The space is so familiar to Burlington diners – Penny Cluse Café occupied the homey spot at 169 Cherry St. for a quarter-century – yet the food and the vibe provided by the new occupant, Frankie’s, are a fair bit different from the restaurant’s popular predecessor.
Frankie’s, which opened in mid-April, is owned by chef Jordan Ware and general manager Cindi Kozak, veterans of local dining establishments including the celebrated Vermont restaurant Hen of the Wood. Unlike the breakfast-and-lunch focus of Penny Cluse, the duo have made Frankie’s into a nighttime destination, with a bar serving unique cocktails and a dinner menu that changes daily depending on what’s in season.
A convivial feel is key to the owners, especially considering concerns that downtown Burlington is in turmoil .
“It’s so important to keep this city alive and having cool stuff happening,” according to Kozak.
Upstairs dining room expanded
Much about the 70-seat space will feel familiar to Penny Cluse fans, including the windows overlooking Cherry Street and South Winooski Avenue and the wooden tables recently refinished by Matthew Hastings at RIVEN on the South End of Burlington. The wooden floors in the dining room have also been redone, as were lighting and woodwork on the ceiling and floor tiling that leads to the step-down kitchen.
Kozak and Ware remade the upstairs dining area, knocking down a wall to open up a private dining room for 12 to 15 people. That room’s “dynamism,” according to Kozak, helps infuse energy into both floors at Frankie’s.
“Everybody kind of meets in the middle and it creates a really cool vibe,” she said.
By opening in the quieter shoulder season of April, Kozak said that gave her and Ware and the staff of 20 time to get their feet on the ground.
“It was a slow start but I feel like people have been coming in quite a bit” more recently, Ware said.
Building on Penny Cluse legend
One night in June the menu at Frankie’s included asparagus with walnut crema and garlic scape vinaigrette; littleneck clams with almonds, chili flake and chive focaccia; grilled swordfish with olives, cherry tomatoes and broccolini; and nettle fazzoletti with zucchini, kale, pistachios and goat cheese.
Offerings lean toward fresh ingredients and “lighter proteins,” according to Kozak. As prime vegetable season moves into full swing, Ware said he and sous chef Johnny Capitanelli have been brainstorming on what to do with snap peas, broccoli and other fresh fare.
“It’s such a wonderful season to be coming into,” according to Kozak. She said the kitchen and bar are in constant communication and staff members are using their imaginations; bartender Lauren Simmons, working with bar manager Max Pogacar, conceived a creemee punch that’s been popular.
Kozak and Ware have additional plans for Frankie’s – they want to develop a roster of bar snacks and create a party menu where the kitchen cooks specifically for a particular table – but they like the way things have started.
“People seem to really like it,” Ware said. “They’re happy that this space was taken over by something good.”
It’s important to maintain the positive feelings left behind by Penny Cluse after it closed at the end of 2022 , according to Ware. “We want to build on that,” he said.
Hours and location
Frankie’s , 169 Cherry St., Burlington. 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; bar open for drinks from 4-11 p.m. most days. (802) 264-7094, www.frankiesvt.com
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com .
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Frankie's moves into Penny Cluse space with in-season dinner menu, creative cocktails
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