Longtime Franklin restaurant to close

Wegner’s St. Martins Inn, a casual fine dining spot in Franklin known for its fish fry, will soon close its doors after nearly three decades in business.

The restaurant at 11318 W. St Martins Road will have its final dinner service on Saturday, June 1, owners Dennis and Kathie Wegner announced in a Facebook post Tuesday. The closure comes as the couple plans to retire. 

“We know our goodbye is fast, but this is the right time for our future. Thankfully nothing is forcing us to make this decision other than knowing we aren’t guaranteed tomorrow and it’s time for our next step,” they wrote. 

The husband-and-wife duo opened St. Martins Inn in 1997. Dennis had built a successful culinary career working at iconic German restaurant Mader’s in downtown Milwaukee for  nearly 22 years, rising the ranks from sous chef, to night chef — serving more than 700 people on some Saturday nights — and then executive head chef, according to Saint Martins’ website.

Dennis’s experience cooking German entrees as well as Italian cuisine, seafood and steaks helped inspire the casual fine-dining concept behind St. Martins.

“It has been an extraordinary journey filled with memories, stories, special occasions, and countless amazing meals. As we step into this new chapter of our lives, we want to express our deepest gratitude to our customers, employees, and supporters who have been with us every step of the way. We can’t thank you enough for your patronage and are grateful you were willing to wait for Friday Fish Frys and a special thanks to those who ate with us multiple days of the week. At this point we consider you family!” the Wegners said in their Facebook post.