A unique dining experience - mixed unspecified antipasti ordered and followed by a choice of 2 or 3 verbally described pasta dishes. I think there may be a third meat/fish course available, but there was no printed menu or proper explanation from staff.The dishes comes to the table in quick succession, again without explanation, served by the harrassed-looking owner (I'm guessing).Everything was fresh and delicious, with flavours ranging from butternut squash in orange citrus sauce, to pumpkin ravioli in sage butter, and delicate pasta shells with rich Ragu sauce, all washed down with a perfectly decent house white, in a tiny intimate dining space.Overall fantastic food, but I would've enjoyed the experience more if I'd had a clearer idea of what to expect. They could do with a calm, knowledgeable person to wait on the tables really, but even so, I'd definitely go again.Vegetarian options: Many of the dishes on offer are vegetarian.Dietary restrictions: We were asked upfront if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies.
basiru hamza Basiru
We found this place by accident and were so pleased with it! The staff are friendly, helpful and welcoming, the food is freshly cooked, tasty and original. The chef has a light touch with the food so the little plates (tapas) weren’t too solid or filling, the fish cakes - flaked fish with chopped courgette - were delicious. Would definitely recommend it for anyone in the Hove area.
hemn xoshnaw
We found this place by accident and were so pleased with it! The staff are friendly, helpful and welcoming, the food is freshly cooked, tasty and original. The chef has a light touch with the food so the little plates (tapas) weren’t too solid or filling, the fish cakes - flaked fish with chopped courgette - were delicious. Would definitely recommend it for anyone in the Hove area.
Ramesh Ramesh
Word has got round about Franco's on Hove seafront near the old King Alfred's Leisure Centre, so it's essential to book of an evening or you'll be turned away - it doesn't take many to fill the place,.which has a buzzy, funky, down-home vibe without the need for the usual overbearing pop music to attempt "atmosphere". Franco himself is in the thick of things and is dead serious about what he does - and some have found his attitude arrogant and dictatorial. That's possibly because he's proud of his standards, and the format is what it is - and he has little patience with those who don't "get it". It's an Osteria, not a restaurant... The format, then, is quite rigid: you have antipasti, pasta and mains (with a specials board) More than two people have to take a sharing menu - two sizes, two prices. The bigger option at £28.50 brings you all the antipasti on the board, a couple of pasta dishes and a main of either fish or meat, a delicious array of dishes arriving one after the other, whatever it is they're preparing that night.. In a sense, you put yourself in their hands - you'll probably have to ask if you want to know what the meat or the fish are, but unless you eat like a horse you won't go hungry. And the flavours! The produce is clearly of the highest quality and everything has a depth of flavour that is quite stunning, on top of which lovely notes of lemon, mint and herbs dance across the palate. On this recent occasion, with four of us opting for the meat, an odd note was struck by a plate containing four pieces of steak, four pieces of sausage, yet three lamb chops - so someone went short. The steak was rump, which if you don't mind chewy meat, was flavoursome, but I find it too much like hard work. .Another criticism would be that a bottle of Puglian red wine (a Primitivo - also known as Zinfandel elsewhere) was of distinctly average quality, and at £33, overpriced, when for example, there is an excellent Primitivio di Manduria at Waitrose, with balance, structure, complexity and length for about £11.They could buy something like this in and sell it on at £33 a bottle, for a better food pairing.and a handsome mark-up. Having said this, it was great evening, in what felt like an authentic atmosphere, the busy kitchen in plain view producing a cornucopia of wonderfully vibrant dishes of an altogether different standard than the usual high street Italian restaurants.
Hope simpson
Great food and friendly service- a wonderful birthday dinner!
Stelios Makrymallakis
Very nice and cosy place, good home made pasta but very pricey for this type of food!
Alba Lewis
I’m so delighted this authentic (and I mean authentic) Italian restaurant made it through covid. Franco’s food is fresh, really the tastes from Bari, and, well my mum and aunt who are from Bari, love it. And let me tell you that is a very rare thing. It’s also a delicatessen with divine food.
Tiffany Rusling
Awful experience.I arranged to meet a friend here today, after being excited to visit this place for so long.On arrival, the man who I can only assume was the owner (through looking at other reviews), was unfriendly, cold, rushed, stressed, and seemed in a bad mood. I didn't take this personally at first.I ordered a vegan roasted vegetable breakfast with focaccia and a glass of white wine. What arrived was a bowl of seasoned passata, with half a baked courgette, olive oil and bread. I struggled to understand how this was called a roasted vegetable breakfast, but I ate it without saying anything and tried to enjoy my friends company.The man was rushing us and pushing us at payment, it felt hostile and unnecessary. Really weird behaviour, the deli wasn't even busy, and we sat outside.I wont go back, which is a shame really as I'd liked to have had a good experience.
R1350MGsueb
Amazing authentic Italian set menu as always. We bring friends who come to Brighton for the first time to Francos and they leave with a very memorable experience. Our chilled Collie also loves the atmosphere. Thanks Franco.
Helena Tsak
Not best Italian food but best food in Brighton! Also beautiful and cozy place that really travels you! Highly recommend
No menu, had to ask twice to understand exactly what we were about to order. Unfriendly verging on rude staff made us feel like we were being impertinent even asking! The food whilst tasty was tiny for four people, 2 tiny pieces of ravioli each just isn’t value for money. Each dish was virtually thrown down on the table without staff letting us know what we it was. It almost felt like they were rude on purpose and it was part of the restaurant’s shtick. And then to top it all it was crazily expensive. I’m sorry but it’s a no from me or my 3 other dining companions. We won’t be going back. Shame.
Josh Andain
Excellent coffee and breakfast, nice vibe good service and top quality food
bryonyg267
First time visiting - absolutely loved it. It’s a sharing menu - the owner asked what we did & didn’t eat (vegetarian, don’t like olives) & then brought us a selection of starters, then 2 pasta dishes to share (we had gnocchi & risotto). It was delicious & some of the best Italian food we’d ever eaten. The Bruschetta & Foccacia were particular highlights. Clearly all homemade from scratch with a lot of love & care. The wine was really good, as was the Tiramisu & Panacotta we ordered for dessert. Excellent value for money. Owner/staff polite & helpful. Can’t wait to come back as the menu changes every week!
Hannah Chapman
Excellent brunch, kind of English-italian fusion with baked eggs, grilled veggies and delicious tomato sauce, served with fresh focaccia. Amazing value - food and coffee for just £8. Main menu also excellent and extremely authentic - I lived in Italy for eight years and this place feels like home ;)
Embaly Moumouni
Nothing particularly bad about Famous Sichuan but if you're a vegetarian you'll be disappointed by the tofu- it's been kept frozen for too long and the effect is lifeless, odd-tasting bits of sofa filling, not the spongey succulent stuff that chinese food can be so good at. Eating in seems much better than take away for portion size and quality. I've heard Sichuan Garden next door is good so we'll be trying there next!
A unique dining experience - mixed unspecified antipasti ordered and followed by a choice of 2 or 3 verbally described pasta dishes. I think there may be a third meat/fish course available, but there was no printed menu or proper explanation from staff.The dishes comes to the table in quick succession, again without explanation, served by the harrassed-looking owner (I'm guessing).Everything was fresh and delicious, with flavours ranging from butternut squash in orange citrus sauce, to pumpkin ravioli in sage butter, and delicate pasta shells with rich Ragu sauce, all washed down with a perfectly decent house white, in a tiny intimate dining space.Overall fantastic food, but I would've enjoyed the experience more if I'd had a clearer idea of what to expect. They could do with a calm, knowledgeable person to wait on the tables really, but even so, I'd definitely go again.Vegetarian options: Many of the dishes on offer are vegetarian.Dietary restrictions: We were asked upfront if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies.
We found this place by accident and were so pleased with it! The staff are friendly, helpful and welcoming, the food is freshly cooked, tasty and original. The chef has a light touch with the food so the little plates (tapas) weren’t too solid or filling, the fish cakes - flaked fish with chopped courgette - were delicious. Would definitely recommend it for anyone in the Hove area.
We found this place by accident and were so pleased with it! The staff are friendly, helpful and welcoming, the food is freshly cooked, tasty and original. The chef has a light touch with the food so the little plates (tapas) weren’t too solid or filling, the fish cakes - flaked fish with chopped courgette - were delicious. Would definitely recommend it for anyone in the Hove area.
Word has got round about Franco's on Hove seafront near the old King Alfred's Leisure Centre, so it's essential to book of an evening or you'll be turned away - it doesn't take many to fill the place,.which has a buzzy, funky, down-home vibe without the need for the usual overbearing pop music to attempt "atmosphere". Franco himself is in the thick of things and is dead serious about what he does - and some have found his attitude arrogant and dictatorial. That's possibly because he's proud of his standards, and the format is what it is - and he has little patience with those who don't "get it". It's an Osteria, not a restaurant... The format, then, is quite rigid: you have antipasti, pasta and mains (with a specials board) More than two people have to take a sharing menu - two sizes, two prices. The bigger option at £28.50 brings you all the antipasti on the board, a couple of pasta dishes and a main of either fish or meat, a delicious array of dishes arriving one after the other, whatever it is they're preparing that night.. In a sense, you put yourself in their hands - you'll probably have to ask if you want to know what the meat or the fish are, but unless you eat like a horse you won't go hungry. And the flavours! The produce is clearly of the highest quality and everything has a depth of flavour that is quite stunning, on top of which lovely notes of lemon, mint and herbs dance across the palate. On this recent occasion, with four of us opting for the meat, an odd note was struck by a plate containing four pieces of steak, four pieces of sausage, yet three lamb chops - so someone went short. The steak was rump, which if you don't mind chewy meat, was flavoursome, but I find it too much like hard work. .Another criticism would be that a bottle of Puglian red wine (a Primitivo - also known as Zinfandel elsewhere) was of distinctly average quality, and at £33, overpriced, when for example, there is an excellent Primitivio di Manduria at Waitrose, with balance, structure, complexity and length for about £11.They could buy something like this in and sell it on at £33 a bottle, for a better food pairing.and a handsome mark-up. Having said this, it was great evening, in what felt like an authentic atmosphere, the busy kitchen in plain view producing a cornucopia of wonderfully vibrant dishes of an altogether different standard than the usual high street Italian restaurants.
Great food and friendly service- a wonderful birthday dinner!
Very nice and cosy place, good home made pasta but very pricey for this type of food!
I’m so delighted this authentic (and I mean authentic) Italian restaurant made it through covid. Franco’s food is fresh, really the tastes from Bari, and, well my mum and aunt who are from Bari, love it. And let me tell you that is a very rare thing. It’s also a delicatessen with divine food.
Awful experience.I arranged to meet a friend here today, after being excited to visit this place for so long.On arrival, the man who I can only assume was the owner (through looking at other reviews), was unfriendly, cold, rushed, stressed, and seemed in a bad mood. I didn't take this personally at first.I ordered a vegan roasted vegetable breakfast with focaccia and a glass of white wine. What arrived was a bowl of seasoned passata, with half a baked courgette, olive oil and bread. I struggled to understand how this was called a roasted vegetable breakfast, but I ate it without saying anything and tried to enjoy my friends company.The man was rushing us and pushing us at payment, it felt hostile and unnecessary. Really weird behaviour, the deli wasn't even busy, and we sat outside.I wont go back, which is a shame really as I'd liked to have had a good experience.
Amazing authentic Italian set menu as always. We bring friends who come to Brighton for the first time to Francos and they leave with a very memorable experience. Our chilled Collie also loves the atmosphere. Thanks Franco.
Not best Italian food but best food in Brighton! Also beautiful and cozy place that really travels you! Highly recommend
Restaurantji Recommends
No menu, had to ask twice to understand exactly what we were about to order. Unfriendly verging on rude staff made us feel like we were being impertinent even asking! The food whilst tasty was tiny for four people, 2 tiny pieces of ravioli each just isn’t value for money. Each dish was virtually thrown down on the table without staff letting us know what we it was. It almost felt like they were rude on purpose and it was part of the restaurant’s shtick. And then to top it all it was crazily expensive. I’m sorry but it’s a no from me or my 3 other dining companions. We won’t be going back. Shame.
Excellent coffee and breakfast, nice vibe good service and top quality food
First time visiting - absolutely loved it. It’s a sharing menu - the owner asked what we did & didn’t eat (vegetarian, don’t like olives) & then brought us a selection of starters, then 2 pasta dishes to share (we had gnocchi & risotto). It was delicious & some of the best Italian food we’d ever eaten. The Bruschetta & Foccacia were particular highlights. Clearly all homemade from scratch with a lot of love & care. The wine was really good, as was the Tiramisu & Panacotta we ordered for dessert. Excellent value for money. Owner/staff polite & helpful. Can’t wait to come back as the menu changes every week!
Excellent brunch, kind of English-italian fusion with baked eggs, grilled veggies and delicious tomato sauce, served with fresh focaccia. Amazing value - food and coffee for just £8. Main menu also excellent and extremely authentic - I lived in Italy for eight years and this place feels like home ;)
Nothing particularly bad about Famous Sichuan but if you're a vegetarian you'll be disappointed by the tofu- it's been kept frozen for too long and the effect is lifeless, odd-tasting bits of sofa filling, not the spongey succulent stuff that chinese food can be so good at. Eating in seems much better than take away for portion size and quality. I've heard Sichuan Garden next door is good so we'll be trying there next!