.com.