DiFranco's is pretty dang good. This place kind of reminds me of some of those old north-side Italian delis but just upscaled a bit. During a recent lunch I had one of the best salads in quite some time. It consisted of a delicious pat of buttery, herby polenta covered in slightly bitter baby arugula. On top of that were earthy mushrooms marinated in a delicious balsamic reduction, sweet caramelized onions and then a perfectly cooked egg. The whole things makes for a surprisingly filling salad. And a great value too at only $6.50. I also had a couple of moist, yummy Lemon Ricotta cookies. Those were three for I think $2.50 or so. In my opinion, this place is a great value, especially for the area. I'll be back soon for dinner. read more

The best Italian I got the pleasure to experience during my time in denver. Small place with big taste

Came in here on a whim for dinner tonight. Turns out wednesday is date night! 2 salads, 2 entrées, 2 cannoli and a bottle of wine for $50. It's such a good deal, the food is worth so much more than that. They change up their menu with the season, meaning fresh ingredients and new pastas every few months! The two entrees we had tonight blew me away, hard to believe they came from that small kitchen. Oh and they sell baked items, fresh pasta, their sauces, and sausages at the front counter! So you can take stuff to go. I'll be back to try more of their delicious sounding pastas. read more

This place is wonderful! I ordered lunch to go recently as this place is near my house. I ordered the Penne with Vodka Sauce and a Cannoli. The penne dish was outstanding. The sauce was creamy and flavorful, but not overly heavy and, the pasta was a perfect al dente. The cannoli was perhaps one of the best I've ever had. The shell was flaky and the homemade ricotta filling was light rather than dense and the citrus flavor went nicely with the chocolate chips and pistachios. Everything is made to order at DiFranco's, including the cannolis. So if you are in a rush, you are better off going somewhere else and saving DiFranco's for a time where you have a few minutes to chat with the lovely staff while waiting for your dishes. Or even better, when you have time to sit down and savor your meal there. I was informed that will start serving wine and beer soon so I definitely plan to do the latter next time. read more

I stopped in today for lunch - never sure what to expect when a place is brand new. I shouldn't have been worried. Incredible food, friendly service, nice decor (it'll be even better when the chairs arrive, but that is a minor detail because the food was that good). I had the chicken parm sandwich and a lemonade, and then couldn't help myself and had a cookie or two. All delicious. The ingredients are fresh and and flavors spot on. The tomato sauce included with the sandwich was especially nice. Lunch was filling, but not heavy and not at all greasy. Can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu. The owner has pictures of his grandparents on the wall. You can tell the place and the food are a labor of love. EAT HERE! Support local food and have a delicious meal while you're at it. read more

Another fabulous and fantastic event - thank you very much Tiffany! Can't believe I've been telling everyone what i think about dining, shopping and other business in Denver and around for 5 years and more! Dang! The uber ride there and back - hello - feeling fancy! The fun of seeing Tiffany and Mr Nick - proud papa finally got to come out! The good bag - hello playing cards! The appetizers just waiting for me - cheese - all kinds, pepperoni - cute slices The pasta - oh the pasta! Delicious! I could have licked the bowl - good thing it wasn't on the table - that could have been embarasing! The deserts - explained and presented by the ones that know the most about them - mmmm! It was great fun to see others that have been giving their opinion for so long too! Some i knew by review or previous events, others just meeting! read more

Holy crap. This place has been on my list to try for a while based on the good reviews, and I finally got there. OK, there are now three places that have what I call "high-end" sandwhiches that I've been to: Vert, Lunch Matters and now DiFranco's Italian Deli. I ordered the chicken parm sandwhich after getting my hair cut so the ladies love me. (hair cut for the ladies, not chicken parm) You could tell the tomato sauce was homemade and it was to die for. The chicken was cooked and seasoned perfectly, and you get a side of delicious pasta salad as well. Oh, and the Italian sodas are delicious as well. I chose the blood orange which was bloody good. It's a bit of a smaller place, but still offers plenty of seating. The service was very good, however it was late and they were preparing to close. The prices are a bit stiff compared to other delis, but you get what you pay for and you definitely get some good grub here. I'm definitely stopping in next time I'm in the neighborhood, or I may just make a special trip to the neighborhood for my next visit. read more

I don't crave Italian food very often but when I do...it's a pretty real craving that I can't fight. I remember coming to DiFranco's during the Gold Yelp Event a few years back and really enjoying the food. My boyfriend promised me a nice date night and that I could pick the place to eat, and I was in the middle of a fierce Italian craving so I figured what better place to go then here! This is in a great location for me- it's a few blocks away from my house. Bonus! I had made a reservation, but it seemed like it wasn't necessary since you walk up and order and get the food brought out to you. I was greeted with a case of desserts and instantly had them picked out (Cannoli, lemon ricotta cookies, Hazelnut NY Style Cheesecake). I ordered the penne vodka and Clark the sweet pea ravioli and a side of garlic bread to share. WOW! These pastas are fresh and homemade, and very high quality sort of food. I got a meatball on the side with my dish and it complemented it perfectly. I loved Clark's dish and would definitely order that one for myself next time. But let me go on and on about this cheesecake- it is probably the best I have ever had. I have eaten a lot of cheesecake in my lifetime and nothing even compares to it! I will probably be stopping in pretty frequently for the dessert alone! Thanks DiFranco's for a very enjoyable night! read more

Drove around the block twice to find a spot. Fed the meter 2 bucks. Got the baby out amidst the icy sidewalk only to find a place that doesn't have highchairs.... Seriously?!? Hard to try anything or rest when no where to put an 11 month old read more

Picked up the spaghetti and meatballs and it was delicious, the sauce was amazing. However for $13.50 I was expecting something to fill me up, especially at a restaurant with no waiters. The portion was about a third of what I was expecting. Really disappointing ! I don't see myself going back to a place that leaves you hungry. read more

Difranco’s - I spent $13.50 for this much food ? What is this a plate for ants? - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Yummmm! My family and I ventured to this place our first night in Denver. I got the spaghetti with meatball and it was delicious! You stand in line and order then they bring the food out to you, very casual which was just what we were looking for. The service was amazing! All the employees were so kind. Fair warning: the red sauce is a little spicy if you're sensitive to spice but so good! read more

A golden event for the Gold Elite. This was one of my favorite events because three local food artists presented their vision for their product and of course let us taste. Ryan Di Franco is adorable and has a great concept of fresh, local Italian fare in a casual atmosphere or for take home. I plan to stop by to pick up a fresh pasta dinner and a homemade canolli with homemade ricotta. His recipes are his grandmothers and are delicious. Kristen introduced us to Chocolate Lab truffles; like ancho/Pop rocks, macadamia liqueur, mint, and bacon chocolate truffles. These were amazing. And last but not least, Christopher explained how his Aiko pops have the finest crystal shards in the city giving his Popsicles a nice even texture. He layers flavors like lemon/lavender, tomato/basil, and watermelon/jalapeno. Christopher is a chemist and dreams of Popsicle combinations. It pays to wear a Gold Elite badge as you are invited to delightful evenings by charming hostesses, Tiffany and Kelli. Thank you. read more

Holy effing yum. Disclaimer: I am a picky Italian... but this place gets 5 stars for everything - quality, menu, service, vibe. Highlights: - Attentive and Talented chef owner - Great Specials every day of the week (especially Fridays!) - Menu is unique - but uncomplicated. - They offer Cappello's GLUTEN and GRAIN free pasta - a huge plus since I stay away from both gluten and grains! Double plus, is that IT IS TO DIE FOR. - Almost everything is homemade and they support local purveyors. In a nutshell: - GO. You won't be disappointed. read more

The eggplant wasn't cooked and for $18 I would expect it to be edible. The pasta was just okay.

My boyfriend and I LOVE this place. Amazing every time we go, however, this time, I had the fettuccine and I was pretty disappointed. It just didn't have the flavor the other dishes have. My boyfriend had the fresh sweet corn ravioli and I will only be ordering that dish in the future. It. was. amazing. Tasted like something that would be served at a much fancier restaurant. I found a ScoutMob coupon that gave us 50% off ($10 max) which only just makes us love it more. read more

Not used to writing bad reviews, but I've been here a few times for lunch and food was spot on, but this trip was a quick pick-up for dinner and I couldn't be more disappointed. I order the lasagne ($15 may I add) expecting it to be a big hunk in' slice of deliciousness...wrong! The slice of lasagne pasta was the size of my palm, with nothing but sauce. The $12 quinoa salad, a joke, and pack your utensils and be prepared to cut your own food and chicken breast. So disappointed! Only saving grace is the super friendly manager who was nice enough to listen to my feedback. Next time definitely will go the sandwich route like in the past. read more

We came in towards closing. We were hungry and grumpy. The staff on the other hand was fresh and upbeat. Helped us pick out the best meals and answered our millions of gluten free questions. They had bread and pasta substitutions, even gluten free garlic bread. It was all delicious. One of our party has Celiac (plus two more gluten free) and he had no issues from the food, despite it all being made in the same kitchen. They are obviously aware of contamination issues and did their best to keep it to a minimum. Some of our favorite gluten-free Italian food that we've had. Throwing on an extra star for how well the staff dealt with our crabby group. Just a note: This is a deli counter style ordering. Super casual, but great service. read more

Really disappointed. Reviews are great and I don't get it unless this is the McDonald's crowd. The food I received (spaghetti and meatball) was so salty I don't think I'll be able to taste anything for a week. Maybe this was just a case of, 'It's only a Postmates order, just send out that dish we just messed up,' but it was bad. Really, really bad. Even the garlic bread was salty, as if they used garlic salt instead of real garlic. Also not a fan of what flavors made it through the salt, there was something off. As a side note, if you're going to have dense meatballs, send sturdy utensils. The flimsy 'green' forks with no knife won't cut it. Literally. read more

The Date Night deal on Wednesday is great ($40 for two entrees, bottle of wine, two salads, and two cannoli.) The pasta carbonara was the MOST amazing pasta dish I've had!!! The atmosphere is different than I expected but the food is so wonderful I absolutely would (and have) recommend to others. read more

First, let's start of with realistic expectations. This is not a sit down, waiter service restaurant. This is the style where you order at the counter and they bring the food to your table. No hard alcohol but a decent selection of wine by the glass and local beers. With that understood, this is hands down THE BEST ITALIAN FOOD IN DENVER. Granted that doesn't say much as the premier Italian restaurants in Denver (Piatti and Panzano) are 3.5 star at best, the food at DiFranco's is on par with NY restaurants. The pasta is perfectly al dante, meatballs stupendous, polenta outstanding, sauces authentic and overall flavors just right. The only non-Italian part of this place is that the bread is too good to be truly Italian. I would like to see the head chef of this restaurant start up a sister restaurant with white table cloths, table service and a full bar. The menu, however, can stay the exact same. Charge me 50% more and I wouldn't bat an eyelash at enjoying a meal and returning for more. Eat well and often my friends, Steve read more

cute tiny cafe!.. ideal for quick, casual lunch situations or takeout. the seating arrangement is mostly communal, so perhaps not the most optimal place for a romantic dinner for two. plus, you order at a cash register, it's not like full-on wait-service style (yet you still pay a tip...). the food is great!.. fresh, tasty, and noodles made in-house. nicely executed. the food on its own is definitely worth 5 stars. everything else though, i felt was closer to a 3. the noise (extremely loud, grinding fan/vent surprising you halfway through your meal), the smell (you go home smelling as though you just ate at a "greasy spoon" diner), and the portions for the price seem a bit stingy. also, after requesting cracked pepper, the girl brought me ground pepper. super friendly staff, but in this instance, i felt it was a no-brainer and expected more. 3.5 read more

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There's nothing really wrong with DiFranco's overall. The food is solid. It's just a case of not living up to the Yelp hype or its mentions in articles about the best handmade pasta in Denver. The good: free parking in the garage next to the restaurant and potentially at the meters out front depending on time of day. Additionally, the people who work there are very friendly. Finally, the pasta is beautiful to look at and indeed, most of it is handmade (with the varieties that aren't clearly labeled). The not-so-good: Handmade pasta is, to a large extent, wasted if the sauce is overpowering. My wife and I found this to be the case at DiFranco's. This is not to say I didn't like the sauces, but my experiences in Italy showed that the sauce accompanying great pasta should be somewhat "minimalist" so that you can really appreciate the pasta itself. Ironically, the only sauce that didn't overpower was the one paired with the non-handmade, "zebra" bow tie pasta. While visually stunning, this pasta creation was very bland; I'm guessing they avoided drowning it in sauce to preserve its visual appeal but it ended up being a pretty weak entree. Finally, the acoustics in DiFranco's are downright terrible, making civilized levels of conversation impossible as you try to hear and be heard over the other patrons laughing and yelling. For handmade pasta, atmosphere, and authenticity, Lo Stella Ristorante is a superior alternative. read more

Absolutely divine.... Not your typical stuffy restaurant You may see, it has 11 tables, It's more like a small café, can you order at the register sit down and eat and wait. One of my favorite new places in Denver read more

Difranco’s - Parking lot - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

I've eaten here regularly since they opened and the food just keeps getting better. Had the duck Raviolo and polenta salad tonight; it was mouth-watering & delicious. I'm not much of a sweet tooth, but the pistachio cookies and the ricotta cookies are a must-have each visit. I love the staff's energy and the changing seasonal menus and specials. I also love the communal seating, and the fact that I almost always run into people I know here. It's becoming quite a neighborhood hot spot. Fresh is best! Thanks DiFranco's, for bringing Denver something new, delicious, and exciting. read more

I request a sixth and seventh star. I have now been here many times, and each is better than the previous time. Having previously lived in NYC, there is no genre of food I am more picky with than Italian. I rarely will ever get Italian in the area because it is also my personal forte of cooking. However, there is one place in Denver that sways me. DiFranco's. Everything they make is always incredibly delicious and well done, as well as from noticeably fresh ingredients. The service is friendly, quick, and always has great input when I'm not 100% certain on what to get. The staff clearly are very pas joint about the food they make, and it comes through every time. My favorite items from there? Their pasta with meatballs, and their chicken parm sandwich. Their spaghetti is made from scratch, daily. Along with their pasta sauce. Both which are second to none, especially for the price! And there is too much I can say about the chicken parm, you'd give up reading it from hunger. Suffice to say, you need it. Moral of the story, if you are thinking about eating here...for either lunch or dinner. Do it. Really you should be disappointed that you haven't already. read more

The food is 5 stars- really, really good. You can see the staff in the back cranking out your meal like it was handmade in a home kitchen. Awesome people there. The prices are very reasonable. Only problem are the hours. When you close at 8 you miss out on a huge portion of business to people that work later or can't make an 8pm cutoff. They often turn people away at 7:40pm on which I understand, but can be frustrating for someone coming all the way there with their appetites set on DiFranco's to just be turned away. read more

The new menu is delicious and beautiful. Last night, I opted for the Tomato salad and was blown away. The salad alternates slices of juicy tomato and thick fresh mozzarella, dressed with red onion, basil and topped with pesto; it was flavorful, delicious, and colorful. Eating with my eyes and stomach was satisfying and fun; I couldn't help but take a photo. Better still was the sweet corn ravioli, made vegetarian on request, and topped with toasted almonds (which I preferred to the pine nuts). Handmade and stuffed with homemade ricotta mixture, Ryan DiFranco got this one right. read more

Difranco’s - Tomato salad and delicious garlic bread. Enjoyed outside on the patio. - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Awesome! Always! Fresh hand made pasta! Friendly staff, love the laid back atmosphere. I love the meatballs! Lemon ricotta cookies are amazing. A few tables by the window and a large community seating area. Also a great little patio out front. The food is delicious! Go now! read more

Difranco’s - Spaghetti and meatball! - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Unbelievable! The butternut squash ravioli was incredible! As was the pumpkin bread pudding. Absolutely the best flavors I've had in a long time. My husband and I were fighting over the crumbs. The pasta comes with deliciously flavored shredded pork that amps up the flavor even more. I am going to be dreaming of this pasta. This was our first time in and we will be coming back again for sure. I only wish I lived closer! read more

Very good Italian food! My boyfriend loves this place! Plus the lemon ricotta cookies... Omg, just amazing. I'm going to bring my whole family here one of these nights for dinner. This place is a taste bud explosion. Good service and good atmosphere as well. I recommend it. read more

As I walked in to DiFranco's I was greeted by a lady named Lisa. She gave me a menu and told me to order whenever I was ready. There was a fairly small selection and I hadn't heard of a lot of their main dishes. When I asked about a few of the items on the menu Lisa was able to explain to me exactly what it was and made with, which I really liked. As I was waiting for my food I was offered a sample of some cheese from another extremely nice lady, which was delicious. I felt very welcomed from the moment I walked in. The place is not big at all. There are two smaller tables near the door and then there is a big community table. If you don't like the idea of sitting so close to strangers you might not enjoy dining in so much. I went at about 3 pm on a Friday and nobody was there so it probably depends on the time and day as well. The music that was playing in the background was a plus. I was jamming to some TLC while waiting for my food. It's not too loud either so it was perfect for my liking. However, if you do not enjoy some music while eating you might not be as excited as I was. There is also a clear view to the kitchen so you're able to see your food being prepared, which is pretty awesome since Lisa looked so happy cooking away. I decided to order the ricotta gnocchi. It is pasta with artichoke cilantro pesto, local sausage, arugula, local peppers, and pecorino cheese. It was very simple and extremely flavorful. The sauce is definitely what added in the great flavor. It also came with a delicious slice of bread, which was thick and surprisingly really soft. It was so good I asked for a second slice. The portion size is not too big, but it's filling, especially if you decide to have some of their desserts. If you're expecting your plate to be filled entirely with food then this place will not exactly satisfy that desire. The lemon ricotta cookies are simply perfect, once again, just full of flavor. You can really taste the lemon and they are fresh: not too hard or too soft. Overall, I was satisfied with my visit to DiFranco's. If you're wanting a good and simple meal this is definitely the place to go. The prices can get rather high so if you do not want to spend a good amount of money this is not the place for you. In my opinion, you do get what you pay for and the food is worth it. So if you think like me get in there and try some tasty food. read more

I dream about about the prosciutto vodka sauce here, and those fresh noodles! the carbonara is amazing too....damn, i may have to make a stop after work to take some stuff home. read more

How have I not rated my favorite italian place in Denver?! This is as close as you will get to east coast italian in the mile high, and it's fabulous. Intimate place, but they just added some outdoor seating in the form of a very cool bar. The staff is young and excited, which is great to see. I know they do cooking classes so you too can replicate the magic at home. The pasta is hand-made and perfect. You can buy it to take home, if you want to impress your family/friends/pets. The desserts are also homemade, which are dangerous. They have a seasonal menu, so if your favorite isn't there, see if it'll be coming next month. I love their gnocchi and will be eagerly awaiting its return. They also have some awesome artwork, and I've taken some home with me, so that says something! Cheers to you, DiFranco's. Never change, and get in mah belly. read more

I have been here a few times now and I have to say it is some of the best italian food I have ever had. The food is seasonal and fresh and very very flavorful. I haven't had a bad dish! My favorite is whatever the seasonal ravioli happens to be. There are two things though, it's small so finding a spot on a busy evening can be tricky and there hours can be a bit unusual so make sure you check the day and time before heading over. read more

I just got back from lunch, and it was delightful. I had the meatball sub, with a side cesar-salad. As previously reviewed, the meatball sub was really good. Soft bread, home-made everything. Really tasty. Even the cesar was good. Nice lettuce and a good home-made light dressing. I had an italian soda to wash it down, and it was fantastic. My friend had the chicken-parm, and that too was awesome. They served his with a side of pasta salad, and even that was good. Seriously, everything was good. For the area, the food's price was right on par, but the quality was exceptional, so we will definitely be going back. read more

Wowza! What a fabulous event, for us fabulous Gold Badge'rs!!! :) Having been at the very first Yelp Elite event way back in the day, this was my favorite by far! I felt all celebrity-like, being picked up in a shiny black town car (thanks Uber!) which meant Bryan and I could drink as much as we wanted without having to worry! Yay!! I also definitely ate as much as I wanted (maybe even a little past that)! Those 2 pasta dishes were out of this world. My favorite was the spicy one with the homemade pasta. So simple, yet with amazing ingredients it was out of this world. Huge shout out to Tiff and Kelly for the ultimate Elite event to date! Can't wait to see what's in store in the future!! :) read more

We live in Highlands Ranch but ordered take out from DiFrancos because it is one of our favorite restaurants. We had the spaghetti and eggplant Parmesan and penne vodka. Even though by the time we got home we had to reheat it, both were great! The penne vodka I wanted to lick the remaining little sauce that was on my plate. They have a date night option that includes two entrees, salads, cannolis, and wine for about $65. Great restaurant! Geat people! read more

Upon receiving my food, I was transported to Florence, Italy. I was seated at the wooden sharing table staring at my snap pea agnolotti and immense breaded chicken cutlet. Snap peas and pine nuts dotted the dish, asparagus (??) shavings centerfolded, the addictive herb sauce brought it together. It was simple and rightly proportioned. The harmonizing of ingredients was the focus. Simple and elegant, a true Italian style. What else to say? I enjoy simplicity. When a gorgeous dish amazes me, like this one, I rush to review the menu and maybe imagine a future date here. Did I mention they do date night? Perhaps I'll want to buy some of their freshly made pastas, cured meats and do something at home? There are many ideas to be inspired here. Kudos too for management working with so many social media platforms like Belly, FourSquare, Yelp, and ScoutMob. There are many deals if you know where to look. read more

I've ordered delivery from here several times, and I'm a fan. And I love an Italian place that isn't too cool to serve Italian American style garlic bread. Delicious. read more

Through out all my visits to Denver, diFranco's has always popped up on my Yelp as one of the best restaurants in Denver and I never made it in to try their pasta. Now that I live here, I've finally made it! & unfortunately I was underwhelmed. Upon entering the restaurant, I really liked the pasta case displaying all of their homemade pastas and deserts. I was surprised that the dining area was so small. After reading many reviews exclaiming the best pasta with red sauce ever, I got classic spaghetti with red sauce and a piece of garlic bread. The sauce is what threw me off. It tasted like chef boyardee mixed with Cincinnati Chili.. Notes of cinnamon and maybe nutmeg? It just was not good to my palate. The accompanying garlic bread was pretty good, the bread was nice and fluffy. My brother got the chicken parm and was also underwhelmed. The chicken cutlets on the sandwich looked tiny. I was really hoping to fall in love with this place but it just isn't for us. read more