This NYC Restaurant Became Legendary Thanks To Frank Sinatra

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In Midtown Manhattan, just south of Central Park and right around the block from Carnegie Hall, is a legendary Italian eatery once frequented by Frank Sinatra. Serving classic dishes like eggplant parmigiana and linguine in clam sauce, Patsy's Italian Restaurant is a family-owned restaurant that's been in business since 1944. Yet, it's Sinatra's patronage that made it famous.

Patsy's is a traditional spot withwaiters dressed in white jackets and walls adorned with signed pictures of past celebrity guests. In the 1940s, it was not uncommon to see Frank Sinatra dining at his special table in the back. He supposedly appreciated the restaurant for its discretion and low-key atmosphere, but what he really loved was then-owner Pasquale "Patsy" Scognamillo's cooking. Sinatra's restaurantfavorites included fusilli with filetto di pomodoro, veal Milanese, and his favorite dessert, lemon ricotta cheesecake.

Current chef and co-owner, Salvatore Scognamillo (Patsy's grandson), creditsSinatra's love for boosting the restaurant's status withe celebrities. For example, according to Scognamillo, Julia Roberts discovered Patsy's through George Clooney, who was brought by his aunt, Rosemary Clooney, who was herself introduced to the restaurant by none other than Frank Sinatra (viaThe New York Times). The aura of the eatery hasattracted other famous diners, including Tony Bennett and Ben Stiller. Thanks to the restaurant's success, the Scognamillo family has published two cookbooks, including one with a foreword by Sinatra's daughter, Nancy.

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Frank Sinatra Was Family At Patsy's

Exterior of Patsy's Italian Restaurant - Patsy's Italian Restaurant / Facebook

Because Frank Sinatra was such a high-profile patron, you might have expectedPatsy's owners and staff to keep their interactions strictly professional. However, Sinatra was treated more like a family member than a world-famous singer. Three generations of Scognamillos cooked for him, and in a video posted on the restaurant's YouTube page, Salvatore Scognamillo recounts how his grandfather would often keep Sinatra company, sitting with him while he ate dinner. One Thanksgiving in the early 1950s, when the singer was experiencing both personal and professional hardship, he asked for a reservation — not knowing that the restaurant was closed. Despite the holiday, Scognamillo says his grandfather booked Sinatra a table and called in staff and their families to help out and make the singer feel at home.

Scognamillo alsoshares details about his father Joe's close friendship with Sinatra, recalling how he saw his father and Sinatra hug goodnight. He also recalls that the singer always asked his father if he needed anything from him. "[Frank Sinatra] was a man everyone clamored to," SalvatoreScognamillo says. "My father said the same thing; He said, 'Frank, as long as I have your friendship I'm happy.'" When Sinatra died in 1998, Salvatore Scognamillo wanted honor his life. Every December 12, Frank Sinatra's birthday, Patsy's serves the legendary crooner's favorite dishes.

Read the original article on Mashed.