Let's put it this way: if there was only one bowl of Difranco's penne left on earth, I would fight someone to the death for it. Then I would eat it over my challenger's dead body while whispering "My precious" over and over. Everything else is delicious too. read more

I seriously love this place --- incredibly fresh, homemade dishes with great flavors. Pretty much all you could ask for from your food. They have a Great staff, as well. Friendly group of people who have smiles on their faces and really just put the cherry on top! read more

My first time to try this place. I've heard good things and decided to stop in on my way home from work. The decor is bright and welcoming. got the chicken parm sandwich to go. It was fantastic! The bread was delicious and the chicken was perfectly tender and moist. The marinara sauce was as good as any I've ever had. While I was waiting for my sandwich to be prepared I was offered a ricotta lemon cookie. Wow! Absolutely delicious. I can't wait to go back and try the rest of the menu! read more

Boring! Lack of options! Small portions! I am not sure what they are trying to do here with their style but its not for me. Fast food but organic Italian??? The restaurant itself is very clean and nicely built. The staff is friendly. This place has potential but it needs more umph! read more

Food was nicely prepared but not amazing. It did come out very fast which is perfect for a lunch spot. Cesar salad was good at first but then I realized it was a little odd. Something strange about it I can't explain but it wasn't bad!! Maybe there was a seasoning in it I'm not fond of, and it was overdressed. Subs were okay. My eggplant parm one, which I expected to have thicrunchy breaded eggplant had soft, limp, yet oddly chewy and thick eggplant slices. I didn't mind it but I wish they would describe it like that on the menu board. My sub tasted mainly of basil. I love basil but I don't want a meal tasting only of basil. Will try again. Probably pasta next time. Quick service, good atmosphere but my food was overwhelmingly basil and the cesar salad wasn't my favorite. read more

Friendly staff, respectable customers, food was good. Too much dressing on the quinoa salad. When I told one of the staff she apologized right away and brought us a $5 off coupon for our next visit. Free parking in their garage is a nice perk. read more

Amazing. Delish. Local. HEAVENLY GOODNESS!!! This one of the best hidden jems in Denver. They have an open kitchen so you can see as your food is made from fresh fresh fresh local ingredients. I have ordered delivery(through doorstep delivery) as well as eating at the restaurant(take out and dine in). Every time it is superb. I love how on each visit I get to try new things because they switch up the menu as the season changes. I HIGHLY recommend the seasonal ravioli and salad dish. Most recently I the Butternut Squash Ravioli(with perfectly juicy on the inside/crunchy on the outside Chicken Cutlet)($15ish). Handmade-In House Pasta!!!! How can you go wrong?? You can't :) Plus the Arugula/Pear/Gorgonzola Salad($6)-the dressing is mesmerizing-they should bottle and sell it-I want some to drizzle one my salads at home(as you will too once you try it). If you stomach isn't full(or even if it is) you MUST MUST MUST try their desserts. My go-to's are the lemon ricotta cookies(3cookies/$2 I believe) as they slowly melt into you mouth as the perfect sweet yet light dessert. I also adore the cranberry ricotta cake, penne pasta with prosciutto vodka sauce, and the chicken parm sandwich. And the icing on the cake is their staff. They are all fantastic and you will leave feeling like family. Oh and the have free parking!!! Yes fellow downtowners-its FREE- accessible-and in a covered garage :) just keeps getting better, huh? So all that being said go and try some super nomm nomms -but forewarning-you WILL become addicted! read more

Solid & comforting Italian food. Laid back vibe & atmosphere. Connected & engaging service. Love it for dinner, check em' out for lunch. read more

The food was amazing and so were the vibes. It's more of a take out spot. It's very informal, not what I was expecting for an Italian restaurant; but it was great nonetheless! I would definitely go back. read more

Amazing homemade pastas (you can buy them to take home too) and authentic Italian desserts. All reasonably priced. Love this place

Delivery was crazy fast, literally took 12 minutes!! Pretty decent spaghetti but huge chucks of onions which I don't care for. Probably will try it again but order differently. read more

I purchased a deal for DiFrancos as an idea for a nice meal out to a new place in a new neighbourhood. As they're just open for lunch on Saturdays, we decided to go early to avoid any sort of rush and seating issues. There is complimentary 2 hr parking in the parkade for patrons and the entrance is right before the restaurant. We missed it the first go-round but were able to easily double back and find a spot. For ordering, there appears to be an ordering side to purchase to-go items (to the left) and an ordering side if you wish to purchase off the menu (to the right). We nicely had this pointed out and skipped the long to-go line. There are little printed menus at the front to make your decision and be sure to check the board beside you for specials etc. For the to-go items, everyone who came in either purchased eggs or milk. I finally asked and they're from Windsor farms and the milk is unpasteurized. Our deal included two house salads, two entrees of our choice, and two beverages. The salads were very fresh and the dressing was nice and simple. A little heavy on the salt for my liking but still very delicious. My husband and I both chose the chicken parmesan sandwiches as our entrees. I would have loved to try the homemade pasta but all of the dishes (but the basic noodles and sauce) included pork and I don't eat it. The sandwiches are sizeable and were served with a little tomato and basil salad. Not my favourite version of chicken parm as the texture of the chicken was a bit odd and even with everything together, was a tad bland. The location is easy to get to and they have an amazing date deal for Wednesdays that includes salad, entrees, and a bottle of wine for like $40. Do that as a bottle of wine is at least $36. Ridiculous. read more

Great fast casual Italian restaurant near downtown. While the space is small it feels very homey and the service adds to that vibe. While you order at the counter the staff were very prompt at refilling my water and making sure everything was good. I ordered the penne which comes with a prosciutto vodka sauce and pecorino cheese. The pasta was delicious, great sauce to complement the pasta. The size of the meal was great, enough to fill me up but not have to worry about carrying a takeout box home with me. I think the prices are fair given the great service and anyways I prefer this sort of place over an upscale fancy Italian restaurant any day. The desserts display looked amazing but sadly I was too full to have any, def next time! read more

Difranco’s - Penne - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Not sure what took me so long to get here, but now it's on my radar. My friend and I attended one of their quarterly menu tastings in January. Four menu samplings with a glass of wine for $25. We enjoyed a delicious salad, a pancetta sandwich, fresh pasta and cake. And we met cool people (fellow foodies) too. Looking forward to returning and eating off the full menu. read more

Mmmhmmm yum! I have to agree with the other reviews, this place owns up. The bf and I stopped in here for lunch and both got the rigatoni with tomato sauce, I had the side of meatball, and he the naked chicken. Prepared to order and served to us as we sat at the communal table. I really wanted good pasta and DiFranco's served. The flavor of the sauce, the bite of the rigatoni, and my meatball - very very good. I was so taken by the aroma, I forgot to take a picture to share with yelpers. Well, that is all the more reason why you should go there yourself and check it out! read more

I've been here twice now and loved it both times. The meatball sandwich is awesome, garlic bread is some of the best I've ever had, the angel hair pasta (you have to add Italian sausage at some point) is terrific! Desserts were awesome too, especially the Sicilian Walnut cookies omgggg I sound so fat right now. Definitely worth it. I think the prices are actually pretty cheap compared to other places I'm not sure what others are talking about it being overpriced. The only problems I encountered were 1) It's kinda small so there is a risk of having to take it to go or eat outside and 2) I didn't get something I paid for (my fault for not speaking up). Service was great both times. I have to say, this is possibly the only Italian place I've ever been to that I didn't walk out feeling bogged down afterwards. I'll definitely be back. read more

This is a great place. It's a tiny fast/casual restaurant. People listed it as a deli, but I don't see that. I had a lovely italian sausage sandwich on a lovely bread. There was something sweet, and the pepper was grilled or something. My friend had squash pasta, it was amazing. THe service was great, prices were a tiny high, but mostly fair. read more

I went here Wednesday for the date night special for the first time and we loved it. The sauce and pasta quality is top notch, and you can't beat the prices. Service was also phenomenal. We will definitely be returning. read more

Amazing hole in the wall Italian! Amazing service and even better happy hour! The chicken parm is to die for!

My boyfriend and I were only in Denver for 36 hours but we stopped in here for lunch on 9/4 after visiting the nearby Denver Art Museum. I normally refrain from writing reviews until I feel like I have sufficiently tried a restaurant and am confident in their rating, but diFranco's is just too good to pass up. I had the portobello mushroom sandwich, complete with a fresh arugula salad and fried egg, served between 2 very thick and perfectly toasted slices of bread. There were also caramelized onions, shaved cheese, and balsamic/oil. It was so, so good. My boyfriend ordered the fettuccine with spicy tomato sauce and their house salad. The pasta and sauce are freshly made in house and the taste reflects that. The salad was beautifully dressed lettuce, tomato, and green beans (?). 'Twas very good. I dipped the ends of my sandwich (which I had to fight him off to enjoy, since it was so good) in his leftover sauce and the sweet caramelized onions were complemented wonderfully by the spicy tomato sauce. The interior is clean and comfortable; the service (counter service) was friendly and casual. Couldn't have asked for a better lunch. read more

Excellent Italian cuisine. All homemade and delicious! Their seasonal specials are always fantastic. Not a fancy restaurant. Very friendly staff. read more

This place is so yummy. Really exceptional quality and preparation. I haven't even gone in the restaurant- just ordered delivery a few times. Everything was perfect- which is so rare with any delivery! I will keep eating here for sure. In fact, this is all I want to eat for the next 4 days. read more

I pick up my raw milk here every week, and have grown to love the place. Everything I have ordered has been fantastic. Love it that they source local and organic, high-quality food. The service is friendly and personal. Love it. read more

Really, really good. I've traveled quite a bit to Italy and love freshly done and inspired Italian cuisine. I had the prosciutto and soppressata sandwich, and my bf had the chicken parm sandwich. We shared a cannoli and the lemon pistachio cookies. The sandwiches were amazing and completely worth it. The cookies and cannoli were excellent. While I knew not to expect the cannoli I've had in Sicily made from sheep's cheese, this was really well done. We had the pistachio cannoli, and it was fresh, crisp, with a hint of lime in the cheese. I am positive this place will absolutely wow you. read more

Difranco’s - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Best chicken parmesan I have ever had. Seriously. No seriously! This is my go-to Italian restaurant in Denver. And it's more of a cafe / family style place. Not a ton of seating but you can share one giant long table with all the other guests. It's seriously a hidden gem. In house made pastas, marinara sauce to die for, super fresh salads, reasonably priced beer and wine... And don't forget dessert (their cannolis being my favorite). You can feel the love coming out of the kitchen. read more

Oh my gosh this place is amazing!!!! Fresh pasta made in house right in front of you !!!! They had an amazing selection of noodles and sauces and let me tell you the noodles were to die for!!! The service was amazing and prompt and the chef was very kind and even came out and asked us how we were enjoying our food. An amazing authentic pasta experience that I would (and already have) recommend to my friends ! read more

Great homemade pasta! We had a nice sampling and everyone's dish was excellent. The pesto tasted extremely fresh and the bread was scarfed down in seconds. Fine value. Highly recommended! read more

Hands down our favorite place to go for pasta without breaking our budget! Loooove their meatballs, pasta are always spot on (I usually order their gnocchi or ravioli if they have it on their seasonal menu). Occasionally we'd get food that were too salty but I usually chalk it up to employee probably went too salt-happy that day. The display case full of little sweets is just absolutely devine, there's nothing more fun than finishing your dinner & bottle of wine, and walking back up there to pick out a plate full of cookies! Their cannoli are the bomb, taste just like the ones we had in Italy! read more

Since moving from Chicago I've been pretty unimpressed with Denvers food in general. Even places with high reviews I was usually just not 100% satisfied with. Di Franco's has been by far the BEST meal I've had since I've moved to Denver near a year ago. I've eaten there 2 times in the past week and look forward to it being a regular place I eat at. The red sauce is amazing, everything is extremely fresh and very well priced. The chicken parm is honestly one of the best sandwiches I've had to date. I would highly recommend trying it out because I promise you will not be upset. read more

The food is absolutely fantastic!! The service is awesome and the staff is so friendly.

The sweet potato ravioli is decadent! The place is modern and cozy, the staff super chill and helpful. Definitely worth multiple return trips... The wine selection was legit, but all but one was bottle-only. read more

Umm..hello Italian sandwich haven! Grabbed a quick (and rather late lunch) here on a whim. I have to be honest- I never paid much attention to this establishment until I yelped it. It doesn't look like much from the outside. I ordered a portabello mushroom sandwich and my love got the meatball sub. They hit home runs with both! Fresh bread, flavorful mushroom, fantastic arugula coated in balsamic vinaigrette, and a fantastic pesto all went in my belly with no complaints. I snuck a bite of the meatball sub- oh man. Meatlovers beware- it may be one of the best meatballs out there. It was plump, juicy, and accompanied by a flavorful marinara sauce and dusted in some lovely parmesan. Really GREAT find. Go get some! read more

This place is pretty good. Not my favorite in Denver, but I would probably eat it again. The meatballs were really good, but the spaghetti only comes with one single meatball and around the size of a golf ball. The spaghetti was a bit bland but fresh-tasting, the fettuccine Alfredo was great but both entrees were extremely small portions for paying 16 dollars per entree. I'm only 120 lbs and I was hungry an hour or so after eating here. Overall, way too pricey for what you get (2 small pieces of an uncooked, unbuttered baguette with each entree, one meatball with spaghetti) and very small portions. Meh. read more

I came to this restaurant before watching Pippin for a quick bite and it did not disappoint!! I had the sweet corn ravioli and I will definitely be craving that I'm sure. It was perfectly seasoned and the cheese with the corn complimented each other. My boyfriend had the meatball sandwich and the meatballs had great flavor to them and the tomatoes in the sandwich were very ripe and had that pretty deep redish pink color to them. YUM. Just a quick side note, if you've never been here before you can park in the garage right before the DiFranco's entrance(for FREE). It is kind of a weird entrance because I think it may have been designed by someone from Europe. The lanes are opposite of what we are use to here in the U.S. Happy eating!!! read more

I have ordered delivery from here a couple times during COVID and it's great! Highly recommend the meatballs and the burrata appetizer. Delicious and travels great! read more

I did it--returned in less than a week. DiFrancos gained a star for serving fresh and delightful dishes (without being overly salty). We started with the tomato/mozzarella salad which was near perfection. Presentation, flavors and textures, all well done. For the main, we both chose the ravioli which was STUFFED with goat cheese. (beware for those who do not enjoy goat cheese) Our server said it would be served with a savory butter sauce but it was definitely sweet and citrusy. Light, tasty. I would order it again. We added the side of Italian sausage which was excellent but the red sauce on the side was even sweeter than my last visit-which I am not a fan of. Sadly after I made a huge deal in my previous review about their Nutella Gelato for dessert and guess what? Sold out. Zip. Nada. None for me. Great. Note to DiFrancos...please make more exactly the same way. Thank you in advance. read more

I see a number of reviews that mention the same thing (maybe that should have been a clue). I ordered the stuffed shells, garlic bread and a side of meatballs for delivery. What showed up was good. However, there was less than half the amount I would have expected. With delivery charge and tip I paid nearly $30 for a surprisingly small amount of food. I almost asked the delivery guy to wait while I checked the order because the bag he handed was so light. There was one meatball and some small shells. I might still try this place for dine in, but will skip delivery from now on. You might get more of a portion if they have to put it on a plate and place on a table in the presence of other diners. read more

Difranco’s - This was almost $30 - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Excellent Italian food. Really know their sauce. Small menu but that's ok. Do what you know how to do well and do that. Large menus are always filled with disappointing food. Great cookies! Good wine! Go! read more

I came to DiFranco's a few days ago for lunch, as I had been craving a prosciutto sandwich and figured they would be able to make one (I thought it was more of a deli and less of a restaurant, which I ended up being kind of wrong about). I also wanted to buy some prosciutto by the pound to take home. What I was looking for wasn't on the menu. They were able to make it for me, but wasn't an easy process. I was told there might be an issue because there wasn't enough prosciutto pre-sliced... but I was ordering additional prosciutto to take home, so to me, that shouldn't have been an issue since they would need to take it out to slice regardless. Anyways, we finally got it sorted out and my sandwich was delicious! High quality prosciutto and same with all the other ingredients. The food at my neighbors' tables looked great as well. I'll definitely be back for lunch or a casual dinner! read more

This is one of our all time favorite Italian joints as the past could not be fresher, they serve you with a smile and offer incredible meals and desserts. So excited to eat the pasta with classic marinara again soon. read more