Franks Trattoria – Italian – Gramercy

Frank’s is a local Italian haunt with a solid selection of home cooked comfort food complete with red and white checkered table cloths.

Basics:

Kid Friendliness:

The Verdict:

Best for Infants (still in stroller), Toddlers and Little Kids. No highchair makes it challenging for infants out of the stroller. Great for Lunch or Dinner.

Sippy Cup Rating:

Nothing makes me happier than a full glass of vino, a big basket of freshly baked hot bread and a cup of crayons! Within minutes of sitting down, Franks Trattoria delivered on all three.

Upon entering the unassuming restaurant Franks just looks like a little hole in the wall take-out pizza joint, but continue through the neon signed “Dining Room” and you are lead into a quaint family run traditional Italian restaurant complete with red and white checkered table cloths.

Sunny and I ventured in around 7pm on a Saturday night. The place was packed – mostly with local Gramercy residents, older couples and families with kids of all ages.

Knowing that a three year old at 7pm is basically a ticking time bomb two waiters immediately came over, crayons and coloring menu in tow. I ordered one of the house specials, the Shrimp Francese, which came with either a side of pasta or salad. Like any proper family Italian restaurant, the portions were large so I decided that the side of pasta (we had our choice between any pasta on the menu) would be enough for Sunny, and it was. For $15.95 we both had more than enough to eat and were very satisfied.

If you are looking for fancy or trendy, Franks is not the place. But if you are looking for simple, yummy and dependable with a cozy ambiance, Franks is a great bet.

In terms of the layout, there is lots of room for stroller parking in the front of the dining room and also in the back by the bathrooms. The double doors allow for wide strollers and there are no stairs. The majority of the tables have room around the perimeter for a stroller or two. They have three booster seats, but surprisingly no highchairs. While there isn’t a kids menu, there are lots of options for side portions of pasta, steamed veggies etc. I found the waiters to be extremely accommodating and the service was quick.

Definitely a good local choice.

Bonus Points:

•  There is a little dollar store a few doors away with a good cheap kids section. Great for little trinkets to keep the kiddies occupied.
•  Baskin-Robbins on the corner
•  A few blocks away is Cleo Nails – Sunny’s go to nail salon. The mani pedi’s are free for kids 4 and under!

Insider Tips:

Their deserts are from east village bakery Vinieros. Worth the calories!