First look at Lil' Frankies Grocery on 1st Avenue

Workers have removed the plywood from outside the under-renovation 21 First Ave., offering the first look at East Village restaurateur Frank Prisinzano's personally curated grocery store that will be opening in the weeks ahead.

Lil' Frankies Grocery is steps away from Prisinzano's Lil' Frankie's restaurant between First Street and Second Street. 

We first reported on this back in March. Here's an excerpt from that post, based on a series of Instagram Stories by Prisinzano:

"I've always wanted to have a grocery store. I've always wanted to curate all my own products," said Prisinzano, who also owns and operates EV mainstays Frank on Second Avenue and Supper on Second Street. "It will be a curated list of products that I use and recommend. Nothing will be on the shelves that I don't personally love." 

He plans on having a deli case inside the new shop to sell sandwiches ... with a vertical slicer for prosciutto. He's also thinking about offering homemade gelato and sorbet — similar to what his restaurants have on the dessert menus. Other amenities will include a 20-foot table to host private parties catered by the shop. 

"I'm going to keep it real simple, real Italian and real fresh," he said.

The grocery's Instagram account is currently listing an opening for this month.

The retail space was previously Fineline Tattoo, which is now located in a private studio.  

Frank Prisinzano planning grocery concept near Lil' Frankie's on 1st Avenue

East Village restaurateur Frank Prisinzano is opening a personally curated grocery store on First Avenue. 

In a series of clips in Stories at the newly created @frankiesgrocery on Instagram, Prisinzano unveiled some of the plans.... starting with that he might not actually call it Frankie's Grocery. 

"I'm still conceptualizing everything," he said.

He has signed two leases for storefronts, though he only divulged details on a space adjacent to Lil' Frankie's on First Avenue between First Street and Second Street. 

"I've always wanted to have a grocery store. I've always wanted to curate all my own products," said Prisinzano, who also owns and operates EV mainstays Frank on Second Avenue and Supper on Second Street. "It will be a curated list of products that I use and recommend. Nothing will be on the shelves that I don't personally love." 

He plans on having a deli case inside the new shop to sell sandwiches ... with a vertical slicer for prosciutto. He's also thinking about offering homemade gelato and sorbet — similar to what his restaurants have on the dessert menus. Other amenities will include a 20-foot table to host private parties catered by the shop. 

"I'm going to keep it real simple, real Italian and real fresh," he said.