I called in Frankie and Benny's while looking for something to eat in Altrincham, this store is around a 5-10 minute walk away from the town centre and most of the shops which lie there, and is in a complex which also includes a Vue cinema and is opposite a Sainsbury's and Starbucks Coffee. Also nearby is a Tesco supermarket.
This was my first visit to Frankie and Benny's since an awful experience (once again...) at their branch in Rochdale, which is their closest store to me but after hearing that they had a new gluten-free menu when talking to my coeliac friends, I decided to give them a try while passing in Altrincham today.
The gluten free menu here now is much more improved and actually excites me, it includes pizza and pasta and although the selection of pizza is quite poor and it is basically only three to choose from which is simply:
BBQ Chicken
Pepperoni and Chilli (American Hot)
Posh Margharitta
There also is a limited range of pasta, which they didn't have on my visit however the gluten free pasta is Fussli which is more swirled pasta, which I don't normally like anyway based on past experiences.
They also had a nice selection of potato skins, I ordered cheese, tomato, red onion and basil. They were okay but sadly nothing more than that and I have had much better in the past.
This store did have free wi-fi which was awkward to sign up to, and I also managed to pick up a 241 deal on the app which was good, so I do suggest you download it before you visit here.
My pizza was okay, actually, it was quite impressive. It is the second chain I am aware of to use a square base rather than a circular one to show it is gluten free, alongside Pizza Hut, but of course it is a different base.
My pizza was slightly messy and the sauce seemed to be coming off abit and the cheese didn't seem to be fully melted but it was okay, it was nothing too spectacular but it did suit my needs at the time in terms of a quick yet decent gluten free meal in Altrincham, but it certainly wasn't the best pizza I've had and wouldn't even come close.
The parking situation here is quite tricky, as Sainsbury's was closing I did have to pay to park across the way and the cinema has no parking of its' own I'm aware of, so you might have to pay for parking depending on when you visit.
Service was also below average, the waiters seemed okay but not overlay friendly or helpful.
Average
Average
Average
Maybe slightly below that..
That helps to sum this place up hence it deserves a mid to high two-star rating. read more