Da Franco Restaurant

Good pizza and with options to have it gluten-free and with lactose free mozzarella. Not many pizza places have both options. Service was okay,had the impression that the waitress was going to say no to my wife when she asked to have her pizza cut for her. She eventually took my wife’s pizza back to the kitchen to have it sliced up but she gave the impression that she was reluctant to do it. Not sure why but it’s a simple request. Not sure I would go back to this restaurant.

The only star refers to the 5 euro supplement for gluten-free pizza. Never found such a high price for a pizza that has a pre-made and non-artisan base. The service is good and the place is nice.

Good menu, especially the gluten free options, polite staff, fair pricing, nice location and modern toilets that are spotlessly clean and dispense hand soap. Highly recommended. That’s the quick summary, here’s the detail. You could eat in the main square (Piazza Vecchio) but our experience is that such honeypot locations rarely offer a good experience. Da Franco is literally just along the narrow roadway from the main square, set slightly back with outside tables and a nice indoor area too. It gets busy. We visited on a sunnyThursday, 30 October and at 12:15pm there were plenty of tables to choose. By 1pm people were queuing. The staff are engaging and polite with good eye contact and a welcoming smile. The menu is available in several languages including German and English. It’s extensive with many authentic Italian dishes and a long list of pizza. All pizza can be ordered gluten free (senza glutine) for a small €5 price supplement. Several other dishes are gluten free. We had the beef with polenta and a pizza. Both were well presented and tasty which, considering this is a tourist hotspot, is a testimony to the commitment of the restuarant who clearly do not simply view us tourists as ‘cash cows’. The prices are very fair. We used the toilets (i bagni) which were modern and spotless. The soap dispensers were properly filled, something that one cannot always take for granted, and there were paper towel dispensers. The other reviews are reliable since we chose this restaurant because of the previous reviewers feedback. Finally, the little square in which the restaurant sets its outside seating is shady and that, dear friends, is something to be cherished if you have no choice other than to visit in July or August - choose the main square and you will be heated to toast by the intense sun whereas this restaurant will keep you much cooler if you choose to sit outside. A great place for an easy lunch in Bergamo Old Town (Alto). Arianne.