"We're not a restaurant. We're a forno," Frankie's co-owner Donny Mellozzi told MTL Blog. "A forno in Italy is a bakery. It's where you go for a slice of pizza, a sandwich, maybe some bread. That's who we are."
The brothers grew up around the food business. Their father is a longtime butcher and co-owner at Marchigiani in LaSalle, where Donny first started baking Roman-style pizza on Sundays.
"I was using the bread I made and topping it with my dad's meats," Mellozzi said. "People started coming in every weekend just to try it."
Eventually, the hobby outgrew the basement. And when a friend offered them a small kitchen space, they jumped on it. "We didn't take out a loan or build a fancy spot. We just wanted to do things our way."
Their pizza is far from typical. Frankie's serves a mix of Roman and Neo–New York-style pies, including one they call a "New Haven Tribute." The dough is made using a three-day pre-ferment process that Donny developed over years of research and experimentation.
"We knew exactly what kind of pizza we wanted to make. Crispy, crunchy, light, and digestible. Something you can reheat and still enjoy," he added.
The space may be small, but the pizza shop's following is big.
Word of mouth has helped them build a loyal customer base, with countless fan-made videos popping up on social media and an impressive five-star average on Google.
"We were taking orders by hand at first, just through Instagram DMs. I couldn't keep up. Same faces coming back every week," he said. "That's when I knew this might really work."
Frankie's may no longer be under the radar, but Lachine locals were the first to embrace it like a neighbourhood secret. "They're proud of it. I never thought I'd open a business in Lachine," Donny said. "But now, it feels like exactly where we're supposed to be."
Today, orders can be placed online, via the business's Instagram page, through Uber Eats, Ueat.io, or in person. Slices and Roman sandwiches are also available daily, and the menu rotates depending on what's fresh or seasonal.
Frankie's famous scacciata sandwiches. Donny Mellozzi
The Mellozzi brothers' menu is flexible, limited, and deliberate. "We're not a two-for-one pizza place. We're not open until midnight. We want people to enjoy this at home, open a bottle of wine, have a good meal."
As for what's next, Donny admits that they may soon need to expand the operation. But in the meantime, the small team at Frankie's will keep letting the food do the talking.
Forno Pizza Frankie's
Price:💸💸
Cuisine: Roman-style, Neo–New York pizza, Italian sandwiches
Address: 695 11e Avenue, Montreal, QC
Why You Need To Go: Some of Montreal's most legit, small-batch pizza is being made in a space smaller than your living room, and it's got the loyal following to prove it.
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