Surrounded by miles of cornfields, soybeans and vegetable farms, the small city of Frankfort, the county seat of Clinton County, offers locals and visitors alike a tasty stop full of agriculture, changing demographics, a tiny bit of Hollywood history and a variety of women-owned restaurants.
Stop at the eclectic Vintage Cafe, owned by a mother-daughter-friend team, a former bar turned breakfast and lunch spot that opened in early 2022. It features an extensive menu featuring a variety of appetizers, breakfast dishes, soups, salads, sandwiches, burritos, quesadillas and options for kids. Highlights of the massive menu include the Fat Girl Monte Christo, a sandwich of two French toast-dipped donuts stuffed with ham, turkey Swiss and Provolone, grilled and then drizzled with a housemade honey mustard sauce; a Whole Hog Breakfast Burrito with ham bacon and sausage; and “Not-Cho Nachos,” a concoction of your choice of tater tots, housemade chips or french fries slathered in pulled pork, cheddar, and black bean salsa. Decorated with a floor-to-ceiling collection of celebrity images and rock and roll posters, the restaurant features a vintage jukebox and disco balls, adding to the fun.
Closer to the center of town, marked by the limestone Second Empire-style courthouse with a 165-foot domed clock tower, sits another all-female-owned eatery, Fresitas Artisan Ice Cream & More, which opened in 2021. Barbie pink coats the interior, and customers sit at tables with swingset seats. A social media selfie wall with plastic foliage and a vintage ice cream cart sits prominently beside the indoor jungle gym at the entrance. Guests can enjoy housemade paletas and ice cream or have a full-on lunch with quesabirrias, “mega” tortas of shredded beef and cueritos locos (chicharrones smothered in meats and cheeses). It is owned by Lorena Alvarez and her three daughters, Thania Ramirez, Mya Ortiz and Laura Guzman; according to The Frankfort Times, it has been the dream of the elder Alvarez since she was 15.
A few blocks north is another family-owned operation, the almost two-year-old La Mixteca. Spearheaded by Jackie Dominguez with her family, the Mexican restaurant is awash in bright red, yellow and tangerine hues, a hallmark of Oaxaca where moles, tamales, masa and giant empanadas reign. For inexperienced norteamericanos, loaded nachos, tacos, guac, and chips prevail, but for those seeking rich Oaxacan dishes like menudo and mojarra frita, La Mixteca may be the place to travel. Diners will also find well-stuffed burritos with braised pork, rice and salsa, which may be the dish most locals order but the empanadas of stewed chicken awash in achiote and melty cheese are an experience. Tucked into handmade portable pockets, the meat-filled handheld fills the belly. Enjoy beers, Mexican soda, tequilas and mescals from the country’s central region, too.
And for a bit of TV nostalgia, don’t miss the large mural depicting the famous faces of Frankfort, including the actor Will Greer, famed for playing Grandpa on “The Waltons.”
