Frank and Louie’s opens on Baltimore Avenue

For brothers Frank and Louie Bascio, business is all about being the little deli around the corner.

After first opening Touch of Italy on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, in March the Bascio brothers moved up the street and opened their own place, Frank and Louie’s Italian Specialties at 58 Baltimore Ave.

“We are offering a downtown Italian deli, with a small, friendly atmosphere – akin to a neighborhood village eatery – that people up and down Rehoboth Avenue and the Boardwalk can walk to,” Louie Bascio said.

Frank added, “We want to create a small, neighborhood gathering place and serve fine Italian food and grocery products in the process.”

The new Frank and Louie’s offers a short but sweet ciabatta sub menu. Sandwiches include the basic Tiny Dancer – mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil – and the meaty Sal Special, which stuffs coppa, mortadella, Genoa salami, prosciutto and sharp provolone on a crusty ciabatta roll drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Of course, there are other Italian favorites such as meatballs, lasagna and eggplant parmesan.

Within the store is also the stuff to make a personal Italian feast: pasta packages, olive oils, peppers, sausage, spices and a wide selection of Italian cheeses like homemade mozzarella, Asiago and provolone.

The bakery items at Frank and Louie’s come from home-cooked favorites passed down from the boys’ mother, “Mama” Diane Bascio and include pignoli, Italian wedding cookies and ricotta cheese pastries. In addition, Frank and Louie’s also offers Italian favorites such as cannoli and macaroons.

While Frank and Louie’s is mostly for takeout, the brothers do offer a few small tables out front, which Frank said is for customers who can’t wait to get home.

“We wanted to keep things small,” Louie said. “We welcome loyal customers from the past and new Rehoboth visitors alike to come in to see us and say ‘Buon appetito!”

Frank and Louie’s is open seven days a week. For more information, call 302-227-5777.