After a couple bottles of wine I insisted that we go back to Frankies Spuntino. In Italian, spuntino means both a place to have snacks and a snack itself making Frankies a perfect stop for hopping.
When we arrived it was nearing 11 o’clock and the place was still full. My foodie friends were already raving about the original, Brooklyn location and several had been to the LES branch multiple times. We headed to the back of the restaurant where we were greeted by Travis, part-owner and wine director. As we waited for our table and Travis guided us through the mostly-Italian wine list he began opening bottles so that we could taste them before ordering, a rare act of kindness and generosity.
After about 15 minutes of waiting and tasting our table was ready. Once seated in one of the 26 seats amidst an old-school New York décor, complete with tin ceilings and tile floor, we were instantly presented with a flowing basket of Sullivan St. Bakery bread and deep green, intensely flavorful olive oil. Bonus points.
The menu is identical to the original location and is inspired by Italian-American cuisine, emphasizing better-than-usual ingredients, a dash of nostalgia mixed with innovation. Expertly roasted seasonal veggies ($5) and spectacular salads ($7-$10) alongside heartier dishes such as beefy meatballs ($9), pork braciole ($15) drowning in a delicious gratuitous amount of red sauce (seemingly made for bread dipping) and cavatelli with Faicco’s hot sausage are not to be missed. They bring the legendary sandwiches from Brooklyn. Carefully constructed on Sullivan St. Bakery’s pizza Bianca. The food is all comforting stuff I’d love to eat at home, if only I could do it this good.
The verdict: Clinton St. may be the best block in the city to go hopping but if you’re not in the mood, get there early and have a full meal at Frankie’s.
Frankies Spuntino
17 Clinton St. between Stanton and Houston
New York, NY
212-253-2303
SavorNY
63 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington
New York, NY
212-358-7125
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