The restaurant opened the doors to its new venue in the former Threshermans Bakehouse site on Faraday Street in February.
Co-owners Melinda Aloisio and Wani Sakellaropoulos were eager to take on a new challenge and extend their brand to the heart of the Italian community in Melbourne.
“We can’t sit still; we’re always open to new opportunities and possibilities,” Aloisio said.
“We wanted a flagship site and where better than in Melbourne’s ‘Little Italy’?!
“The iconic site presented itself and we seized the opportunity; it felt right.”
The daughters of Italian and Greek migrants respectively, the pair didn’t take long to settle into their new home.
The Italian half of the dynamic duo, Aloisio grew up in the country town of Bairnsdale and was raised on the culture and values her parents brought with them when they migrated to Australia from Calabria.
Ms Frankie takes inspiration from Aloisio’s formative years surrounded by family values and authentic Italian food.
The restaurant fuses together age-old traditions and contemporary culinary techniques to bring Melburnians the best of Italian cuisine.
Seating up to 300 guests inside and out, the new Carlton venue carries on the southern Italian traditions of its Cremorne counterpart, with pasta-maker Maria Distefano and husband, head chef Giorgio, continuing to work their magic in the kitchen.
Diners can watch fresh pasta being handmade from behind a glass window, carrying on a tradition that began in Cremorne.
Ready for all occasions, the coffee window opens at 5:30 am each day, aperitivi are offered between lunch and dinner, and the restaurant has been cleverly designed to cater for functions without disrupting usual trade.
Diners can watch the art of pasta-making at the Carton site, carrying over the tradition from Cremorne
Aloisio said the eatery is built on the foundations of “pasta, cocktails and dreams”.
“Diners can expect the best pasta in Melbourne with some of the finest cocktails in the land and a vibe that must be experienced,” she added.
“They will see wallpaper that reminds them of Nonna’s house in the ‘70s and a few nostalgic pieces scattered throughout the restaurant to take them back.”
Meanwhile, the Cremorne venue continues to host exclusive functions and aims to reopen to the public in the near future.
The strikingly contemporary space has been the backdrop to many such events since its establishment, including elegant evenings hosted by the Australian-Italian Leaders of Tomorrow (ALTO).
“It’s been an absolute pleasure to partner with ALTO and I’ve met many great people through their networking events,” Aloisio said.
“It’s always wonderful to meet like-minded people and listen to their stories.
“As Italo-Australians, we all share a similar story; most of us have come from very humble beginnings and watched our parents work hard and make sacrifices in order to give us a better future.
“It’s all about cheering each other on and supporting each other; that’s what I love most.”
Signature pasta dishes from Ms Frankie
This community spirit has spread to Ms Frankie’s new site and may just be the secret ingredient to the restaurant’s success.
“We hope to give the Italian community of Melbourne a reason to visit Carlton again,” Aloisio concluded.
“We’re very proud of our culture and heritage and we hope you feel that when you walk through the doors.”
