The Vintage Italian Appetizer Frank Sinatra Ordered At Every Opportunity

Frank Sinatra may have catapulted himself to icon status thanks to his legendary crooning, Hollywood good looks, and effortless charisma, but at his core he was still just an Italian boy from New Jersey — and nothing proved it more than his taste in food. His favorite dessert, for example, wasn't some extravagant flaming creation served at a chichi eatery in Los Angeles, but rather a Brooklyn-born Entenmann's coffee cake, which he reportedly ate every week. His go-to breakfast? A simple sandwich of scrambled eggs on white bread.

Ol' Blue Eyes' beloved choice of appetizer was a similarly humble classic that spoke to his roots: none other than stuffed artichokes. More specifically, the stuffed artichokes from Patsy's restaurant in New York City, which is still open today — and still serving the dish Sinatra swooned over. 

An old-school Italian staple, the stuffed artichokes at Patsy's were (and still are) prepared by hollowing out the veggie, loading it with a mixture of breadcrumbs, black olives, grated parmesan cheese, garlic, capers, and a sprinkling of herbs, and baking in the oven until the leaves turn tender and the breadcrumb stuffing achieves a golden brown crust. So the story goes, however, the singer wasn't a big fan of garlic, so the kitchen would accommodate him by preparing his artichokes with a less potent amount. But between the briny taste of the capers, salty sprinkle of cheese, and range of Italian herbs and spices, Sinatra's preferred spin on the specialty still sounds plenty flavorful.

Patsy's Italian restaurant, which has stood in the same Midtown Manhattan location since 1944, was no doubt one of Frank Sinatra's all-time favorites — and the feeling was certainly mutual. Original owner Pasquale "Patsy" Scognamillo went out of his way to accommodate the A-list patron. He once even opened the restaurant on Thanksgiving just because the Chairman of the Board himself requested a table (without realizing they were set to be closed).

Three generations of Scognamillos cooked for the crooner, including Patsy's grandson Sal, who is the chef and co-owner of the eatery. Sal credits Sinatra with turning the family business into an icon in its own right. "We certainly wouldn't be in the position we would be today if it wasn't for him," he told the New York Times in 2009.

In addition to the stuffed artichoke (sans excess garlic), which has been on the menu since the eatery first opened, Sinatra was known to enjoy the clams Posillipo, followed by a plate of veal Milanese, served extra thin and crisp. In order to honor the man who made its name (and menu) famous, Patsy's has a tradition of serving up Sinatra's favorite dishes every year on his birthday, December 12. But worry not, artichoke aficionados, you can order up his adored appetizer any day of the week.