Excellent experience! The bread, the pasta, the wine...all perfection! This is authentic Italian. I wish I could give 10 stars! Ryan was a great waiter as well! Very attentive! read more

Visiting Key West my wife and I found BF on yelp with high ratings. We made a reservation and sat right down. Waitress was very friendly and from Argentina. I ordered the grilled octopus and caprese and mozzarella enough food to fill me up. My wife has chicken marsala. Both were excellent. Would definitely recommend this restaurant for Italian. Decor inside was very interesting. Lots of music themes. read more

I've eaten dinner here 3 times now. The first time my husband and I were so blown away it was our favorite place, so we went back a second time and it was very mediocre so we never went back for years since. Well, we finally came back for a tiebreaker visit with my sister and nephews recently. Overall I think it was pretty good. My pasta was absolutely fantastic and the best of the table., the Paccheri funghi el Salsiccia. My husband's Bolognese was average. The beef carpaccio appetizer was pretty good although I've had better at other places in Key West. The Arincini balls appetizer was also amazing and massively huge. So I'm averaging my rating to 4 stars! We went during prime dinner hours and there was not a wait for five of us, which was amazing, but the restaurant was more full than I've seen it previously. The service was great. Everyone is so friendly there and always a great atmosphere. Glad to visit again after a long time away. We'll be back! read more

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Found this place while scrolling Yelp for something decent and close to Duval after sunset. Even though we'd had Italian the night before, the reviews sucked me in and I was ready to experience the "magic" for myself. We were seated immediately at an upstairs table--so far, so good. We started with the salmone cream cheese appetizer: cream cheese, capers, smoked salmon, and onions. Perfectly fine. Pleasant. No complaints. The real surprise, though, was the bread. Fresh, warm, and paired with a side plate of olive oil, balsamic, and a generous mix of freshly grated Parmesan and garlic. Simple, yes--but honestly the best thing we ate all night. I would've been happy just continuing to dip bread and calling it a meal. I ordered the spaghetti vongole, hoping it would easily outshine the last one I had in California at Café Solé in La Cañada Flintridge, given how "authentic" this place looks and how glowing the reviews are. Reader, it did not. The house-made spaghetti was oddly chewy, the clam-to-pasta ratio was wildly off, and there was a tragic lack of garlic. The dish was watery with no real sauce to speak of. At the California spot, the sauce was so good I used bread to mop up some of my sauce. Here, I finished the sparse number of clams in basically clam water and abandoned half the pasta. Wasted carbs. A sin. Our friend ordered the tiramisu, which was actually quite good as tiramisus go--credit where credit is due. Kenya, our server, was fun, friendly, and genuinely pleasant, which helped soften the disappointment. I'd still recommend this place with conditions: skip the vongole and absolutely avoid the gnocchi. My son is a devoted gnocchi enthusiast and ordered the pesto gnocchi. I expected at least a hint of green. Instead, it arrived looking suspiciously like marinara, with maybe a handful of gnocchi total. He was still hungry and openly unimpressed, noting it didn't come close to the gnocchi we had back in California before our Florida trip. In short: great bread, good service, decent dessert--but choose wisely, or you may leave full of regret and unmet carb expectations. read more

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What a true hidden gem in Key West. When you're burnt out on seafood, try this truly authentic Sicilian Italian restaurant. Service was great and the vibe was family oriented. Pro tip: try the Pappardelle Funghi E Salsiccia and cannoli read more

Bruschetta Francesca - Chicken Parm with a side of Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Key West, Florida

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OMG. Homemade authentic Sicilian Italian food. The owner was so nice as were all the staff. The pasta. Wow! read more

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We found this little touch of Italy near Mallory square and the food/service was excellent. Jimmy was a great waiter and we feel like we have found our Italian go to. Delicious. read more

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Bridgette was our server and she was fabulous! The food was good. The atmosphere was light and fun. The only negative was they charge a fee if you pay with a card. Kind of antiquated but it was okay. $120 for these 3 dishes and a glass of wine. read more

Sat outside on the sidewalk. Had a very nice waiter and food was good. Just expensive for the small portions of pasta and they charge for bread for the table. I should have removed another star for the staff standing around outside and having personal conversations through our whole meal. read more

Second night in a row . Fresh amazing Italian food at the right price. Come and experience for yourself.

We came without reservations, on the last night of our long weekend trip. The waiters were on the side-walk trying to drum up business from passers-by, and seated us inside at the front window. We ordered a bruschetta to share between the 4 of us, but then beforehand, they brought out a complimentary bruschetta. I LOVED the first, complimentary one. The second one was not hot and was just not nearly as good. I was excited to see a Montepulciano wine offered and I chose that. Several others at the table had an Argentinian Malbec that they raved about. Unfortunately, I didn't really care for my Montepulciano. I ordered one of their daily specials - cheese ravioli - and it was ok. Two others had gnocchi and loved it. The 4th had the lasagna special. He liked it very much. We got full quickly, and since we had to fly home in the morning, we had no plans to take our leftovers. But, a woman at the next table wanted them and took them!! Yep, true story. read more

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So glad we tried this place. We had already found a couple of great Italian restaurants in Key West but decided to try this one as well. It's by far the best of the best. Pasta was delicious- so fresh and the bread basket to start was perfect too no need for an appetizer although they looked fabulous as well. Service was friendly and accommodating and while the space is small it offers a great vibe. We'll be back and hopefully hungrier so we can try dessert read more

Amazing food and ambiance. When you feel like every restaurant in key west feels the same , this place is like a little Italian vacation. Service was amazing, Gianni gave us great recommendations. My husband had the homemade lasagna , and I had the chicken parmigiana, both delicious! And the tiramisu is a must try! Legitimate Italian flavors ! read more

Bruschetta Francesca - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Great authentic Italian meal!!! Great service!!! A definite must if you're feeling like Italian in Key West.

We had Kenya as a server she was charming helpful and a pleasure to be around the food was amazing Ps Kenya this is for you 9548736649 read more

Excellent Italian food! This place had the most authentic Italian food.. it was delish! I had the spaghetti and clams... it was perfectly made, and I'm pretty sure the pasta was made in-house. My bf had the lasagna and said it was the best he's ever had (he's a big food critic)! It's a must try restaurant.. read more

Ideally I would give this place a 4.5. I came here on a Saturday night without reservations and luckily it wasn't an issue. I came with a gf and we sat at Jimmy's table. He was awesome, patient, knowledgeable, personable and funny. He helped us decide when he could tell we were struggling to make choices lol To start we ordered the grilled octopus. Although the portion was a great size, I will say the flavor was lacking. It was very salty and otherwise bland. I order grilled octopus every time I go out and it's on the menu (see my other reviews for proof) and this one I have to say is my least favorite. This is the only reason I'm docking a star. Other than the octopus, everything else was delicious. Also, we were given complimentary bread! As my entree I ordered the chicken Marsala and Jimmy advised that they had GF pasta noodles that I could switch the ones my dish comes with for. Delightful! So I did that. They had two GF noddle options and I opted for the fussili noodles. My dish was absolutely perfect. The sauce was homemade, you can tell. A lot of times when you order chicken Marsala out you end up with a gravy-like sauce and that's when you know it's from a jar. This sauce was thin and packed with that Marsala flavor I was craving. Chicken was great, cooked to perfection as well. Overall, great experience. I would come back here again. read more

Bruschetta Francesca - Chicken Marsala - Italian Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Food is authentic and delicious! Best Italian in Key West! Nonna is usually there to greet customers!

I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. The pasta was good, the meatballs (2) tasted like they were half breadcrumbs with some meat. Not very good. read more

What a great find! May not look like much on the outside, but inside you feel like you're in Sicily. Very informal and homey. I would highly recommend the lasagna. Maybe the best I've ever had. My wife had spaghetti with clams. She loved it. Our waiter, Jimmy was no nonsense and was always at the ready to move things along. read more

Overpriced happy hour prices. Bruschetta was mediocre - bread was soggy. All cocktails made with wine or beer including espresso martini.

Excellent little place. We made Valentine's Day reservations. Louis was the host when we arrived and he was so funny and inviting. Michael, our server, was very attentive. The food was excellent!! I had spaghetti & meatballs, he had lasagna. Both were perfect portions and delicious! Highly recommend! read more

average food with extraordinarily high prices. it's my fault for not asking (prices was not on the menus) but the trio platter of lasagne, undersized meatballs and eggplant parm was $82! for the size, it should be priced much much lower. not a good value. WTH! we will not be back. read more

Excellent bolognese. Our server was great. Great little restaurant here in Key West. Was pleasantly surprised.

if I could give it 6 stars...I would. my husband is Italian, I am Portugues. I know good Italian food. this restaurant has the most delicious, authentic Italian food I've ever ate in my life. the atmosphere is adorable, quaint, and makes you feel like you're dining at home. A true Italian restaurant through and through. The owner greets everyone, her mother is the cutest old Italian women I've ever met... who only speaks Italian which makes the atmosphere that more cozy. I just know they pour their heart into every dish made there. The sauce, the bread, the pasta... is all made from scratch. I will 1000% be back over and over again. read more

Great Italian dinner. Started with complimentary bruschetta. Ordered chicken parm and eggplant parm with pasta. Fresh and delicious. The cannoli and tiramisu was made in house and top notch. There's nothing like Jersey Italian but as a new transplant to key west this will scratch the itch until I take a trip north. Thanks to Giani our server who was awesome and to the chef, GO BIRDS ! read more

We loved everything about Bruschetta Francesca! This charming, authentic Italian restaurant sits subtly on a side street on the edge of the hustle and bustle. Even though it was next to the sidewalk, we got a charming outdoor table lit dimly from the sunset and table light. The staff and owner were exceptionally friendly and had an eye for detail when it came to making sure our table was clean and prepared. When the bugs started coming out, they even offered us some indoor seating they saved for the outdoor patrons. They started us off with some fresh bruschetta, a namesake to the restaurant. A refreshing start before getting my chicken piccatta, which had a generous amount of sauce that allowed the spaghetti to absorb the lemon and caper mixture. It was cooked perfectly, although my only criticism would be my personal preference for more lemon zest in my sauce. Regardless, it still tasted great and would order again. My dessert was a tiramisu that kept me smiling well after I was done. To be fair, I haven't had tiramisu quite often, but I can't imagine how it could taste any better than this. Perfect texture and spices left my experience of the restaurant on a very high note. If you have a limited time in Key West, I would definitely put this on the higher priority of your to-do list. read more

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Who knew that incredible Sicilian cuisine existed in the heart of Key West??? After days of (amazing) seafood, we decided we wanted some pasta and found Bruschetta Francesca. The space is small and colorful and loud and incredible. Staff is kind and helpful, making recommendations and suggestions. We started with the arancini (two for our party of five). It was light and crispy, filled with rice and cheese and a side of marinara. Yum. Things did move slowly, but they brought out bruschetta for the table, with lots of garlic and fruity olive oil accenting the fresh tomatoes. Our table ordered two spaghetti al vongole with fresh clams and fresh pasta. One Gorgonzola salad with pecans and chicken, a fusilli marinara and i had the pachetti with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella. Everything was super fresh and flavorful. Fresh parsley garnished all the pasta. It was an absolutely perfect meal, complimented by a Sicilian red and finished off with cappuccino. We would visit again! read more

Bruschetta Francesca - Italian Near Me - Key West, Florida

Its a great find near mallory Square. We were looking for a dinner place and google review showed this place. We went and felt a good vibe right from starting. It gave European vibes. Food was great. We had couple of pasta dishes and bruchetas. I had chicken marsala as suggested by staff and it was very yummy. All food items were tasty and flavorful. We also had drinks and both were very refreshing. Staff is great and full of energy. Definitely give this one a shot and you will be happy at the end of your meal, like we were. read more

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Fantastic pizza, the best I've had on the island. The eggplant rolatine and the octopus were great appetizers. Renata's service - perfect. We had a really good time. Would have ordered desert but we were stuffed. The restaurant has an old world Sicilian family feel. Can't miss this treat. read more

A Key West "MUST"!!!! Family and I came here while we were in Key West over New Year's, and we're blown away by the service - ask for Jimmy he's fantastic! The pesto was amazing! I am gluten intolerant, and they were able to accommodate With a chicken veggie Marsala that was to die for... best ambiance (after sunset) and authentic Italian!! Just GO! read more

The Pappardelle funghi e salsiccia was phenomenal!! Owner operated and she is fantastic!!! read more

My wife and I (who lived in Sicily for a number of years) ate here three nights ago. We just happened to be walking by it after watching sunset in Mallory Park four nights ago, but had reservations elsewhere. After talking with the owner's (Francesca's) brother about Sicilian life (they are from Palermo, we lived in Catania) we promised to return the next evening. SO GLAD WE DID!! We didn't ever guess that the best Sicilian food we'd have in the U.S. was going to be in Key West, but it was! The arancina was authentic and delicious. I had the squid ink pasta with seafood and my wife had the lasagna (that the was made by Francesca's mother) and everything was perfect! The atmosphere of cozy and eclectic Sicilian decor capped it off as an absolutely wonderful dining experience! Grazie mille, Francesca e la sua famiglia! read more

Bruschetta Francesca - Italian Near Me - Key West, Florida

As a family of 4 we shared bruschetta appetizer, calamari appetizer, gnocchi, and muscle carbonara. For dessert we had the tiramisu, which was delicious. We enjoyed every moment of this restaurant the friendly staff, amazing appetizers, lovely ambiance, and overall experience. The calamari is a must try!! The marinara sauce is to die for. The gnocchi were pillows of perfection. The muscle carbonara was cooked to perfection, clearly a homemade meal, and they did not skimp on the muscles. Gianni was our server and he went above and beyond to make sure our experience as first timers on the island was nothing shy of perfection. read more

Excellent everything!! Christian was a wonderful server. Luis was great at the door and kept checking on us. We ordered pasta: lasagna, mussels, shrimp, chicken piccata, and pizza. We ordered dessert, too: cannolis and tiramisu. Wine list was good. Prices for all were reasonable. Ambiance was Italian relaxed and friendly. read more

Service was great...our server, Jimmy came across so confident and knowledgeable, I told my wife....this guy must be the owner!...thought .."cool...I get served by owner and I bet his wife is cooking in kitchen". Cozy place and food was Great with nice wine. Selected the Mista Gorgonzola Caprese salad, wife loved the Pappardelle Funghi e Salsiccia and I loved my Spaghetti Vongole picatta. The homemade Tiramisu was very good as well. I really had a great time here...Thanks Jimmy...you made us feel like family at your restaurant on my birthday vacation. read more

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We went on Sunday and had 515 reservations . We don't see food until after 6!! On top of that my wife got the wrong order... she ordered the special lobster ravioli but received cheese ravioli in bolognese. I ordered chicken parm that was crispy but dry. Pasta and sauce was excellent.... I truly expected some kind of relief after such a long weight and issues we had ... Nada. Here's the thing, I think we just were unlucky... the food is probably really good. Was pricey, 41 dollars for cheese ravioli is nuts anywhere. read more

My husband's veal Parmesan was excellent. My lasagna was bland, it looked like a sloppy Joe without the bun. If there was bechaml sauce, I couldn't taste it. I'd asked The server for a recommendation between a few items and he highly recommended the lasagna. He was polite and cordial, but service was terrible. I called for reservations the evening before and asked the manager if they honored a local's discount I was told yes, 10%. When we ordered, I informed the server and he said he would check with management. He came back about 10 minutes later and still had not given us our drinks. He eventually informed us that we would receive a discount when he brought our drinks.. When we got our bill, there was no discount. When the server returned, we informed him. He came back with a new receipt with barely a 5% discount. We told him this was unacceptable . He brought the manager to us. I told her that I had spoken to her the night before and she told me that we would receive a 10% local discount. I told her that less than 5% discount was insulting. And also, the price for half a carafe of Chianti for$35 was outrageous. Also, my husband ordered a draft beer and was charged for a bottle of beer@$7.50. The glass was half filled, so he ordered another one. The manager took off one of the beers from the bill and adjusted our discount to about 6%. Overall, the service was slow and one out of two meals were disappointing. The cost of the meal was definitely not worth it, even with the adjustments. read more

First time visiting this amazing restaurant. Our service was fabulous and Apostina kept us smiling and enjoying our meal. Thank you for bringing authentic Sicilian dishes to Key West! read more

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Food was really amazing and the service was quick and efficient, would definitely visit this place every time we come to Key West. Their chicken Marsala is to die for!! read more

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