Five Types of Iconic Brooklyn Restaurants
Franny’s
When creating a list of iconic Brooklyn restaurants, a classic pizzeria automatically springs to mind. But instead of the decades-old, slice joints that dot the borough, it’s relative newcomer Franny’s that has come to represent what a Brooklyn pizzeria really is. First opened in 2004 by Francine Stephens and Andrew Steinberg, Franny’s quickly became a staple on Flatbush Avenue, attracting endless crowds of people with its excellent salumi, ever-shifting roster of perfect pastas, and transcendent pizzas—from the classic Margherita to the renowned clam pie, each one is better than the last. And after having spent nine years in the same 32-seat spot in Prospect Heights, Franny’s made the move across Flatbush Avenue this spring, to a space with room for three times as many diners, two wood-burning pizza ovens, and a bigger bar—the perfect place to sample and savor something from Franny’s impressive wine list. So while Franny’s might not fit into some vague notion of a Brooklyn pizzeria with a white-aproned man spinning and flipping dough in his hands, the acrid smell of garlic burning your nostrils, it is representative of what the Brooklyn pizzeria has become. Franny’s is a new classic, and when you watch chef John Adler slide a bubbling, blistered pizza from the oven and onto a plate, any questions about what a Brooklyn pizzeria should be are answered—it’s definitely Franny’s.
Franny’s, 348 Flatbush Avenue
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