Francesca by Katie’s opens in Lakeview, a modern neighborhood eatery from a familiar name

Been looking forward to this one. This Muff, deli style looks legit.



Over the years, Scot Craig gradually transformed his Mid-City restaurant Katie’s from a traditional Creole-Italian joint to a modern neighborhood eatery, folding in pizza, smoked meats and more original dishes.

Francesca by Katie’s, his next act, starts with that broader foundation of comfort food and recasts it with a different setting for the Lakeview neighborhood.

After a few trial runs, Francesca opened over the weekend at 515 Harrison Ave.
The format is deli-style (order at the front counter and snag a table), and it has some deli standards on its menu too. But Francesca is a mix of more influences, including those brought to be table by Craig’s business partner in this new venture – his wife, Stephanie Francesca Craig.

She’s a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and in particular the Hill, that city’s historic Italian neighborhood. That accounts for some of the Italian flavor across the sandwich menu (a classic sub, sausage and peppers, meatballs). Walk to the back of Francesca and you’ll see a replica of the front door to the St. Louis house that Stephanie Craig’s grandmother called home.

“She inspired me to do this,” Scot Craig said of his wife. “It’s our first business together and we’re really excited about what we can bring to this neighborhood.”

Bacon and Oyster poboy



Elsewhere the Francesca menu draws on flavors closer to home. If you’ve been to Katie‘s, you’ll recognize some signature dishes at Francesca, like “the legend” (BBQ shrimp and cochon de lait together in a po-boy) and the one-size specialty pizzas (some bubbling with Provel cheese, the peculiar pride of St. Louis).

And if you remember Charlie’s Delicatessen, Francesca’s pre-Katrina predecessor at this Harrison Avenue address, you’ll probably remember the Moon. This was a monstrous deli sandwich on a muffuletta loaf stacked with roast beef, ham, provolone and Swiss, red cabbage coleslaw and Russian dressing. It’s back at Francesca now.

Francesca joins an increasingly busy stretch of restaurants through this part of Lakeview, though its address has long been a neighborhood eatery.

Rest of article

2ta

Menu: LINK

They claim to do a St. Louis style pizza