Francesco's Ristorante & Pizzeria

For months, my children are asking me to eat at this restaurant (their favorite). Right when you walk in you are greeted by Mgr. Darryl who makes you feel like family. Darryl checked on us from time to time, offered to take pics, helped us with a family video, gave us business cards to make reservations. Jacob simply possess a refined palate and in-depth knowledge of the menu. Every recommendation was simply perfect! Every dish was made with love, well balanced flavors, and fresh ingredients prepared by Francesco the owner and CEO! What an experience! Restrooms were clean, every dish cooked to perfection and the dessert was well prepared. My parents are Italian and I can say with confidence that the restaurant serves authentic Italian dishes that one will fall in love with! They even opened the door for us on the way out. I have been to so many restaurants from the US to other parts of the world and this is the first time we were treated as if we were part of the family! Thank you Darryl and thank you Jacob for making my day with the kids a special one!

This was our first visit to a lovely Italian restaurant in Maitland, Fl. It was so lovely. We had to make reservations because it is a small restaurant. They offer indoor, as well as outdoor dining. They also have private rooms. Everything from the time we sat down till the end of the meal, was perfect. The waitress was sweet, kind and very helpful. Her service was impeccable. The food was hot and made to perfection. We had Fried Calamari as an appetizer and it was tender, not too much oil, just a perfect crunch. We were celebrating a birthday and the highlight of the evening was when Nino came to the table and sang happy birthday in Italian to the guest of honor. He had such a beautiful lovely voice. I felt like I was in Italy. Our waitress, Mila, was very helpful. She asked us a few questions on our preferences and then made her recommendations based on our palate. She recommended we try a Chianti wine from Tuscany called, Monsanto Classico Riserva. She was spot on. A delicious wine full of flavor. For dinner we ordered, Rigatoni Palermitana. It was served with a cream sauce and topped with eggplant. Very delicious. For dessert we ordered the Italian Wedding cake. It was an elegant dessert, a moist cake made with coconut, chocolate chips and a cream cheese frosting. Boy was that good! It wasn’t overly sweet and went very well with the Cappuccino and the waitress served it at just the right temperature too. She was an excellent waitress. It was very nice to find such a wonderful friendly Italian restaurant here in Central Florida with excellent chefs, top service and excellent wines. A wonderful evening was made even better when I was going out the door, and a waitress tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a beautiful bouquet of red roses surrounded by Baby’s Breath. It made me feel so special. This restaurant has not only great food, they have a special team that work together to make your experience memorable.

This restaurant was excellent! The food was amazing and our service was top notch. Victoria is the best waitress we’ve ever had. Thanks for making my birthday dinner great.

I’ve dined at Francesco’s frequently and each time, my visits have been positive. I’ve had too many good experiences here to count, and have been equally blessed to meet and speak with many of the wonderful people who serve here. To name a few, Ellia, Jonah, Vanessa, Jacob, Wanda, & Chris all do an excellent job and make each visit personalized and professional. Ashley and Austin also do a great job of coordinating all of the hosting tasks, especially on busy nights. Chef Francesco, Vin, Carlos & the rest of the culinary team are always working hard to make fresh, beautiful, and authentic Italian creations that are flavorful and generously plated. You can’t beat an open kitchen that makes made to order pizzas in a brick oven! Whether you’re coming to Francesco’s for a casual lunch, a celebratory dinner or a cooking class, you won’t be disappointed!

Phenomenal dinner! Oversized portions but more importantly authentic and delicious! Jacob provided our table service and was attentive, cordial and prompt. (Apparently servers are available upon request as well.) We started with a 1/2 order of mussels that was larger than any standard full order we’ve had anywhere in central Florida! They were excellent and accompanied with fresh cooked bread with dipping oil, both of which were addictive. For the main course I had a seafood medley (Zuppa something or other…) over angel hair pasta that literally could’ve fed a table of at least 3 if not 4 and my bride ordered the special which was Chilean Sea Bass with lobster ravioli…both amazing. You need to go here and enjoy some truly fine cooking. Chef Francesco needs to come to Lake Nona, there would never be an empty seat!

Many great experiences at Francesco’s. The servers are top notch (Hailey & Jimy), professional and very nice. The food is delicious. Spaghetti Carbonara & the Gnocchi are great. I get a side of grilled shrimp with every meal and it’s probably the best shrimp I’ve ever had. Pizza is good as well. Everything is very authentic tasting and the decor and ambience is beautiful & cozy. I really enjoy eating here. The hosts are also very nice and accommodating. I Highly recommend eating here.

Had the best experience here last night. The host was unmatched, he went out of his way to ensure we were having a good time. Our waitress Kyra was so nice and attentive. The food was really good. We will definitely be back in the future.

Francesco is a family favorite here in our household. We've been going there for several years and it's our go-to for the best Italian in Orlando. Today we ordered gnocchi, mussels, octopus and Carbonara. All of it came out piping hot and delicious. As always. The gnocchi was with vodka pasta which was nice and creamy. The mussels were marinated in garlic, olive oil and a pasta carbonara was done to perfection. Last but not least, we had the Octopus which was on a bed of lettuce and tomato. Tonight we were serenaded by four amazing singers side. The ambiance is incredible and the great first date location. It may get a little noisy, however it adds to its charm.