Francesca's Italian Bistro

Write a Review860-498-0626

OPEN NOW - Closes at 9:30pm

Both Emily, and robroy8 are out of their minds. This is the best Italian restaurant that I've ever been to. I am Sicilian, and my family are excellent cooks. Sal's food is as good as my moms, if not better (sorry mom)...........To give Francescas only one star is a travesty. You people should be ashamed of yourselves. If you want a quick burger and fries, go to McDonalds, you idiot. If you want the best Italian food in the state of Connecticut and beyond, go see Sal at Francescas.................When I moved to Coventry 3 years ago, i was overjoyed to have such a great restaurant so close. If you like food, YOU WILL LOVE FRANCESCAS.

I have been an executive chef in fine dining and presently teach culinary arts. I grew up in the late sixties and seventies in the southend of Hartford when it was truly Little Italy. I can say since moving to Coventry there are places to eat but you'd have to go way outside the city limits to dine. My wife heard of this new restaurant,and as we pulled into the mini stripmall parking lot, I had my doubts. Walking in was something unexpected altogether! A small eatery with not only authentic Italian charm, but a real Italian chef! It was as if I was in the movie Big Night hoping Louis Prima would magically appear. What did appear was every attention to detail in the service and food.

Arancini seated in a tomato cream sauce, the rice meat and peas all inside the crisp shell complmented perfectly with the choice of sauce. Rack of lamb cooked medium rare to my taste with a balsamic dressed arugula were reduced to a plate a cleaned bones and finger licking culinary expertise! I asked for white clam sauce as my side which was a meal unto itself, manila clams, garlic, olive oil tossed with aldente linguine. This all came with a salad and homemade bread for $26.00, maybe a little expensive to the farmville folk, but I would have paid in the mid thirty dollar range in the big city (and I have), for something not nearly as good! My wife, a little less adventurous, had the pasta Bolognese, a hearty northern Italian meatsauce that really shows how well this chef knows his trade, flawlessly balancing flavors and seasonings! I finished off with a cappucino that was frothy and made with a quality espresso feeling pleasently surprised. For the time being it's BYOB, but the liquor store is right across the street.