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Business & Tech

Franklin Bistro: Good Diner Food in Franklin Commons

This North Side eatery is worth the trip over the Veterans' Memorial Gay Street Bridge.

Unlike downtown Phoenixville, the North Side has traditionally suffered from a lack of restaurants. At one time, if you walked up to Reservoir Park, you had to walk back down the length of Franklin Avenue (which becomes Gay Street at the bridge linking the North Side to downtown) to find any place to eat at all.

Therefore, when Franklin Commons was created in the 400 block of Franklin Avenue, the center of the building was reserved as restaurant space and Franklin Bistro was born.

While any outside door of Franklin Commons will eventually lead you to Franklin Bistro, the easiest way to find the restaurant is take Gay Street/Franklin Avenue over the bridge to the North Side, make a left on Grant Street and an immediate right into the Franklin Commons parking lot. A large sign on the building points out the direct door to Franklin Bistro.

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Once inside, make a sharp right and the Bistro flows before you. It’s a light and airy space with skylights across the ceiling and large glass windows along the opposite wall. A blackboard to the right lists the daily soup, salad and sandwich specials for the week. The day’s soup and sandwich specials are also listed on the Franklin Commons Facebook page.

Carts to the left allow you to select your own pastries, snacks and bottled drinks. A bell by the cash register summons staff so that pizzas, hot sandwiches, deli sandwiches and panini can be made to order. 

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It was a cold and rainy day, so I ordered the day’s soup, Chicken Noodle ($2.15), which was made with real chicken broth, spiral noodles, carrots, celery and diced chicken. It was just the thing to warm up on a miserable day. The paper bowl came with two packages of crackers that sopped up the broth nicely.

The day’s Panini Special ($5.75) featured Italian meats–capicola, salami and ham–smeared with veggie cream cheese, then pressed and toasted on sun-dried tomato bread. The spicy/salty deli meats melded beautifully with the smooth rich cream cheese for a satisfying sandwich. A bag of either fried or baked potato chips is included with all panini.

Strawberry-banana Smoothies ($2.75) were also a day’s special, so I ordered one for dessert. It came with a generous topping of whipped cream and was the right shade of pureed strawberry-with-banana pink. The smoothie was so thick with fruit that I could barely get it up my straw, but the refreshing mix of fruit and tiny ice globes was worth the effort and proved the perfect fruity end to a hearty meal.

The truly popular desserts at Franklin Commons, based on what I saw on people’s desks, are the Fruit, Granola and Yogurt Parfaits or the Cookies and Cream Pudding Parfaits (both $2.75). Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to run back and order one, but considering how many of them I saw as I visited others in the building, I’d have to say that it was my loss!

Service was friendly and attentive. Once your order is taken, you can sit down at one of the high or low tables and use the free WiFi until a server brings your freshly made dish.

If you’re walking on the North Side or find yourself stranded there without something to eat, stop in at Franklin Bistro. For breakfast or lunch, it’s no longer necessary to walk all the way downtown when you’re hungry.

If You Go:

Location:  Inside , corner of Grant Street and Franklin Avenue, Phoenixville

Cost:  Breakfast Sandwiches:  $2.75 - $3.75,  Sandwiches:  $5 - $6, Desserts:  $1 - $2.75

Phone:  (610) 983-4638;  Call ahead for take-out or prompt eat-in service.

Website:  http://www.franklincommons.net/franklin-bistro

Hours:  Mon. through Thurs.:  7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

             Friday:  7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

             Sunday and Saturday:  Closed

Payments accepted:  Cash

Parking:  Free Franklin Commons parking lots

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