Frank's Pizza

Last dined: 6/10/08

Frank's Pizza (located in the Drake neighborhood, just east of 24th Street on University near Mars Cafe, in the former location of the Cookery) might just be the best pizza in Des Moines. I say might because I'm sure there are some I haven't tried. There was a day where Red Rossa may have tied them, but due to recent inconsistencies, I'm going to go ahead & say this is the best. It is worth mentioning that Frank's is under the same ownership as Cafe DiScala.

The interior is lemony yellow & red with flat screen TVs playing black & white films dotting the walls. The tables & chairs are vaguely retro. It's maybe not the place to take your sweetie for Valentine's day (unless your sweetie is me), but it's snazzier than your neighborhood Pizza Hut.

Frank's Pizza only has 5 kinds of pizza most days. Pizza Semplice is cheese pizza. Mona Lisa has Kalamata olives, mushrooms & ricotta. The Sinatra is a cheese pizza with the kick of 2 cheeses, garlic & pepper flakes. The Soprano is a roasted chicken pizza. And the Di Maggio (the favorite of everyone I know) has Graziano sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms & banana peppers. Sometimes you might catch a "special" pizza as well, though I have not tried those. They also have a couple sandwiches, salads & baked lasagne. Franks has a limited, but adequate selection of beers & wines. I believe they just have house red & white, along side Peroni, Miller High Life, Bud Light, and a couple of smaller breweries.

The crust at Frank's is closest I would say to New York style. It is thin, not crispy, although not limp. Their sauce has a little tangyness to it and they are topped with just the right amount of cheese. On my first visit to Frank's I ordered a small (personal sized) Mona Lisa. It was tastier than I had imagined thanks to the garlic & herbs. Without the Kalamata olives though, I think this pizza would be lacking in flavor. My companion on this visit ordered the Di Maggio, and this is what I have ordered from then on out. The Graziano's sausage on this pizza is finely ground, the pepperoni is cut up smaller than the rounds it came in. No run of the mill mushroom here, only cremini will do. All topped by mild banana peppers (which I will usually forgo on everything else, but not this). For the good of Dining in Des Moines, I should probably try the other things on the menu, but somehow I just cannot bring myself to do it.

Frank's is truly Divine Pie.

Personal sized pizzas range $7-10, large range $13-18.

Everyone should go here once, and if you don't like it...I guess everyone is entitled to their opinion.

See their menu at: http://www.frankspizzadm.com/