Lil' Frankie's

"A while back, we invented a game. This game is called “Can Lil Frankie’s Fix Your Dining Dilemma?” The best thing about this game is that you almost always win. Lil Frankie’s is not a restaurant you’ll see on a lot of “best of” lists on sites other than this one. But it is possibly the restaurant we recommend wholeheartedly most often—be it for a big, loud birthday or a quiet dinner for two. Pretty much whatever your situation, Lil Frankie’s pulls through. Someone’s vegetarian? No problem. Someone doesn’t want to spend much? Fine. It’s a big group, and you don’t want to put down a credit card because putting down a credit card is just generally annoying? Perfect—this place doesn't take credit cards anyway. Brunch? Yes. Open until 2am on the weekends? Check. Need to impress some out-of-towners with a “great neighborhood spot?" It’ll do. Just feeling a little sh*tty about your week so far and want to fill your body with carbs and wine? Go to Lil Frankie’s. Are you tired of reading this yet? That’s the point. In an almost unbelievable number of situations, Lil Frankie’s has your back. photo credit: Noah Devereaux But Lil Frankie’s is also more than just useful. The food—Neapolitan pizzas, nice salads, simple pastas, well-executed vegetables, and great entrees—is consistently tasty, ideal for sharing, and highly satisfying. The room here always has a lot of energy, which is a key part of why we like Lil Frankie’s more than its sister restaurants Frank and Supper. The others also don’t serve pizza, which docks them a few more points. Can Lil Frankie’s do it? The answer is probably yes. Food Rundown photo credit: Noah Devereaux Whole Roasted Eggplant They cook this thing in the pizza oven, and a server will slice it up in front of you before drizzling it in olive oil (regular or spicy options). It’s piping hot and pretty much perfect - it’s essential you make your table order this to start. photo credit: Noah Devereaux Pizza The pizza here isn’t necessarily the best in the city, but it’s plenty good. The margherita is a crowd-pleaser (obviously), and we can also recommend the Salame Picante pie. photo credit: Noah Devereaux Spaghetti Limone Spaghetti + lemon + butter + cheese. It’s as simple as it sounds, but also incredibly satisfying. You’ll try to recreate this at home, and it won’t be as good. photo credit: Noah Devereaux Gnocchi The gnocchi is handmade daily and is another sure bet. Just look at it. photo credit: Noah Devereaux Wood Roasted Chicken While a group dinner at Lil Frankie’s often means a lot of carbs and vegetables, proteins - particularly the crispy whole chicken - are also endorsed." - Team Infatuation

"Delivery and takeout available from this East Village Italian staple - call to order." - hannah albertine, nikko duren, bryan kim, arden shore, matt tervooren

"Will you be the only one having a group dinner at this Italian-American spot in the East Village? Certainly not. That’s because this place has been making consistently delicious spaghetti al limone, wood-fired margherita pizzas, and chicken parm for years. But there’s even more seating at Lil Frankies now that they’ve taken over the entire stretch of the sidewalk and put up a patio structure on 1st Avenue. Book in advance, especially if you’re looking to go on a Saturday night." - hannah albertine, neha talreja, bryan kim

"Between boozy brunch with 3-for-1 cocktails, salads and sandwiches at lunch, and spaghetti pomodoro or a pizza topped with meatball ragu at dinner, Lil’ Frankies is the MacGyver of East Village restaurants. They even offer their full menu until midnight during the week and 2am on weekends." - matt tervooren

"Lil Frankie’s in the East Village works well for many day-to-day situations: a casual catch-up, brunch, a big group dinner, or even a date. And the food—pasta, thin crust pizzas, some vegetables—is all satisfying. The two essential dishes here are the whole roasted eggplant, which you should get spicy, and the spaghetti limone. (You'll want a second order, so just get two from the jump.) There’s always a crowd, but you can usually get a table without too long of a wait, and be sure to bring cash because they don’t take cards." - Willa Moore, Sonal Shah, Neha Talreja, Bryan Kim, Carina Finn Koeppicus