Franco's in Brighton and Hove

A real Osteria. You just show up ....and get fed really great food. It's a delight not to have to " choose from the menu" . Just enjoy what comes along. Which ,in our experience, is always delicious. Negroni's are good too! There are lots of places to eat "Italian food" . This is an honest and authentic restaurant that I would always rather go to. Recommended for the food and the experience.

The owner was shouting at his kids that was at the restaurant shouted at his kids who threw phones, argues with each other etc. The lady behind the counter was passively rude. The father of the kids shouting made me very overwhelmed as an autistic person. We were told to wait outside whilst the doors were locked. Additionally, he exclaimed “these kids are dis functional” on the street. We finally got our food which was good but they only had one type of bread left. I will not return.

What a great little restaurant! Really tasty and delicious food. Our plates seemed to just keep on coming. We both loved the selection and tried things that we might not ordinarily have chosen. This is an authentic Italian with interesting food. Flavour runs through everything. Service and atmosphere were just right.

We decided to Visit Franco's as we love Italian food and saw this was local to our area. We decided to visit during the week and went for the sharing plates.... The sharing plates were £21pp which seemed very reasonable. When we arrived we were shown a table and asked if we would like a drink, we chose a sparkling wine which was £31... two minutes later a sparkling wine in a wide carafe came out with no flutes in site.. I like to see what I'm actually drinking, the bottle and region... by the end of the meal the sparkling wine was flat.. The first course was slapped on the table by the waiter with no explanation of what we were eating... We had 3 slices of anti pasti meats each and a slice of cheese, again whilst the food was good I had no idea what I was eating.. (We had a vague idea as we have visited Italy numerous times but it would nice to know the name regions etc of the cheese at least). The other courses consisted of melanzaani (I think) .. ragu, tomato pasta, focaccia.. the dessert was one tiramisu in a gu jar and perfitorles. I'm marking a star down as the menu we had seen for that week didn't match what we were eating so we were disappointed as were looking forward to the food we had been told we were going to get.. no home made ravioli or burrata :'( in sight. I'm also marking a star down as even though the food was great I feel the evening was let down by no explanation, information or time given to explain the dishes.... Even putting this on the menu would be useful. The total bill was £81 and we left feeling disappointed :(

The food is incredible every time with fantastic service. The red wine is beautiful. Highly recommend to anyone! 10/10

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.

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.

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!

We made a late booking for my birthday with my family - Franco managed to fit us in. Super appreciated - great evening, superb food, brilliant service as per usual. We’ve been here now quite a few times and in my opinion, it’s the best in Brighton and Hove. It’s a brilliant, relaxed place to meet, eat some unbelievable food in a relaxed, home from home environment. Franco is a genius in the kitchen, from anti pasti through to handmade pastas, ragu etc - just brilliant. I can’t recommend this place highly enough.

Franco's Osteria is completely unbeatable & I would like to applaud the owner for providing the local area with a truly authentic Italian restaurant. We have visited 4 times now, & each experience has been wonderful. The house wines are fantastic, and the intimacy of the place is something quite unique in this area. The chefs & staff members work very hard & their passion for what they do is evidenced by their fantastic food, its incredible to feel as if your at home and in a top restaurant at the same time ! I have noticed that a few of the reviews have called out the owner as being rude but as I say, we have visited 4 times now and each time we have been greeted with a smile and received top quality service !! Thank you Franco's Osteria team and will see you again soon

After 3 previous bad experiences here some time ago, we decided to give it another go due to the reviews! On Saturday lunchtime the place was empty. Despite there being 3 people in there, only one young man was serving. We were ignored while someone was served at the delicatessen. The boy (I use the term carefully) who served us was trying his best. There the positives end! The meat platter we ordered for £9.50 had practically nothing on it. The fish croquettes would have been nice but were stone cold in the middle. I have never had to send a double espresso back, but one of the two we were served was weak black coffee at best. The final straw was when I asked the owner who was passing if I could pay. He completely ignored me so I assumed he hadn’t heard me until I heard him say to the young waiter ‘the lady wants to pay’. If you want quality food, value for money or polite service, this is not the place for you as you will get none of these!

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.

I ate her last night. Food was great. But OMG the owner is beyond words rude and unfriendly. And having read other reviews on here I’m clearly not the only one who thinks this way. The worst bit is he doesn’t seem to recognise (from his replies on here) that he has a problem! Maybe some people see this as part of the ‘character’ of the place. I’m not one of them and won’t be visiting again. If you value friendliness, courtesy and a customer first attitude, this place isn’t for you

Mi piace molto provare i ristoranti italiani a Hove e Brighton. Ci sono tanto posti! Il mio motivo e', primo, il cibo e, secondo, per praticare il mio italiano. Quindi, per pranzare, sono andato da Franco. Era tanto occupato ma e' stato un posto per me, grazie.Ho deciso di mangiare la pasta - piccolo ma saporito. Ho parlato italiano ma il cameriere ha parlato solo inglese. Non sono comtento! Pero', ci potrei andare di nuovo!

Have eaten here on numerous occasions. The food is delicious and all freshly cooked. I particularly enjoy the fact that we don’t know what we get but it is exciting and different. The food changes each time we go ,and he just brings out one course after another. Very reasonably priced.

We've liked the look of this place for ages and finally made a booking for last night. We arrived on time, looking forward to the experience. However the greeting from a stone-faced, couldn't-case-less waiter was a curt ' have you a booking' and then pointed to a table. Nothing else was said, not even a good evening or any sort of welcome. We all have bad days however this guy should not be working in a front of house role. Having mulled over whether to stay we decided to move on and spend our money elsewhere. Without doubt the rudest waiter we've come across in Brighton.

The ONLY genuine Italian worth your time and money in Brighton & Hove. The freshest and best quality ingredients all round, prepped on the day. The Osteria concept is spot on, we were brought 5 courses that followed the Italian tradition of antipasto, pasta (x2), fish and meat…. Great coffee to finish too! Don’t waste your time on flashy restaurants when you have the genuine experience at your fingertips! 😍

One of the best Italian Osteria's ever. The food is so delicious, the pasta handmade, if you are in Hove and you like Italian food then don't hesitate, just eat at Franco's !

Food was authentic Italian, freshly cooked and delicious. A perfect lunch for 4 local ladies in celebration of a friend now departed. Thank you Franco.

Food is good and fresh, but for what you get - the price is unreasonable and you feel like they are taking you for a ride. £29 for antipasti and pasta to share - so very small amounts of pasta, no main mean, no desert included, wine is cask wine. Our bill for 4 people came in at £55 a head. The waitress was very snooty & we were very disappointed.

Food was plentiful and well cooked and for an informal rustic restaurant it fits the bill. For a set price of £29.50 a head felt that was fine. Wine offered was house just red or white which was very acceptable. However, we gasped when we...

Went there for a meal with friends and all i can say is average food ( too salty) but the staff seemed unhappy leading to a generally poor atmosphere. A real shame as i usually like to give positive feedback

Food was decent - a bit too salty if I'm honest. Certainly not amazing enough to justify such abysmal service. The owner was visibly grumpy and made us feel like we weren't welcome right from the start. We had a 2 hour slot which probably...

Quality ingredients and freshly prepared genuine Italian food. Friendly but not unctuous service in a warm, informal environment. A proper osteria experience. And of course dog-friendly, too, just as it would be in Italy.

I booked a table for a Saturday night back in august for dinner for two, on arrival I was told that there was no booking and it was implied that I hadn’t booked. The owner even asked if it was on my phone. We were...

We visited a couple of months ago with a friend who had picked to eat here as none of us had tried it. In the party of 4 there were 2 meat eaters, one pescatarian and one vegetarian. All explained to the owner beforehand. There...

I've been wanting to come here for a while - and it didn't disappoint! The food was fresh and delicious. We ate vegetarian dishes only, and I was really impressed with the variety and quality of the food. It was just like being in Italy...

We have been coming here for many years and thoroughly recommend it for good food at a great price. Pease ignore the negative reviews especially from the glass man ! We last ate here on Wednesday 21 July and had the anti pasti which consisted...

I asked for the larger glasses to go with our wine. I was told by the owner that since they were crystal and cost £10.00, I would not be given them. I honestly thought he was joking. He was not. I then told him that...

I love Franco’s Osteria so much. We had been walking past a lot in lockdown eating their DELICIOUS focaccia and finally when lockdown lifted my boyfriend and I went in for an incredible set menu for only £28 per person. It was absolutely amazing and...

Walked past this restaurant a few months ago and thought it looked lovely and authentic. That is exactly what it was, the food was amazing with every course being faultless, service was exceptional despite them being busy and it felt just like I was in...

A taste of pure Puglian delightful food. Plates of beautiful antipasti. The pickled peach and cheese was an extraordinary combination. Courgette cooked in different ways. Peppers, aubergine etc. Chickpeas cooked with parsley. Cod fish balls to die for. Burata with asparagus. Perfect pasta followed by...

This was my first visit here with two friends visiting from London and I must say we all agreed it was terrific! The food was of a high quality and just kept on coming! Those who have left negative reviews clearly did not understand the...

Literally faultless! Copious antipasti platter with freshly griddled san marzano tomatoes, roasted red peppers, round courgettes, fennel salami, mortadella etc - amazing! AND a whole burrata! Ravioli with butter and sage - OMG!! Lamb fillet with asparagus, tender and perfectly cooked. PLEASE PLEASE don't stop...

Valentines sharing box excellent.Antipasto really interesting and varied.All cooked so nothing to do at home.Real treat!

We ate here with friends & shared the £20 pp menu which is antipasti followed by risotto & pasta dishes. We were asked whether we had any dislikes or allergies & then a selection of delicious food was prepared for us. The house wine is good & with 2 bottles of wine between 4 of us, the bill was £60 per couple. Lovely atmosphere & friendly service. We will definitely be back.

This charming place is small in size but big in flavour! They serve an Osteria Concept menu which either offers a £20 or £25 option. The food is delicious Staff are friendly and service excellent. Would def recommend to anyone

It’s been a while since we visited.Franco has changed his business model and is now a deli also serving food.He has simplified both the menu and wine offering . We ate a hearty meal of various cold plates , pasta and dessert. With wine and cocktails worked out at around £30Per person. Superb value for such quality.For a truly Italian experience I can thoroughly recommend Francos!

This is probably our favourite restaurant in Hove and we have visited twice since lockdown ended. It is a lovely experience like nowhere else. This isn't the place for you if you are a picky eater. You choose 2 or 3 courses and Franco will bring you lots of little tastes of different dishes. Tonight we had a spread lots of grilled veg, burrata, prosciutto and melon, chorizo and cous cous, pardon peppers, prawns and octopus to start. This was accompanied by fresh foccacia and followed by fresh pasta and a beautiful risotto to share. When I am with my husband we often finish off the feast with an additional meat or fish course but we had no room tonight. There is no menu, Franco will just bring you what he has fresh. I was particularly impressed tonight as my friend is pregnant and he tailored the menu to her dietary requirements and explained what he had done without us asking, we had planned to just make it work between us. If you enjoy food and trying new things I could not recommend enough.

We had a variety of small plates - my favourite the aubergine and the ravioli but everything was gorgeous. Previously had an antipasto takeaway on the beach which included cured meats, stuffed vegetables and cheeses. Again very high quality and excellent service.

We happened to find this restaurant as we stayed at a nearby hotel for 2 nights. Night one was so good that we returned for the second night. The food is fantastic with friendly staff that make the visit so enjoyable, nothing is too much for them. As a family we have lived in Italy and found the food to be as close to the real thing you can get. Everything made fresh to order and tastes delicious. Also great value for money. If we lived close by we would definitely visit this restaurant frequently, we highly recommend it!

My significant other and I stumbled across this hidden gem after a dog walk. We sat outside as we had the dogs, although it looked very inviting inside. We ordered an antipasti to share. This was fantastic, with simple, fresh ingredients culminating in a mouthwatering, magical feast. I then ordered the pumpkin ravioli and himself ordered the Ragu - equally delicious. The waiter/owner was attentive and hospitable. I would highly recommend to all. I can’t wait to go back!

Had a takeaway pizza from here (they follow all the correct social distancing procedures) and it was absolutely divine. Will certainly be visiting again.

This place is classy! Modern Italian food to die for. Interesting hand made pasta dishes with gorgeous sauces. We only had lunch today but my mate is a proper sophisticated geezer and he was blown away by it.Lovely food with interesting flavours - nice wines and good atmosphere. I have been coming here since it opened and it is still a treat - it has got more expensive over the last few years but so has everything sadly. It was probably too cheap for the standard of food when it started out. Do not come here if you want a pile of spag bol as it is far more sophisticated than that. You will not regret it!

After all the great reviews, we thought we'd try Franco's. So here goes:It was a wet and windy night so going into the restaurant was lovely - there was a warm glow, tables full and it looked welcoming. Unfortunately it was so full that we were squeezed into a table at the front overlooking the street and I spent the whole evening touching backs with the diner behind me (even though I had pulled my chair in such that my ribs were touching our table - and I'm quite petite!).The owner (?), waiter (?) wasn't particularly welcoming and through the evening slammed down our plates, poured wine which spilt out the glass and generally showed an uncomfortable lack of hospitality and care during the evening.And now to the food. We thought in terms of flavour, most of it was delicious and well presented. The starters were tasty and portion wise - fine. It was the main dishes which were disappointing. The two pasta dishes (carbonara and ragu) that came could barely satisfy four kids, let alone four adults! Why be so mean with the pasta portion, which is a cheap ingredient in relative terms? The ragu was scattered and minimal and the carbonara whilst delicious was again thin on the ground. We're not massive eaters so it was a shame that our overriding feeling is that the meal had been ungenerous in both its delivery and quantity. Finally dessert. We opted for the chocolate pudding which takes time to make. Fine. But when the owner/waiter came over, he delivered only one and said the other had had a problem so a new one would have to be made. No nicety, no real apology that one of us wouldn't be eating dessert with the others. When it eventually came, the fondant had already burst, chocolate pouring out and the chocolate sponge also tasted slightly burnt (possibly like the original that had been burnt too) so it wasn't all that.Just an average meal really. For the price, definitely not worth it. The kind of meal where you go home afterwards and make yourself a sandwich.

Tipica osteria italiana a Brighton, forse la migliore! Piccolo posticino caloroso, con 20/25 posti a sedere, cibo di qualità e ricercato per le diverse stagioni, abbiamo fatto il menu degustazioni con 4 antipasti, 2 primi e un secondo, tutto molto buono, prezzo medio alto, il tutto accompagnato da un buon vino, ci tornerò sicuramente

Now serves breakfast in Tuscan style or FEB at the weekend. It was superb. Lovely comfortable restaurant with the right glow for a wet winters day.

It’s been on my list for quite a while, so my friend and I visited one rainy Saturday lunch time. Greeted with a warm welcome, we shared the (delicious) tomato bruschetta which came with fresh focaccia oil and garlic. We both opted for the meat ragu, it came in one big terracotta dish with lashings of Parmesan. Really tasty, rich and fresh flavours. We then finished with the semifreddo espresso. Authentic small menu, lovely family run restaurant, great service, nice clean toilets and a bit off the beaten track of Brighton. the plus side is it’s easy to park outside! I would highly recommend and most definitely be back. Thank you.

What a great find! A charming, cozy, welcoming restaurant with good, simple, well prepared, well presented food. The wine menu and indeed the menu in general is unpretentious, well priced and oozing style and quality. A great meeting place with a lively, buzzy atmosphere.Definitely want to keep this one a secret!!!!

Such a great place. The food is divine , the staff so friendly. Booking advised . A real authentic Italy gem.

Okay so I’m leaving this review having left this restaurant 10 minutes ago. It’s, simply put, one of the most hearty but delicate Italian Osteria’s I’ve ever been to.I started with the bruschetta starter accompanied with the pomegranate and butternut squash burrata. I respect their simple bruschetta, it’s a dish that shouldn’t be tampered with. They kept it classic, and it oozes fresh tomatoes with a rich olive oil. The bruschetta was the best I’ve had, and I’ve been to Italy multiple times, and had burrata enough times to know this ones the best. Rounding off a salty burrata with the delicate sweet taste of pomegranate balanced this dish to perfection. The setting of this restaurant was rustic and I loved it, the atmosphere wasn’t intimidating and contributed to the experience. And this WAS an experience, not just a meal. The main course I had the butternut squash ravioli which was so beautifully paired with lemon zest and topped with pecorino. I was speechless. It was so simple, but pulled of with such conviction. The lady in the kitchen put so much heart into this meal, and the lovely lady who served us made my 21st birthday so special. I’m not a desert person, but as you’d expect, Franco’s Osteria served a stunning profiterole. It was exactly what I wanted, again, no messing around. If you want to try genuine family style Italian food, to a very high quality, you have to come here. It’s an experience you won’t forget. They also gave me a loaf of focaccia to take home as a birthday present so I’m eternally in their debt. ❤️

We had booked ( which I reccomend) our table for 7 people family and friends on Saturday 21/09 we were able to bring our dog as well.The young lady who we didn't catch her name was very attentive and wonderful sense of humour because of the number we chose the £30 per head set menu which turned out to be just perfect in amount of food and flavours.The recommended wine was superb.We used to go here a lot then they had a flood and sadly had to close but now back up and running serving up the same excellent quality food.The menu does change depending on the seasons.Would highly recommend a visit.

My husband and I came here for my birthday - he had the ragu and stated it was one of the best he's ever had, I opted for the sea bass which was unbelievable and should've really been shared between two people...but I managed :).

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.

Went there with friends and had to have the sharing plates. We explained that we did not want salami on the first plate and the waiter said that was fine, they would substitute something else. When the first plate arrived there was a load of salami on it. We told the waiter but he just shrugged his shoulders and said it's very nice and walked away. The food wasn't that good either. We won't be going there again. For the prices they charge, ther're much better places to eat.

Visited in a group of six, which means you have to have the sharing menu. The food was of good quality, but not the right amounts for 6 and at £28.50 a head far too expensive. Antipasti good mixture of choice, but 9 small cubes of bread for 6 - ridiculous. Pasta was good. Main course was beef, 8 small slices of rump steak measuring 2x3 cms. How do you share that with 6 people? Very expensive for what was on offer. Will not be returning. Wine also overpriced twice the price of same wine in another Hove restaurant. Aperitifs very pricey.

We had not been to Franco's for quite a while but people kept saying how good his simple daily menu was... and so it is! Delicious twists to those well known Italian meals made on site, congenial atmosphere and friendly staff make it a great place to eat.

fantastic authentic italian food. The service staff are lovely. would highly recommend thius place. remember to book

I'd read lots of mixed reviews ahead of my visit with Franco's so wasn't quite sure what to to expect... but I was super impressed. I recommend booking a table, as it is a small venue and so often full.

Oh well..he probably doesn’t need locals anymore.

If you're after authentic Italian food, there really is only once place in Brighton to go - Franco's!

Myself and my partner visited here for dinner on Monday night and oh my it did not disappoint!

We are regular visitors to Franco’s quite simply for the excellent authentic Italian cuisine. By far the best Italian restaurant in Brighton. Fresh seasonal ingredients make for tasty dishes all round. Whatever we seem to order is delicious and we can’t get enough. Fish, Meat, Antipasti, Pasta.. give it all a go!

A small portion, poor service, absolutely missed the hygiene roles, the chef goes around with Jeans no hairs up or cover... I'm really missing the point to pay 22£ for sea bass served/cooked by unprofessional staff

Dissapointed about the prices of meals

We had an amazing meal here and some of the best food I have enjoyed out...it was certainly the best Italian food I have had in this country. We went for the set menu - antipasti, beautiful brushetta, amazing focaccia, pulled meat meatballs, cuttlefish followed by two pasta dishes and then two mains - all shared by the table. The restaurant had no quibble with us requesting more bread either as it was so good. We really thought the food was sensational here and would definitely visit again.

I love Italy and I love Italian food. This little Osteria in an unlikely setting feels very authentic - set price menu with anti pasta, pasta and secondi is the go for choice if you like lovely leisurely lunches and have time for a little lay down after. I will have been three times in as many weeks! Excellent value and friendly service.

Visited the resturant for a birthday lunch with my family. We chose the sharing menu and had a feast. The wine list provides top quality accompaniments to top quality food.

Authentic cuisine cooked to order, including fresh fish catch of the day, and butchers market meat. Excellent wine.

The best Italian in Brighton / Hove I could spend ages writing about the; authentic, traditional and simply wonderful food... but I’ll simply say eat here. Great service and cosy... As good as it gets for me

Hard to book this restaurant as they are always too busy to answer the phone and when they do tell you to ring back which makes us conclude they must be understaffed.

Authentic Italian. That’s the food, the atmosphere and the service. The food is superb every time we go to this restaurant. It’s like being transported to the centre of Rome. Don’t expect British style service and menu. Franco is unique. Just trust him to serve you with an exceptional meal every time.

If, like me, you're rather tired of many of the pretentious restaurants in the area (where the food is seriously overpriced), then try Franco's Osteria. I've been going there for many years and the food is always outstanding. I visited last night and had a great evening. It's a terrific dining experience and you get genuine value for money.

Always a delight to eat here. Great service, unusual interesting wines, homemade food produced in a tiny kitchen but with love! Come and enjoy it!

If you are looking for a typical Italian Osteria, then you’re in the right place!

I had the most fantastic birthday evening here. Everything was perfect: the food was incredible, the atmosphere was good, the staff were lovely, the room is really pleasant. We loved it. But yes, agree with previous reviewers that there are some people who probably don't get it as they benchmark it against Zizzi, and it won't be for them. Their loss quite frankly! I can't wait to go back.

To be honest a meal at Franco's is a privilege. Arriving at the Osteria feels like you are going to someone's house for dinner. You just have to go with how Franco runs his restaurant and let him guide you through the most wonderful eating experience. There were 7 of us - mostly vegetarians and his flexible menu works so well.depending on meat or veggie choices. Simple, well cooked flavoursome food shared amongst family seated together doesn't get much better than that. Only small niggle is that chips with the grilled fish could have been sautéed potatoes - otherwise an excellent meal. The ravioli was to die for. Looking forward to returning

We are regular visitors to Francos and the food is always excellent infact, I'd say it is the best place to go for Italian food in the area. The restaurant has a great atmosphere and the guy who runs it is very hands on with the food - always in the kitchen, getting involved in the cooking of the food which he is very passionate about whilst, at the same time, taking good care of the customers, and genuinely taking on board their feedback. The sharing menu is to die for (the best ragu I have ever tasted) and will not disappoint. Long may it continue!

I have not visited this restaurant, but trying to book a table is awful.

We've always loved Francos, and last night was no exception. Genuine Italian ambiance and utterly delicious food. We had the brushcetta, burrata, mushroom pizza and cauliflower pasta, which were all full of flavour and arrived promptly. We couldn't resist the tiramisu for desert either - a perfect end to the evening.

Walked in to a lovely warm reception ..very comfortable and very Italian .. food was amazing .. we had the sharing menu for two,, absolute delight . Can't wait to go again,,, recommended !

My husband and I have been coming to this Osteria for a couple of years now and the food has always been consistently great.

We have eaten here many times and have never been disappointed-even when they had a power cut!!

This is the fourth time I’ve been to Franco’s and it is a difficult one to sum up. On the good side:

This is authentic puglian cooking at its best. Unctuous home made pasta, delicious fish. The negative feedback is by people who haven’t noticed it is a small family run restaurant with everything prepared and cooked fresh on site from stunning ingredients. We went with our kids and their grandparents for a third birthday party. The food and friendly service were a total pleasure.

What a great shame! Having read several good reviews and a couple which were negative, we decided to visit this restaurant and give it a go ourselves. It is with regret, we have to report that we join the negative side.

Me and my Italian girlfriend came in for dinner on Saturday after the cricket ground fireworks. What an absolute GEM. The staff were really lovely (even if I didn't understand all the Italian being spoken!) And the food was absolutely outstanding. Definitely recommend and will definitely return! Thank you.

Sono una musicista che viaggia spesso e durante i miei viaggi a Brighton vado a gustarmi una vera pizza da Franco. La trovo croccante, e soprattutto leggera, molto digeribile e i gli ingredienti sono tutti di ottima qualità. Felice di aver conosciuto questo posto, che per me viaggiatrice incallita, rappresenta una specie di oasi del gusto.

When we arrived we had a warm & friendly greeting from the owner and the waiter.

We were looking forward to a lovely, relaxing evening having travelled to meet our friend who had been told this place serves good food. The three of us ordered Aperol to drink while looking at the menu to order our dinner.

I run a dining club called Brighton Dining with Friends. Six members had dinner there on 23 August. The owner/manager is an earnest fellow who obviously wants everything to be perfect. We weren't sure that the communication between the owner (who was in the kitchen) and his staff was entirely harmonious. However, overall the food was good. I think that the members enjoyed the dinner. Speaking personally I thought that the mixed platter of starters (a sharing board) was excellent with a modern take on traditional Italian starters. I wasn't so keen on the pasta dishes - we shared two pasta dishes. The main courses (again we shared two of them) - one fish and one meat - were very good. I would return but would prefer to try the individual dishes rather than the sharing dishes which I found a bit limiting. I gather that the owner prefers diners to go for the sharing dishes and we were told that it was compulsory to have the sharing dishes when there are six persons to a table. I suppose it makes life a bit easier in the kitchen.

Had a delicious meal, I had the fish of the day which was amazing. My partner had the vegetable ravioli which was really nice but very rich. Service was good and it had a lovely atmosphere. I would definitely recommend it.

We enjoyed a wonderful meal on a saturday evening. The sharing menu was fresh with top quality ingredients and cooking. The 3 courses were served with plenty of time between them, this is somewhere to savour a long meal rather than a quick bite if youre in a rush. Will be back soon.

We had heard good things about Franco's, and live locally, but this will be our last visit to the place and sadly we won't be recommending it to others. The food was underwhelming - there were a few pasta dishes to choose from as main meals. I'm fine with having a simple menu of limited choice, as it gives restaurants the chance to do a few things really well, but sadly not here. Between us we tried three of the dishes and were disappointed by the lack of flavour - there are dozens of Italian restaurants in Brighton & Hove that would offer tastier and more satisfying dishes for the same price (around £13 per main meal). My pasta with ragu sauce was heavy on the pasta and light on the sauce/flavour. As others have said, the service was downright rude. The host was a surly man, I guess in his 30s, who seemed unfamiliar with the concept of customer service or the idea of making people feel welcome. We felt awkward asking for drinks. His dismissive and arrogant air set the tone for the ambiance of the restaurant that evening. Perhaps 'Franco' was having a night off. Some people seem really impressed by this place, and good for them, but we won't be back. I've never left a review before - I wish I'd read these reviews beforehand and we would have spent our hard-earned money somewhere that better appreciated our custom!

This was a great little Italian that just happened to be across the road from where we were staying. With only 12 tables the service was well timed and the food was superb. Definitely recommend the tiramisu. Be sure to book

Before I start- this might be a long review as I work as a Food and Drink editor. But the place is worth a detailed narrative.

Nice little Italian. We had the 4 course tasting menu (antipasti, pasta, chicken and a grilled sea bass) @£25/head. Nice. Lovely Gavi too. They also do take out pizza for £5 (not Fridays) which is a huge bargain. I'll try them next time!

Another great meal. The sharing platter menu was delicious. Thanks for opening for us on Sunday evening!

i discovered it just because it was very close to the hotel. I found a seat with no problem at all and ordered a delicious fresh pasta with home made pesto and a delicious fish (really fresh). The starter (sardine with a cream of potatoes and finnel) was great . Not expensive. Just a comment on the smell of grilled food. They should work on that. The owner was very nice. It worths a visit. I am Italian I can tell you the food is really good Italian food.

We visited as a group of 8 including 2 very young children and had the sharing menu. All we chose was 2 pasta dishes and Franco took care of the rest.