BRIDGEPORT — When the Ruffolo family closed Franco's Ristorante last fall, they planned to do nothing more than enjoy a relaxing vacation and add a few twists to the dinner menu.
Flash forward to early April: The family has reopened the 27-year-old restaurant, and the place looks brand new.
"Everything in this restaurant is new," said Frank A. Ruffolo, son of owners Frank and Jeanine Ruffolo.
The 23-year-old restaurant boss recently gave DNAinfo Chicago a tour of Franco's to check out the serious renovations that have launched the storied Italian haunt into modern times.
Take a look inside:
THE BAR
Walking into the Italian haunt at 300 W. 31st St., the first thing you'll notice is a marble-top bar, booze-stocked shelves and red leather chairs adorned with gold-colored rivets.
"This is a gathering place for the neighborhood," Ruffolo said of the restaurant's bravest addition.
The bar is a place where neighborhood folks can get together, catch a ball game or chat over a large selection of wines.
As Ruffolo ushers the restaurant into a new era, the 23-year-old boss plans to roll out an ever-changing wine menu flush with affordable selections from all over the world.
"It's nice to have your house cabernet and your house pinot grigio," Ruffolo said, "but I want to give you a chance to try something new."
During renovations, crews dismantled awnings covering the restaurant's windows.
Now, Ruffolo has more light than he can handle, forcing him to invest in decorative blinds to battle the summer's brightest days.
THE DINING ROOM
In the dining room, you'll find a few additions — including a wooden sign decorated with a giant "F" for Franco's.
You might remember the old restaurant floor-to-ceiling drywall.
That's all gone now.
Construction crews ripped out the drywall to expose brick and cross beams for a more industrial feel. The duct work has been painted gold to fit the restaurant's color scheme.
On the walls are photos of Italian actors like Joe Pesci and members of the Ruffolo family.
The Ruffolo family invested a lot of time and money into the dinning room's seating and tables.
Like the barstools, all dinning room chairs and booths are made with red leather and golden rivets. The brand new table tops allowed Franco's to get rid of linens.
This time last year, the Ruffolo Family — which also owns Franconello's Italian Restaurant in Beverly — never expected to give Franco's Ristorante a top-to-bottom makeover.
When the work was done, the family agreed: The decision to build a new brand was a good one.
"We needed an update," Ruffolo said. "The old place served its purpose."
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