Since 2004

Frankie's has always been a labor of love, and a story of people who believed in this place.

In August 2004, Mary Muto opened Frankie's. A longtime local, Mary established what would become a beloved village fixture, serving Cowlick's ice cream, pizza, and salads in a warm, welcoming space that felt immediately at home in Mendocino.

In 2007, Ruth and her husband, S.A., acquired Frankie's, expanding the kitchen and the menu and building on the strong foundation Mary had laid. They took what she started and elevated it, deepening the commitment to quality, community, and homemade food that defines Frankie's today.

In 2018, Luis Castaneda, one of Frankie's own pizza chefs, became a partner, bringing with him years of dedication and craft. Ruth and Luis now own and operate Frankie's together, supported by a strong, devoted team, many of whom have been part of the Frankie's family for years.

Made With Intention

Good food starts long before it reaches your plate.

At Frankie's, we're committed to sourcing organic, sustainable, and locally grown ingredients whenever we can because we believe that caring for our community means caring about where our food comes from. Every dish that leaves our kitchen is made with that in mind, from our handcrafted pizzas to our fresh falafel, our seasonal salads to our homemade soups and chili.

That commitment extends beyond the food itself. From our kitchen to our packaging, we're mindful of our environmental impact and work to minimize our footprint wherever we can. In a place as beautiful and irreplaceable as the Mendocino coast, that matters to us.

We're proud of every plate that leaves our kitchen, and we want every guest to find something at Frankie's that feels made for them. That means a menu that welcomes all appetites: omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans, as well as those with specific dietary needs, including gluten-free and sugar-free options.

Wholesome, honest food. Made with intention. That's our promise.

At the Heart of It

Frankie's has always been more than a place to eat. It's a place where community happens.

On any given day, you'll find students catching up on schoolwork over a slice, neighbors reconnecting over coffee, writing circles and community organizations gathered around tables, and travelers discovering that Mendocino feels a little more like home than they expected. That's not by accident, it's by design. Free WiFi, wheelchair accessibility, and a genuinely welcoming atmosphere make Frankie's a place where everyone feels comfortable staying a while.

Over the years, that community spirit has taken on a life of its own. In 2008, we started the Halloween Street Party, and in 2014, the July 4th Street Party, both of which continue to be beloved, free community events that bring the village together year after year. Frankie's has also long been a space for local artists to show their work, adding to the creative fabric that makes Mendocino so singular.

We're proud supporters of the organizations and programs that make this community strong, including the Mendocino Middle School art exhibition, Mendocino and Fort Bragg High School sports, the Mendocino Film Festival, the Mendocino Music Festival, the Mendocino Art Center, the Mendocino Theatre Company, KZYX/Z public radio, the Community Center of Mendocino, Montessori Del Mar Learning Center, the Mendocino Coast Humane Society, the Eileen Hawthorne Fund for Animals, and many more.

And it goes both ways. Frankie's has always believed in supporting the local businesses around us, sharing resources, joint ordering, lending what's needed. In a place like Mendocino, neighbors taking care of neighbors is what makes this village the home that it is.

The Frankie's Family

Behind every great gathering place are the people who show up every day and make it what it is.

Ruth and Luis bring complementary strengths to everything they do — Ruth's vision and deep roots in this community, and Luis's craft and dedication, honed over years behind Frankie's own pizza oven. Together, they've built something that feels less like a business and more like a labor of love.

The Frankie's family extends well beyond its owners, though. Many of our team members have been with us for years, their familiarity and warmth woven into the everyday experience of the place. We're proud to have been many young people's first job, and a springboard for those who have gone on to careers in food service and hospitality. Each summer brings college students back through our doors, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

At Frankie's, the people are the place.