Frankie’s celebrates 40 years in North Olmsted
By Cynthia Schuster-Eakin
Insights
Published Jan. 2, 2008

Dorothy Smith displays Chicken Mediterranean, a Frankie’s specialty.

Imagine how much pizza and homemade sauce a popular Italian restaurant can serve in four decades.

Frankie’s Italian Cuisine, 4641 Great Northern Boulevard in North Olmsted, celebrated 40 years in the food service business this past November by serving some familiar faces. “We have customers who have been with us since day one,” co-owner Barb Fusco said. “They came in on our anniversary to help us celebrate.”

When the restaurant first opened in its original location at Porter and Lorain roads, it was run by Barb and her husband Carl “Frank” Fusco, with the help of a single server. “Her name was Winnie and I think she still lives in North Olmsted,” Barb Fusco said.

Pizza was the only item on the menu at Frankie’s in those days. “Pizza was our thing,” Fusco noted. “It was just pizza for six years. Then, we moved to Great Northern Boulevard. Business picked up and we added salads, sandwiches and spaghetti. We tried little things and waited to see the reaction. We found that people loved it.”

Fusco said they opened the Westlake Frankie’s restaurant in 1986, and expanded the North Olmsted location in 1988. “We added veal and chicken dishes to our menu. We have seen a lot more requests for those items in the last few years.”

Barb and Frank Fusco are now semi-retired. Daughter Sandy has stepped in to fill their shoes in Westlake, while son Frank Jr. runs the North Olmsted restaurant.

Frankie’s is known for its famous house salad, topped with a mountain of shredded provolone cheese and their signature sweet and sour dressing. Italian wedding soup and another homemade soup are offered daily.

Appetizers include fried calamari with homemade marinara sauce ($7.95), ravioli tossed in seasoned bread crumbs and deep fried ($8.95), and bruschetta bread topped with chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh basil ($5.95). The sampler plate offers a selection of zucchini sticks, fried ravioli and chicken wings ($8.95).

Pizza is still a staple. Specialty pizzas include the chicken cacciatore pizza with fresh mushrooms, green peppers, onions and chicken breast, and the hot and spicy pizza with zesty marinara, pepperoni, Italian ham and hot peppers. The jambalaya pizza is layered with red pepper pesto, shrimp, sausage, red and green peppers and sweet onion.

Chicken Mediterranean with Chianti wine is one of the main dishes at Frankie’s. (West Life photos by Larry Bennet)

House specialties are veal and chicken parmesan or Marsala. Chicken ala Frankie is sautéed in white wine, then topped with peppers, onions and tomatoes ($14.95). Other offerings are baked orange roughy ($15.95) and Boston strip steak ($17.95). House specialties are served with salad and your choice of pasta, baked potato or vegetable.

Italian favorites include shrimp Mediterranean ($15.95) with fresh garlic, Romano cheese, tomatoes, olives, artichokes and spinach over penne pasta. Bombolotti is Italian sausage and broccoli in creamy sauce tossed with pasta ($13.95). There is also homemade lasagna, chicken Alfredo and shrimp cacciatore in spicy marinara. Frankie’s Taste of Italy includes portions of lasagna, chicken parmesan and fettuccine Alfredo or linguini with clam sauce ($15.95). A house salad may be substituted for a dinner salad for a slight charge.

Sandwiches are available for lunch and dinner. In addition to meatball and Italian sausage, veal cutlet and chicken or eggplant parmesan, you can opt for the sirloin burger ($5.95), broiled chicken ($4.95), or hot or cold Italian sub sandwich layered with salami, capicola, pepperoni, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato and onion ($6.95).

Spaghetti and marinara sauce, rigatoni or spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna are available in larger portions as family take out specials. Frankie’s also has an extensive catering menu, with items such as chicken Tosca in lemon and white wine sauce. Frankie’s prepares sheet pizzas and dessert trays.

Frankie’s two locations, at 4641 Great Northern Boulevard and 25939 Detroit Road, are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, from 11 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. on Sunday. All major credit cards are honored. Phone the North Olmsted restaurant at (440) 734-8646, or call the Westlake location at (440) 892-0064.