At the end of next week, one of the most beloved restaurants in NPI’s hometown of Redmond will be going out of business after a twenty-three year run in the heart of the city’s commercial district — to the dismay of many current and former residents.
Frankie’s Pizza & Pasta has been a fixture on Redmond Way since the early 1990s, offering excellent Italian food at reasonable prices. Its owners announced several months ago that the property the restaurant has called home for many years has been sold to a developer who plans to build a hotel there.
From their announcement on June 8th:
For those of you who have not heard, Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta will be closing our doors in mid-October. Our landlords sold the property to a developer who will be building a hotel.
We will miss our loyal customers and our awesome staff very much, but as our daughter-in-law Jenn eloquently stated “Don’t cry because it’s over, celebrate because it happened.”
We have decided not to re-open somewhere else as after 23 years in business we would like to slow down and pursue other opportunities.
If you or someone you know would like to carry on the Frankie’s name in a new location please contact Frankie for more information.
Also, if you or someone you know is looking for short-term employment we’d love to speak with you about joining the family.
For more details about our future plans, stay tuned to Facebook or stop by the restaurant and say hi. Meanwhile, come see us a lot!
Love and blessings!
Frank & Rhonda
One hundred and twenty-one days have passed since the announcement, and now Frankie’s is entering its final week of operations.
To celebrate Frankie’s run, Frank and Rhonda have planned a series of special closing parties for Friday, October 14th and Saturday, October 15th. Each of these events have already sold out due to high demand.
The last day of regular operations will be Thursday, October 13th. Loyal customers have until close of business on the 13th to enjoy a final traditional meal or two, as the sold-out closing parties will feature buffet dinners.
As regular patrons, the team at NPI is incredibly sad to see Frankie’s end its run. NPI staff and board have celebrated many happy occasions over the years by breaking bread over a table at Frankie’s. When we’ve wanted a pizza or two to keep us going during a long meeting or calling party, we’ve turned to Frankie’s. When we’ve wanted to treat out of town guests to a fine meal, we’ve turned to Frankie’s. And when we’ve wanted to serve Italian food at our events, we’ve turned to Frankie’s.
We like to feature different cuisines at our Spring Fundraising Gala, so over the course of the history of the event, we’ve partnered with different establishments, including Ohana, Uwajimaya, El Toreador, Mediterranean Kitchen, and O’Char Thai. Frankie’s Pizza & Pasta presently holds the notable distinction as the only establishment we have worked with twice on the gala.
Frankie’s lasagna and breadsticks were so good in 2012 that we simply had to bring them back for this year’s gala.
In retrospect, that was an extremely fortuitous decision. Had we waited another year to feature Italian cuisine again, we would not have been able to work with Frankie’s for a second time.
Frank, Rhonda, and their employees are some of the nicest, friendliest people you’ll meet anywhere. The food they serve is delicious, and their service is consistently great. They sensibly spice up their menu with seasonal dishes while keeping classics available for loyal customers to order anytime.
They also kindly share recipes with patrons, enabling aspiring cooks to try replicating tasty dishes like garlic parmesan soup at home.
I’ve enjoyed every meal I’ve eaten at Frankie’s over the years, but like other regulars, there are certain items on the menu I’m especially partial to.
These include:
It’s hard to believe that after next Saturday, the Frankie’s we know and love will no longer be in business. Though we wish Frankie’s were continuing on in a new location, we understand and respect Frank and Rhonda’s decision to pursue other opportunities. We’ll always be grateful that Frankie’s Pizza and Pasta was a part of our hometown of Redmond for nearly a quarter century.
Grazie di tutto, Frankie’s. You’ll be sorely missed.
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