F&F Pizzeria Is So Popular It’s Kicking Out Its Wine Bar

A pizza from F&F Pizzeria.

Carroll Gardens has lost a neighborhood wine bar after five years, with the Franks — Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli — announcing their namesake place for pours, Franks Wine Bar, at 465 Court Street, at Fifth Street, has closed. But that wine selection isn’t really going anywhere: After a summer’s hiatus (or so), the space will be home to an expansion of F&F Pizzeria.

“Thank you for five beautiful years of Franks Wine Bar — and get ready for something new,” reads its website. “In the meantime, we’re looking forward to a summer of events, pop-ups, and more here at 465 Court Street.” The Instagram page doesn’t announce the closing, but reads, “Follow @fandfpizzeria to be a part of what’s next.”

It was a “relatively new decision,” says Castronovo, in response to “popular demand for a full restaurant experience with our crazy cellar of wines.”

Expect a “short and sweet” food menu that goes beyond pizza. The owners will also update the wine list, in addition to carrying over some bottles from the wine bar. As far as whether the wine list would lean toward classics or natural wines, they said both. “Everything that’s delicious,” says Castronovo. “More in tune to what people are looking for today.”

No word yet on exactly when the new F&F space will open, but the move correlates with the 20th anniversary of the flagship, Frankies 457 Spuntino (for its location on Court Street) on September 13. With the revamp, the Franks say they have aspirations to open more locations of F&F Pizzeria around the city and beyond. The original F&F Pizzeria at 459 Court Street, at Fourth Place, will remain open through the transition.

In addition to helming Frankie’s Spuntino and F&F, Castronovo and Falcinelli have made their mark with their olive oil empire — Frankies 457 — sold in every Whole Foods in North America. The Franks have purchased a farm in Sicily for harvesting olives, and they’ve recently expanded the range of products to include pasta.

In addition to the Brooklyn restaurants, in 2023, the Franks opened locations in Nashville — first with The Pizzeria, followed by Frankies 925 Spuntino, and coffee and specialty market, The Bottega. Before Franks Wine Bar, the space housed Prime Meats for nine years. The Manhattan restaurant from Castronovo and Falcinelli closed in 2012.

Eater has reached out to find out more about the fate of the staff at the closed restaurant.