Framingham's La Cantina Plans New Eatery On Waverly St.

FRAMINGHAM, MA — One of the oldest restaurants in Framingham wants to expand into a new part of the culinary world.

La Cantina Italiana, 911 Waverly St., recently submitted a proposal to park its own food truck on a lot across the street from the main restaurant building. The food truck plan is part of a larger package of changes across four parcels the restaurant owns on both sides of Waverly Street near Winter Street.

The plans also call for a major expansion of the restaurant's outdoor seating to accommodate up to 78 people. The restaurant also wants to convert the top floor of the restaurant building into an apartment. Indoor seating at La Cantina would drop from 303 to 282, according to the plans.

La Cantina started out more than 70 years ago as a small market in Framingham's Tripoli neighborhood run by Leo and Fanny Mencoboni. The market eventually became Spaghetti House in 1950, then La Cantina in 1954, and in 1998 became La Cantina Italiana (to avoid confusion with other restaurants in the area with "cantina" in the name).

The La Cantina plans will go before the Planning Board on Thursday at a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m.