In this city, restaurants come and go faster than you can say "sustainable locavore burger." And even though there are great new additions to the culinary landscape popping up every week, you've gotta give kudos to anyone who can stick it out for over a year. With that in mind, we bring you Still Got It, our tribute to establishments that continue to serve mouthwatering meals long after the buzz has faded—or, in this case, when it could just as easily coast on the hype.
Frankies 457 Spuntino has been a hit in Carroll Gardens for years, but since owners Frank Falcinelli and Frank Castronovo opened Prime Meats next door, the little Italian restaurant has been a little overshadowed. We stopped by on a frigid night last week to check in for our recurring feature on well-regarded restaurants that have been around the block a few times. It had been over two and a half year since our last visit. Had standards slipped?
Not on our watch. If anything Frankies 457 is more packed than ever, because the no-reservation policy at Prime Meats provides ample spillover. Nevertheless, we immediately scored a seat at the bar around 7 p.m. on a Thursday night with no wait (those who filed in after 7:30 weren't so lucky). Frankies 457 specializes in the lighter side of Italian fare; there is a wide variety of salads in the $10 range, and a semi-rotating list of specials like the House-Made Gnocchi Marinara & Fresh Ricotta ($13), and House-Made Cavatelli with Faiccos Hot Sausage & Browned Sage Butter ($15).
We pulled the trigger on the Escarole & Canellini Bean soup ($6.50), which came in a big bowl with a side of bread and was just what the doctor ordered on such a chilly night. We followed this up with an excellent sandwich made with Sicilian Tuna, Arugula, Tomato & Red Onion ($10). All the ingredients at Frankies are impeccably fresh, and that includes the bread, which is Grandaisy Bakery's Rosemary Bread. For just $12, you can pair all this with a full quartino of the Frankies House Red, a Ca’ Del Doge ‘06 Montepulciano-Abruzzo. It's totally quaffable and a good deal at that price, but do note, you'll need cash to pay for all this. (No credit cards accepted.)
The bar is an ideal place to eat at Frankies because they've left ample elbow room between seats—even though they could squeeze in a couple more chairs. We never felt rushed during our ninety minutes there, and the bartender and front of house staff were disarmingly friendly and relaxed, despite having a packed house and dozen plates in the air. Maybe there's something to this Haute Stoner "trend" after all? And for those too DIY to dine in, there's a store down the street, The Prime Meats Delicat-Essen and Provisions, where you can purchase the Frankies cookbook and many of the great ingredients called for in the book, including fresh pasta, olive oil, meatballs, braciole, olives, as well as dry-aged meats or charcuterie.
Frankies 457 Sputino // 457 Court Street, Brooklyn // (718) 403-0033
