Last year, my wife and I had to go into Chicago for a weekend wedding. We decided to go in a day early and spend the night out in the Oak Brook area. The next day, I had a conference call to participate in and then some work to finish up in the morning and she went to get a pedicure and manicure at a local spa. She came back around 11:30 and announced that she was hungry. It didn't surprise me. She had a light breakfast and I knew that she would be ready for lunch sooner than later as she, as a creature of habit, has to have three meals a day. Me - I'm still trying to do my OMAD (one meal a day) diet that has successfully helped keep my weight down after my significant weight loss I started over a year and a half ago. She said she really didn't need anything more than a sandwich and I looked up delicatessens in the immediate area. One place popped up that sort of intrigued me - an Italian market and cafe by the name of Frankie's Deli. And it wasn't that far from the hotel. After packing up our stuff and hauling it out to the car, I punched in Frankie's Deli's address on my GPS and headed in that direction.
Frankie's Deli celebrated their 55th anniversary last year as Italian immigrant Frank Conforti, Sr. and his wife, Connie, opened their Italian market and deli in 1964 at the corner of Belmont and Central in Chicago. The couple moved their market/deli to the Yorktown Shopping Center in 1976. Their son, Frank, Jr. joined the couple in the business not long after that. A couple years ago, the Conforti's were asked to move out of their spot at Yorktown and they thought they may have to close their place down. But they were able to find a spot at the corner of Butterfield Road and Midwest Road in Oakbrook Village. (see map) After some remodeling and renovations, Frankie's Deli reopened at their new location in July of last year. Both Frank Conforti, Sr. and Connie Conforti work part-time at the market/deli, but Frank Conforti, Jr. runs the day-to-day operations.
We pulled into Frankie's during the height of the noon lunch hour rush. The parking lot was packed, but we were able to find a spot that someone had just pulled out of in front of the building. We went inside to get an idea of what we needed to do to get a sandwich for my wife.
We immediately found aisles filled with all different types of canned vegetables, sauces, pastas, olive oil, balsamic vinegar - everything you'd need for an authentic Italian feast. Glassed cases of freezers held pre-made Italian specialties including Frankie's Deli's lasagna that comes in containers to feed anywhere from a family of four to a gathering of 30. I understand Frankie's is famous for their lasagna that is made from a recipe Connie Conforti got from her family as a little girl.
The deli line was understandably long when we got to the deli counter. The menu for sandwiches and paninis, as well as soups and salads were on the wall behind the meat case. Deli meats and cheeses which included house-made Italian beef and Italian sausage were also available to order from the deli counter. They had hot and cold sandwiches available, as well as a muffuletta-style panini with salami, ham and provolone cheese topped with an olive spread. We placed our order, grabbed a couple waters and paid for it all at the end of the deli line.
Even though it was a nice day outside, we decided to eat inside. Frankie's Deli had a small dining area that featured vintage historical pictures of the city of Chicago on the walls. We took a seat at one of the tables in the room and got settled in.
My wife decided upon the Italian sub sandwich. They make them assembly line-style during the noon rush because they're such a popular choice. It consisted of salami, capicola, and mortadella topped with provolone cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes and onions and finished with a drizzle of olive oil. For a side, my wife chose the three-bean salad.
My wife thought the sandwich was good, but she knew she couldn't eat the whole 8" hoagie. She offered me half of the sandwich and I couldn't say no. The hoagie bun was chewy, but had great flavor. The combination of the Italian meats gave it a nice overall taste. I may have three or four bites of the sandwich before I called it quits. We were going out for pizza in downtown Chicago that evening and I didn't want to get filled up earlier in the day.
We're always on the look-out for a good Italian market and having a deli/cafe attached to the place is a plus. I'm sort of surprised that I never really knew about Frankie's Deli before this visit as my wife and I have been coming to the Yorktown/Oak Brook area for years before I started to come to Chicago on a regular basis for work. While the food and cafe are nothing fancy, it was obvious from the crowd in there for the lunch time rush that Frankie's doesn't have to be upscale for it to be successful. But the Italian products - including pre-made items that can be taken home - would cause me to come back and shop at some point in the future. Frankie's Deli definitely has it all when it comes to Italian food products. And they make pretty good sandwiches, too.
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