I love Francesco. I love the atmosphere, its beautiful interior and food from scratch. Family owned gem. The entry inside the restaurant , is an easy pass by, plaza, be aware. Make reservations in advance, its quiet busy. Btw the service is rather sllooow, so make sure you got time at hand
(4)
Adam L.
Not a lot of good Italian restaurants in Orlando but this is one of them. Very good and friendly service. I have never had a bad meal. It can get crowded at times but that is a good sign.
(4)
Danielle R.
So far we've had pizza, linguine alfredo, and the skirt steak; nothing has been disappointing. The taste of everything has been great. I unfortunately received medium rare steak instead of medium well, well part of it, it just want cooked very evenly. My boyfriend said it was perfect though, so I guess that counts.
(4)
Matt K.
Spaghetti Vongole is garlic heavy but really delicious. I got a great helping of clams in the dish. They did not skimp! The caprese salad was only OK. The plum tomato is small. If you're used to a caprese with big slices of tomatoes, you will be disappointed. They have several other salad options to choose from. Nice wine list of varying price points. We had a bottle in the $30 range and it was excellent for what we paid. I would confidently order wine here again. The back patio has a few AC units to try and keep it cool. As long as it isn't sweltering out, and you're dressed casually, you should be fine. Note: the parking here is behind the restaurant. The entrance to the parking lot is south of the building.
(5)
Charlotte S.
This is probably one of the best pizzas I've had. I came here on my lunch hour and ordered a plain cheese pizza. It was so good we finished the entire thing. You can tell that all of the ingredients were incredibly fresh. You also get a side of bread and dipping seasoning with your order. I think it's an olive oil/balsamic/parmesan blend but it's really good. I'll definitely be coming back!
(4)
Lisa K.
I was excited to come here because I had heard so much about the authentic Napoli pizza. When I came with my son, husband and parents, I was blown away by the overall perfect experience. Maestro of the whole thing was our waiter Nino, who is the best waiter I have ever had in my life of dining. He described the specials so enticing and accurately that when we ordered them, we were not disappointed with our decision. He paid just enough attention to our table to take care of us but not overwhelm the conversation at hand. He even went and got my son a small car toy that he had with him- which my son just loved! Even my parents were incredibly impressed with Nino and they dine out a lot. They loved him. Equally as impressive was the food. The pizza lived up to its delicious reputation. The salad was inventive and perfectly sized. The pasta was sauced just enough. And the wine list was a perfect compliment- with interesting by the glass options and nothing basic. Needless to say, I think we found a new favorite!
(5)
Cindee P.
When we first walked in, it wasn't too busy. It was early dinner time. We walked passed so many empty booths, I was wondering which one we were going to stop at to be seated, but the hostess lead us to a small, secluded room that already had a large party of about 8-10 people. They were pretty loud as the room was closed in. I was relieved when they finally left. My husband chose this place because he heard it was the best in town for pizza, so he ordered the Carne Pazza. He said it was good. My daughter had the lasagna and she said it was good, nothing special. I had the grilled shrimp and grilled calamari steak. The shrimp was perfect, but the calamari was a little bland. It was a little tough/chewy, so I think I should have been given a steak knife, but I managed with my butter knife. I don't know Italian culture or the language, but the menu definitely wasn't in English and some of the words were difficult to pronounce. Good thing the descriptions were in English. We ended our dinner with the Strawberry Tiramisu and a cappuccino and they were both really good. We would probably go back only if we were in the neighborhood. It was a little expensive for what it was.
(3)
Christine C.
Francesco's has the recipe for success: good location, gorgeous restaurant, menu with plenty of options. Here's why they lost stars, but also what they did well. I dined with a friend's younger daughter on Saturday evening. We called well in advance for reservations, but when arrived, were seated outside. Outside was 50 degrees, but I was told by the hostess the patio was 'enclosed' and there were space heaters. What enclosed means is canvas tied to poles, and the giant standing space heaters that you see at Disney crammed up against tables. The patio was severely overcrowded and most diners had their jackets on. It was clearly detracted from quite a few dining experiences, so I feel justified with this complaint. Secondly, the service is slow. It's very attentive, but our waiter took almost 15 minutes to arrive while two other server assistants checked on us, and gave us bread to start, before we'd been greeted and given drinks. We also ordered a bottle of sparkling water (A simple request, I feel) and it took another 15 minutes, after water, to arrive. This server didn't seem to have many other tables, so I didn't understand the massive delay. While he was exceptionally friendly and provided attentive service otherwise, between the hostess trying to gloss over our concerns about the patio, other diners seeming upset, and slow service, this restaurant has some weak points that need to be worked on. We ordered the Pollo Crostini to start, which was an excellent choice. Great notes of Balsamic and delicious pesto cream, it's an appetizer even a 13 year old loved. We both picked the Gnocchi for dinner, as well as the Italian Wedding Cake for dessert at the server's suggestion. The Gnocchi was overcooked and a bit chewy, and also the gnocchi balls were quite a bit larger than in any dish I've ever had. The sauce was flavorful and filling, but this ended up being taken home to someone with a less discriminating palate, who also commented on their general chewiness and size. Small tweaks would make this pasta dish quite wonderful. The cake for dessert was a bit dry, though the ricotto filling more than made up for it. A very tasty dessert, though I wish I'd gone with my original choice of Tiramisu. I believe this place is worth visiting, though for the money, I do know of several Italiano restaurants very close by that have some stronger points.
(3)
D W.
It would have been nice if the wait staff would have taken the time to acknowledge us. This is the second (and last) time that we have been sat only to be ignored by staff. Slow Saturday early dinner @2:30 pm that would have been a $60-70 check for a two top. Guess that's not good enough.
(1)
Michael J.
Five of us went to lunch. Our food came out one dish at a time, which seemed odd if all orders were called in at the same time. True some items would take longer, but to bring them out piecemeal while others waited for their food??? Two had the house salad which was just a handful of dark greens in a bowl. The Caesar salad was similar only it was lettuce with grated cheese. We had to ask a waiter to bring the pepper mill, which he plunked on the table never offering to use it for us. Again, ordinary. I had the Chicken Parmesan. It came with a huge helping of pasta and a very lively tomato sauce. Too much really for lunch. My chicken however, was burned and subsequently dry. We ordered a sample of their meatballs as I always do when I visit an Italian restaurant for the first time. Again the sauce was very good. The meatballs a bit bland for my taste.
(2)
Anthony I.
UPDATE 9-17-14 Just got a email from Yelp that they removed one of my photos since it didn't represent the company. I think I screen shot of my phone being on hold for 20min represents the company very well I took a screen shot of my phone so I can up load it and show how long this place kept me on hold. you can clearly see it was almost 20 min. I called to place a to go order. I was put on hold. 5 min into waiting I was like wtf. at 10min I was getting agitated. my wife told me to hang up and forget even going there if this is how their service is. but now I was determined to see just how long of a wait it would be. and 20 min later someone finally picked up the phone.. are you f**** kidding me! On a Wednesday? Then to make matters worse, we got home only to see one of the pizza's weren't even cut into slices. it was just one big ass pizza. I guess they expected my tiny petite wife to just pick up the whole pie and ram it down her throat. I took a photo of this fail as well.. first impression. two thumbs down. I saw several 2 star reviews and several 5 star reviews so I really wanted to give it a shot. nope... the interior of this place is really nice and it's in a good location. so a star for design. a star because the food is OK. but the customer service sucks. 20 min wait times when you call and food that's not even finished being prepared. I guess we'll have to settle for the amazing food at Antonio's a block away.
(2)
Bridgette D.
Not only is this place a beautiful restaurant, but their food is equally as satisfying. I was really surprised from the plaza exterior to walk in and see such an elegantly done restaurant. The pizza margherita is to die for! Their gnocchi is superb and all their sauces are phenomenal. You receive really friendly service from all their servers. Their food is seriously authentic, made fresh and they always have excellent wine pairing suggestions. Dessert and coffee are also a must, so please take a doggy bag and save room for something sweet. My only complaint would be their young hostesses who always seem to have a touch of arrogance, but I'll chalk that up to assuming this is most likely their first job and they haven't quite gotten the concept that their patrons make it possible to supply them their paychecks. Do yourself a favor and enjoy a beautiful, classy dinner here.
(4)
Sheryle W.
One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Everything we've tried is delicious!! Great Caesar salad, chicken Parmesan, Salmon & eggplant. Love the atmosphere too. Prices very reasonable
(5)
Christine C.
Underwhelming. Water quality was horrendous, which makes me question their pizza dough. The waitress seemed very aloof, tactless and disregarded the majority of our requests, she also hovered around us eerily and pressured us to make decisions quickly. They were "out" of the seafood salad, which I thought was odd... So you have no shrimp, calamari, octopus or lemon on a THURSDAY night? Seemed as though other people were enjoying their time, but not super interested in giving this place a second chance considering the number of wonderful food options around.
(3)
Tracey M.
Let me start with the negative and explain the 3 stars so that anyone in my situation can avoid having this problem in the future. I made reservations for 4 ( my father and two kids) for my Birthday dinner. I have been here before in the private room and had an amazing time that first visit. When we arrived early for our reservation they sat us at the table barely inside the restaurant. Being that I made reservations, explained ahead it was my birthday - I would of expected to have a roomier table away from the take out experience. I noticed a lot of empty tables and booths but they refused to move us. We were dressed up and I tried to make the best of it. Given the fact they had the room, they get 3 stars for how they handled it. I never got an apology and for the $165 we spent, I think we were treated with indifference. The food was good ( 4 stars) and while I will probably go back - I will be a nervous wreck to get a good seat so that the dining experience I prefer can be accommodated. What was ordered: Wine!! They had a fantastic wine list and I enjoyed several glasses of a red blend. calamari - it was good! I've had better but this was good. Two of the specials with seafood risotto and grouper. It was very tasty. --- 3 stars An order of the skirt steak, medium rare- 5 stars!!!! Veal Piccata ( not on menu) but they accommodated me on this one.. 5 stars!!! We had the tiramisu ( which tasted like the Italian wedding cake but they swore it was tiramisu - I didn't care for it) normally Tiramisu is my favorite dessert. My kids got gelato which was great. We had coffee and it was delish. Overall this is a great place for a romantic date night if you sit well inside the restaurant. Please make sure you specify exactly what you want when you make a reservation.
(3)
Dolly V.
I have been to this restaurant twice. The first time was a normal outcome, it wasn't overwhelming amazing but at the same time it wasn't the worst. My family and I decided to go back again. It was my sister (at the time was pregnant) my parents, brother in law, my partner and I. Most of us ordered Spaghetti Alfredo along with other for the rest. These pastas were SOOOOO salty no of us could even eat. We told our waitress who immediately called the manager and this is where this place lost all the stars for me. The manager came in and very rudely told us that they did not use salt in his kitchen and basically we didn't know anything about food. The waitress offered to change my dad's and sister's pasta ONLY this was simply because she was pregnant and he has high blood pressure. Unfortunately they were just as salty. The manager never came back out, did not make us feel welcome and on top of that did not even attempt to make it better. Horrible experience at this place and would certainly not come back. There are way better choices in the area with better food and better service.
It doesn't get better than this for Italian Tutti de cappi of authentic Sicilian cuisine, busy as hell ...... Great resturant
(5)
Nick B.
Let's face it, Francesco cooks even better than your mom! This place is the best Italian food in Orlando.
(5)
Annie B.
First time ever ordering pizza or eating inside. Pick up was easy and quick. But when we got home... We opened the box and both just stared at it for awhile. I think we both were wondering "what the crap is this white fluffy stuff"... We decided to try it anyways and realized the outrageous mounds of white fluffy was indeed, Ricotta cheese. In much smaller amounts; this cheese is heaven- however without it being spread evenly...it almost ruined it. Every other ingredient tastes amazing. Over all we liked the pizza, and would probably order again, just not the Bianca pizza. This picture was taken after we scrapped it off- like holes in my soul. The spots you see have no cheese.
(3)
Foodie O.
I just had lunch here and I was not impressed. My server was VERY SLOW and when I asked what was taking so long she let me know my eggplant rolatini took 30 minutes to bake. No apology, no explanation. She should have let me know this when ordering. I let her know this. She never checked in for the rest of the meal and when I asked for my meal to be wrapped at the end of lunch, she delivered it to the wrong table! On top of the lousy service, the food was bland. the pastas was undercooked and everything tasted like it came out of a microwave boxed meal. I wont ever be coming back. I will stick to Antonio's for MUCH better Italian food in Maitland.
(2)
Dana S.
First time here, went for a birthday dinner. I made the reservation for 9 people that afternoon, and they were luckily able to accommodate. The food was delicious, and I can't even describe how big the portions are...I wanted spaghetti with seafood in a garlic wine sauce. It wasn't on the menu, but the server said that Francesco (owner and chef) would make me whatever I liked.... Delicious! WhenI saw the size of the portion, I thought I was gonna have to give up my car payment this month. I was surprised to see how inexpensive my dinner was, considering all the seafood that was in it, and the portion size. I will be back with friends and family... Great experience.
(5)
Rency Y.
Light, fresh & delicious! The Vitello Siciliano, Lasagna & Gnocchi. Also, the wine selection is top notch! I tried a glass of valpolacello...Bueno!
(5)
Alexandra J.
Forget all the old negative reviews we came tonight and it was spectacular .. Opera night anazing voice amazing food our waiters name was Derek and Hector Was our welcoming guy who was so sweet and got us those amazing 3 year anniversary wine glasses!! Our foomd was outstanding I had the Veal with capers and white wine .. Best I ever had!! My husband a had the chicken with spinach and garlic.. Served and waited in IMMEDIATELY WOW FELT VERY WELCOMED so go yourself and see stupendous!!
(5)
Aimee L.
The food is always super tasty. However, I had them do a catering event for me last week for my work. It was for 25 people. The food was very, very good. However, the catering process was very frustrating. I had to call multiple times on different days to place my catering order. They kept telling me to call back when a manager was there. I finally said, here is my number, please have him call me. They did not. I called again and finally got someone that would take my order. When he took my order he seemed a little annoyed. And he would not let me pay beforehand. He said I needed to call back on the day of the event to pay then, which can be frustrating when you have a million things to do when hosting an event for 25 people. I ended up calling the day before the event to pay. They allowed it. The day of the event, I got a phone message and they said they lost my credit card information and that I needed to call them back. I called them back. They found it. When the server dropped off the food he did not set anything up. He put the paper bags and the pans on the counter, nothing else. He already placed his tip on the receipt, which I find very tacky. We would have tipped more than what he gave himself, but that is his loss. After he left, I realized he did not bring any serving utensils. I called the server/ driver and he said, "nobody told me to put any in there." I said, "uhh, alrighty." Luckily we had some at the office. We got the penne alfredo, the lasagna, and the house salad. It was very good. I will still go to the restaurant, because I like the food so much. I will NEVER order catering there again. They promote a catering menu on their website, so I didn't think that I was putting them out by asking for them to cater my event. It was $125 for large pan of lasagna, which is a little pricy as well, but again, everyone loved the food. So, I don't regret going there because everyone was so happy with the food, but I have no idea why they treat their catering customers they way they do.
(2)
Ryan K.
I'm going 5 stars for the service, atmosphere & staff-to-staff interactions. Sat at the bar on Friday from 10:15 - 11:15 PM by myself. The blah blah blah: Servers were super attentive to my water, wine and bread. I spoke to 3 - all of whom had an easy and relaxed conversational style. I had a cab, wedge salad, chianti, pene pasta and tiramasu. All were satisfying. My server was Dani (or Danielle, she goes by both) - she was welcoming, attentive, and had great recommendations. At 10:35 a couple speaking Italian who had previously both been working in the kitchen came and sat next to me - I'm 100% sure they were the owners. A very cute couple - momma was warm and welcoming, pop hilarious. I didn't talk to them, only observed while I read my book and ate. The X factor: The blood runs thick here - after the owners finished eating I witnessed them go into the kitchen to give a customary italian parting to every single staff member - a cheek to cheek kiss on both cheeks. Momma gave me a warm smile when she caught my eye. The takeaway: This place is a gem in this neighborhood. I don't think this will be the only location in the future. In the parking lot: I saw and heard a table of 7 celebrating something together. Singing, drinking, eating. This is the kind of restaurant yelp was made to help us discover. I hope you're experience is as good as mine - don't go in expecting 5 star food, or top notch wine knowledge - though they may be able to provide it this restaurant shines on service, and atmosphere.
(5)
Rebecca R.
Our family is Italian, and is very particular in where we go for Italian food. In fact, Francesco's is the FIRST restaurant that we've liked enough to return to over and over again since moving to Florida years ago. All of their menu items are cooked at the time of ordering and every ingredient is fresh. Their red sauce is amazing and this is no small thing for Italian cuisine. They have a wonderful sommelier at the restaurant Thu, Fri/Sat who is amazing and only adds to Francesco's incredible wine selections. I love this place for its atmosphere too, and is a great "nice" place to take your family but is also very good for a date-night. The owner/chef is visible every day, and is leading the cooking of dishes. His mother and father bake all of their mouth watering deserts too! I just can't say enough great things about this neighborhood gem!
(5)
Nisim H.
We had a good dinner here with friends and enjoyed it. The portions are generous and the quality is good. Will go again to explore further. 4 stars because our friend's chicken was dry and my veal was more than the medium that I ordered but I still enjoyed it. The opera singers were fun and the service was pretty good.
This restaurant is simply phenomenal! Everything I have tasted I have enjoyed! The desserts are amazing as well!
(5)
Kristen P.
Fancy Italian. We should up at 9pm with a group that kept on growing. They didn't have enough near each other at the time but instead of making us wait, they gave us an option to split us up which was fine. I had already eaten so I just got the side salad (without olives, sorry Italians). But I munched off other plates. Calamari = great; Mussels = better; alfredo = good stuff. While I didn't try it, I noticed pizzas were enormous. The portions were huge for everything and reasonably priced. I wanted to try the desserts, but alas I didn't. Good to note also, it's beer and wine only. No liquor. Also no grenadine for Shirley Temples. Ugh. There is an Italiano group that wanders around to the tables singing to the patrons. A little awkward but extremely impressive. Our group just came from a choir concert so some of them joined in.
(5)
Kalynne M.
Great place for lunch in Maitland! The decor is thoughtful and cozy yet elegant. I have met friends here for lunch many times and it's always a lovely experience. The hostess seated me while I waited for my friend to arrive. The server asked for my drink order and was prompt with refills. Another server dropped off fresh bread and olive oil dipping sauce... Yummy! My friend and I both ordered the penne vodka with fresh broccoli. Be sure to ask for extra broccoli;) The cream sauce is rich but the vodka offers a nice balance to the dish. The lunch portion is huge and comes with a salad too. Lunch specials are under $10. Authentic Italian food prepared in an open kitchen.
(5)
Raiza C.
Super cute place. The Pizza bomba is a must try! Very clean, friendly, outside seating available. Cesar salad is just right and the cannolis are great. Absolutely love this spot.
(5)
Leila T.
Like to get there pizza to go they have two pizzas that are really good Italiana and Carne Pazza. The prices are a little high but worth it.
(4)
Samantha A.
Love, love, love this place. The wine list is fabulous, the ambiance is great, and the staff is very friendly. Olivier, the sommelier, is awesome and very nice. The flatbreads are delicious, the gnocchi is mind blowing, and so is really everything else we've tried. The tiramisu is a total mouthgasm. This is a really cozy little italian restaurant that's great for any occasion.
(4)
Elise B.
Took us two hours to get our food!!! The waiter try to make it up to us by offering dessert. we could not wait any longer or spend anymore time in the restaurant, so I asked if you could take the bottle of wine off the check and he was told he could not but would buy us a dessert himself. Very disappointing service. However, the food was delicious.
(3)
Carlos V.
This is some of the best Italian food I've had in awhile. I'm always complaining about Italian restaurants making their food too salty or using substandard ingredients. Not here though. I came for lunch, with a group of 5 other yelpers. I wanted to try everything on the menu and decided on the Penne Vodka with broccoli and sun dried tomatoes. I was hesitant to order it, because I've had Penne Vodka only once in my life and it was horrible. Fellow yelper Chris R. recommended it, which encouraged me to order it. I also added a side of meatballs, for added protein. Our meals came out pretty quickly. My Penne Vodka was excellent, and the meatballs were delicious. There was so much food too, and I had left overs for another 2 meals. The meatballs weren't your small meatballs either. They were about 4 large ones. Very good deal for about a $14 lunch (extra meatballs were about $4 more). It also came with a decent house salad. Plus we had really good free bread, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for it. I wish this place was closer to my house or work, cause I'd come here more often. I'll also give them a thumbs up for their interior decorating too!
(5)
Jane D.
Love this place, the food is excellent and the staff is friendly. Try the calamari.....so delicious!
(4)
Ed M.
This is our favorite local Italian restaurant and we've been several times. Everything on the menu is great and fresh. Just go and see what I mean.
(4)
Mike Z.
My parents, sister, her husband and I went to Francesco's for the first time several weeks ago (maybe 3 weeks ago tomorrow, 12/1/12). We'd heard some good things about it, though another reason that we went is because the restaurant has the same name as perhaps our favorite one ( yelp.com/biz/francescos-… ) from when we lived in New York. I very much enjoyed my trip to the Maitland Francesco's and hope to come back again sometime. As we believed/were told prior to our visit, Francesco's recently opened, perhaps 1-2 months ago. The restaurant appeared to be clean and well-organized. We sat outside on a cozy patio area, which has at least half a dozen tables, both large and small. Our server was very helpful and friendly and notified us of the evening's specials and was able to answer any questions we had. Each of us, as far as I remember, had at least one glass of wine as well as a salad. We also shared a calamari appetizer, which was delicious. My Caesar salad was great, too - it was one of the best ones in my recent memory. For dinner, I had the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken (adding the chicken cost extra, as usually is the case). It was great, though I had to take roughly half of it home with me since I ate too much calamari/salad/bread before my dinner arrived. For dessert, I had the sfogliatelle, which was pretty good. It was a little different than I was expecting it to be, but I still devoured it. My father also had that and said that it was his understanding that it was supposed to be more moist/chewy or something along those lines. Still, it was good. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and the consensus was that it would be worth a second visit. I didn't pay (thankfully!), as my parents and my sister/her husband seemed to split things up, but for the five of us I think the bill was in excess of $125 (and perhaps I'm not getting that correct - maybe it was considerably higher). My mother had a gift certificate/card of some sort, so that helped out a little bit. Overall, I can see myself coming back here again. It was worth the time and trip. I don't think that it ever will measure up to the Francesco's in N.Y. (which I highly recommend to everyone), but that's not exactly a detriment as THAT Francesco's is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Four stars for now.
(4)
Allie V.
This place is our new go-to for yummy Italian. Portions are great, flavors are fantastic and they are consistent. , Atmosphere is active and cozy, but we mostly do take out and it has been phenomenal every time. I highly suggest the eggplant parm and the gnocchi. Both very good. We usually lean toward meatless pasta dishes, but from the descriptions we may have to give some of the meat-based dishes a try. We're so excited to have a great Italian restaurant right around the corner.
(5)
Adina B.
I tried Francesco's again after previously having a negative experience. I can't say I had a better experience this time. Service was very, very slow. The server had a major attitude problem and she seemed to be focused on flirting with male patrons. The food was ok. Italian American food with cheese and sauce and you get the picture. Not a place to go for authentic Italian food.
(1)
Sarah G.
I've been here a few times. I love the ambiance. The food is and the desserts are excellent.
(3)
Leala V.
I had a great lunch here. I ordered the eggplant rollintini and the eggplant was cooked perfectly. The consistency held the rollitini together yet it was not chewy to eat. Mine was served with a side of penne pasta but I believe that can vary depending on the chef's wishes. The lunch special comes with either a Caesar or house salad and I chose the house salad.
(4)
New F.
Ate here after eating in Boston's North End a few days earlier and there is no comparison: this place is the real deal and way cheaper! The food is reasonably priced and the portions are enormous. I got the chicken parm and thoroughly enjoyed the accordion player and singer, serenading us on a Saturday night. The atmosphere is casual, but still makes for a great night out. I've made a reservation every time I've been and haven't had any problems.
(5)
Melissa B.
Service, GREAT. Food, OUTSTANDING. Ambiance, Beyond what I could have expected! We went to Francesco's on a recommendation from a friend's family locally, but my friend and I had never been. Our friend had suggested some items, but we decided to go on our own. She had the salmon with a bruschetta on it, which she said was delicious, and I had a version of chicken picata. Our server was fantastic. Our reservation was closer to the end of the night, so we understood the fact that they were cleaning up at some point. Our server didn't hover and our service didn't slack in spite of the late hour. The wine was delicious, and the server was very knowledgeable. I took a business card as we left. I knew this was a place where I would want to send others. :-)
(5)
Irene W.
We have been coming to Francesco's almost since it's inception and it has become our sat. Night ritual. The food is fabulous, but the wonderful staff is what keeps us coming back. Everyone, without exception is warm and welcoming. From the moment we arrive, we are made to feel at home. Jimmy, the manager, is particularly accommodating. Once a month they have an opera night which is such a treat! Cheers has nothing on this place.
(5)
Michael X.
The food : Good. Not amazing, but good. The service : Not good. Not good at all. As I entered, the restaurant was probably 75% empty, yet it took what seemed like several minutes and a discussion between three people to figure out if they indeed had a table for me, and if so, where. Server was off-putting and not attentive. Overall, I've felt more welcome at the DMV. Will I be going back? Not a chance.
(2)
Leslie S.
The bread in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar is to die for. We ordered the special appetizer (a HUGE portion of mussels in a spicy marinara) that were very tasty but not spicy at all. We rated them a B. My mom ordered a tuna salad that she rated an A+. Her main dish was penne puttanesca that had WAY too much salt (kalamata olives and capers). It was rated a D. I ordered the Calamari steak with shrimp and arugula with tomatoes. It was very tasty and I rated it a B. We ordered pistachio gelato that was unbelievable and made in house. A+. All portions are very large and big enough to split.
(3)
Jessilyn P.
Two words. Salmon Salad! OMG!
(5)
Nisha J.
My husband and I came here for lunch and it was amazing. I ordered the penne pasta, with broccoli, sundries tomatoes in creamy vodka sauce. It was delicious. All their lunch dishes come with bread and a salad. I definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area.
(5)
Michael C.
My wife is Sicilian and next to her and her mothers cooking .... it's Francesco who is from Palermo (my wife's family is from Bivona, an hour outside Palermo). The food, which is excellent, is prepared in the open kitchen. The service is attentive, prices are fair and the atmosphere is lively. Finding the parking lot is a challenge. But once you get there... you'll definitely be going back. BTW .. every 3rd Saturday they have singers roaming around .. I mean real singers... Opera, Show tunes, Ballads ... Very entertaining.
(5)
Donna S.
Pizza was pretty good, we all got cheese except one of our party. They ordered no cheese and add peppers and onions. It would have been nice if they adjusted the price instead of adding an extra five dollars to the check for the veggies. Also don't expect to be able to come and eat within your lunch hour. We were there over an hour and a half. I think this may be a good place for dinner but don't think it's worth it during lunch.
(3)
Bruce B.
Great food, amazing bread and olive oil-balsamic-cheese-spices are to die for. I was here for lunch, sat at bar, like the open kitchen. I got the Chicken Parm, awesome, it came with a house or Ceasars, I picked Caesars, again great, the bread crouton they served was unreal. The chicken breast was huge, and I have to say I was totally impressed with the operation. I feel this is a must try.
(5)
Shea's Lounge S.
Tonight's pizza was great but not what we wanted , out of pepperoni, bummer Catalonia and chocolate profiterole with cream yum! More than made up for the change They never disappoint on the flavors (even if it is not what you first intend to have) Not cheap but worth the Easy dinner thanks
(4)
Brian R.
Have been now more than 5 times and never had a bad meal. Service is always excellent. Never an empty glass. Prices are reasonable for the service and level of freshness you receive. Sit at the bar and you will witness the inner workings. Fun to listen to the conversations in Italian as your food is all prepared fresh and cooked to order. The pizza is amazing. It's hands down the best pizza in the area. Hand tossed and fired in their pizza oven. Great for casual romantic or family gatherings. Kid friendly. Even heart shaped pizzas now and then. If you haven't tried it, do it. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Jessica H.
The food was absolutely amazing wow just one of the best Italian foods ever! I had the lasagne and it was just so fresh you tell was made from scratch we had a great waiter we had a big party and we there after close and they were so nice and help with everything then I had the cannoli for dessert as well amazing I can't wait to go back to try the pizza! Great experience and staff
(5)
Andrew O.
Took my family there and everyone had a great meal. Prices are very reasonable also. Restaurant is noisy however, wish they would add some acoustic panels.
(4)
Rob S.
Was in the other day and had the Mussels which was a big portion and delicious. I also had the Linguine and Clams which was really good. The service was good too.
(3)
James S.
I eat lunch here whenever I'm working in the area. The food is made fresh in an open kitchen and is absolutely delicious. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Kimberly T.
You might pass this place by if you didn't know better. It's in a little strip plaza on 17-92 and doesn't look very remarkable from the road. Don't let that stop you, though. It's actually an awesome addition to the Orlando/WP/Maitland dining scene. We've sat in the very back (smaller) room and at the bar. Would recommend the bar first as the back room gets pretty loud. Plus, at the bar, you can watch the all of the action of the open kitchen. The food is delish--especially the gnocchi! They also have Peroni on draft, which is the perfect beer pairing for Italian food. My only complaint is the hostesses seem rather meh. The place is small enough that it almost doesn't even need one and their overall welcome is almost a deterrent to diners. Almost.
(4)
Carrie K.
I may or may not have just scraped all the tracings of marinara from my doggie box, because it was SO amazing! This place has amazing food, great value, and the place has great service too! I would recommend this to my parents, who are super picky about their mom & pop Italian joints! They would love this place! If I had to Think of some feedback, I'd say that the marinara was a little salty, but that could also be a fluke!
(4)
Dave B.
Upon huge recommendations from friends we went for dinner on my wifes bday.First...you walk in and the smells are amazing! Wood fired ovens, the bread, pastas! Take it all in because its great! The cooking is on display as the kitchen is open. If you want something special ask, more then likely Franchesco himself will make it for you! The decor , waitstaff and food are top notch! 5 star .....Absolutely! Because it was recommended from my friend I requested a cake that is made on site by the owners for my wifes bday. It was an Italian Wedding Cake!!!! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!! From start to finish everything was spot on! You need to go! They are Italian 100% !!!!
(5)
Paul M.
Great service, nice ambiance, decent food, although a bit pricey for what is essentially country Italian. My main complaint is that the chef kept strutting around like a peacock. Yeah, you're semi-famous in ORLANDO. Good for you; but until you get your first Michelin star, keep your feet on the ground.
(4)
Meghan R.
I went here for lunch today for the first time with a friend. We loved NYPD Pizza that used to be in the same location as Francesco's, so we thought we'd give it a try since it was so close by. We were very impressed! The lunch menu is small, only 11 items, but the prices are good and the portions were large for lunch. All lunches came with bread and a salad also. Our waitress was very attentive and on top of things. I never had to ask for a refill on my drink. I ordered the chicken parmagiana and it was DELISH! I originally wanted the meat lasagna, but the waitress explained that they had been open yesterday for Father's day (when they usually aren't open on Sundays) and they hadn't had enough time to prep for today. I was disappointed, but once my meal showed up all was forgiven. It was a large piece of chicken with a side of pasta. I didn't think I'd be able to eat it all, but next thing I knew it was gone. They did a great job converting the restaurant to his new look. There were different options for where to sit, including at the bar or even on the outside covered patio (which will be really nice in the fall). We got there at 11:30 and by the time we left at 12:30 they were completely packed. I think that says a lot for a new restaurant. I definitely want to try them out for dinner sometime!
(5)
Frances D.
Unbelievably delicious food, excellent service, very friendly staff, and a nice atmosphere. And their prices are very reasonable!!
(5)
Hunter R.
This place is by far the best authentic Italian food I have EVER had!! The only reason I see legitimate complaints was service which has changed TREMENDOUSLY for the better! It was completely packed on Saturday night and service+management did amazing job! Anyone who thinks this is average Italian food knows little about Italian cuisine.
(5)
JL W.
My family was heartbroken when one of our favorite Maitland pizza places shut down unexpectedly. Luckily, this week the space was occupied by the recently opened Francesco's Ristorante. Though, make no mistake, this isn't your average pizza joint. It's a full on Italian restaurant, with authentic dishes and an extensive wine list. The interior has been completely redesigned, and it now features an open kitchen and faux old world wall brick textures. But there's flat screen TVs hanging on the walls, so it's still comfortably casual. The Food: We ordered the Calabrese pizza (with spicy sausage) and a kid's cheese pizza (which was enormous). They were both super-thin crust and had just the right amount of fresh sauce. For drinks we each had an icy cold Peroni on draft. THE TIRAMISU WAS INCREDIBLE! The Service: The restaurant is still newly opened, so there were a ton of servers and managers around to make sure everything ran smoothly. Our waiter was friendly, knowledgeable, and knew when to visit our table. The manager stopped by the table and was quite friendly. Family Friendly: There were plenty of families with kids and we didn't feel stressed out out of place bringing our preschooler in with us.
(4)
Ricardo G.
Great place specially to sit outside or back patio Chicken is great Best of all is the bread Pricing for lunch reasonable 9.49 for all options
(5)
Sandra S.
This place is great!! Every time I go I try something new and I have yet to encounter a bad dish or service. The managers are very friendly, they come around and talk to tables which adds a very warm welcoming touch. They have an open kitchen and you can see the Italian born chef cooking away. Here are some of my favorites: Calamari Insalata Di Carciofi Romana Flatbread Penne Palermitana All in all, the food is fresh, plentiful and homemade. This restaurant gets an A+ in my book!
(5)
John O.
Food is great, so is the service. Sit at the bar top and watch the cooks do there thing. Must order the pizza!
(5)
Tom S.
I never write reviews but for this place I had to sign up with Yelp because the service was so bad I have to let people know. The food was average, certainly nothing exceptional. But I do not think I have ever seen worse service. It took over an hour once we ordered for anyone at the table to get any food. One person did not get their's until everyone else was done. It was only after the order was cancelled did they bring it with only " I don't know what happened in the kitchen". The waiter would not even look at our table as he went by because of how long it was taking. It is not like this was a weekend, it was a Tuesday night. There seemed to be plenty of staff. As I said in the beginning I have never ever taken the time to write a review so that should tell you how bad this service was
(1)
Alice C.
I love to give 4 or 5 stars when I review a restaurant. The food was close to a 5. I had the caprese which was beautifully presented and tasted great. Not a drop left, even though it did not have balsamic vinegar on it. (I love balsamic vinegar). I paired my dinner with a nice little house chianti. My main course was the salmon served with asparagus. So good. It came with a balsamic sauce! The salmon had a little char from the grill, cooked perfectly to a medium. 5's for my whole meal. My daughter had the campegna pizza. Very tasty but also very soggy. Not quite sure what to do with that. Perhaps it was the eggplant cooking down that added moisture. Service...not so great. Our waiter was very charming, but very absent. What should have been a 45 minute to 1 hour dining experience turned into 1 hour 40 minutes. I wasn't in a hurry, but when there are a lot if people staring at you waiting for a table you feel like you should leave when you are finished. Except...it took a long time to be greeted, a longtime to have our order taken, my dinner came 5 minutes before my daughters, a really long time to have the waiter come back and ask us about dessert, a long time for dessert to come out. The pace was just way off. I will definitely go back. Everyone deserves a couple of chances especially with food that good. The decor was delightful. They had a strolling group comprising of an accordion, guitar and tambourine. The music was mostly Italuan opera style. Great for the space. Made it feel very lively. The bar seating looked fun with a great view of the open kitchen.
(3)
Rebecca V.
I really love this place. Their vegetable lasagna is particularly delicious, but everything I have tried has been quite tasty. The ambiance is very pleasant, with both indoor and outdoor seating. The service is generally quite good and the prices are reasonable.
(5)
MP J.
Great place. Enjoyed sitting at the bar and got to watch pizza making excellence. The kitchen works hard at their craft and we enjoyed listening to them speak Italian while they worked. Food is fresh and delicious. Can't wait to come back!
(5)
Cristy N.
We loved everything about this place. Portions are generous, prices are fair and the flavors were very nice. Decor and seating are comfortable. The kitchen is open and it is possible to sit at the bar to observe, although we chose a booth for our first visit. The chef is Sicilian and we noticed him spending time interacting with customers at the end of the night. Service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Our late Saturday night showed a good mix of people with a casual vibe. Looking forward to having some decent Italian fare close by, as all our previous attempts have fallen flat.
(5)
Kelsey S.
I Have been here for lunch and dinner three times now and the service and food is consistently excellent. The prices are great ( bottled beer is fairly inexpensive and food portions are large!) Our waitress told Us Francesco's parents are pastry chefs so trying dessert was a must... You have got to get the Italian wedding cake with cannoli filling, it was out of this world!
(5)
Anna S.
My friends and I had a great time at Francesco's last weekend. We arrived around 8pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant was packed inside and on both of the small patios outside. Without a reservation we were told there would be a 1 hr wait inside, or a 20 minute wait for the patio. We chose to sit outside. We ordered a bottle of wine to split between the four of us and an order of their fried calimari, which was HUGE (definitely the biggest calimari appetizer I've ever seen anywhere) and was more than enough to hold us over for the long wait for our food. They also brought out a basket of bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which was delicious. Everything there is made to order by the chef, so it takes a little bit of patience, especially on a busy night. All of our portions were large (I had enough leftover for lunch the next day) delicious, perfectly flavored and not too salty or over-sauced. My only complaint would be the fact that the service was quite slow--which is to be expected on such a busy night, but we were often out of water and had a hard time getting our server's attention. At the end of the night when the customers were thinning out the service got a lot better, and we all had cappuccinos and delicious tiramisus and cannoli cakes to end the night. Overall, Francesco's is a terrific place to get an absolutely delicious, moderately priced italian meal.
(4)
James F.
If it matters, my mom is Sicilian, and I grew up eating her food. Today if I need spaghetti and meatballs, and am too tired, or not enough time to make my Nonna's recipe, I go and let Francesco make his Grandma's meatballs for me. So you see, I have all of life figured out, well at least the important things...
(4)
Gayle S.
We have been here several times and the food was excellent but the service was superb. Tonight this was not the case.. The spring mix tasted like it hadn't been washed, and when I told the waiter I got very little response. The response from the manager was supposedly "it is what it is". How rude! I have brought large parties to this restaurant but now I'm not sure I want come back to eat at a restaurant where the customers' satisfaction is not important!
(2)
Allison N.
Yum! Boyfriend and I were looking for a decent Italian place on the way home from the Mini dealership, and stumbled across Francesco's on yelp. I'm glad we decided to give it a whirl - it was delish! I had the four seasons pizza and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and he had the chicken parm. Both were excellent - pizza was thin crust and delightfully crispy with a heavy hand on the toppings. He's a chicken parm snob (is that possible?), but couldn't stop talking about how the pasta was perfectly cooked, and how good the sauce was! Can't wait to come back and try some more things on the menu!
(4)
Lacey G.
Best Italian in town! My absolute favorite place to go and have a nice authentic Italian dinner. We love sitting at the bar, and watching Francesco cook. The service is great and they treat you like family there. If you go, try the spaghetti and meatballs (best sauce ever!) and the pasta carbonara. Two of the best dishes!
(5)
Mary D.
Office decided to get takeout today for lunch. All ordered from the lunch menu, which is $8.95 an entree. Two of us got lunch lasagna, three got the pizza. High marks for the pizza. The lasagna was fine, maybe not my personal favorite compared to other nearby Italian restaurants. Got our salad order wrong, so if you get takeout, just check your order before leaving. But we survived :) The restaurant itself is just beautiful, with a very nice selection of intimate indoor seating and two areas for outdoor seating -- some cafe seating outside the entrance and a small shady patio in the back. There is also a small wine room for special events. It has an incredibly lovely interior. We did not test desserts, but they look like authentic Italian. My guess would be that they are very good.
(3)
Lauren C.
I recently hosted a baby shower here in their private dining room. The food, ambiance and service were all fantastic. I highly recommend this place. The chicken Parmesan was the best I've had. Friendly, accommodating staff too.
(5)
Cicely S.
Meh. Kinda flavorless chicken parm. The bread was cold and unappetizing. My friends pizza was "edible" but nothing to write home about.
(2)
Rachel E.
Great if you have a minimum of 90 minutes for lunch and like a stressful unorganized lunch experience where your bread comes 10 min after you order, salad another fifeteen, and food another 20. Expect to sit with long lulls and nothing in front of you to eat while waiting. I have been coming here throughout 2014 and admittedly, if you order the right thing the food is great. But the service is not only unorganized (sat once for 20 min w/out anyone bringing us water because servers didn't know who was taking care of us), but no one takes accountability for the mistakes and keeps blaming someone else. We made reservations for a birthday dinner at a time we knew would be the last seating in order to get the table we requested and save it at the end for us. When we showed on time, the hostess said there were two old ladies that were sitting there for an hour and a half talking, before they even ordered, so we couldn't sit at our table. Do you really believe it is right to complain about your patrons and shift blame on patrons when you do not use your RESERVED signs and organize your seating like a professional restaurant should? Our waitress never acknowledged our requests, just ignored us and came back with what we asked for. She was direct, unfriendly, and worse! indifferent. We asked her to separate the bills, she didn't. And right on cue, acted like we were the problem. At one point, she asked if my brother could just pay my bill instead of separating it. And, instead of apologizing, her only comment was that she thought my brother and I were a couple. It is a shame because some of the dishes are great and I appreciate the homemade sauce. The interior is really nice but what attempts are made to make this a quality restaurant in a plaza is lost in attitude and unorganized service.
(1)
Jim H.
with reservations still had to wait for our table, acoustics are horrendous to which are added very loud strolling singers which stops all conversation, two of six oders were wrong, my shrimp might as well have been rubber and the food is average but somewhat expensive - would not return for a free meal
(1)
James L.
I'm a very basic person and not very adventurous with my food. I got the gnocchi Siciliana. It was very good. The gnocchi tasted freshly made as well as the marinara sauce that it was in. They added some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top which capped it off. The decor was nice especially the big clock on the wall. One thing they could do without would be the tv over the kitchen area. It seemed to distract some of the servers however our server Jory was awesome! He kept our drink glasses filled and made sure we had everything we needed.
(4)
Cecille R.
My husband and I dined here recently with a local dining meetup group.. Since the interior of the restaurant was packed (good sign for a Saturday night) tables were set up outside for our large party. Manager came out to introduce himself and made himself available if anything was needed. Our waiter seemed to be very experienced and on top of things. He took our orders promptly and was constantly refilling glasses. I ordered the pasta carbonara which reminded me our trip to Italy! That's how authentic it was! My husband ordered a marguerita pizza . Very tasty. We found out the chef is Sicilian and everything is made to order. The dishes reflect that. As we were enjoying our meals, there was an opera trio making their way around the restaurant and serenading the diners. Nice treat. At the end, the manager sent complimentary dessert platters to our table. The restaurant did nothing but impress. We are thrilled to have discovered such a great Italian place with an affordable price point. We had such a positive experience and look forward to our next trip back. We would highly recommend.
(5)
Stacy B.
Ahhhh! I keep going back because the food is so delicious, but the service remains lacking!!! Doesn't the chef care?! THIS time, we had a reservation... a late reservation... but when we got there, there were no tables available and we waited, standing, for 15-20 minutes. Luckily, the owner happened to have been passing out samples of pizza and there were 2 slivers left, so we got a tiny appetizer, but it wasn't because of our inconvenience. I did get a beverage while I waited, but only after requesting one, not, as I would hope, due to the staff being apologetic about what was happening. Finally, we got a table outside and ordered right away, but we received the wrong food and it took so long for anyone to check on us, or even look in our direction so we could wave them over, that we were unwilling to wait for it to get fixed. The incorrect food was comped, but it's still so frustrating! The food is wonderful; does the experience not have to match because they are doing so well that they feel they do not need to improve the service? I can tell the wait staff is trying; there must be some kind of science/formula that can be applied to make it work better. Are there too few staff for the number of tables? Can something else be tweaked? Perhaps the solution is for me to just get take-out.
(3)
Seth H.
Good pizza/Italian place. It's not really like the kind of small local pizza place you'd get a slice at, more of a restaurant. The vibe is somewhere in between a chain and independent to me as it's a fairly large room with outdoor patio (i.e. not intimate) but it's not Olive Garden. The kitchen is open which is cool. I got a GIANT calzone. Is it just me or do most calzones need just a little bit more gooey cheese on the inside? Very easy for a calzone to get too bready. Definitely above average though and the fam enjoyed their meals.
(4)
Marc S.
Simply THE BEST Italian in Orlando. Period. Better than and less pricey than Antonio's across the street. Great atmosphere as well. Service can be spotty, but, that shouldn't deter you. It's all about the FOOD anyway! Great wine list as well. I've had just about everything on the menu. The 4 seasons pizza is incredible. The eggplant parmesan as well. Had incredible lamb di friavlo as a special. Lasagna...Awesome. As I said; Best Italian in Orlando. Fresh ingredients, wood-fire oven, Sicilian chef. Nothing else to say. Except. The desert is amazing as well! You're welcome.
(5)
John H.
I received a gift certificate for my birthday to Francesco's and finally had the opportunity to use it several weeks ago. I was with my wife and 3 children aged 9 to 13 which are all tough critics. The place well appointed and very clean. Service was great and food was exceptional so much so even my children said they wanted to come back which is funny because they faught the idea of eating at Francesco's with all of the tenacity they could muster. I strongly recommend this place and look forward to going back.
(5)
Boo P.
I had the risotto... it was very average, at best. My friend had the gnocchi and enjoy it. I'll try it again, but for lunch.
(3)
Cindy R.
Disappointing. We drove from Heathrow. We were seated within 45 minutes at a table that had no napkins or silverware. After receiving our appetizer we made a second request for both items. As our appetizer got cold we requested for a third time and finally got them. The place is fantastic looking, food was good but service albeit they were very nice, left us thinking we probably won't make that drive again. 3 hours in total and we had no dessert. (or our last order of wine that didn't get delivered).
(2)
MC J.
One of the BEST Italian meals we've had in a long time! Found this gem on YELP and will be coming back again the next time we're in town. Great homemade pastas, sauces & flatbreads -- large portions (my daughter's kid's meal was enough for an adult!) I ordered the Pollo Parmesano and wished I had a stomach large enough to finish it all! Excellent wait staff all-around, very friendly atmosphere. Don't spend the same at a 'chain' Italian restaurant-- they just can't compare to this place!
(5)
Jody M.
I would have given this restaurant zero stars, but that wasn't an option. The food was great, but the service was horrible and the "management" was worse. Our server was rude. She dropped plates on our table and didn't apologize. My five friends were getting served and I was told there wasn't enough fettuccini for my meal and I needed to choose something else or wait. The manager interviewed me like a criminal instead of being compassionate and helpful. I split with a friend instead of waiting. Neither the manager nor server checked on us or our food afterward at all. The server then was outside complaining about us to other patrons at the restaurant within ear shot. Ridiculous. There was an altercation when we attempted to notify management. No discount, no offer to make it better. Too bad the awesome food was ruined by the awful employees. What a shame. I can't reward that behavior with another visit.
(1)
Bennie R.
Love this place! and being Sicilian, and have been to Sicily before- this is as authentic Italian as I have ever seen in Orlando! Great service. I do admit we did have to wait about an hour and 15 min for a table, but the manager was sure to compensate, and it was also very busy for a Monday night! I would suggest making reservations. Restrooms very clean and placed aside from seating area - which is always nice. The bar type seating faces the kitchen crew cooking and preping the food right there! Everything was fresh from the vegetables to the sauce! La casada siciliana for desert is most def. recommended! Overall, it is beyond a 5 star restaurant, very friendly and family oriented!
(5)
Eric J.
Really great atmosphere here. A little hidden gem. Open kitchen as soon as you walk in with what looks like a wood burning pizza oven. They allow dogs outside in the front which is great. We had the Italiana pizza and added spicy salami. Was crazy good. We also split the lasagna, also very good. I think what makes them so tasty is the generous use of fresh basil and fresh ingredients. I gave 4 stars because the service is sort of hit or miss. Sometimes it's amazing, super attentive and knowledgeable waiters, and other times we have just sorta been forgotten about outside and they have brought out the food at different times so the whole party is not eating at the same time. Overall it's a great place and more times than not the service is great.
(4)
M S.
Lovely place for lunch. Prefer to sit I. The wine room where it is quiet. Super happy that they served gluten-free pasta!!
(5)
Ryan S.
This places is ACE'S ALL AROUND!!! Being from NY its hard to find good or decent food down here.... At least to me because I know what food is really supposed to taste like!! This place hits it out of the park!! The Best Italian food in the area by far!!! It cannot be beaten!!! If you like Italian food this is the spot in Orlando, FL!! But get there early for lunch and dinner!! Because if you don't, you will be waiting a long time to sit!! Its just that good!! Anytime a small restaurant has waits like this, its always fantastic!!! They can only accommodate so many people that love the place!! And make sure you leave room for dessert!! Anything you get is a grand slam!!
(5)
Jennifer B.
My friend Andrea brought me here a few months ago and let's just say I finally found an authentic and quality Italian restaurant in Orlando. I don't even like tiramisu and I was practically licking the plate. I definitely recommend this place!
(5)
Nick F.
Absolutely great food. Terrible service. Extremely slow, wait staff sloppy, and if there are more than one person ordering your meals will come at different times. In our case, I was almost finished before my other table guests were served. This place could be great, but until they get the servers replaced or fixed, I will not be back. On another time I was in, I got my order, 10 minutes later my wife got her order and it was not what she ordered. They took it back and 30 minutes later she still didn't get her meal. We Left without her eating.
(1)
Mick C.
Try the fettuccine with Alfredo sauce and the lasagna. I'm Italian, and this food is really nice. If you're looking to be rushed in, served like fast food, and rushed out, this is NOT the place for you. Take your time, enjoy the echoey ambience, talk, relax, and have a good time. We will be back!
(4)
Dan W.
Food is amazing! Lunch portions are more than enough. Best bang for your buck. Looking for great Italian... This is it!
(5)
Kelly J.
A colleague told me about this restaurant, so we tried it last week, after a somewhat difficult day. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful evening sharing a fantastic pasta dish, which had perfect, homemade pasta. I thought the prices were reasonable, the service was great and the restaurant was upscale, but not stuffy or pretentious.
(4)
Phill M.
Francesco has to be one of the best Italian chefs in Orlando. He has been delighting patrons for years working for someone else so it's nice to see him strike out on his own. He will do well as the selection is great and the quality is second to none. Also, he is located close to where many will appreciate his talents. The wine list is decent and there are some great buys on nice Italian blends of Tuscan varietals (Cab Sav, Merlot, & Cab Franc). The Osso Bucco is a phenomenal special when he does it and the pollo siciliano is also great. You should put this one on your favorites list.
(5)
Rick H.
The food is great. The red sauce is the best I've ever had. The desserts are wonderful.
(5)
Lori C.
This is a nice restaurant with a great menu and wine list. The dining room and outside eating areas were very pretty. The prices were good and the portions plentiful. There were only a few things keeping it from being a 5 star, in my eyes. 1. The bread was not served warm. 2. Very loud. It was busy, so I guess that's good for them, but there was nothing inside to cut the noise. I felt like I had to yell to be heard at our table. 3. Our waiter seemed a little confused. He was a little slow. The appetizers and food came out quickly, but refills and clearing the table, and getting the check was lax. Not enough to ruin the evening, but it was just a little strange at the end. I'd definitely go back again.
(4)
Regis D.
Excellent food and service is always encountered at Francesco's. Try the Chicken Parmigiana, you'll love it unless you're missing your taste buds or don't know what great food taste like!
(5)
Joan F.
I had lunch here today. Over all the place is very nice. The service is excellent. Now the reason I gave it 3 stars is because of the pizza. I ordered Margherita pizza. It was really not a true Margherita pizza. The cheese was salty and it was just like a regular pizza with a couple of pieces of fresh basil. The waiter I had was excellent and I had a house salad that had a good balsamic vinaigrette on it. The salad was mostly two kinds of lettuce with one tomato with about 3 olives. I do not think I will go back because I was really looking for a good Margherita pizza.
(3)
Michelle P.
A friend had mentioned this place in a few fb posts so I checked the yelp thoughts and was even more tempted to visit. Made a reservation which i recommend as you do not want to smell and see that great food and not be able to eat straight away. Service was great he knew the menu, answered queries, we had top ups on drinks before asking and he was friendly. We ordered my daughters choice almost straight away. They brought a super portion of angel hair with marinara and a big meat ball that she loved. She was doing well on eating that when ours arrived. Chicken pomodora and a veal dish, can't recall the name but both were incredibly tasty. Special treat for dessert - strawberry tirimisu which was stunning but I believe not on the everyday menu but I am told the normal tirimisu is equally great and yes I shall be going back as often as I can to make sure I still think this is a five star place. All in all LOVED IT.
(5)
Diane B.
Special Anniversary Celebration was so excellent. Food, service, ambience, Opera night. Memorable evening. Everyone was tasting everyone else's food because we were all sure we had ordered the best thing on the menu. Thank you Francesco.
(5)
MJ J.
Oh how I wish I could say nice things with other reviews being good but when you have an experience like seven of us did, there is no way possible to say anything good. From the appetizers to desert it was a disaster. When seven peoeple all have the same opinion it is pretty bad. You do not bring six entries out and let them all sit waiting on the 7th one for 20 minutes. When you are told 3/4 of an appetizer is not available do not serve the 1/4 on the same size plate as the full appetizer. Pathetic is too kind of word for our $200+ dinner that evening. I have to give credit to a manager who compted two desserts but they were so substandard it wasn't worth the wait for them.
(1)
Carol A.
Just had dinner at Francesco's and had a wonderful meal. One of my friends is Italian and she said the food was very authentic. Our waiter was very personable and more than willing to answer our questions and accommodate some special requests. Parking can difficult, and the noise level is on the loud side. I think dinning outside in the patio would be great when the weather is cooler. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Larry S.
We had the opposite experience, the server was very attentive and the food was wonderful. Happy to see a new restaurant in our area.
(5)
Debbie F.
Bad service. Antonio has a better variety and the food is amazing...
(1)
Laura T.
It isn't ever very likely that I find myself at an Italian Restaurant due to having a gluten allergy but they serve gourmet-tasting gluten free pizza! I have had many gf pizzas and theirs was definitely one of the best I have ever had! Not to mention I appreciated the fact that it was the same price of a normal pizza! It may appear that they have a smaller sized lunch menu but don't let that fool you because they allow you to order off of the dinner menu as well. I went with a group of 7 co-workers for lunch and was very pleasantly surprised by the beautiful decor inside. They have an open kitchen that was packed full of chefs working hard to create our lunch. All the food was VERY reasonably priced for the area and for the amount of food they serve you! Everyone thought their meal was delicious and a great deal. One of my new favorite lunch spots!
(5)
Anthony B.
I've lived in Italy & know what authentic food should taste like, and this place is it! I simply can't say enough about the quality of the food & service at Francesco's. To top it off, we arrived (with 2 children in tow) around 6pm on a Friday night and the owner/manager was so kind that he even gave up a booth he had reserved for the owners that evening. The staff also brought our 2 year old some pizza dough to play with (which made her day) and both the food and the service was phenomenal. This is as close to Sicily as you can get without the expense of taking the next flight out of the country ;-)
(5)
Peter C.
This place came out of nowhere. I was expecting something along the lines of NYPD Pizza that occupied this space before it, but walking in I was shocked to see a completely different class of restaurant. It is far more upscale and the decor is beautiful. The wide-open kitchen tells you this place is not your typical strip-mall restaurant. This really is more of a full-blown Italian restaurant with a nice menu selection. We were only there for lunch, but we got some salad and pizza seeing how that is what we originally went there for. The bread they brought out was friggin fantastic! This is some of the best fresh bread you will have in Orlando! The salad was also really tasty, proper for a nice Italian restaurant. The pizza...awesome!!! This is more of a gourmet, artisan style pizza than what you will find at most places in Orlando. The sauce is seriously good and tastes so fresh. The crust is thin and delicious. This pizza is pretty much what Anthony's Coal Fired pizza wishes it was. I can't wait to go back to this place to try some of their Italian dishes. I saw some things coming out of the kitchen that had my mouth watering.
(5)
J R.
We ate here twice in the past week and got the same thing both times just to make sure our palates where not playing games! Both times the place was on point! The sauces are amazing the food is cooked perfectly and its nice to have another great Italian place in the local area! Especially since they closed down Mateos on I-Drive.
(5)
Wasabi P.
Went here for dinner tonight and liked it but had a few problems with the place. There were four of us and with the bread they brought out what was probably no more than a table spoon of olive oil, if that, for dipping in what looked like a soy sauce dish. It was gone in the first two bread dippings. We had the calamari as an appetizer and it was just ok. I ordered the fish special for my entree thinking it would be in the same price range as the other fish items on the menu, maybe a few more dollars and was pretty stunned when it ended up being double the price of the other fish items for a decent fillet of mahi and some over cooked shrimp. The fettuccine it came with were very al dente and some of the strands were stuck together. The sauce was tasty though. But be weary when you order any of the specials that it might be much more than the comparable items on the menu. I also tried some of the margherita pizza and it was pretty average with no basil to be found. So the food was just ok, not happy about the price of my dish, the special, at all. The service was a little slow and forgetful but friendly. My favorite thing was the decor; rustic but modern Italian.
(3)
Patti L.
The food is wonderful but unfortunately the service was poor. It may be they are still working out the kinks of a new restaurant. The hostess seemed very inexperienced, she forgot we were waiting. Our waiter was pleasant but Very slow and inattentive - forgot to bring the bread, forgot 1 guest's water, then took the glass and never returned, did not check in with us to see how we were doing, but the most disappointing was the length of time to receive our food - from ordering to service it was over an hour - without explanation for the delay. For a simple pasta dinner it took over 2 hours for the entire dinner. Having said this , we will give Francesco's another try because the food is excellent and I hope they can work out the service issues.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Natalia H.
I love Francesco. I love the atmosphere, its beautiful interior and food from scratch. Family owned gem. The entry inside the restaurant , is an easy pass by, plaza, be aware. Make reservations in advance, its quiet busy. Btw the service is rather sllooow, so make sure you got time at hand
(4)Adam L.
Not a lot of good Italian restaurants in Orlando but this is one of them. Very good and friendly service. I have never had a bad meal. It can get crowded at times but that is a good sign.
(4)Danielle R.
So far we've had pizza, linguine alfredo, and the skirt steak; nothing has been disappointing. The taste of everything has been great. I unfortunately received medium rare steak instead of medium well, well part of it, it just want cooked very evenly. My boyfriend said it was perfect though, so I guess that counts.
(4)Matt K.
Spaghetti Vongole is garlic heavy but really delicious. I got a great helping of clams in the dish. They did not skimp! The caprese salad was only OK. The plum tomato is small. If you're used to a caprese with big slices of tomatoes, you will be disappointed. They have several other salad options to choose from. Nice wine list of varying price points. We had a bottle in the $30 range and it was excellent for what we paid. I would confidently order wine here again. The back patio has a few AC units to try and keep it cool. As long as it isn't sweltering out, and you're dressed casually, you should be fine. Note: the parking here is behind the restaurant. The entrance to the parking lot is south of the building.
(5)Charlotte S.
This is probably one of the best pizzas I've had. I came here on my lunch hour and ordered a plain cheese pizza. It was so good we finished the entire thing. You can tell that all of the ingredients were incredibly fresh. You also get a side of bread and dipping seasoning with your order. I think it's an olive oil/balsamic/parmesan blend but it's really good. I'll definitely be coming back!
(4)Lisa K.
I was excited to come here because I had heard so much about the authentic Napoli pizza. When I came with my son, husband and parents, I was blown away by the overall perfect experience. Maestro of the whole thing was our waiter Nino, who is the best waiter I have ever had in my life of dining. He described the specials so enticing and accurately that when we ordered them, we were not disappointed with our decision. He paid just enough attention to our table to take care of us but not overwhelm the conversation at hand. He even went and got my son a small car toy that he had with him- which my son just loved! Even my parents were incredibly impressed with Nino and they dine out a lot. They loved him. Equally as impressive was the food. The pizza lived up to its delicious reputation. The salad was inventive and perfectly sized. The pasta was sauced just enough. And the wine list was a perfect compliment- with interesting by the glass options and nothing basic. Needless to say, I think we found a new favorite!
(5)Cindee P.
When we first walked in, it wasn't too busy. It was early dinner time. We walked passed so many empty booths, I was wondering which one we were going to stop at to be seated, but the hostess lead us to a small, secluded room that already had a large party of about 8-10 people. They were pretty loud as the room was closed in. I was relieved when they finally left. My husband chose this place because he heard it was the best in town for pizza, so he ordered the Carne Pazza. He said it was good. My daughter had the lasagna and she said it was good, nothing special. I had the grilled shrimp and grilled calamari steak. The shrimp was perfect, but the calamari was a little bland. It was a little tough/chewy, so I think I should have been given a steak knife, but I managed with my butter knife. I don't know Italian culture or the language, but the menu definitely wasn't in English and some of the words were difficult to pronounce. Good thing the descriptions were in English. We ended our dinner with the Strawberry Tiramisu and a cappuccino and they were both really good. We would probably go back only if we were in the neighborhood. It was a little expensive for what it was.
(3)Christine C.
Francesco's has the recipe for success: good location, gorgeous restaurant, menu with plenty of options. Here's why they lost stars, but also what they did well. I dined with a friend's younger daughter on Saturday evening. We called well in advance for reservations, but when arrived, were seated outside. Outside was 50 degrees, but I was told by the hostess the patio was 'enclosed' and there were space heaters. What enclosed means is canvas tied to poles, and the giant standing space heaters that you see at Disney crammed up against tables. The patio was severely overcrowded and most diners had their jackets on. It was clearly detracted from quite a few dining experiences, so I feel justified with this complaint. Secondly, the service is slow. It's very attentive, but our waiter took almost 15 minutes to arrive while two other server assistants checked on us, and gave us bread to start, before we'd been greeted and given drinks. We also ordered a bottle of sparkling water (A simple request, I feel) and it took another 15 minutes, after water, to arrive. This server didn't seem to have many other tables, so I didn't understand the massive delay. While he was exceptionally friendly and provided attentive service otherwise, between the hostess trying to gloss over our concerns about the patio, other diners seeming upset, and slow service, this restaurant has some weak points that need to be worked on. We ordered the Pollo Crostini to start, which was an excellent choice. Great notes of Balsamic and delicious pesto cream, it's an appetizer even a 13 year old loved. We both picked the Gnocchi for dinner, as well as the Italian Wedding Cake for dessert at the server's suggestion. The Gnocchi was overcooked and a bit chewy, and also the gnocchi balls were quite a bit larger than in any dish I've ever had. The sauce was flavorful and filling, but this ended up being taken home to someone with a less discriminating palate, who also commented on their general chewiness and size. Small tweaks would make this pasta dish quite wonderful. The cake for dessert was a bit dry, though the ricotto filling more than made up for it. A very tasty dessert, though I wish I'd gone with my original choice of Tiramisu. I believe this place is worth visiting, though for the money, I do know of several Italiano restaurants very close by that have some stronger points.
(3)D W.
It would have been nice if the wait staff would have taken the time to acknowledge us. This is the second (and last) time that we have been sat only to be ignored by staff. Slow Saturday early dinner @2:30 pm that would have been a $60-70 check for a two top. Guess that's not good enough.
(1)Michael J.
Five of us went to lunch. Our food came out one dish at a time, which seemed odd if all orders were called in at the same time. True some items would take longer, but to bring them out piecemeal while others waited for their food??? Two had the house salad which was just a handful of dark greens in a bowl. The Caesar salad was similar only it was lettuce with grated cheese. We had to ask a waiter to bring the pepper mill, which he plunked on the table never offering to use it for us. Again, ordinary. I had the Chicken Parmesan. It came with a huge helping of pasta and a very lively tomato sauce. Too much really for lunch. My chicken however, was burned and subsequently dry. We ordered a sample of their meatballs as I always do when I visit an Italian restaurant for the first time. Again the sauce was very good. The meatballs a bit bland for my taste.
(2)Anthony I.
UPDATE 9-17-14 Just got a email from Yelp that they removed one of my photos since it didn't represent the company. I think I screen shot of my phone being on hold for 20min represents the company very well I took a screen shot of my phone so I can up load it and show how long this place kept me on hold. you can clearly see it was almost 20 min. I called to place a to go order. I was put on hold. 5 min into waiting I was like wtf. at 10min I was getting agitated. my wife told me to hang up and forget even going there if this is how their service is. but now I was determined to see just how long of a wait it would be. and 20 min later someone finally picked up the phone.. are you f**** kidding me! On a Wednesday? Then to make matters worse, we got home only to see one of the pizza's weren't even cut into slices. it was just one big ass pizza. I guess they expected my tiny petite wife to just pick up the whole pie and ram it down her throat. I took a photo of this fail as well.. first impression. two thumbs down. I saw several 2 star reviews and several 5 star reviews so I really wanted to give it a shot. nope... the interior of this place is really nice and it's in a good location. so a star for design. a star because the food is OK. but the customer service sucks. 20 min wait times when you call and food that's not even finished being prepared. I guess we'll have to settle for the amazing food at Antonio's a block away.
(2)Bridgette D.
Not only is this place a beautiful restaurant, but their food is equally as satisfying. I was really surprised from the plaza exterior to walk in and see such an elegantly done restaurant. The pizza margherita is to die for! Their gnocchi is superb and all their sauces are phenomenal. You receive really friendly service from all their servers. Their food is seriously authentic, made fresh and they always have excellent wine pairing suggestions. Dessert and coffee are also a must, so please take a doggy bag and save room for something sweet. My only complaint would be their young hostesses who always seem to have a touch of arrogance, but I'll chalk that up to assuming this is most likely their first job and they haven't quite gotten the concept that their patrons make it possible to supply them their paychecks. Do yourself a favor and enjoy a beautiful, classy dinner here.
(4)Sheryle W.
One of my favorite restaurants in the area. Everything we've tried is delicious!! Great Caesar salad, chicken Parmesan, Salmon & eggplant. Love the atmosphere too. Prices very reasonable
(5)Christine C.
Underwhelming. Water quality was horrendous, which makes me question their pizza dough. The waitress seemed very aloof, tactless and disregarded the majority of our requests, she also hovered around us eerily and pressured us to make decisions quickly. They were "out" of the seafood salad, which I thought was odd... So you have no shrimp, calamari, octopus or lemon on a THURSDAY night? Seemed as though other people were enjoying their time, but not super interested in giving this place a second chance considering the number of wonderful food options around.
(3)Tracey M.
Let me start with the negative and explain the 3 stars so that anyone in my situation can avoid having this problem in the future. I made reservations for 4 ( my father and two kids) for my Birthday dinner. I have been here before in the private room and had an amazing time that first visit. When we arrived early for our reservation they sat us at the table barely inside the restaurant. Being that I made reservations, explained ahead it was my birthday - I would of expected to have a roomier table away from the take out experience. I noticed a lot of empty tables and booths but they refused to move us. We were dressed up and I tried to make the best of it. Given the fact they had the room, they get 3 stars for how they handled it. I never got an apology and for the $165 we spent, I think we were treated with indifference. The food was good ( 4 stars) and while I will probably go back - I will be a nervous wreck to get a good seat so that the dining experience I prefer can be accommodated. What was ordered: Wine!! They had a fantastic wine list and I enjoyed several glasses of a red blend. calamari - it was good! I've had better but this was good. Two of the specials with seafood risotto and grouper. It was very tasty. --- 3 stars An order of the skirt steak, medium rare- 5 stars!!!! Veal Piccata ( not on menu) but they accommodated me on this one.. 5 stars!!! We had the tiramisu ( which tasted like the Italian wedding cake but they swore it was tiramisu - I didn't care for it) normally Tiramisu is my favorite dessert. My kids got gelato which was great. We had coffee and it was delish. Overall this is a great place for a romantic date night if you sit well inside the restaurant. Please make sure you specify exactly what you want when you make a reservation.
(3)Dolly V.
I have been to this restaurant twice. The first time was a normal outcome, it wasn't overwhelming amazing but at the same time it wasn't the worst. My family and I decided to go back again. It was my sister (at the time was pregnant) my parents, brother in law, my partner and I. Most of us ordered Spaghetti Alfredo along with other for the rest. These pastas were SOOOOO salty no of us could even eat. We told our waitress who immediately called the manager and this is where this place lost all the stars for me. The manager came in and very rudely told us that they did not use salt in his kitchen and basically we didn't know anything about food. The waitress offered to change my dad's and sister's pasta ONLY this was simply because she was pregnant and he has high blood pressure. Unfortunately they were just as salty. The manager never came back out, did not make us feel welcome and on top of that did not even attempt to make it better. Horrible experience at this place and would certainly not come back. There are way better choices in the area with better food and better service.
(2)Becky F.
Arrived for lunch later in sitting time. Waited a few minutes at high top. Was seated and immediately greeted by server. The lunch choices all sounded delicious. I loved the bread and dipping sauce. I ordered the penne with sun dried tomatoes, broccoli and vodka sauce. I asked for pancetta to be added and it came out delicious. The chef made a mistake and sent the wrong entree. Even before I could turn around the right entrée was delivered. My drink was always full The generous portion was enough for a party of four. The spinach salad accompanied the meal was just right. If you want a very relaxing atmosphere and delicious food come on in.
(3)MICHELIN ZAGAT REVEIW S.
It doesn't get better than this for Italian Tutti de cappi of authentic Sicilian cuisine, busy as hell ...... Great resturant
(5)Nick B.
Let's face it, Francesco cooks even better than your mom! This place is the best Italian food in Orlando.
(5)Annie B.
First time ever ordering pizza or eating inside. Pick up was easy and quick. But when we got home... We opened the box and both just stared at it for awhile. I think we both were wondering "what the crap is this white fluffy stuff"... We decided to try it anyways and realized the outrageous mounds of white fluffy was indeed, Ricotta cheese. In much smaller amounts; this cheese is heaven- however without it being spread evenly...it almost ruined it. Every other ingredient tastes amazing. Over all we liked the pizza, and would probably order again, just not the Bianca pizza. This picture was taken after we scrapped it off- like holes in my soul. The spots you see have no cheese.
(3)Foodie O.
I just had lunch here and I was not impressed. My server was VERY SLOW and when I asked what was taking so long she let me know my eggplant rolatini took 30 minutes to bake. No apology, no explanation. She should have let me know this when ordering. I let her know this. She never checked in for the rest of the meal and when I asked for my meal to be wrapped at the end of lunch, she delivered it to the wrong table! On top of the lousy service, the food was bland. the pastas was undercooked and everything tasted like it came out of a microwave boxed meal. I wont ever be coming back. I will stick to Antonio's for MUCH better Italian food in Maitland.
(2)Dana S.
First time here, went for a birthday dinner. I made the reservation for 9 people that afternoon, and they were luckily able to accommodate. The food was delicious, and I can't even describe how big the portions are...I wanted spaghetti with seafood in a garlic wine sauce. It wasn't on the menu, but the server said that Francesco (owner and chef) would make me whatever I liked.... Delicious! WhenI saw the size of the portion, I thought I was gonna have to give up my car payment this month. I was surprised to see how inexpensive my dinner was, considering all the seafood that was in it, and the portion size. I will be back with friends and family... Great experience.
(5)Rency Y.
Light, fresh & delicious! The Vitello Siciliano, Lasagna & Gnocchi. Also, the wine selection is top notch! I tried a glass of valpolacello...Bueno!
(5)Alexandra J.
Forget all the old negative reviews we came tonight and it was spectacular .. Opera night anazing voice amazing food our waiters name was Derek and Hector Was our welcoming guy who was so sweet and got us those amazing 3 year anniversary wine glasses!! Our foomd was outstanding I had the Veal with capers and white wine .. Best I ever had!! My husband a had the chicken with spinach and garlic.. Served and waited in IMMEDIATELY WOW FELT VERY WELCOMED so go yourself and see stupendous!!
(5)Aimee L.
The food is always super tasty. However, I had them do a catering event for me last week for my work. It was for 25 people. The food was very, very good. However, the catering process was very frustrating. I had to call multiple times on different days to place my catering order. They kept telling me to call back when a manager was there. I finally said, here is my number, please have him call me. They did not. I called again and finally got someone that would take my order. When he took my order he seemed a little annoyed. And he would not let me pay beforehand. He said I needed to call back on the day of the event to pay then, which can be frustrating when you have a million things to do when hosting an event for 25 people. I ended up calling the day before the event to pay. They allowed it. The day of the event, I got a phone message and they said they lost my credit card information and that I needed to call them back. I called them back. They found it. When the server dropped off the food he did not set anything up. He put the paper bags and the pans on the counter, nothing else. He already placed his tip on the receipt, which I find very tacky. We would have tipped more than what he gave himself, but that is his loss. After he left, I realized he did not bring any serving utensils. I called the server/ driver and he said, "nobody told me to put any in there." I said, "uhh, alrighty." Luckily we had some at the office. We got the penne alfredo, the lasagna, and the house salad. It was very good. I will still go to the restaurant, because I like the food so much. I will NEVER order catering there again. They promote a catering menu on their website, so I didn't think that I was putting them out by asking for them to cater my event. It was $125 for large pan of lasagna, which is a little pricy as well, but again, everyone loved the food. So, I don't regret going there because everyone was so happy with the food, but I have no idea why they treat their catering customers they way they do.
(2)Ryan K.
I'm going 5 stars for the service, atmosphere & staff-to-staff interactions. Sat at the bar on Friday from 10:15 - 11:15 PM by myself. The blah blah blah: Servers were super attentive to my water, wine and bread. I spoke to 3 - all of whom had an easy and relaxed conversational style. I had a cab, wedge salad, chianti, pene pasta and tiramasu. All were satisfying. My server was Dani (or Danielle, she goes by both) - she was welcoming, attentive, and had great recommendations. At 10:35 a couple speaking Italian who had previously both been working in the kitchen came and sat next to me - I'm 100% sure they were the owners. A very cute couple - momma was warm and welcoming, pop hilarious. I didn't talk to them, only observed while I read my book and ate. The X factor: The blood runs thick here - after the owners finished eating I witnessed them go into the kitchen to give a customary italian parting to every single staff member - a cheek to cheek kiss on both cheeks. Momma gave me a warm smile when she caught my eye. The takeaway: This place is a gem in this neighborhood. I don't think this will be the only location in the future. In the parking lot: I saw and heard a table of 7 celebrating something together. Singing, drinking, eating. This is the kind of restaurant yelp was made to help us discover. I hope you're experience is as good as mine - don't go in expecting 5 star food, or top notch wine knowledge - though they may be able to provide it this restaurant shines on service, and atmosphere.
(5)Rebecca R.
Our family is Italian, and is very particular in where we go for Italian food. In fact, Francesco's is the FIRST restaurant that we've liked enough to return to over and over again since moving to Florida years ago. All of their menu items are cooked at the time of ordering and every ingredient is fresh. Their red sauce is amazing and this is no small thing for Italian cuisine. They have a wonderful sommelier at the restaurant Thu, Fri/Sat who is amazing and only adds to Francesco's incredible wine selections. I love this place for its atmosphere too, and is a great "nice" place to take your family but is also very good for a date-night. The owner/chef is visible every day, and is leading the cooking of dishes. His mother and father bake all of their mouth watering deserts too! I just can't say enough great things about this neighborhood gem!
(5)Nisim H.
We had a good dinner here with friends and enjoyed it. The portions are generous and the quality is good. Will go again to explore further. 4 stars because our friend's chicken was dry and my veal was more than the medium that I ordered but I still enjoyed it. The opera singers were fun and the service was pretty good.
(4)Jamie G.
Decor is beautiful. Great spacious feel.... Romantic yet casual. Great wine list. Always a fan when an Italian restaurant has a list consisting of all Italian wines. 25 dollar bottles to 100.... Great for all budgets. Dinner.... Delicious. Started w Mussels, sautéed calarami, and rice balls. Great flavor... Fish super fresh. My entree was the Grouper special, so tasty cooked perfectly. Side of pasta was enough to cut that carb craving. Very happy w my choice. I love dessert period but I must say the Italian wedding Cake was the best I've ever had. If I lived in Orlando area, this spot would be a regular for me.
(5)Nancy G.
This restaurant is simply phenomenal! Everything I have tasted I have enjoyed! The desserts are amazing as well!
(5)Kristen P.
Fancy Italian. We should up at 9pm with a group that kept on growing. They didn't have enough near each other at the time but instead of making us wait, they gave us an option to split us up which was fine. I had already eaten so I just got the side salad (without olives, sorry Italians). But I munched off other plates. Calamari = great; Mussels = better; alfredo = good stuff. While I didn't try it, I noticed pizzas were enormous. The portions were huge for everything and reasonably priced. I wanted to try the desserts, but alas I didn't. Good to note also, it's beer and wine only. No liquor. Also no grenadine for Shirley Temples. Ugh. There is an Italiano group that wanders around to the tables singing to the patrons. A little awkward but extremely impressive. Our group just came from a choir concert so some of them joined in.
(5)Kalynne M.
Great place for lunch in Maitland! The decor is thoughtful and cozy yet elegant. I have met friends here for lunch many times and it's always a lovely experience. The hostess seated me while I waited for my friend to arrive. The server asked for my drink order and was prompt with refills. Another server dropped off fresh bread and olive oil dipping sauce... Yummy! My friend and I both ordered the penne vodka with fresh broccoli. Be sure to ask for extra broccoli;) The cream sauce is rich but the vodka offers a nice balance to the dish. The lunch portion is huge and comes with a salad too. Lunch specials are under $10. Authentic Italian food prepared in an open kitchen.
(5)Raiza C.
Super cute place. The Pizza bomba is a must try! Very clean, friendly, outside seating available. Cesar salad is just right and the cannolis are great. Absolutely love this spot.
(5)Leila T.
Like to get there pizza to go they have two pizzas that are really good Italiana and Carne Pazza. The prices are a little high but worth it.
(4)Samantha A.
Love, love, love this place. The wine list is fabulous, the ambiance is great, and the staff is very friendly. Olivier, the sommelier, is awesome and very nice. The flatbreads are delicious, the gnocchi is mind blowing, and so is really everything else we've tried. The tiramisu is a total mouthgasm. This is a really cozy little italian restaurant that's great for any occasion.
(4)Elise B.
Took us two hours to get our food!!! The waiter try to make it up to us by offering dessert. we could not wait any longer or spend anymore time in the restaurant, so I asked if you could take the bottle of wine off the check and he was told he could not but would buy us a dessert himself. Very disappointing service. However, the food was delicious.
(3)Carlos V.
This is some of the best Italian food I've had in awhile. I'm always complaining about Italian restaurants making their food too salty or using substandard ingredients. Not here though. I came for lunch, with a group of 5 other yelpers. I wanted to try everything on the menu and decided on the Penne Vodka with broccoli and sun dried tomatoes. I was hesitant to order it, because I've had Penne Vodka only once in my life and it was horrible. Fellow yelper Chris R. recommended it, which encouraged me to order it. I also added a side of meatballs, for added protein. Our meals came out pretty quickly. My Penne Vodka was excellent, and the meatballs were delicious. There was so much food too, and I had left overs for another 2 meals. The meatballs weren't your small meatballs either. They were about 4 large ones. Very good deal for about a $14 lunch (extra meatballs were about $4 more). It also came with a decent house salad. Plus we had really good free bread, and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for it. I wish this place was closer to my house or work, cause I'd come here more often. I'll also give them a thumbs up for their interior decorating too!
(5)Jane D.
Love this place, the food is excellent and the staff is friendly. Try the calamari.....so delicious!
(4)Ed M.
This is our favorite local Italian restaurant and we've been several times. Everything on the menu is great and fresh. Just go and see what I mean.
(4)Mike Z.
My parents, sister, her husband and I went to Francesco's for the first time several weeks ago (maybe 3 weeks ago tomorrow, 12/1/12). We'd heard some good things about it, though another reason that we went is because the restaurant has the same name as perhaps our favorite one ( yelp.com/biz/francescos-… ) from when we lived in New York. I very much enjoyed my trip to the Maitland Francesco's and hope to come back again sometime. As we believed/were told prior to our visit, Francesco's recently opened, perhaps 1-2 months ago. The restaurant appeared to be clean and well-organized. We sat outside on a cozy patio area, which has at least half a dozen tables, both large and small. Our server was very helpful and friendly and notified us of the evening's specials and was able to answer any questions we had. Each of us, as far as I remember, had at least one glass of wine as well as a salad. We also shared a calamari appetizer, which was delicious. My Caesar salad was great, too - it was one of the best ones in my recent memory. For dinner, I had the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken (adding the chicken cost extra, as usually is the case). It was great, though I had to take roughly half of it home with me since I ate too much calamari/salad/bread before my dinner arrived. For dessert, I had the sfogliatelle, which was pretty good. It was a little different than I was expecting it to be, but I still devoured it. My father also had that and said that it was his understanding that it was supposed to be more moist/chewy or something along those lines. Still, it was good. Everyone seemed to enjoy their meal and the consensus was that it would be worth a second visit. I didn't pay (thankfully!), as my parents and my sister/her husband seemed to split things up, but for the five of us I think the bill was in excess of $125 (and perhaps I'm not getting that correct - maybe it was considerably higher). My mother had a gift certificate/card of some sort, so that helped out a little bit. Overall, I can see myself coming back here again. It was worth the time and trip. I don't think that it ever will measure up to the Francesco's in N.Y. (which I highly recommend to everyone), but that's not exactly a detriment as THAT Francesco's is one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Four stars for now.
(4)Allie V.
This place is our new go-to for yummy Italian. Portions are great, flavors are fantastic and they are consistent. , Atmosphere is active and cozy, but we mostly do take out and it has been phenomenal every time. I highly suggest the eggplant parm and the gnocchi. Both very good. We usually lean toward meatless pasta dishes, but from the descriptions we may have to give some of the meat-based dishes a try. We're so excited to have a great Italian restaurant right around the corner.
(5)Adina B.
I tried Francesco's again after previously having a negative experience. I can't say I had a better experience this time. Service was very, very slow. The server had a major attitude problem and she seemed to be focused on flirting with male patrons. The food was ok. Italian American food with cheese and sauce and you get the picture. Not a place to go for authentic Italian food.
(1)Sarah G.
I've been here a few times. I love the ambiance. The food is and the desserts are excellent.
(3)Leala V.
I had a great lunch here. I ordered the eggplant rollintini and the eggplant was cooked perfectly. The consistency held the rollitini together yet it was not chewy to eat. Mine was served with a side of penne pasta but I believe that can vary depending on the chef's wishes. The lunch special comes with either a Caesar or house salad and I chose the house salad.
(4)New F.
Ate here after eating in Boston's North End a few days earlier and there is no comparison: this place is the real deal and way cheaper! The food is reasonably priced and the portions are enormous. I got the chicken parm and thoroughly enjoyed the accordion player and singer, serenading us on a Saturday night. The atmosphere is casual, but still makes for a great night out. I've made a reservation every time I've been and haven't had any problems.
(5)Melissa B.
Service, GREAT. Food, OUTSTANDING. Ambiance, Beyond what I could have expected! We went to Francesco's on a recommendation from a friend's family locally, but my friend and I had never been. Our friend had suggested some items, but we decided to go on our own. She had the salmon with a bruschetta on it, which she said was delicious, and I had a version of chicken picata. Our server was fantastic. Our reservation was closer to the end of the night, so we understood the fact that they were cleaning up at some point. Our server didn't hover and our service didn't slack in spite of the late hour. The wine was delicious, and the server was very knowledgeable. I took a business card as we left. I knew this was a place where I would want to send others. :-)
(5)Irene W.
We have been coming to Francesco's almost since it's inception and it has become our sat. Night ritual. The food is fabulous, but the wonderful staff is what keeps us coming back. Everyone, without exception is warm and welcoming. From the moment we arrive, we are made to feel at home. Jimmy, the manager, is particularly accommodating. Once a month they have an opera night which is such a treat! Cheers has nothing on this place.
(5)Michael X.
The food : Good. Not amazing, but good. The service : Not good. Not good at all. As I entered, the restaurant was probably 75% empty, yet it took what seemed like several minutes and a discussion between three people to figure out if they indeed had a table for me, and if so, where. Server was off-putting and not attentive. Overall, I've felt more welcome at the DMV. Will I be going back? Not a chance.
(2)Leslie S.
The bread in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar is to die for. We ordered the special appetizer (a HUGE portion of mussels in a spicy marinara) that were very tasty but not spicy at all. We rated them a B. My mom ordered a tuna salad that she rated an A+. Her main dish was penne puttanesca that had WAY too much salt (kalamata olives and capers). It was rated a D. I ordered the Calamari steak with shrimp and arugula with tomatoes. It was very tasty and I rated it a B. We ordered pistachio gelato that was unbelievable and made in house. A+. All portions are very large and big enough to split.
(3)Jessilyn P.
Two words. Salmon Salad! OMG!
(5)Nisha J.
My husband and I came here for lunch and it was amazing. I ordered the penne pasta, with broccoli, sundries tomatoes in creamy vodka sauce. It was delicious. All their lunch dishes come with bread and a salad. I definitely recommend this place to anyone in the area.
(5)Michael C.
My wife is Sicilian and next to her and her mothers cooking .... it's Francesco who is from Palermo (my wife's family is from Bivona, an hour outside Palermo). The food, which is excellent, is prepared in the open kitchen. The service is attentive, prices are fair and the atmosphere is lively. Finding the parking lot is a challenge. But once you get there... you'll definitely be going back. BTW .. every 3rd Saturday they have singers roaming around .. I mean real singers... Opera, Show tunes, Ballads ... Very entertaining.
(5)Donna S.
Pizza was pretty good, we all got cheese except one of our party. They ordered no cheese and add peppers and onions. It would have been nice if they adjusted the price instead of adding an extra five dollars to the check for the veggies. Also don't expect to be able to come and eat within your lunch hour. We were there over an hour and a half. I think this may be a good place for dinner but don't think it's worth it during lunch.
(3)Bruce B.
Great food, amazing bread and olive oil-balsamic-cheese-spices are to die for. I was here for lunch, sat at bar, like the open kitchen. I got the Chicken Parm, awesome, it came with a house or Ceasars, I picked Caesars, again great, the bread crouton they served was unreal. The chicken breast was huge, and I have to say I was totally impressed with the operation. I feel this is a must try.
(5)Shea's Lounge S.
Tonight's pizza was great but not what we wanted , out of pepperoni, bummer Catalonia and chocolate profiterole with cream yum! More than made up for the change They never disappoint on the flavors (even if it is not what you first intend to have) Not cheap but worth the Easy dinner thanks
(4)Brian R.
Have been now more than 5 times and never had a bad meal. Service is always excellent. Never an empty glass. Prices are reasonable for the service and level of freshness you receive. Sit at the bar and you will witness the inner workings. Fun to listen to the conversations in Italian as your food is all prepared fresh and cooked to order. The pizza is amazing. It's hands down the best pizza in the area. Hand tossed and fired in their pizza oven. Great for casual romantic or family gatherings. Kid friendly. Even heart shaped pizzas now and then. If you haven't tried it, do it. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Jessica H.
The food was absolutely amazing wow just one of the best Italian foods ever! I had the lasagne and it was just so fresh you tell was made from scratch we had a great waiter we had a big party and we there after close and they were so nice and help with everything then I had the cannoli for dessert as well amazing I can't wait to go back to try the pizza! Great experience and staff
(5)Andrew O.
Took my family there and everyone had a great meal. Prices are very reasonable also. Restaurant is noisy however, wish they would add some acoustic panels.
(4)Rob S.
Was in the other day and had the Mussels which was a big portion and delicious. I also had the Linguine and Clams which was really good. The service was good too.
(3)James S.
I eat lunch here whenever I'm working in the area. The food is made fresh in an open kitchen and is absolutely delicious. You won't be disappointed.
(5)Kimberly T.
You might pass this place by if you didn't know better. It's in a little strip plaza on 17-92 and doesn't look very remarkable from the road. Don't let that stop you, though. It's actually an awesome addition to the Orlando/WP/Maitland dining scene. We've sat in the very back (smaller) room and at the bar. Would recommend the bar first as the back room gets pretty loud. Plus, at the bar, you can watch the all of the action of the open kitchen. The food is delish--especially the gnocchi! They also have Peroni on draft, which is the perfect beer pairing for Italian food. My only complaint is the hostesses seem rather meh. The place is small enough that it almost doesn't even need one and their overall welcome is almost a deterrent to diners. Almost.
(4)Carrie K.
I may or may not have just scraped all the tracings of marinara from my doggie box, because it was SO amazing! This place has amazing food, great value, and the place has great service too! I would recommend this to my parents, who are super picky about their mom & pop Italian joints! They would love this place! If I had to Think of some feedback, I'd say that the marinara was a little salty, but that could also be a fluke!
(4)Dave B.
Upon huge recommendations from friends we went for dinner on my wifes bday.First...you walk in and the smells are amazing! Wood fired ovens, the bread, pastas! Take it all in because its great! The cooking is on display as the kitchen is open. If you want something special ask, more then likely Franchesco himself will make it for you! The decor , waitstaff and food are top notch! 5 star .....Absolutely! Because it was recommended from my friend I requested a cake that is made on site by the owners for my wifes bday. It was an Italian Wedding Cake!!!! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!! From start to finish everything was spot on! You need to go! They are Italian 100% !!!!
(5)Paul M.
Great service, nice ambiance, decent food, although a bit pricey for what is essentially country Italian. My main complaint is that the chef kept strutting around like a peacock. Yeah, you're semi-famous in ORLANDO. Good for you; but until you get your first Michelin star, keep your feet on the ground.
(4)Meghan R.
I went here for lunch today for the first time with a friend. We loved NYPD Pizza that used to be in the same location as Francesco's, so we thought we'd give it a try since it was so close by. We were very impressed! The lunch menu is small, only 11 items, but the prices are good and the portions were large for lunch. All lunches came with bread and a salad also. Our waitress was very attentive and on top of things. I never had to ask for a refill on my drink. I ordered the chicken parmagiana and it was DELISH! I originally wanted the meat lasagna, but the waitress explained that they had been open yesterday for Father's day (when they usually aren't open on Sundays) and they hadn't had enough time to prep for today. I was disappointed, but once my meal showed up all was forgiven. It was a large piece of chicken with a side of pasta. I didn't think I'd be able to eat it all, but next thing I knew it was gone. They did a great job converting the restaurant to his new look. There were different options for where to sit, including at the bar or even on the outside covered patio (which will be really nice in the fall). We got there at 11:30 and by the time we left at 12:30 they were completely packed. I think that says a lot for a new restaurant. I definitely want to try them out for dinner sometime!
(5)Frances D.
Unbelievably delicious food, excellent service, very friendly staff, and a nice atmosphere. And their prices are very reasonable!!
(5)Hunter R.
This place is by far the best authentic Italian food I have EVER had!! The only reason I see legitimate complaints was service which has changed TREMENDOUSLY for the better! It was completely packed on Saturday night and service+management did amazing job! Anyone who thinks this is average Italian food knows little about Italian cuisine.
(5)JL W.
My family was heartbroken when one of our favorite Maitland pizza places shut down unexpectedly. Luckily, this week the space was occupied by the recently opened Francesco's Ristorante. Though, make no mistake, this isn't your average pizza joint. It's a full on Italian restaurant, with authentic dishes and an extensive wine list. The interior has been completely redesigned, and it now features an open kitchen and faux old world wall brick textures. But there's flat screen TVs hanging on the walls, so it's still comfortably casual. The Food: We ordered the Calabrese pizza (with spicy sausage) and a kid's cheese pizza (which was enormous). They were both super-thin crust and had just the right amount of fresh sauce. For drinks we each had an icy cold Peroni on draft. THE TIRAMISU WAS INCREDIBLE! The Service: The restaurant is still newly opened, so there were a ton of servers and managers around to make sure everything ran smoothly. Our waiter was friendly, knowledgeable, and knew when to visit our table. The manager stopped by the table and was quite friendly. Family Friendly: There were plenty of families with kids and we didn't feel stressed out out of place bringing our preschooler in with us.
(4)Ricardo G.
Great place specially to sit outside or back patio Chicken is great Best of all is the bread Pricing for lunch reasonable 9.49 for all options
(5)Sandra S.
This place is great!! Every time I go I try something new and I have yet to encounter a bad dish or service. The managers are very friendly, they come around and talk to tables which adds a very warm welcoming touch. They have an open kitchen and you can see the Italian born chef cooking away. Here are some of my favorites: Calamari Insalata Di Carciofi Romana Flatbread Penne Palermitana All in all, the food is fresh, plentiful and homemade. This restaurant gets an A+ in my book!
(5)John O.
Food is great, so is the service. Sit at the bar top and watch the cooks do there thing. Must order the pizza!
(5)Tom S.
I never write reviews but for this place I had to sign up with Yelp because the service was so bad I have to let people know. The food was average, certainly nothing exceptional. But I do not think I have ever seen worse service. It took over an hour once we ordered for anyone at the table to get any food. One person did not get their's until everyone else was done. It was only after the order was cancelled did they bring it with only " I don't know what happened in the kitchen". The waiter would not even look at our table as he went by because of how long it was taking. It is not like this was a weekend, it was a Tuesday night. There seemed to be plenty of staff. As I said in the beginning I have never ever taken the time to write a review so that should tell you how bad this service was
(1)Alice C.
I love to give 4 or 5 stars when I review a restaurant. The food was close to a 5. I had the caprese which was beautifully presented and tasted great. Not a drop left, even though it did not have balsamic vinegar on it. (I love balsamic vinegar). I paired my dinner with a nice little house chianti. My main course was the salmon served with asparagus. So good. It came with a balsamic sauce! The salmon had a little char from the grill, cooked perfectly to a medium. 5's for my whole meal. My daughter had the campegna pizza. Very tasty but also very soggy. Not quite sure what to do with that. Perhaps it was the eggplant cooking down that added moisture. Service...not so great. Our waiter was very charming, but very absent. What should have been a 45 minute to 1 hour dining experience turned into 1 hour 40 minutes. I wasn't in a hurry, but when there are a lot if people staring at you waiting for a table you feel like you should leave when you are finished. Except...it took a long time to be greeted, a longtime to have our order taken, my dinner came 5 minutes before my daughters, a really long time to have the waiter come back and ask us about dessert, a long time for dessert to come out. The pace was just way off. I will definitely go back. Everyone deserves a couple of chances especially with food that good. The decor was delightful. They had a strolling group comprising of an accordion, guitar and tambourine. The music was mostly Italuan opera style. Great for the space. Made it feel very lively. The bar seating looked fun with a great view of the open kitchen.
(3)Rebecca V.
I really love this place. Their vegetable lasagna is particularly delicious, but everything I have tried has been quite tasty. The ambiance is very pleasant, with both indoor and outdoor seating. The service is generally quite good and the prices are reasonable.
(5)MP J.
Great place. Enjoyed sitting at the bar and got to watch pizza making excellence. The kitchen works hard at their craft and we enjoyed listening to them speak Italian while they worked. Food is fresh and delicious. Can't wait to come back!
(5)Cristy N.
We loved everything about this place. Portions are generous, prices are fair and the flavors were very nice. Decor and seating are comfortable. The kitchen is open and it is possible to sit at the bar to observe, although we chose a booth for our first visit. The chef is Sicilian and we noticed him spending time interacting with customers at the end of the night. Service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. Our late Saturday night showed a good mix of people with a casual vibe. Looking forward to having some decent Italian fare close by, as all our previous attempts have fallen flat.
(5)Kelsey S.
I Have been here for lunch and dinner three times now and the service and food is consistently excellent. The prices are great ( bottled beer is fairly inexpensive and food portions are large!) Our waitress told Us Francesco's parents are pastry chefs so trying dessert was a must... You have got to get the Italian wedding cake with cannoli filling, it was out of this world!
(5)Anna S.
My friends and I had a great time at Francesco's last weekend. We arrived around 8pm on a Saturday night and the restaurant was packed inside and on both of the small patios outside. Without a reservation we were told there would be a 1 hr wait inside, or a 20 minute wait for the patio. We chose to sit outside. We ordered a bottle of wine to split between the four of us and an order of their fried calimari, which was HUGE (definitely the biggest calimari appetizer I've ever seen anywhere) and was more than enough to hold us over for the long wait for our food. They also brought out a basket of bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which was delicious. Everything there is made to order by the chef, so it takes a little bit of patience, especially on a busy night. All of our portions were large (I had enough leftover for lunch the next day) delicious, perfectly flavored and not too salty or over-sauced. My only complaint would be the fact that the service was quite slow--which is to be expected on such a busy night, but we were often out of water and had a hard time getting our server's attention. At the end of the night when the customers were thinning out the service got a lot better, and we all had cappuccinos and delicious tiramisus and cannoli cakes to end the night. Overall, Francesco's is a terrific place to get an absolutely delicious, moderately priced italian meal.
(4)James F.
If it matters, my mom is Sicilian, and I grew up eating her food. Today if I need spaghetti and meatballs, and am too tired, or not enough time to make my Nonna's recipe, I go and let Francesco make his Grandma's meatballs for me. So you see, I have all of life figured out, well at least the important things...
(4)Gayle S.
We have been here several times and the food was excellent but the service was superb. Tonight this was not the case.. The spring mix tasted like it hadn't been washed, and when I told the waiter I got very little response. The response from the manager was supposedly "it is what it is". How rude! I have brought large parties to this restaurant but now I'm not sure I want come back to eat at a restaurant where the customers' satisfaction is not important!
(2)Allison N.
Yum! Boyfriend and I were looking for a decent Italian place on the way home from the Mini dealership, and stumbled across Francesco's on yelp. I'm glad we decided to give it a whirl - it was delish! I had the four seasons pizza and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and he had the chicken parm. Both were excellent - pizza was thin crust and delightfully crispy with a heavy hand on the toppings. He's a chicken parm snob (is that possible?), but couldn't stop talking about how the pasta was perfectly cooked, and how good the sauce was! Can't wait to come back and try some more things on the menu!
(4)Lacey G.
Best Italian in town! My absolute favorite place to go and have a nice authentic Italian dinner. We love sitting at the bar, and watching Francesco cook. The service is great and they treat you like family there. If you go, try the spaghetti and meatballs (best sauce ever!) and the pasta carbonara. Two of the best dishes!
(5)Mary D.
Office decided to get takeout today for lunch. All ordered from the lunch menu, which is $8.95 an entree. Two of us got lunch lasagna, three got the pizza. High marks for the pizza. The lasagna was fine, maybe not my personal favorite compared to other nearby Italian restaurants. Got our salad order wrong, so if you get takeout, just check your order before leaving. But we survived :) The restaurant itself is just beautiful, with a very nice selection of intimate indoor seating and two areas for outdoor seating -- some cafe seating outside the entrance and a small shady patio in the back. There is also a small wine room for special events. It has an incredibly lovely interior. We did not test desserts, but they look like authentic Italian. My guess would be that they are very good.
(3)Lauren C.
I recently hosted a baby shower here in their private dining room. The food, ambiance and service were all fantastic. I highly recommend this place. The chicken Parmesan was the best I've had. Friendly, accommodating staff too.
(5)Cicely S.
Meh. Kinda flavorless chicken parm. The bread was cold and unappetizing. My friends pizza was "edible" but nothing to write home about.
(2)Rachel E.
Great if you have a minimum of 90 minutes for lunch and like a stressful unorganized lunch experience where your bread comes 10 min after you order, salad another fifeteen, and food another 20. Expect to sit with long lulls and nothing in front of you to eat while waiting. I have been coming here throughout 2014 and admittedly, if you order the right thing the food is great. But the service is not only unorganized (sat once for 20 min w/out anyone bringing us water because servers didn't know who was taking care of us), but no one takes accountability for the mistakes and keeps blaming someone else. We made reservations for a birthday dinner at a time we knew would be the last seating in order to get the table we requested and save it at the end for us. When we showed on time, the hostess said there were two old ladies that were sitting there for an hour and a half talking, before they even ordered, so we couldn't sit at our table. Do you really believe it is right to complain about your patrons and shift blame on patrons when you do not use your RESERVED signs and organize your seating like a professional restaurant should? Our waitress never acknowledged our requests, just ignored us and came back with what we asked for. She was direct, unfriendly, and worse! indifferent. We asked her to separate the bills, she didn't. And right on cue, acted like we were the problem. At one point, she asked if my brother could just pay my bill instead of separating it. And, instead of apologizing, her only comment was that she thought my brother and I were a couple. It is a shame because some of the dishes are great and I appreciate the homemade sauce. The interior is really nice but what attempts are made to make this a quality restaurant in a plaza is lost in attitude and unorganized service.
(1)Jim H.
with reservations still had to wait for our table, acoustics are horrendous to which are added very loud strolling singers which stops all conversation, two of six oders were wrong, my shrimp might as well have been rubber and the food is average but somewhat expensive - would not return for a free meal
(1)James L.
I'm a very basic person and not very adventurous with my food. I got the gnocchi Siciliana. It was very good. The gnocchi tasted freshly made as well as the marinara sauce that it was in. They added some fresh Parmesan cheese over the top which capped it off. The decor was nice especially the big clock on the wall. One thing they could do without would be the tv over the kitchen area. It seemed to distract some of the servers however our server Jory was awesome! He kept our drink glasses filled and made sure we had everything we needed.
(4)Cecille R.
My husband and I dined here recently with a local dining meetup group.. Since the interior of the restaurant was packed (good sign for a Saturday night) tables were set up outside for our large party. Manager came out to introduce himself and made himself available if anything was needed. Our waiter seemed to be very experienced and on top of things. He took our orders promptly and was constantly refilling glasses. I ordered the pasta carbonara which reminded me our trip to Italy! That's how authentic it was! My husband ordered a marguerita pizza . Very tasty. We found out the chef is Sicilian and everything is made to order. The dishes reflect that. As we were enjoying our meals, there was an opera trio making their way around the restaurant and serenading the diners. Nice treat. At the end, the manager sent complimentary dessert platters to our table. The restaurant did nothing but impress. We are thrilled to have discovered such a great Italian place with an affordable price point. We had such a positive experience and look forward to our next trip back. We would highly recommend.
(5)Stacy B.
Ahhhh! I keep going back because the food is so delicious, but the service remains lacking!!! Doesn't the chef care?! THIS time, we had a reservation... a late reservation... but when we got there, there were no tables available and we waited, standing, for 15-20 minutes. Luckily, the owner happened to have been passing out samples of pizza and there were 2 slivers left, so we got a tiny appetizer, but it wasn't because of our inconvenience. I did get a beverage while I waited, but only after requesting one, not, as I would hope, due to the staff being apologetic about what was happening. Finally, we got a table outside and ordered right away, but we received the wrong food and it took so long for anyone to check on us, or even look in our direction so we could wave them over, that we were unwilling to wait for it to get fixed. The incorrect food was comped, but it's still so frustrating! The food is wonderful; does the experience not have to match because they are doing so well that they feel they do not need to improve the service? I can tell the wait staff is trying; there must be some kind of science/formula that can be applied to make it work better. Are there too few staff for the number of tables? Can something else be tweaked? Perhaps the solution is for me to just get take-out.
(3)Seth H.
Good pizza/Italian place. It's not really like the kind of small local pizza place you'd get a slice at, more of a restaurant. The vibe is somewhere in between a chain and independent to me as it's a fairly large room with outdoor patio (i.e. not intimate) but it's not Olive Garden. The kitchen is open which is cool. I got a GIANT calzone. Is it just me or do most calzones need just a little bit more gooey cheese on the inside? Very easy for a calzone to get too bready. Definitely above average though and the fam enjoyed their meals.
(4)Marc S.
Simply THE BEST Italian in Orlando. Period. Better than and less pricey than Antonio's across the street. Great atmosphere as well. Service can be spotty, but, that shouldn't deter you. It's all about the FOOD anyway! Great wine list as well. I've had just about everything on the menu. The 4 seasons pizza is incredible. The eggplant parmesan as well. Had incredible lamb di friavlo as a special. Lasagna...Awesome. As I said; Best Italian in Orlando. Fresh ingredients, wood-fire oven, Sicilian chef. Nothing else to say. Except. The desert is amazing as well! You're welcome.
(5)John H.
I received a gift certificate for my birthday to Francesco's and finally had the opportunity to use it several weeks ago. I was with my wife and 3 children aged 9 to 13 which are all tough critics. The place well appointed and very clean. Service was great and food was exceptional so much so even my children said they wanted to come back which is funny because they faught the idea of eating at Francesco's with all of the tenacity they could muster. I strongly recommend this place and look forward to going back.
(5)Boo P.
I had the risotto... it was very average, at best. My friend had the gnocchi and enjoy it. I'll try it again, but for lunch.
(3)Cindy R.
Disappointing. We drove from Heathrow. We were seated within 45 minutes at a table that had no napkins or silverware. After receiving our appetizer we made a second request for both items. As our appetizer got cold we requested for a third time and finally got them. The place is fantastic looking, food was good but service albeit they were very nice, left us thinking we probably won't make that drive again. 3 hours in total and we had no dessert. (or our last order of wine that didn't get delivered).
(2)MC J.
One of the BEST Italian meals we've had in a long time! Found this gem on YELP and will be coming back again the next time we're in town. Great homemade pastas, sauces & flatbreads -- large portions (my daughter's kid's meal was enough for an adult!) I ordered the Pollo Parmesano and wished I had a stomach large enough to finish it all! Excellent wait staff all-around, very friendly atmosphere. Don't spend the same at a 'chain' Italian restaurant-- they just can't compare to this place!
(5)Jody M.
I would have given this restaurant zero stars, but that wasn't an option. The food was great, but the service was horrible and the "management" was worse. Our server was rude. She dropped plates on our table and didn't apologize. My five friends were getting served and I was told there wasn't enough fettuccini for my meal and I needed to choose something else or wait. The manager interviewed me like a criminal instead of being compassionate and helpful. I split with a friend instead of waiting. Neither the manager nor server checked on us or our food afterward at all. The server then was outside complaining about us to other patrons at the restaurant within ear shot. Ridiculous. There was an altercation when we attempted to notify management. No discount, no offer to make it better. Too bad the awesome food was ruined by the awful employees. What a shame. I can't reward that behavior with another visit.
(1)Bennie R.
Love this place! and being Sicilian, and have been to Sicily before- this is as authentic Italian as I have ever seen in Orlando! Great service. I do admit we did have to wait about an hour and 15 min for a table, but the manager was sure to compensate, and it was also very busy for a Monday night! I would suggest making reservations. Restrooms very clean and placed aside from seating area - which is always nice. The bar type seating faces the kitchen crew cooking and preping the food right there! Everything was fresh from the vegetables to the sauce! La casada siciliana for desert is most def. recommended! Overall, it is beyond a 5 star restaurant, very friendly and family oriented!
(5)Eric J.
Really great atmosphere here. A little hidden gem. Open kitchen as soon as you walk in with what looks like a wood burning pizza oven. They allow dogs outside in the front which is great. We had the Italiana pizza and added spicy salami. Was crazy good. We also split the lasagna, also very good. I think what makes them so tasty is the generous use of fresh basil and fresh ingredients. I gave 4 stars because the service is sort of hit or miss. Sometimes it's amazing, super attentive and knowledgeable waiters, and other times we have just sorta been forgotten about outside and they have brought out the food at different times so the whole party is not eating at the same time. Overall it's a great place and more times than not the service is great.
(4)M S.
Lovely place for lunch. Prefer to sit I. The wine room where it is quiet. Super happy that they served gluten-free pasta!!
(5)Ryan S.
This places is ACE'S ALL AROUND!!! Being from NY its hard to find good or decent food down here.... At least to me because I know what food is really supposed to taste like!! This place hits it out of the park!! The Best Italian food in the area by far!!! It cannot be beaten!!! If you like Italian food this is the spot in Orlando, FL!! But get there early for lunch and dinner!! Because if you don't, you will be waiting a long time to sit!! Its just that good!! Anytime a small restaurant has waits like this, its always fantastic!!! They can only accommodate so many people that love the place!! And make sure you leave room for dessert!! Anything you get is a grand slam!!
(5)Jennifer B.
My friend Andrea brought me here a few months ago and let's just say I finally found an authentic and quality Italian restaurant in Orlando. I don't even like tiramisu and I was practically licking the plate. I definitely recommend this place!
(5)Nick F.
Absolutely great food. Terrible service. Extremely slow, wait staff sloppy, and if there are more than one person ordering your meals will come at different times. In our case, I was almost finished before my other table guests were served. This place could be great, but until they get the servers replaced or fixed, I will not be back. On another time I was in, I got my order, 10 minutes later my wife got her order and it was not what she ordered. They took it back and 30 minutes later she still didn't get her meal. We Left without her eating.
(1)Mick C.
Try the fettuccine with Alfredo sauce and the lasagna. I'm Italian, and this food is really nice. If you're looking to be rushed in, served like fast food, and rushed out, this is NOT the place for you. Take your time, enjoy the echoey ambience, talk, relax, and have a good time. We will be back!
(4)Dan W.
Food is amazing! Lunch portions are more than enough. Best bang for your buck. Looking for great Italian... This is it!
(5)Kelly J.
A colleague told me about this restaurant, so we tried it last week, after a somewhat difficult day. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful evening sharing a fantastic pasta dish, which had perfect, homemade pasta. I thought the prices were reasonable, the service was great and the restaurant was upscale, but not stuffy or pretentious.
(4)Phill M.
Francesco has to be one of the best Italian chefs in Orlando. He has been delighting patrons for years working for someone else so it's nice to see him strike out on his own. He will do well as the selection is great and the quality is second to none. Also, he is located close to where many will appreciate his talents. The wine list is decent and there are some great buys on nice Italian blends of Tuscan varietals (Cab Sav, Merlot, & Cab Franc). The Osso Bucco is a phenomenal special when he does it and the pollo siciliano is also great. You should put this one on your favorites list.
(5)Rick H.
The food is great. The red sauce is the best I've ever had. The desserts are wonderful.
(5)Lori C.
This is a nice restaurant with a great menu and wine list. The dining room and outside eating areas were very pretty. The prices were good and the portions plentiful. There were only a few things keeping it from being a 5 star, in my eyes. 1. The bread was not served warm. 2. Very loud. It was busy, so I guess that's good for them, but there was nothing inside to cut the noise. I felt like I had to yell to be heard at our table. 3. Our waiter seemed a little confused. He was a little slow. The appetizers and food came out quickly, but refills and clearing the table, and getting the check was lax. Not enough to ruin the evening, but it was just a little strange at the end. I'd definitely go back again.
(4)Regis D.
Excellent food and service is always encountered at Francesco's. Try the Chicken Parmigiana, you'll love it unless you're missing your taste buds or don't know what great food taste like!
(5)Joan F.
I had lunch here today. Over all the place is very nice. The service is excellent. Now the reason I gave it 3 stars is because of the pizza. I ordered Margherita pizza. It was really not a true Margherita pizza. The cheese was salty and it was just like a regular pizza with a couple of pieces of fresh basil. The waiter I had was excellent and I had a house salad that had a good balsamic vinaigrette on it. The salad was mostly two kinds of lettuce with one tomato with about 3 olives. I do not think I will go back because I was really looking for a good Margherita pizza.
(3)Michelle P.
A friend had mentioned this place in a few fb posts so I checked the yelp thoughts and was even more tempted to visit. Made a reservation which i recommend as you do not want to smell and see that great food and not be able to eat straight away. Service was great he knew the menu, answered queries, we had top ups on drinks before asking and he was friendly. We ordered my daughters choice almost straight away. They brought a super portion of angel hair with marinara and a big meat ball that she loved. She was doing well on eating that when ours arrived. Chicken pomodora and a veal dish, can't recall the name but both were incredibly tasty. Special treat for dessert - strawberry tirimisu which was stunning but I believe not on the everyday menu but I am told the normal tirimisu is equally great and yes I shall be going back as often as I can to make sure I still think this is a five star place. All in all LOVED IT.
(5)Diane B.
Special Anniversary Celebration was so excellent. Food, service, ambience, Opera night. Memorable evening. Everyone was tasting everyone else's food because we were all sure we had ordered the best thing on the menu. Thank you Francesco.
(5)MJ J.
Oh how I wish I could say nice things with other reviews being good but when you have an experience like seven of us did, there is no way possible to say anything good. From the appetizers to desert it was a disaster. When seven peoeple all have the same opinion it is pretty bad. You do not bring six entries out and let them all sit waiting on the 7th one for 20 minutes. When you are told 3/4 of an appetizer is not available do not serve the 1/4 on the same size plate as the full appetizer. Pathetic is too kind of word for our $200+ dinner that evening. I have to give credit to a manager who compted two desserts but they were so substandard it wasn't worth the wait for them.
(1)Carol A.
Just had dinner at Francesco's and had a wonderful meal. One of my friends is Italian and she said the food was very authentic. Our waiter was very personable and more than willing to answer our questions and accommodate some special requests. Parking can difficult, and the noise level is on the loud side. I think dinning outside in the patio would be great when the weather is cooler. I will definitely be back.
(4)Larry S.
We had the opposite experience, the server was very attentive and the food was wonderful. Happy to see a new restaurant in our area.
(5)Debbie F.
Bad service. Antonio has a better variety and the food is amazing...
(1)Laura T.
It isn't ever very likely that I find myself at an Italian Restaurant due to having a gluten allergy but they serve gourmet-tasting gluten free pizza! I have had many gf pizzas and theirs was definitely one of the best I have ever had! Not to mention I appreciated the fact that it was the same price of a normal pizza! It may appear that they have a smaller sized lunch menu but don't let that fool you because they allow you to order off of the dinner menu as well. I went with a group of 7 co-workers for lunch and was very pleasantly surprised by the beautiful decor inside. They have an open kitchen that was packed full of chefs working hard to create our lunch. All the food was VERY reasonably priced for the area and for the amount of food they serve you! Everyone thought their meal was delicious and a great deal. One of my new favorite lunch spots!
(5)Anthony B.
I've lived in Italy & know what authentic food should taste like, and this place is it! I simply can't say enough about the quality of the food & service at Francesco's. To top it off, we arrived (with 2 children in tow) around 6pm on a Friday night and the owner/manager was so kind that he even gave up a booth he had reserved for the owners that evening. The staff also brought our 2 year old some pizza dough to play with (which made her day) and both the food and the service was phenomenal. This is as close to Sicily as you can get without the expense of taking the next flight out of the country ;-)
(5)Peter C.
This place came out of nowhere. I was expecting something along the lines of NYPD Pizza that occupied this space before it, but walking in I was shocked to see a completely different class of restaurant. It is far more upscale and the decor is beautiful. The wide-open kitchen tells you this place is not your typical strip-mall restaurant. This really is more of a full-blown Italian restaurant with a nice menu selection. We were only there for lunch, but we got some salad and pizza seeing how that is what we originally went there for. The bread they brought out was friggin fantastic! This is some of the best fresh bread you will have in Orlando! The salad was also really tasty, proper for a nice Italian restaurant. The pizza...awesome!!! This is more of a gourmet, artisan style pizza than what you will find at most places in Orlando. The sauce is seriously good and tastes so fresh. The crust is thin and delicious. This pizza is pretty much what Anthony's Coal Fired pizza wishes it was. I can't wait to go back to this place to try some of their Italian dishes. I saw some things coming out of the kitchen that had my mouth watering.
(5)J R.
We ate here twice in the past week and got the same thing both times just to make sure our palates where not playing games! Both times the place was on point! The sauces are amazing the food is cooked perfectly and its nice to have another great Italian place in the local area! Especially since they closed down Mateos on I-Drive.
(5)Wasabi P.
Went here for dinner tonight and liked it but had a few problems with the place. There were four of us and with the bread they brought out what was probably no more than a table spoon of olive oil, if that, for dipping in what looked like a soy sauce dish. It was gone in the first two bread dippings. We had the calamari as an appetizer and it was just ok. I ordered the fish special for my entree thinking it would be in the same price range as the other fish items on the menu, maybe a few more dollars and was pretty stunned when it ended up being double the price of the other fish items for a decent fillet of mahi and some over cooked shrimp. The fettuccine it came with were very al dente and some of the strands were stuck together. The sauce was tasty though. But be weary when you order any of the specials that it might be much more than the comparable items on the menu. I also tried some of the margherita pizza and it was pretty average with no basil to be found. So the food was just ok, not happy about the price of my dish, the special, at all. The service was a little slow and forgetful but friendly. My favorite thing was the decor; rustic but modern Italian.
(3)Patti L.
The food is wonderful but unfortunately the service was poor. It may be they are still working out the kinks of a new restaurant. The hostess seemed very inexperienced, she forgot we were waiting. Our waiter was pleasant but Very slow and inattentive - forgot to bring the bread, forgot 1 guest's water, then took the glass and never returned, did not check in with us to see how we were doing, but the most disappointing was the length of time to receive our food - from ordering to service it was over an hour - without explanation for the delay. For a simple pasta dinner it took over 2 hours for the entire dinner. Having said this , we will give Francesco's another try because the food is excellent and I hope they can work out the service issues.
(2)