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For the past few months, Antonio Gambino has been on what he calls a “work vacation.”
Staying in a hotel near State Street, Gambino has been putting in long hours as he opens a new branch of his pizza and cheesesteak joint. Frank & Andrea, a late-night spot for students at the University of Minnesota, opened its newest location on July 10 at 435 N. Frances St. underneath the Hub, an apartment building near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
When the broker for Hub Madison reached out to Gambino and his business partner about a second Frank & Andrea, Gambino’s first response was, “Ooh!”
“Do I want to?” he said. “Yes. Do I want to be awake until three, four in the morning again? Eh. But I’m glad we did it.”
Expanding to UW-Madison was always a dream for Gambino and his business partner. COVID-19 put those plans on pause. After years of building up the business in the Twin Cities, they jumped on the opportunity to expand. Gambino has spent the summer getting the restaurant up and running, and he will be in Madison until November.
“(I’m) helping out and getting the crew together. Making sure everyone feels comfortable and they’re supported is the biggest key,” Gambino said. His other priority: “Making sure that every slice and the cheesesteaks come out great for the customers.”
A new, second location of Minneapolis-based restaurant Frank & Andrea has opened on North Frances Street in the Hub apartments.
RUTHIE HAUGE
A Sicilian/Philly mash-up
The Cheesesteak Supreme is stuffed with ribeye steak, grilled onions, green peppers, jalapeños and mushrooms, all on a Philly classic Amoroso sandwich roll at Frank & Andrea.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Gambino’s father is from Sicily and his mother from Philadelphia. He and his family moved to Minnesota and opened their first pizzeria in St. Paul when he was 10. Summer breaks working with his family are some of his favorite childhood memories, and there was no doubt in his mind what he would end up doing for work one day.
“A big part of it is continuing their legacy, what they gave me,” Gambino said. “It just was an easy transition from high school to working for my parents to eventually branching out and expanding what they gave me.”
The inside of Madison’s Frank & Andrea is decorated in white and traffic cone-orange, which accent much of the interior. The front of the store is taken up by a long pizza counter. Customers can longingly stare at those glistening pies while they wait.
Pizza can be ordered by the slice or as whole pies at Frank & Andrea.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Though the space has been set up like a typical grab-and-go restaurant, there’s plenty of seating on the north wall for those who want to stick around.
Frank & Andrea’s portion sizes are enough for a meal and a half. The Cheesesteak Supreme ($14.50) was as long as a grown person’s forearm, stuffed with ribeye steak, grilled onions, green peppers, jalapeños and mushrooms, all on a Philly classic Amoroso sandwich roll. Cheese options include mozzarella, white American, pepper jack, provolone or Cheez Whiz. The gooey goodness is so nice you’ll have to eat it twice (because it’s gargantuan).
Pizza is served by the slice, as either 12 inch or 18 inches per slice. Served on a light and flaky crust, the Chipotle Tender ($15/$25) is topped with chicken tenders, green onion and cheddar cheese, then drizzled with barbecue and chipotle mayo. It’s a slice that packs a punch for adventurous types. For a more typical Italian slice, the Gianncarlo ($17/$27) is topped with hot honey, mozzarella, pepperoni and tomato sauce. The result is sweet, spicy and satisfying.
The inside of Madison’s Frank & Andrea is decorated in white and traffic cone-orange, which accent much of the interior.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Vegetarian options are available too. Impossible meat can be substituted on any cheesesteak for no additional cost. Six different vegetarian pizza flavors are available for order. For an extra $2, you can substitute a gluten-free crust for any pizza as well.
Gambino opened the restaurant with his business partner, Shaz Khan. Much like Minnesota and Wisconsin, the two men are close but quite different. Where Gambino grew up working in a pizzeria, Khan graduated from the University of Minnesota with an engineering degree.
“He never thought he’d be running a pizzeria,” Gambino said. “We have opposite skill sets, which is great, because I know what I’m doing. He knows what he’s doing, and we just kind of do our thing together.”
Antonio Gambino is co-owner of Frank & Andrea, now open at 435 N. Frances St. in Madison. The first location is in Dinkytown, in Minneapolis.
RUTHIE HAUGE
Frank & Andrea slices ribeye steaks fresh, and the dough is made with stone-ground wheat flour. To Gambino, what makes Frank & Andrea good isn’t one secret ingredient, it’s everything.
“It’s how we do it, how we spread the toppings, the execution of cooking, prepping, all those little things,” Gambino said.
Though Gambino’s time in Madison is temporary, it’s been a good trip for him. He’s enjoyed being able to walk to work for the first time, the friendly faces and the familiar college vibe. There’s pride in having Frank & Andrea a part of Madison, and he’s hopeful the community will give the crew a shot.
“I always tell the guys, ‘It’s you leaving a memory of hospitality that will separate us from other restaurants,’” Gambino said.
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