RIVERVIEW, Fla. – A popular Italian deli in Riverview is ramping up its menu items as it celebrates the New York Knicks.
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Frankie’s Italian Deli
What we know:
Frankie’s Italian Deli, located in Riverview, houses fans of the New York Knicks, with signage all over the store.
Francesca Leo, owner of Frankie’s, shared how the deli became so popular during the NBA playoffs.
“We started having customers coming in taking pictures with our mural, and I was like ‘why not add some dessert, some food-inspired’,” she said.
From there, several classic items were turned into Knick’s merchandise.
“We made Knicks bagels we have Knicks-inspired desserts. We did the viral dot cakes, but we did them Knicks-themed,” she added.
And fans have come from everywhere, including Leo’s own family.
“If you’ve come into Frankie’s, my dad has stopped you. ‘Hey, you watch basketball?’ He tries to talk basketball with everybody,” Leo said.
Knick’s inspired cuisine includes:
- Colored bagels
- Brunson’s bodega order
- Knick’s rainbow cookies
- Black and white cookies
Frankie’s Italian Deli also unveiled a new sandwich called the New York Knicks.
The sandwich includes chicken cutlet, baked prosciutto, arugula, fresh mozzarella, topped off with Frankie’s ‘forgetaboutit’ sauce.
The beginning
The backstory:
The long-island native reflected on how the store began.
She said she was in grad school a few years ago in Florida, and fell in love with Tampa. But when the COVID pandemic hit, she left college and decided to pursue a restaurant idea.
“I brainstormed with my mom and my dad and I was just like, hey, why don’t we open up an Italian deli? We have all of our family recipes that everyone loved at home,” she said. “So I was, like, why not bring it to the community?”
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So, Leo and her family opened Frankie’s Italian Deli.
Chicken Cutlet Tacos
The recent hype around their Knick’s-themed food wasn’t what put the family-owned store on the map. They have chicken cutlet tacos to thank for that.
“It’s never in a million years would I have imagined that tacos would have blown up the way it did,” she said.
Leo got the idea to make chicken cutlet tacos right before Cinco de Mayo in 2025.
“I just wanted to include our deli during Cinco de Mayo,” Leo said. “How do I get Italian food popular for a Mexican holiday?”
Surprisingly, the tacos blew up on social media. Now, the restaurant has a line to the door every day.
But, the family has taken their popularity with stride. Bringing in new employees and reminding customers that good, fresh food can take time.
Store hours
What’s next:
Frankie’s Italian Deli is located at 3930 US Hwy 301, Riverview, FL, United States, 33578.They are open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. You can find their menu here.
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