Francesca's Fortunato: Frankfort, IL

Francesca's is a local upscale Italian chain that for some reason has been on my foodie bucket list for years without me visiting a location. Finally this summer, I made it to not just one, but two locations. Both were within a few weeks of my birthday. So, I celebrated twice at two different spots with two of my favorite people.

One visit was to the Bolingbrook location with my sister. The other was to the Frankfort location with my husband when we stopped in Frankfort for an oil change on the car and for me to pick up some gift items for my new great niece at an adorable downtown children's boutique, Lil' Surprises. My friend, Kristin, is the store owner and we met way back when our kids were in preschool together (they graduated from high school this past spring!!!) She was so accommodating and allowed me to browse pics online. I selected some outfits and she bagged them up for me so all I had to do was pop in and pick them up.

After the oil change and shopping pick-up, hubby and I were ready for lunch. We walked around the corner from the shop where a street was closed off to allow for outdoor dining. I'd heard good things about Fat Rosie's Mexican Restaurant, which was just around the corner, but there was a wait for a table. Then I discovered we we also right by Francesca's Fortunato. They had availability so we sat. I wanted something light, so we decided to split a pasta dish. But, before that, I noticed that the Antipasti menu included Burrata con Pomodorini. Buraata is my boyfriend and I want to marry it, so it never goes unordered when I see it on a menu. It was PHENOMENOL. I savored every last little bite before moving on to a simple veggie pasta dish. Hubby sipped on a craft beer and we just enjoyed the lovely afternoon outdoors overlooking the little square in downtown. Frankfort is a lovely community. I have enjoyed stopping there on occasion for something to eat or to walk the Old Plank Trail. I love the little stretch of restaurants downtown and they could definitely use our support during the pandemic, so if you're in the area, place an order and enjoy something delicious from Francesca's or another area eatery.