Try Frannie & the Fox for Italian food in a trendy but elegant downtown Charleston setting
Frannie & the Fox is an Italian restaurant just off the lobby of the Hotel Emeline in the heart of historic Charleston. Choose a table in their courtyard or ‘greenhouse’ for a magical setting. Or, if you’d like a cozier feel, opt for one of the interior booths that feel like a swanky New York cocktail lounge.
Frannie & the Fox's concept is a ‘wood-fired eatery,’ featuring wood-fired pizzas and creative yet classic Italian dishes crafted with regional ingredients and fresh fish.
We started with marinated olives and cocktails, of course. Frannie & the Fox also offers a nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks, including the ‘Something About Blueberry’ made with Amethyst’s blueberry ginger mint, which I like.
The marinated olives are combined with beans, rosemary, and olive zest. I’d recommend the blue crab fritters, filled with mascarpone cheese, as a delicious twist. I haven’t tried, but I’m interested in the whipped bone marrow. Doesn’t it sound unusual?
We shared Caesar salad, a margarita pizza, and the rigatoni made with braised lamb. The Caesar is classic, and the margarita pizza is hot and fresh out of their brick ovens. The braised lamb rigatoni was hearty and a good choice for a cold evening.
We enjoyed a mid-week dinner at Frannie & the Fox, but next time I will try the ‘Pizza Sundays’ or hit them up for an Italian brunch.
