Francesca's Italian Kitchen

Francesca’s impresses with its warm and inviting atmosphere, enhanced by friendly service that made our visit enjoyable from the moment we arrived. Our server was both attentive and courteous, significantly elevating our dining experience. We started with the Caesar Salad, which showcased crisp romaine lettuce, tender grilled chicken, crunchy croutons, and a creamy Caesar dressing generously topped with shaved parmesan❤️. The freshness of the ingredients was evident, and the salad was perfectly portioned. For our main courses, we chose the Spaghetti alla Carbonara and the Risotto ai Funghi. The carbonara featured a rich, creamy egg sauce complemented by Pecorino Romano, crispy pancetta, and a hint of black pepper. The risotto was a delightful blend of Arborio rice, assorted mushrooms, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley. While the menu descriptions were enticing, both dishes fell slightly short of our expectations in terms of flavor and execution. The charming ambiance and outstanding service contributed to an overall pleasant evening. Francesca’s remains a worthwhile option for anyone in search of a cozy dining experience with approachable Italian cuisine.

We enjoyed a special night out to celebrate our last night in Temecula. Gil-Marie was our server and she was just great. Not only did she wait on us, but she genuinely connected with us by sharing her story, where she was fro., her travel plans, and more. At one point she even sat for a moment to engage with the family. By the end of the meal, we were ready to adopt her into the family! The meals were amazing. The chef makes each of the sauces from scratch. They were hot, fresh, and oh so good. We each ordered a different entree and tasted each other's and they were all amazingly delicious. Great dining experience.

A gem of an Italian restaurant hidden away in a local strip mall. Delicious and authentic Italian food at a good price with excellent service! We recently visited the restaurant with a group of our friends after a fun few days of gambling at the nearby casino. Each of us ordered something different and we were bragging about whose dish was the best (I think it was a 3-way tie between the Lasagna Alla Bolognese, Tortellini Ricotta E Spinaci, and Filet Mignon). We were still reminiscing days after about the food and our experience. The guys especially enjoyed the bread and conversing with our server, Maryam, adding to our already enjoyable evening.

10/10!!! I love it! So yummy. Everyone was super friendly, the atmosphere was very welcoming!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Love the starter bread. We had the Carbonara (yummy) and Chicken Parmigiano (pretty good). Waitress GillMarie was a bit over the top (called us Mama & Baby constantly), disappeared on us for awhile then when we asked for the check she just showed us her phone, really odd I had to ask for an actual bill. Not awful service just a bit weird. The food is really good so we will be back

Franchesca’s is a tiny gem in Temecula for Italian food. I’ve driven past it for a long time and finally stopped in. The ambiance in this little restaurant is calming and inviting. Their bar tender made us personalized drinks based on our taste.They have the BEST risotto I have ever tried!!!

My husband brought me here for valentine's day dinner, and all I can say is WOW!! The food was fantastic, so flavorful and the portions are huge. We will definitely be back again and again!! Great atmosphere, you can dress up for a nice dinner out, or go casual for a nice meal They have a full bar, and the restaurant is extremely clean. The staff are just simply above amazing. Thank you for making our valentine's day special

I had an amazing dinner at Francesca's! The atmosphere was warming and inviting, and the service was amazing. Food was fresh and full of flavor. Definitely planning to come back soon!

The service is great and the owners are amazing! The food was out of this world! The atmosphere felt like I was in Italy with the music.

This place is outrageous! We had mussels and a pie. Out if this world! Gilmarie was attentive and fun! Wish we lived here we would be here weekly!!! Great ambiance!

A gem of an Italian restaurant hidden away in a local strip mall. Delicious and authentic Italian food at a good price with excellent service! We recently visited the restaurant with a group of our friends after a fun few days of gambling at the nearby casino. Each of us ordered something different and we were bragging about whose dish was the best (I think it was a 3-way tie between the Lasagna Alla Bolognese, Tortellini Ricotta E Spinaci, and Filet Mignon). We were still reminiscing days after about the food and our experience. The guys especially enjoyed the bread and conversing with our server, Maryam, adding to our already enjoyable evening.

I love that there's a nice Italian restaurant near home. The food is amazing and they give you great portion sizes. The pizza my husband ordered was very delicious, the sauce had lots of flavor and he even said it will be something he can see himself craving again.The kiddos plates are even large, and delicious for kiddos. Everyone is really friendly there, always checking in on our table. We even were called sweetie by one of the servers there. Always makes it feel so much more welcoming. Can't wait for our next visit! We want to try everything on the menu eventually through time. We caught ourselves looking at what others ordered thinking "yep, we'll be back for that." Awesome place. Awesome first experience.

We came for happy hour and it was fabulous! The drinks and the food were amazing! The prices can't be beat! We had the meatball's, the bruschetta, and the fried ravioli. All were excellent. We then came back and had a party in the private room. Christina was an incredible server and owner. She continued to check on us. She even helped us decorate the room.The food and drinks were so good. We had the bread, 4 different apps, salads and the amazing entrees. She helped make the party a success.. Christina helped us pick menu and wine items everyone would love! Christina gave incredible service! 5 Stars. Come check this family owned place out!

We've been coming to Francesca's for 10 years. This review is for the latest version of the restaurant with new owners. Our greeter/server was Cristina, who was simply the best. We learned about her family and the new ownership changes. Lucky for us, it's still a great restaurant. Some old menu items are still there, and some great new ones. I had ravioli with filet & mushroom sauce, and wifey had the lasagna, which was great. And if you're looking for a great in-house-made tiramisu, you can't go wrong.

Christina was our waitress for the evening and was was great. She listed the specials based on the protein wanted. A few seafood pastas and lasagna as well as Alfredo, lasagna and black truffle pasta. We all had drinks which refilled as needed and martinis as needed The restaurant wasn't packed with waiting lines but full the whole time we were there with happy customers eating drinking and enjoying everything. Good food, good atmosphere and all around great experience.

I ordered from here for take out and it was so yummy the customer service was great right when i walked up the door was opened for me and right away greeted! Went up to pick up my food was ready to go with everything inside and some! There cannolis are out of this world best I've ever had seriously worth every dollar! The fettuccine is what i ordered with broccoli! So yummy came with garlic bread that was so buttery and fresh! I'll def be back . Every-time i come out to Temecula this will be my stop everytime now! Go check it out ! Its cute on the inside to very clean and had a huge variety of wines to choose from!

We live local but haven't been back in 10 years. This place is now owned and run by a mother and daughter. Lots of love in the food. Was good before too. The bread they give when you sit is crazy good. We loved the delicious muscles as appetizer and to dip their bread...another level. I ordered risotto and salmon soooooo delicious. Husbands pizza was really good. I think it's a good plan to patronize a well run family owned business like this. Bravo Zulu

My family and I love this place! The food + drinks are delicious. Gillmarie our server was super sweet and took great care of us. :)

So delicious! My dad has lived in Temecula for over 5 years now and I've seen Francesca's every time when driving down Temecula Parkway but somehow hadn't tried it until this past weekend. My dad had his favorite Italian place at a different location, so we never really veered away from it, but we decided to change the norm this time and I'm glad we did! I opted for the Chicken Parm, my dad the Spaghetti Bolognese and my husband the White Sauce Lasagna special. We all loved our food so much that we raved about it all night and kept talking about it the next day. My dad said that he is going to start making Francesca's part of his rounds. The meals provided so much food and mine turned into 3 meals for me. I really liked that it came with some veggies as well as the pasta and chicken to add something to the plate of carbs. The chicken was breaded and cooked perfectly, and the skinny spaghetti noodles were a perfect compliment. Perhaps what I liked the most was the complimentary bread! Italian places generally provide bread with oils, but this bread came out doused in garlic and butter and it was literally mouthwateringly good. I can't wait to come back!

Fabulous experience. Local little eatery that has it all. The food is house made as is the pastas. 4 of us attended today and we had 2 pastas and two pizzas. The first pasta was the checca which was tasty and light as it should be. The other pasta was the stuffed spinach tortellini with vodka sauce, another winner. The two pizzas were both the carnivores. Lovely sliced meatballs, sausage, and pepperoni. Tasty all around. The portions were a good size, and for the overall taste and size, the prices are fair. Our server Cristina was delightful, and she even brought us a mini cannoli to taste. Wonder soooo good. This review was almost less than 5 stars because the music was a bit too loud. Suggestion would be to move the speaker to an upper shelf somewhere so it's not blasting at table level. Otherwise great place. Don't miss it!!

Amazing experience. Every single item on the menu is delicious but honestly love coming here just to hang with the bartender Gilmarie. Can't go wrong. Drinks, 10/10,,.food 10/10...company 10/10

Francesca's used to be our go-to for holidays. New Year's Eves and Mother's Days have been spent here. We have been here twice in about the past two months and there has been a change in both the quality of the food and the service. When we left on Mother's day this year, we questioned whether or not we will be back. It was not crowded, so that can't account for the service being off.

The food was flavorful and rich. I had the spaghetti bolognese and my bf had the sausage ravioli vodka style. Gil Marie was our server. She was charming, bubbly, funny and personable. Her customer service was the kind of service that is hard to find these days. She was on it.

We had reservations for 6:30 on a Saturday night, they were slammed but we were seated immediately. Our wait staff was great, totally on top of everything. The kitchen was backed up but the staff kept us informed and made sure we had plenty of cocktails. I had the veal Marsala and it was absolutely amazing with a side of angel hair pasta and steamed veggies.

As you can tell by the photos we absolutely devoured the sweets & food here. Some of the absolute best tiramisus I've ever had in my life. The bread pudding with icecream is a must try as well. The pasta is so DELICIOUS. Must come here, especially if you want amazing service and an Italian vibe & food that matches the authenticity!

Like a VIRGIN, it was our first time trying this lovely Italian restaurant and it will definitely NOT be our last! We came during happy hour on a weekday evening and we tried a recommendation from Rhett. SHOUTOUT to RHETT! He was so professional and knew many on and off the menu items and we tried the Arancini for the very first time that he recommended and we loved it! It was like an Italian fried rice ball with cheese and goody vodka sauce... The spaghetti and meatballs with sausage on the side was my husband's most favorite of all and my Chicken Mama Mia was really good too. I wish they would give more of that Mama Mia sauce because Oh! MAMA Mia! It was oh so delicious!! MUST TRY the soufflé! Takes 30 minutes though!! We've been living in Temecula for 5 years and wished we tried this GEM sooner! All the staff were young, good looking and very nice! Mama Mia! We will be back!!

The chicken marsala is the best ive ever tasted, the service is great. Everything we've had is delicious.

i live in the neighborhood and have passed by this place a million times. completely unassuming on the outside, and a 5 star experience inside. the service: we were seated right away (no wait time) around 7pm. without knowing it, my table was being serviced by the owner of the restaurant. it wasn't until we asked that the owner revealed who she was. incredibly endearing to see the owner putting in the work and being so hands-on with her business. she gave wonderful recommendations for drinks, answered questions about the menu, and checked on us periodically to make sure we loved everything we ordered. the food: some of the best food in the city. the drinks were wonderfully delicious (and surprisingly strong). every bite melts in your mouth and the food keeps getting more and more delicious the more you eat. from the bread, the entrees, to desserts. there's not enough nice words to describe the food here. a bit expensive, but everything was easily worth double what was being charged, and we did order some of the more expensive menu items. definitely recommend for a date night or celebrating special occasions!

I moved into the condos across the parking lot last weekend, and have now been here 5 times. Each time has been better then the last. They have the best happy hour in all of Temecula. The food and vine are outstanding. Service is unmatched, I really can care less about the ambiance, it my girlfriend loves it. I counsel t recommend a bar/restaurant any higher.

Superb! Best authentic Italian food in Temecula. No matter what we order, the quality of the food and mastery of the preparation and delivery leaves us looking forward to the next time we visit.

The food was delicious and the atmosphere romantic and fun. Extraordinary service. We had gnocchi that was superb. Save room for the cannoli and spumoni!

It took a while to get our food but that's ok cuz we knew it was fresh. My husband ordered the risotto with shrimp and it was outstanding. I did a build your own. Mine had pasta Alfredo sauce and sausage very yummy and my daughter and her friend split a pizza. Lots of flavor. But what put it over the top was our waitress, so pleasant, attentive, friendly, funny. It just doesn't get any better.

My wife and I truly enjoyed our dinner. The food was delicious, the drinks amazing, the music was perfect and the customer service was legendary. You can see that the new ownership cares about the customer experience, highly recommend you stop by and enjoy such a wonderful place.

We came here on my wife's birthday because we had such a good meal here, a few years ago. Gilmarie was the best! She was very kind and personable, and even had excellent suggestions for my wife- she loved the ravioli and filet mignon. I got the cannelloni with chicken and a side of meat balls, all excellent. Thanks for the great service and food!

I was craving craving pasta and a good glass of wine. We tried Rustico's but the wait was an hour long, so we opted for Francesca's since we hadn't been here in a while and we knew the food and wine would be good. We called ahead and learned there was no wait, which was a bit surprising, but we were excited to head over there. Our server came to take our order and recommended the shrimp tequila fettuccine (not on the menu), it did not seem very Italian, but she said it so popular she had sold about 18 of them today alone, so I went with it. We also ordered a bottle of City Lights Pinot Noir, which we have ordered here before. It was on the menu. When she brought out our wine, we noticed it was already open, not opened at the table like usual. She also turned the bottle around so the label was not facing us. She poured the wine and my husband tried it and said it was okay. When she walked away we turned the bottle around and saw that it was a bottle of Bogle Pinot. Bogle is a $10 bottle of wine. The wine we asked for was close to $40. When we called her over and pointed this out, she said that that's what their vendor sent them. She offered to swap the wine and we got a bottle of Fallbrook Winery Cab. Again, the bottle arrived already open, she just pulled out the loose cork when she poured the wine. Again, we found this odd. When she left, we realized that the cork was absolutely dry. We wondered if they refilled their bottles with a cheaper wine. About 30 minutes later, our food arrived. The place was not busy at all, I saw 3 other tables with customers, so it didn't justify such a long wait. The food wasn't bad though . I then noticed the owner of one of our favorite restaurants, Papa Feta, walk out from the kitchen. We later asked our server if they were the new owners and she confirmed this, but said the kitchen staff was exactly the same and that they had just taken ownership 3 months ago. Later in the evening, the table right behind us voiced their concerns to the same server regarding the service they received and their wait time. It turns out the server was also an owner. We heard her say that they took ownership last month. We noticed a few things she said to them didn't coincide with what she said to us regarding the ownership and kitchen staff. The whole experience was just off. Although the food wasn't bad, my problem was the issue with the wine. It is wrong to deceive customers by serving them something other than what they ordered without informing them first. It is wrong to bring a less expensive bottle out and pour it without showing the customer what you are pouring. We love eating at Papa Feta's and go there often. We will continue to go there because the food is very good, but based on our experience tonight, we will not be dining at Francesca's again.

Went there on a Friday evening around 5. According to the rude waitress, they are under new management and are no longer honoring happy hour prices. The food wasn't bad, but came out at different times after very long waits. This was one of my favorite Italian restaurants in Temecula. And we have gone there many times, but will not go back. As I got a response... the biggest problem was not the happy hour change, it was the loooong wait for the food being served. If you are having chef or cooking issues, an update or apologies are in order. We almost walked out of this establishment for this reason.

In town for a friends graduation party, they are having their dinner here. Amazing service, the staff here is awesome and the owners are great. The happy hour menu is amazing and reasonably priced which is great. Dinner was amazing, food tasted amazing and we very fresh and seasoned very well. If you are looking for a family place to go check this place out.

Exceptionally delish food...great service, large portions..we got the Chicken Marsala with Angel Hair pasta and sautéed veggies and Pasta Primavera...great full body Chianti glass too!! TY!!

Amazing Italian rest . We ordered the calamari , eggplant parm , chicken Marsala - and topped off by cappuccino crème brûlée - all delicious

Came in a large party and the service was great! The ambiance was that of a local family owned restaurant. Simple casual but upscale enough for a romantic date. Ordered a few things and really enjoyed every bit of it! Definitely will come back again

Customer service was great! Chicken lasagna was amazing!! Gluten free pasta and bread's fantastic! Very friendly environment, we will be back for sure!!!!

The new owners have added a lot of specials that seem to change often. If you've eaten here before the new owners, don't worry. The old menu items are still available and still as delicious as before. My wife and I eat here about once every 4 or 5 weeks and highly recommend. Gail Marie waited on us last night and she is very attentive. We highly recommend whenever you're craving good Italian.

This restaurant went above and beyond! My gluten allergy keeps me from going to new places and they insured I would have what I wanted with no worries.. our service was outstanding and we will definitely be back. 10 stars

This is a must visit spot! The new owner is just perfect. The family friend staff is top notch and super personable and kind. The food was absolutely AMAZING! Party of 12 decided to get our own dishes but tons of sharing going on and everything was sooo good!!! They have a mixologist at the bar for those that want some cocktails and don't leave out the gelato dessert with an espresso on top

The food is always on point and the service friendly. Check out the add-on's to the desert menu!

5/5 wow best Italian food in town. Had an Amazing Meat sauce Spaghetti with side of sausage and meatball appetizer during appetizer. And Chicken mama Mia and Soufflé was super delicious. 5/5 Service. Waiter was very attentive, knew the menu like back of his hand, and made great recommendations. 5/5 ambiance was romantic, with piano jazz music, and candle lights at the table!

I literally just left and the food was so phenomenal that i had to leave a review. The staff are friendly and quick so great! If you are looking for a delicious meal coming out of Pechanga Casino... this place hits all the notes. I had the Seafood Pasta and my husband has the Spaghetti meatball Bolognese. thank you Francessca team! My birthday dinner was perfect!

The best gem in a little shopping area!! I would drive an hour again for this place. Perfect when in Temecula. Parking is easy, service is great, cute restaurant with a little bar and comfortable booths. But what's most important is the food!!! - Complimentary toasted bread in olive oil - to die for - Caprese Salad - Chicken Parmigiana with double veggies instead of pasta - Penne Pasta with a pink sauce and sausage (not on the menu but so good)

We were sat immediately upon walking in at 8:30pm and had such a great dining experience here. The restaurant itself was very clean and cozy. MISTO FRITTO - was perfectly cooked and crispy - I love the marinara here ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM - a little bit too cheesy for our taste - overall was nothing special but we still enjoyed it FETTUCCINE BOSCAIOLA - pretty standard white sauce; the sausage and mushrooms were a great addition! LASAGNA - their meatball sauce is so delicious - a very filling dish that satisfied our cravings TIRAMISU - so soft and melts in your mouth - not too sweet either!

With it being our first time out in Temecula, we wanted some pasta kind of food and found Francesca's due to positive reviews on Yelp so we went. As soon as we got there, we were greeted and we even asked our host what they recommended. We went ahead with her recommendations and they did not disappoint. Each bite of the bruschetta was like OH MY GOD. The cucumber margarita was WOW. It sounds a bit dramatic, I know but it's true! Considering that I am very picky and very critical, this was very surprising to my boyfriend and I that I like each and every bite and sip of what we ordered! The first night we went, we had Rehtt as our waiter and he was great! He was very down to earth and funny and his recommendations were great! We enjoyed it so much that we actually went back on our last night in town before we headed home to LA. highly recommend!

Love the changes at Francesca's. Holding on to the original and adding new things to the menu and drink specials. I absolutely love their chicken lasagna. They allow the bartenders to come up with new drink ideas. Everyone seems to enjoy working there.

Disorganized. Empty restaurant on Sat night. On line post do not align with in restaurant offers.

We are already huge fans of Papa Feta in Temecula so we thought we would try out the sister restaurant for our 35th anniversary. What an amazing menu. The staff is great too! The ambiance is pretty and the food is to die for. I ordered the in house gnocchi with four cheese sauce, the artichoke special and my husband got the chicken cacciatore special. All amazing. Definitely legit Italian food.

Ok so it's in a strip shopping center get over it!! This place is the BOMB!! The food, Amazing! Totally yummy and fresh and great portions and amazing sauces, the list goes on. Oh, and the bread is TO DIE FOR. It's fresh from the oven Focaccia bread served with homemade garlic olive oil drizzle. Omg it's a family owned business and very cute atmosphere. But above even that is the SERVICE!! Our server was Gilmarie was probably the best server I've ever had. Said "Hi Beautiful, how can I help you, my pleasure, quick service and responsive. What a treat!! The wine is top shelf as well. The dessert we always get is Spumoni, the Real Italian with dark chocolate candy coating. A Must Have!! So, Run, don't walk to this best kept secret off Temecula Parkway.. you'll thank me later!! Ciao Bella

This was my family and I's first time here (we went for my mom's birthday) and we all agreed that we will be back here for everyone's birthday!! The food was DELICIOUS! The service and ambiance were great! We all got different dishes and tried each other's - every dish was amazing! We also made sure to get desserts and they were just as great and tasty as the entrees! If you're looking for some delicious Italian food, I highly recommend. I am already looking forward to when we'll be back again. 10/10!

This restaurant is a hidden gem in Temecula! My fettuccine bolognese was so good and savory. We had a large party with some dietary restrictions and Gilmarie accommodated them absolutely flawlessly. Her energy was incredible, and she truly made the meal so memorable. Loved the service!

Great food, authentic Italian cuisine. Amazing service too! Christina was on top of it.