Francesca’s Italian Kitchen

The staff here are the sweetest people ever. so welcoming and just so nice. I literally downloaded Unilocal and made an account just to write this review about how great they are. This is my first and probably last Unilocal review I will write unless I find staff like this again; which will probably never happen!

Disappointed with the service, ordered an herb chicken and pasta and they gave us a very tiny portion of pasta and when I asked if he could just give us a little more. The server said he would have to charge me. He gave us a small bowl and charged us $ 8. Poor service and left disappointed.

Great food! Great staff! Warm & welcoming! I ordered fettuccine alfredo & added cherry tomatoes. The chef came out to me to personally explain why he had to cook them separately & put them on the side (to maintain the color of the alfredo.) What a great, personal touch! The chef made dinner really special & fun! He came out to make sure I was enjoying my dish & professed his love to our table, even kissed my boyfriend on the cheek & said something funny with a thick Italian accent. I couldn’t have had a better evening! Everyone I dined with felt the same & it appeared that the rest of the parties at the restaurant shared our wonderful experience.
Let me just say that my fettuccini was cooked to perfection! The texture, the taste. & cherry tomatoes on top! Ohhh myyyy! I was full with half of my plate left! Aaaaand kept eating until I was in a food coma.
Our waiter was polite & attentive. My glass was never empty.
Bravo!!!

Amazing! Great treat after an afternoon of wine tasting. Their daily specials are fantastic and I had heir filet mignon which hit every craving I had! I will come here again!

In my entire life, I have never felt so utterly ignored. My husband and I walked in to this restaurant. We stood at the doorway for several minutes. Totally ignored. The bartender finally waved us over to a booth.
We sat down. We waited… a brunette waitress walked right past us twice. No greeting. No water. No menus. Nada. Niet. Nothing.
After about 10 minutes the bartender came over and said I’ll be with you in a minute… But after another 5 minutes of NO service, not even a menu?! We left the building.
This is by far the worst experience I’ve ever had of customer disservice. Shame on this place. Do NOT go here unless you want to be ignored.
I would have understood if they were busy but as you can see by the photos. They were at low capacity. No excuse. We headed over to Lorenzo Charro and got excellent service.

This was an unexpected find in a strip mall of Temecula. The house salad was a fabulous blend of baby field greens & bitter greens, served with a balsamic vinaigrette. Our entrée was the night’s special pan seared Salmon with a light picatta sauce, roasted potato and steamed vegetable medley. The flavors were excellent and the fish was perfectly cooked. For dessert, the chocolate profiteroles were decadent and not too sweet. Portions were sized right (except for dessert, which was perfect for splitting).
The service was excellent. In addition to the wait staff, personalized attention from the Italian-​born owners was abundant, but not overbearing. What a great story they have!
Whether you live in town, or are just passing through, this is a worthwhile visit!

Excellent place to bring your family for an original Italiano experience. The owners really care about the quality of the food and the atmosphere.
–Tomaso

Food was cold, both the chicken parm, and my duagters steck was not cooked as ordered, waiter had to many tables. Could have been better, waiter also never checked in to see if I wanted another drink. We will not be back…

Been coming here off/​on for several years but last visit will be the last. Service and food quality has always been uneven. Sometimes it’s good, sometimes just okay but never outstanding. Lately though it’s been more on the disappointing side. It’s almost like they’re trying to cut corners to reduce cost. The bread has been blah and the servings have been getting smaller and smaller. How often do you walk out of an Italian restaurant hungry? And it’s not like it’s a cheap bill. I don’t mind paying a little more for food, but it better taste like it. And it sure seemed like the salmon filet is what you’d buy at Costco in the frozen section.

One of our absolute favorites. The food is authentic Italian and the customer service is outstanding. We always sit at the bar and have the pleasure of being served/​entertained by Francesca.
Must try: Gnocchi, lasagna, and anything with the meat sauce!
Wine is delicious and well priced.

KEEP IT REAL!!! Owners deserve «authentic reviews» …It appears the competition has unleashed the rats!
Regarding Unilocal review by a so called «Ivory P.» with «1» review to her credit (comical) … its more than evident she has NO culinary experience NOR any level of integrity.
I have no personal connection to the business owner therefore my opinions are solely based on the numerous dinning experiences in this establishment.
As a patron I can assure you Alessio’s ingredients are FRESH & of QUALITY!
Alessio prides himself on every facet of one’s experience to include the «delivery of fine authentic cuisine.»
His personal attention to hospitality is like no other restaurant in the area. Their is no question you will feel like Alessio is a member of your family, he is entertaining not to mention a solid genuine proprietor.
Highly recommend!
CHEERS

Ive never been to Italy, but I bet this is the heavenly food everyone talks about. Its a nice small restaurant, amazing quality food, drinks and staff. The owners make plenty of appearances at tables to make sure everyone is taken care of and enjoying their dining experience. I still need to try the cooking class they offer.

Without equal, the best authentic Italian restaurant in the Temecula Valley. Francseca and Alessio make you feel like family. We especially enjoy the cooking classes, Alessio is always the showman. Do yourself a favor and check Francseca’s out the next time you’re thinking Italian.

This place is amazing! The employees are super kind, and treat you like family! The food is all homemade and it’s delicious! It’s a family owned restaurant so you feel more «welcome» there. We live in San Diego, and we drive out to Temecula to come here!

I’m NOT a fan of Italian food … But I’ll eat here, anytime. We’ve been coming here since they first opened and are faithful patrons. We love how Alessio & Francesca always make us feel welcome and like family. It’s always good to be back!
Family Favorites:
Calamari
Bruschetta
Lobster Ravioli
Cioppino
Sea Bass
HAVE TO TRY: Chocolate Soufflé

I went there for lunch had the Linguini w/​steamed clams and it was outstanding.
The food, service and staff were excellent.
And I found the atmosphere to be refreshingly refined and elegant that compliments the food perfectly.
Gentleman this great place for a date or date night with your bride. Good for the whole family as well.

Very good service experience at this family owned restaurant. We were greeted with a smile and very prompt attention throughout our meal. Good atmosphere for a little place in a row of shops. The prices were reasonable and the food was fantastic. Tried a special and the gnocchi. The gnocchi was the best I’ve had in Southern California. Will definitely be back!

Nice place to have dinner and the servers are super nice, they make you feel like you are home. to them.

How some of the others can review this place poorly is mind boggling.
Real Italians cooking authentic Italian dishes. Superior customer service and the food was superb.

I was on my way back home from lake poway, so stuck in bad traffic that made me hungry like hell. Ended up going to this restaurant.
Well, the interior is beautiful with hanging lamps and wall paintings. I was served with complementary breads which were so yummy and heavy that I was half full eating those. Ordered the lasagna and chicken mama Mia which is served with pasta and veggies. so so delicious.
The waiters are very courteous. They even ask if u want some parmesan cheese on your food. Perfect place for some friends or family get together. Well the price is a bit high but once in a while its worth to spend on some good Italian cuisine. Right!
Ample space for parking… Check it out :)