Frank Sinatra was many things: a singer, an actor, and a superstar of his time. While these are what he’s best known for, he was also a fairly big foodie. Sinatra’s favorite foods were as iconic as the man himself, from Italian staples such as steak pizzaiola to classic pairings like sandwiches and Campbell’s soup, which featured in one of his greatest hits. Sinatra also had his favorite restaurants in just about every city he visited; in New York City, his favorite foodie haunt was Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in the Theater District on West 56th Street, a few blocks from Carnegie Hall.
Patsy’s was established in 1944 by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo, and the restaurant is owned and operated by his family, notably Salvatore “Sal” Scognamillo, Patsy’s grandson and the current executive chef and co-owner. Sinatra was a loyal patron at Patsy’s, and although he passed away in 1998, the New York-based establishment hosts an annual luncheon in honor of Ol’ Blue Eyes on his birthday, December 12. Unfortunately, the menu isn’t explicitly stated, but Patsy’s has been known to serve the Chairman of the Board’s favorites for the occasion, such as veal Milanese. In addition to flavorful food, celebrities and their kin have been known to attend the affair, such as Chazz Palminteri and Deana Martin, the daughter of Dean Martin. Many in attendance, like Danny Aiello, have recounted their memories of the crooner as part of honoring him.
Patsy’s Italian Restaurant’s legendary connection to Sinatra and other celebrities
The connection between Frank Sinatra and Patsy’s is a tenured one. The entertainer was first introduced to the restaurant by Tommy Dorsey, who knew Pasquale and had followed him when he opened his namesake restaurant. From there, Sinatra was a lifelong friend of the Scognamillos, meeting Sal at 13, and once even spending Thanksgiving at Patsy’s during a time when Ava Gardner left Sinatra, and the singer was losing his popularity. Without Sinatra realizing it, Patsy’s opened the doors for Ol’ Blue Eyes when the establishment was meant to be closed for the holiday.
Regarding Patsy’s success, Sal credits it to family, food, and Frank Sinatra, thanks to the crooner’s legendary loyalty. Given Patsy’s status, many of Hollywood’s elite have followed Sinatra’s lead and visited the fabled spot. Among the patrons, you can find Tony Bennett, Michael Bublé, Al Pacino, as well as George Clooney.
Of course, anyone wanting to feast like Sinatra doesn’t have to travel to New York to do so. Patsy’s cookbook is available for purchase via the restaurant’s site, and the Scognamillos have made several recipes for favorites like tiramisu and meatball-tini freely accessible for anyone. For a more modest suggestion, you could enjoy the comfort of a surprisingly humble favorite of Sinatra’s, a classic egg sandwich. Many of these dishes would pair well with a bottle of red wine, which was included in Sinatra’s tour rider.
Dining and Cooking