Difranco’s

4.4 (676 reviews)

ModerateItalian, Mediterranean, Pasta Shops

Closed • 10:30 am - 9:00 pm

Updated 3 months ago

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Difranco’s Photos

Difranco’s - a close up of a salad - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Difranco’s - a row of wine bottles - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Difranco’s - a salad in a bowl - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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Difranco’s - a bowl of salad with a bottle of wine in the background - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Difranco’s Popular Dishes

Chicken Parm Sandwich

8 Photos74 Reviews

Italian Sausage Sandwich

8 Photos23 Reviews

Caesar Salad

5 Photos22 Reviews

Difranco’s menu photos

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DIFRANCO’S ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?

Inside

35 Photos

Outside

19 Photos

Classy

Casual

Moderate noise

Good for groups

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It's in the Beauvallon Building on 9th & Lincoln

Nancy J.

Came by mid-afternoon for a late lunch/early dinner. We were hungering for some old-style Italian food. And we found it! It's a bright order-at-the counter place, but don't let that fool you. The staff was very friendly and made us feel like we might have been at any first class restaurant. On Tuesdays they have Penne for a Penny (buy one penne pasta, get another for one cent). I had the Vodka Penne, spouse had Red Sauce Penne. Both were excellent and exactly what we were looking for. We finished it off with some amazing Ricotta Cookies that were fantastic. I have to go back just for those (and maybe try something else on the menu)!

Patrick E.

Excellent little service counter stop. You walk in and order, find your seat, and wait for Italian deliciousness. Everything is fresh and flavorful. Really, it's white tablecloth quality at a quick-serve price. My favorite meal is the Caesar salad, followed by the burrata with ciabatta and basil pesto, then finished with the pizza logs. It's a lot of food, but worth the nap.

Charisse Q.

I love this place!! It is so cute and the service is amazing!! The food is incredible as well. They often have really great deals. I can't wait to go back!!!

Excellent spaghetti carbonara and a tasty pork and beef meatball.

John V.

The Breakup: One epic fail can ruin a long term relationship and sadly I am no longer committed to DiFranco's. On a recent Friday night, when it was not at all busy, I showed up to pick up a carry out order. Unfortunately I observed a violation of basic food safety - the staff was not on their A game and thus hygiene standards were disregarded. I arrived and was promptly greeted and told that my order would be ready shortly. No problem whatsoever so I took a seat which had a direct view of the kitchen. Yup. When a restaurant has an open kitchen you better believe that everything is going to be observed by guests. The person that greeted me took a phone call, placed an order at the register, and then proceeded to go to our order and start garnishing it with parm and parsley without gloves or washing his hands. The phone rang again, he picked up the call and used his bare hands to finish completing our order while continuing to talk on the phone. Anyone grossed out by this? I was. Of course this might make sense if he was the only employee and trying to do all the jobs - still not acceptable but a forgivable mistake. What dumbfounded me was that there were two other employees in the kitchen, one was obviously a cook, both focused on their mobile phones and not supporting the person who was interacting with customers. The other employees just weren't aware. I understand everyone needs a break and all that, but take your mobile phone time away from the kitchen FFS. Once our order was packaged I spoke with the employee and let him know what I observed - I did this away from the register because there was another person picking up an order and wanted to communicate what I saw away from another guest. I got an apology, but I stated that wasn't good enough and that they needed to do better. They did not offer to remake the order. A couple of side notes: the new owner must be aware that this failure cannot be tolerated. This breaks trust in how I perceive other standards are being handled as well. Is the walk-in organized and rotation of food put in place? Do employees wash their hands after toilet breaks? It's really unfortunate that this long term relationship has to end. Sometimes there are deal breakers and I'm unsure what DiFranco's can do to win me back.

GARLIC BROCCOLI, MEATBALL, and ANTIPASTO SALAD

Michelle B.

GARLIC BROCCOLI, MEATBALL, and ANTIPASTO SALAD were super delicious!! My daughter ordered the chicken Alfredo and she said it was the best. The owner and staff are super friendly, we are grateful we stumbled across this place while visiting Denver. We will be back!

Susan G.

Food: wonderful handmade pasta, chicken parmigiana that makes me salivate in memory and one of the two best Caesar salads I've had. Snag their amazing deal on Wednesday date night (two salads, two mains, two desserts and a bottle of good wine for $65!?!?) Service: everyone here is always sweet and helpful. It is a deli counter but it makes you feel special when you dine in. Ambiance: always a great soundtrack and cheery/ clean vibe. I always appreciate their tasteful Xmas decorations, too.

David B.

I love the food and ambience. But 2.7% "credit card service charge" plus 5% "carbon farming service fee" is verging on dishonest pricing.

Andrea C.

The service is good, the people are friendly! We ordered a red wine and it was delicious

The gluten free Alfredo and sub were amazing. The meatballs are super moist and flavorful. Portion sizes were great. A cute little place with friendly staff. 10/10 would recommend

Italian sausage, garlic broccoli and Caesar salad

Bex R.

5 Stars -- A Must-Visit Italian Gem in Denver! DiFranco's Italian is everything you want in a neighborhood spot--cozy vibes, kind and welcoming staff, and food that tastes like it came straight from an Italian kitchen. The service was exceptional from start to finish. The staff made us feel right at home and clearly take pride in what they do. My friend is gluten-free and was blown away by the options--not just the pasta, but a gluten-free cannoli! That's nearly impossible to find, and she said it was absolutely delicious. DiFranco's is clearly thoughtful about dietary needs without sacrificing flavor or quality. I had a fantastic meal as well--every bite was fresh, flavorful, and made with care. Whether you're local or just passing through, DiFranco's is a must-try. One of the best Italian meals I've had in Denver!

Dan S.

Probably these best Italian I've had living in Denver the last 7 years. We heard about DiFrancos through our Passport Book, so we made a reservation since there are about 10 tables in the restaurant. When you walk-in you go to the counter and they will hand you a menu and you go to a table. Once you decide on what you will order you place your order at the counter. We ordered the pizza logs to start and boy they didn't disappoint!! Pepperoni wrapped around mozzarella cheese and then fried. We wolfed these down with the marinara sauce. I could have ordered another plate of these bet held off. The carbonara and spaghetti were delicious. You can tell it was made there just how the noodles had a certain type of texture. The pasta was amazing and the sauces didn't disappoint. I did buy 3 ricotta cookies sorry no photos but they were delicious. Again I should have bought at least 3 more to snack at home the next day. The service was great. They came out to make sure your food was good and they did ask how we heard of their restaurant. They do very little marketing and rely on reviews, word of mouth, and the passport book. If you want homemade Italian I can't stress enough DiFrancos. You can park in the garage for easy parking and not needing to pay for it.

Kellie C.

Gluten free pasta, bread, AND cannolis--need I say more?! As soon as I mentioned having Celiac disease they immediately assured me that the food is prepared separately and they take extra precautions to avoid cross-contact. The chef even came out to check on me and was so nice! For a casual, counter-service restaurant I wasn't sure what to expect, but the food was delicious! My date had regular pasta and also said it was excellent.

EGGPLANT PARM and SPAGHETTI GARLIC BROCCOLI GARLIC BREAD SEASONAL PASTA - BISON BOLOGNESE

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Stephanie H.

11 years ago

Really delicious and cute place for lunch, Especially with my friend who can't eat gluten! My gluten free friend had an amazing sandwich and she said the GF bread was great. And I couldn't get enough of my creamy pesto fettuccine. Added bonus:order the garlic bread! The prices were a little high for lunch, but the Quality of the food was outstanding. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Stephanie- Thank you (and your friend) so much for coming in for…

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Paul A.

11 years ago

Great little Italian spot in denver. I eat here regularly and always have had a great meal. Multiple good sandwiches and house made pastas. Meals are prepared to order with great fresh ingredients!!! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Paul- Thank you for your continued support & for the wonderful…

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Emily C.

11 years ago

I work down the street from this place and love their salads. Friendly staff and tasty food!

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DiFranco's I.

Emily- Thanks for taking the time to let us know how much you enjoy…

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Giselle C.

11 years ago

Had the chicken pesto sandwich for $8 because it's Thursday! This sandwich was amazing full of flavor and just enough to fill me up. I definitely need to come again to try their homemade pasta. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Giselle- How awesome that you got to take advantage of our Thursday…

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Meesh A.

313

10 years ago

Easy delivery and very delicious! OK I've only eaten there one time so far. I just moved into the neighborhood and wanted some good food delivered(not just pizza again) I found DiFrancos on Yelp, ordered, and was eating my delish pasta about 30 minutes later. Was so pleased with everything!! The portions could be a little bigger (or maybe I was just so hungry and it tasted so good that there was nothing left) but the flavor and quality were incredible! I'll definitely be ordering from them again!! And they throw in garlic bread for only a dollar more totally worth it I will be getting that every time!!! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Meesh A.,…

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Kaitlyn V.

7 years ago

Yummy!!! Absolutley loved everything about the food, service and everything in between!!

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DiFranco's I.

Kaitlyn, thank you for your review! We hope to see you back soon.

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Christina C.

8 years ago

The best stuffed shells I've ever had! My husband loves the sauce so much he even asked if they can ship some to our home in CA! We also ordered a cannoli, and it was heavenly! The staff is very kind and attentive! I wish we lived in CO so we could eat here all the time! read more

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Skip S.

8 years ago

Very much enjoyed our meal at DiFranco's the pasta was definitely homemade the desserts were an exciting treat.

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DiFranco's I.

Skip, thank you for letting us know. Hope you come in again next…

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David H.

9 years ago

This is "our" place. Don't let the fact that you order at the counter fool you. This place has amazing, fresh pasta dishes that change seasonally. We make sure we get in every season to try the new menu! Amazing Italian food off Broadway! read more

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DiFranco's I.

David,…

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Laura M.

14 years ago

This place is a GEM. I had the pesto ravioli, my lunch date had the penne with vodka sauce. Both were awesome. As was the breaded chicken breast we ordered to add a little protein to our lunch. Best thing on the menu - the thyme infused lemonade. And, there's free parking in the garage right next door. So, an all around success for lunch. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Laura-…

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Ash S.

14 years ago

Great food, I got breakfast sandwiches and Ryan was super nice and the sandwiches were amazing. I'm going back now to get either chicken parm sandwich or the meatball sub, not sure. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Ben- glad you enjoyed the breakfast sandwiches! We look forward to…

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Brandon C.

738

13 years ago

I'm addicted to the prosciutto sandwich. It's criminally good!! So fresh and flavorful! Also tried the key lime pie today. Glorious. I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Brandon-…

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Jerri W.

405

13 years ago

Authentic, homemade italian pasta. Actually first time I've ever had homemade pasta, and yes - it is fabulous. It's an eclectic deli with exquisite cuisine bursting with robust flavors. Staff is exceptionally friendly. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Jerri- thanks for the review. We are happy to see you had such a…

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Allison O.

13 years ago

Good food, great location. I like the Vodka penne pasta and salad that I ordered. The restaurant is a little small, so I think the next time I might plan on take-out. Service was good but did have to wait for a while in line to order our food. I would recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a option better than a chain restaurant (like "Noodles") - but it does have a similar ambiance. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Allison-…

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Bruce L.

13 years ago

Best Italian I've had. Fresh, balanced. Try the angel hair with tomato sauce or the chicken parm. guaranteed to make you want to come back.

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DiFranco's I.

Rich- Thanks for the great review! We are proud of the food we make…

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John W.

13 years ago

Friendly staff and tasty food, but really poor ambiance. Its never a good sign when your partner has to put on her coat. It was chilly, and even the top of our table was cold. I understand the intent of the big community table, but the space could have been arranged much better to create some ambiance/atmosphere to match the food. Speaking of the food, it was delicious. Polenta with mushrooms, onion, and arugala. The mushrooms were a little too sweet, but a good dish, almost a meal in itself. The gnochi with braiser lamb was great. I would have liked a little more meat, but the flavor was great. The bread is good, and the garlic bread was nice too. We'll go back, but for takeout so we dont have to eat with our coats on. read more

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James J.

13 years ago

Just had the $10 sausage sub and salad special. Wow just incredible! Best sausage sub I've ever had easily. It had a delicious cheese and green apple slaw on it and the bread tasted like it was just made. The salad was fresh and delicious greens with no sign of iceberg lettuce anywhere. I've had the chicken parm sub as well which was also excellent. Highly recommend this place. read more

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DiFranco's I.

James- thanks for the shout out on our $10 lunch special!! Our…

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Tara C.

211

12 years ago

Quick, inexpensive, and delicious! Surprisingly their gluten free pasta is even yummy. This place is my favorite!

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DiFranco's I.

Tara- Thank you for your kind words! We use Cappello's gluten-free…

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Doug C.

12 years ago

I think that was the best delivery meal I've ever had. My expectations were pretty low, sure. Took less than an hour and all the food was tasty and fresh. The bread did not appear to have been anywhere near a microwave. Highly recommend the meatball sandwich! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Doug-…

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Megan M.

11 years ago

Difrancos is a cute little Italian place in the Beauvallon building on Lincoln street. They make all of their food from scratch with all natural ingredients and even sell fresh sausages, pasta and sauces for you to take home. I got the meatball sandwich and it was delicious! Their iced tea is also unique and amazing. The inly downside is that's it's a little pricey, but I feel like it's worth it so I will definitely be coming back soon! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Megan- We really appreciate you taking the time to share your…

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Sara A.

11 years ago

Food was beyond delicious. It was like your mom made you a fresh plate of food. meat was so well marinated and pasta was so light!I had the chicken cutlet and the fettucine. First time in Denver and I am so glad I found this cool place. Try the Boylan soda too, it's a colorado native soda company! Hands down this is the place to get an Italian dinner. read more

Difranco’s - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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DiFranco's I.

Sara- Thanks for checking us out while you were here! We're so glad…

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Joe M.

114

11 years ago

DiFranco's catered an event at Glamour Bar Denver at the Beauvallon tonight and the food was outstanding. From the prosciutto to the salami, the pepperoncini, the cheese and the bread to the stuffed mushrooms and on to the desserts, everything was beautifully presented, full of flavor, and a perfect complement to a terrific evening. It's easy for restaurants to put their catering on the back burner, but that wasn't the case here at all. Well done! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Joe- Thank you so much for supporting local businesses! It's so…

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Mars B.

500

11 years ago

Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. Charlie walked us through the menu & suggested two amazing dishes as well as a bottle of wine. Every bite was better than the last. The ambiance, staff, food & drinks were amazing. Will definitely be back. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Mars- Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so thrilled that…

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John M.

11 years ago

Great food, even better service. Small location, but a good amount of tables. Make a left into the parking lot for free garage parking.

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DiFranco's I.

John- Thank you for stopping by to check us out! We are so thrilled…

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Nancy F.

11 years ago

Are you kidding me?? I can only imagine that's the kind of spaghetti & meatball they'll serve in heaven. My taste buds have never been happier. I can't wait to try every item on the menu! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Nancy- Thank you so much for checking us out!! We are so so glad that…

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Matthew H.

11 years ago

The new lasagna on the seasonal menu is wonderful! It's super cheesy and pesto-y, and it just melts in your mouth. The spicy Italian sausage has a bit of a kick for it, so it might not be a good choice for sensitive palates, but it goes very well with everything else in the lasagna. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Matthew- We are so glad that you enjoyed the flavors in the sweet pea…

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Stacy S.

10 years ago

My favorite spot in Denver. Fresh pasta! Classic meatballs which are not easy to find. Great for takeout although they do have seating. Desserts are delicious as is their deli display of fresh pastas you can take home. I also like the chicken parm sandwich. They have different specials on different days but honestly I always just get the spaghetti and meatball. The staff is great. Charlie is awesome. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Hey Stacy,…

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Daniel R.

10 years ago

There is no better Italian in all of Denver. One of the few places you can buy actual fresh made pasta. The chicken parm is a personal favorite but literally everything here is perfect. read more

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Morgan M.

7 years ago

Can't get in touch with restaurant. Ordered on Grubhub. Chick parm sandwich has two small circles of unmelted chicken. The side salad is just straight arugula and oil. Side chicken cutlets for $7 was one think pretty much uncooked piece of chicken. I hate resorting to yelp but restaurant number goes straight to a voice mail. Now I'm starving and down $30. read more

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Paige L.

160

9 years ago

This is the first time I've ever felt inclined to pull out my phone at the restaurant and write a review.... the food WAS THAT GOOD. I had the sweet pea ravioli and it literally blew my mind. My boyfriend had the spaghetti and meatballs and didn't talk the entire meal because he was so focused on eating! I'm going back up for dessert now. Don't let the place fool you- it doesn't look like much but it was the BEST meal I've had in Denver! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Paige,…

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Tanner P.

9 years ago

Pasta the way it should be! Everything cooked al dente. Sauces were incredible. Service spot on as well.

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DiFranco's I.

Tanner,…

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Nate C.

8 years ago

The best red pasta sauce I have ever had. The lunch special of ricotta shells was amazing!

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Kay H.

254

8 years ago

Service is outstanding. I've never had better service in all of Denver. Their pasta is outstanding and their gluten free pasta is fantastic. My new go for pasta and Italian. read more

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Katie-…

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Angel T.

8 years ago

Our first time here and it was awesome. I loved the salad dressing so much I had to buy some! Freshly made pasta is displayed for choosing. It's as good as it gets. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Angel, thank you for letting us know how much you loved the dressing…

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Andy W.

6 years ago

awesome italian food. love this friendly hole in the wall. their cheap italian date night (wednesday nights includes 2 entrees, 2 house salads, 2 cannoli, + a bottle of wine for $50) is affordable and delicious. staff is super friendly. highly recommend it if you're looking to support local biz. read more

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Savannah A.

8 years ago

DiFrancos has been one of our favorite hidden gems in Denver for a few years now. The food is incredible and the service is even more amazing!! My boyfriend and I ate here the other day and he forgot his wallet. Charlie was a gracious host and let us enjoy our lunch and come back later to pay. Couldn't be a better experience! Thank you so much Charlie! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Savannah, thanks for the positive feedback! We hope that you will be…

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Chelsea C.

438

8 years ago

Love this place. It's been a good neighborhood spot for my husband and I. The date night deal is unreal! The only qualm I have is it closes a bit early but other than that, this place is fire. read more

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DiFranco's I.

Chelsea- If other restaurants offered this deal, we would definitely…

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Kami B.

14 years ago

Hands down the best Italian food in Denver! The food is prepared fresh and tastes absolutely amazing! Such a great addition to the Beauvallon! read more

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DiFranco's I.

Thank you Kami for your support! We look forward to working together…

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Miriam H.

14 years ago

SO FRESH! Difranco's has made me seriously reconsider my relationship with Italin food...we're serious now (insert heart emoticon here) I am a huge fan of the proscuttio and egg sandwich, and their ricotta cookies can and should be bought in quantities of 5 or more. Their butternut squash ravioli is just as good as the stuff I had in New York this summer :) read more

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DiFranco's I.

We really appreciate you coming in to check out our fresh, local,…

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Anton L.

14 years ago

Great job guys. Friendly staff. Food is fresh. Ill definitely come to this building more often. Easy Parking.

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Page 14 of 17

See outside
955 N Lincoln St
Unit D
Denver, CO 80203
Capitol Hill, Southwest
Directions
(720) 253-1244
Call Now
Order Takeout or Delivery
Start Order
Visit Website
https://difrancos.com

Full menu

Hours

What time does Difranco’s open?

Difranco’s opens at 10:30 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

What time does Difranco’s close?

Difranco’s closes at 9:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Mon-Sun 10:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Payment methods

Does Difranco’s take Bitcoin?

No, Difranco’s does not take Bitcoin.

Does Difranco’s take credit cards?

Yes, Difranco’s takes credit cards.

Food & Alcohol

Does Difranco’s have catering options?

Yes, Difranco’s does have catering options.

Does Difranco’s have a drive thru?

No, Difranco’s does not have a drive thru.

Does Difranco’s have a happy hour?

Yes, Difranco’s has a happy hour.

Does Difranco’s serve alcohol?

Yes, Difranco’s serves alcohol. Beer & Wine Only

Indoor Amenities

Does Difranco’s allow dogs?

No, Difranco’s does not allow dogs.

Does Difranco’s have TVs?

No, Difranco’s does not have TVs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Difranco’s have bike parking?

Yes, Difranco’s has bike parking.

Does Difranco’s have outdoor seating?

Yes, Difranco’s has outdoor seating options.

Does Difranco’s have parking?

Yes, Difranco’s has parking options. Garage Parking, Private Lot Parking, Street Parking

Other Amenities

Is Difranco’s wheelchair accessible?

Yes, Difranco’s is wheelchair accessible.

Does Difranco’s have free WiFi?

Yes, Difranco’s has free WiFi.

From the Business

Specialties

Come join us for a bowl of fresh pasta or a delicious Italian inspired sandwich or salad. We're a counter service style restaurant with elevated food made from local and organic ingredients.

History

Established in 2012.

DiFranco's started out as a farmers market booth selling locally sourced and organic pasta sauces made from family recipes. As a marketing experiment, DiFranco's proved successful with the tent and table. Thus now we have a space not only for you to buy fresh pasta and sauce, but enjoy a menu that boasts salads, subs, + fresh pastas in a gourmet deli atmosphere.

Meet the Business Owner: Dave K.

“Ironically, my first kitchen was an Italian kitchen, years ago. It was 3 Sons Italian Restaurant,” says Dave King, who took over as the new owner of DiFranco’s at 955 Lincoln Street in April. King grew up in the Northside, and 3 Sons on West 44th Avenue was one of several red-sauce Italian joints run by the Saninno family, who sold the business in 2004. (Its new owners went on to open their own 3 Sons in Arvada. DiFranco's-- denver's first locally sourced and organic Italian deli.

Ask the Community - Difranco’s

Are you open for lunch during the week?

Yes, we are open Tuesday thru Saturday 10:30 am to 9 pm. Lunch menu is served from 10:30 am to 3 pm.

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3.2 mi•Northwest, Sunnyside

Probably 1 of my favorite meals of the year. Perfect date night spot with great shareable plates…read more Pricing is right and the atmosphere is on point. Staff is friendly and service is quick! If the mozzarella sticks are on the menu, definitely get yourself at least 1 to share because they are huge.

I checked out Boombots with a couple of friends, one of whom had been wanting to give it a try…read moresince it opened. Because we couldn't get a reservation for dinner, we targeted an earlier arrival time in order to get a table, which didn't prove to be too much of a problem. The indoor seating area and bar is cozy, and there were a handful of outdoor tables that we made use of in order to enjoy the weather. There was some confusion over the 'order your drink at the bar' protocol, which was intended to apply to the first drink (i guess only for the first of our crew), and I mistakenly went to the counter to place my order given what was relayed. We were visited by a couple of servers thereafter, and placed an order for a sampling of items. We started with the Broccolini (mingle portion), and that was tasty, but also the stems were still quite toothsome, so a bit tough and awkward to chew. We then ordered single sizes of a few pasta dishes to share, including the Bucatini Primavera (adding bacon was recommended), the Pimento Cheese Agnolotti, and the Gyros Cavatelli. My favorite was probably the agnolotti, though the portion size did not go very far. The Gyros Cavatelli, which came with yogurt mixed over everything was a miss for me. I think the flavors were roughly what you would expect, but texturally and visually it was less than ideal. We closed with a Carrot Parsnip Cake, which was one creative play that did pay off. While it wasn't a bad time, there were a few factors that left me unsatisfied. I'm a pasta girl through and through, and nothing here really wow'ed me, or proved to scratch that comfort food itch...at least any better than I could do at home. The other issue for me was the restaurant seemed to be targeting casual vibes, but with a price tag that didn't align. Our dinner, which wasn't particularly filling, cost us about $100/person with a drink or two. Food was served on plastic plates, which is a real turnoff as is, but the plates were also too small, which made it hard to eat or share without knocking things off onto the table. It felt unnecessarily clumsy. To be fair, my dinner partners enjoyed things a bit more than I did, but I wouldn't make a point of returning personally.

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Boombots Menu

Pep's Pizza Lumache (Single)

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Agnolotti

Odyssey Italian Restaurant

4.3(1.5k reviews)

0.5 mi•Alamo Placita, Southwest

•$$

I have driven by the Odyssey along 6th Avenue for so many years, and I have always wanted to try it…read morebecause the exterior looks so cute, especially at night with people eating outside. I finally got to try it with my friend, and we had a great experience. The pasta was super flavorful, and the portions were absolutely huge. I loved my gnocchi so much! We split a Caesar salad (again huge portion for $10), which was a great starter. Definitely had that distinct anchovy taste that I feel other restaurants shy away from. I loved it. Service was very attentive. Our server, Alex, was kind and checked in on us often. The entire staff was so hospitable from the host at the entrance, to the server, to the others who kept checking in to make sure we had a great evening. The ambience was great. Cozy, clean, very Italian feeling. The restaurant had people in it, and it hit the sweet spot of busy but not overly crowded or loud, especially for a Tuesday night. Parking is on the street since the restaurant is on 6th Ave, but I easily found a spot and walked over. Happy to return!

Odyssey is for me, ok. I've been a few times and I do love the ambiance here the most. The food,…read morethough, hasn't really been mind blowing. I think the first couple of times I came here before the pandemic were best. Although, I haven't been back in quite some time so I'd definitely give it at least another shot again in the future. The most recent time, I just remember the bread tasting stale. I didn't like my eggplant parmesan very much, had it so much better at basically every other place I've had it, and a shrimp appetizer was sweet, which I don't want my anticipated savory food tasting sweet. Cute spot and they are often very busy on weekends.

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Ambiance

Gnocchi with Italian sausage, parpadelle with lamb shank, lobster ravioli and PEI Mussels...

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Tiramisu

The Denver Central Market

4.4(691 reviews)

2.0 mi•Five Points, Northwest

•$$

Not a bad place I'd come back here when everything is open but seem like a cool place for one stop…read moreshop. Bakery was the best option for us Other places we just didn't crave maybe next time

Visited on a random weekday. We walked to this location since it was walkable from our hotel. Looks…read morelike there's ample street parking but you might have to pay. Don't quote me on that. There were plenty of seats and it was clean. Even the bathrooms were clean. It wasn't super busy on a weekday morning. We walked around to see what they had and it was a breakfast spot, pizza, bakery, seafood, chocolate and coffee. I wasn't sure what the other one was in the corner but it didn't look interesting (I think sandwiches). I did wish they had something Asian like a ramen spot or even a pho spot but nothing. We ordered a breakfast sandwich called the Thunderbird at Call Your Mother. It was about $11. It was made fresh and it was super duper hot that we waited for a bit for it to be warm in order to eat it. The egg was fluffy, the sausage was filling and the cheese was melty. The only complaint I had was it was a little too sweet for me. It has honey and I guess I should have asked if it could be on the side. It really needed the hot sauce and it made it better. The other item we ordered was a ham and cheese croissant at Izzio Bakery. I think that's what it's called. They heated it up for me and it was about $8 after tax and tip. It was so good warmed up. The cheese was gooey and it was the right amount of salty goodness. The hubs and I kinda fought for the last bite. Would definitely would like to try other items from there next time we are in town. We would return but wished there was a noodle spot and it would make it so much better.

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Tammens

Salad from greenseed

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Exterior

Angelo’s Taverna

4.4(2k reviews)

0.5 mi•Alamo Placita, Southwest

•$$

This is such a cute place and has amazing ratings so I was excited to try this spot. The staff were…read morevery nice too! This review has nothing to do with the service or the ambiance (which were both great!) Bruschetta: it was just very wet but had good flavor and was probably the tastiest bite of the lunch. Not what I expected but not bad. 7/10 Marinara Pasta: very sour and just not special at all, it was kind of like Olive Garden but their noodles were at least al dente not mush so that's good. 6/10 Margherita Pizza: This was just bad. The crust was terrible and so were the toppings. 2/10 Bad soda too but the tap water was decent! I'm just disappointed being the reviews were so high, it's cute but honestly not worth the food for the cuteness lol.

This place rocks. Awesome shaded patio, friendly service, and great food. They are fairly flexible…read moreabout ordering which is nice if you need customizations, I built my own pasta and got creamy pesto, which tasted amazing. I will always go back to this place, it's a classic.

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The Church of Pasta?

Pollo Angelito

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Panzano

4.3(1.3k reviews)

1.2 mi•Central Business District, CBD, Northwest

•$$$

First time at Panzano and I went for dinner to try their new fall menu. The pumpkin arancini was…read morethe perfect fall bite, and I wanna bathe in that roasted red pepper coulis, lol. The Pollo alla Milanese was my favorite. The chicken was tender, juicy, and full of flavor, and the tagliatelle was so well cooked and perfectly al dente. I could eat it every day. The catch of the day was steelhead trout with a fall twist, my first time trying that fish, and it was insane how good it was. The Bolognese with wild boar, elk, and bison had flavor that was on point. I love broccolini so much that I order it whenever I see it on a menu, and this one did not disappoint. I also tried the house-made focaccia with tapenade. Desserts were WOW. The ciabattina was like a bread pudding and it beats every other bread pudding I've had. That's usually a dessert I don't love, but not here. The tiramisu was classic and perfectly executed. I also had an old fashioned. Service was perfect, attentive and welcoming. It's good for everyone, business people included, and perfect for date night or a special occasion.

Convenient to several hotels in the downtown area. Not too busy on a Sunday morning so was seated…read moreright away. Coffee was excellent. Eggs Benedict was the choice this morning. Tasty, but not the best. Bearnaise sauce was a little watery, but I know it's a tough sauce to master. Would return to try their pasta.

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Dining Room

Cavolini di Bruxelles (fried brussels sprout, apple cider reduction, pistachio, rosemary salt, sliced green apple)--delish!

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Brussels sprouts

Bar Dough

4.0(764 reviews)

2.6 mi•Northwest, Highland

•$$

In the era of where restaurant has to have creative/fusion things on the menu, Bar Dough does a…read moregreat job of having the classics with seasonal ingredients! I have not had a bad meal here and have tried everything from meatballs to salads to pastas and pizzas. Textures were all great and freshness was there - it just depends on your personal preferences for flavors and toppings. My only minor critiques are that the garlic bread barely has a hint of garlic - it's really just a parmesan rustic toast. Overall still good but should be listed as a cheese bread maybe. I also think the drinks I've had there were just ok; nothing outstanding but also nothing bad. But food quality outranks drink quality any day for me when assessing a restaurant.

Great food and good service!…read more Street parking so make sure you read the signs. A lot of other restaurants so you might have to go down a few streets. Went here for a friends birthday so we made a reservation. It wasn't that busy when we arrived but it is a small space so never hurts to reserve a table. Our server was very knowledgeable and was able to answer all our questions about portion sizes and what ingredients were in each item. We ordered the garlic bread and salad to share and I got the Cacio e Pepe full size. I didn't eat the salad but my friends really liked it! The garlic bread was AMAZING! Definitely the talk of the night! It's only three slices and it was a little pricy but seemed worth it. The full-size Cacio e Pepe was creamy and delicious! I didn't finish it all intentionally because I wanted to take the rest for lunch tomorrow. I would definitely suggest this one to anyone! At the bottom of the menu, it does say that a 20% service fee is added onto everyone's bill and that this is not a tip. I think it's important to point this out because some people might misinterpret it so definitely take that as you will. Overall, the food was amazing, it was a little pricey, but worth it for a friend's birthday.

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Dining area

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DD MARGHERITA

Osteria Marco

4.1(2k reviews)

1.4 mi•Lodo, Northwest

•$$$

Was visiting from out of town and stopped in to have a drink and some food and man a great time was…read morehad!! We will definitely be back on our next trip! A huge shout out to Blake for the outstanding service! The bar was absolutely packed, and Blake was constantly on the move, yet he never missed a beat. Even with the crowd and nonstop demands, he stayed friendly, attentive, and professional the entire time. Our drinks were spot on, service was quick, and somehow Blake managed to make everyone feel welcomed and taken care of. It's rare to find someone who can handle that level of pressure with such a positive attitude and genuine customer service. Thank you, Blake, for going above and beyond and helping make our night so enjoyable. Your hard work definitely did not go unnoticed, and it's employees like you that keep customers coming back! Hope to see you in the near future!!

We had reservations for 8PM on a Saturday night. When we got there, we were quickly taken to our…read moretable where we ordered calamari as appetizers, the carbonara and filet as our main entrees. We also ordered the carne pizza to-go to have back in the hotel. The calamari came out in record speed. We ate it with two types of dip sauces. Then about 40 minutes later our main entree's came. The carbonara was delicious. The noodles was so nice and puffy. The filet was okay. The seasoned sauce elevated the flavors. This location has a nice amount of booth seatings and low ambient to make the space feel more intimate and inviting.

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Calamari

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Lou’s Italian Specialties

4.4(353 reviews)

2.4 mi•Ballpark

•$$

Craving a good Italian sub this Sunday afternoon, so I decided to try out Lou's. Great service! I…read morewas greeted right when I walked in, and the cashier was very friendly. I went with a classic Italian sub, The Louie. Honestly, it was difficult to decide which sandwich to go with because there were so many good options. They also had plenty of drinks to choose from, both nonalcoholic and alcoholic bevs. There's plenty of seating inside. I sat at a high-top window seat so I could people watch outside. They also had a couple of tables outside for seating. Highly recommend, and I'll definitely be back to try another sub off the menu. #cleanyourplate

This place reminded me of my childhood in the best possible way. Growing up in a predominantly…read moreItalian town in NJ, (a few miles from NYC), I had lots of wonderful Italian food. Lou's was a cute & cozy deli that made us the most amazing Italian style sandwiches. They also had home made pastas, speciality grocery items & catering. There was limited indoor seating with one table for six, some counter seating & an outdoor patio. We parked on the street. We ordered the Chicken Parm & the Fried Prosciutto BLT Sandwiches online & ate there. Our order was ready right on time & the staff were friendly & fast. The Chicken Parm was delicious - a nicely seasoned chicken cutlet with fresh mozzarella & a very flavorful marinara sauce. My favorite was the Fried Prosciutto BLT, it was fantastic. The prosciutto was crispy & was instead of bacon. In addition, there was shredded lettuce, tomato & a great tasting garlic aioli on a toasted Ciabatta Roll. I loved this place - I can't wait to go back!

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Fresh Mozzarella Sticks

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The Louie

Trattoria Stella

4.0(593 reviews)

3.3 mi•Highland, Northwest

•$$

Reliable and welcoming, this place is delightful. Their airplane chicken is worth the wait, the…read morebread pudding dessert is almost sinful it's so good. Brunch is awesome, as well. Servers are helpful and knowledgeable about the menu.

Don't trust the hours. We arrived about 40min before close, which should be plenty of time for…read moreItalian to cook. We were told the kitchen was closing in 5 minutes. We ended up at another great local place with friendlier and more accurate hours. Plus, parking is sparse and extremely frustrating. Skip this.

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Interior

Spaghetti Arrabbiata

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Front of Restaurant

Dio Mio

4.0(452 reviews)

2.4 mi•Ballpark, Five Points, Northwest

•$$

Handmade Fresh Pasta…read more Agnolotti Colorado corn & ricotta, stuffed with a hot corn sauce, fresh cilantro & Cotija cheese Spaghetti Handmade fresh spaghetti Rigatoni Handmade fresh rigatoni Salads Watermelon Salad Fresh seasonal watermelon salad Caesar Salad Service was fabulous. Environment was nice and relaxing.!

We had heard great things about this spot and were excited to stop in for dinner. I thought it was…read morecounter service but they must have just switched it to table service, because they are definitely (hopefully) working through some kinks there. I couldn't believe our experience was at the same restaurant that came so highly recommended to us by others. I'll start with the good: The food was really, really good. We shared bread and the cacio e pepe and rigatoni vodka and everything was really good. Which is why it's so unfortunate that the service and experience as a whole was so terrible. We were told it'd be 40 mins wait for a table, so we left our name. We barely had time to walk down the block before we got the table ready text, which we thought was odd but were pleasantly surprised by. The seating situation is not comfortable for table service. Maybe it works for when it was casual counter service, but if I'm sitting down to order and it's taking more time, I expect to be comfortable. The booths looked so uncomfortable, our table was shoved up against the wall at the back by a huge industrial fan by the door to the back area, and the lighting in the nicer front room was so harsh I'm not sure how anyone was sitting up there comfortably. It would have been fine if we weren't there for nearly 2 hours. We were seated by the hostess and 20 minutes later hadn't even been greeted or brought water. We watched other tables who were seated after us have their orders taken, but nothing for us. There seemed to be only one waiter for all the tables on the one side of the restaurant, and he was in no rush to actually get anything done. Finally I think the hostess noticed our frustrated looks and came and brought water, then she came back to take our order. The food took forever to come out. I think it was around 20 more mins to get the bread, and at least 30 more after that for the pasta. By that point we had gotten so hungry we really weren't hungry anymore, which was a shame because the pasta was really good (made for good leftovers later). Nobody came to check in on us after we received the food, and we didn't talk to anyone again until we flagged down the hostess (who seemingly had taken over as our server?) for boxes and the check. We had wanted to order their peach dessert but decided against it as there was nobody to take our order and we didn't want to be there another half hour plus waiting for it. When the check came, the one waiter for the section (the one who I think was supposed to be taking care of us as he was working literally every other table in the section, but hadn't done a thing so the hostess had to take over) brought the check and it was just weird, there was no sorry for the wait or sorry that your servicing was a bit odd being served by the hostess. We were so glad to be out of there and wished we had done take out or gone somewhere else, it wasted a huge chunk of our Friday night sitting there so uncomfortable just waiting and waiting. I think we'd be willing to give this place another chance based on the food alone, but it doesn't seem our experience was unusual since they've changed to table service based on other reviews I've seen, so they'd need to change something majorly for us to want to do that. I would recommend this place for the food, but the experience kind of ruined my ability to do that at this time.

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Gluten-free Rigatoni ingredients, red sauce, Parmesan chive

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Bread

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51 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Dave C.

2 months ago

DIFRANCO'S I went to DiFranco's expecting a good Italian meal. I left wondering why I had spent so many years allowing myself to be lied to about pasta. This place is absurd. The food is actually seasoned. The pasta tastes like somebody in the kitchen has met an Italian person before. The sauces have depth. The portions don't feel like they're being rationed by the United Nations. You take a bite and immediately understand why restaurants were invented in the first place. And then I started thinking about Oliver's Italian. I don't know why. Maybe because I had recently eaten there. Maybe because trauma has a way of resurfacing when you're finally somewhere safe. Oliver's isn't so much an Italian restaurant as it is a building that has somehow acquired an Italian menu. You walk in and immediately get the sensation that you have entered the back room of a convenience store where someone has placed a tablecloth over a washing machine. The wine situation deserves its own investigation. I am not accusing Oliver's of anything. I am simply saying that if someone told me they bought their wine from King Soopers, poured it into a different bottle, whispered the word "Chianti" over it, and charged me three times retail, I would not be shocked. At DiFranco's, the wine complements the meal. At Oliver's, the wine feels like it was selected during a fire drill. And the cleanliness. Look, I'm not saying Oliver's is dirty. I'm saying that if you dropped a piece of pasta on the floor at Oliver's, I would give serious consideration to picking it back up because I don't know whether the floor or the pasta has a stronger immune system. DiFranco's feels like a restaurant. Oliver's feels like the restaurant equivalent of finding a raccoon inside your garage and discovering it has somehow obtained a liquor license. But here's the thing. DiFranco's is so good that I don't even feel angry anymore. I feel free. The pasta arrives and suddenly I'm standing on a mountain in Tuscany wearing linen. I'm hearing Italian accordion music. I'm forgiving my father. I'm calling my ex. I'm buying a Vespa. I don't even know how I got here. There are tomatoes. THE TOMATOES HAVE FLAVOR. Do you understand what this means? I've been eating tomatoes at other restaurants that taste like they were grown exclusively for decorative purposes. DiFranco's puts a tomato in front of me and the tomato has a fucking résumé. This review has now become less about DiFranco's and more about my ongoing legal case against mediocre Italian food. Your Honor, I would like to submit Exhibit A: DiFranco's. Exhibit B: The pasta. Exhibit C: Whatever the hell Oliver's is doing with that wine. I rest my case. Actually, no. I don't rest my case. I want dessert. And if Oliver's is reading this, please don't take it personally. I'm sure your restaurant is lovely. I'm sure the wine is wonderful. I'm sure the floor is clean. I'm sure the mysterious substance underneath table seven is completely normal. I'm sure nobody has ever looked at the ceiling and wondered if they were about to witness a minor structural event. I'm sure everything is fine. Everything is fine. Everything is fine. Anyway, DiFranco's is fantastic. 10/10. Would return immediately. Would recommend to anyone. Would probably fight a man in a parking lot to defend the pasta. And if anyone needs me, I'll be outside DiFranco's, staring into the middle distance, trying to remember what I used to think Italian food tasted like. read more

Philip W.

142

2 years ago

DiFranco's: Authentic Italian with a Modern Twist (July 2024) DiFranco's is a hidden gem for serious Italian food lovers. Since May 2024, under the new ownership of executive chef David King (from Downtown Marriott), the focus is on fresh, high-quality ingredients imported directly from Italy. Just like Eataly, the atmosphere is casual and the emphasis is truly on the food. Don't be fooled by the quaint space - the flavors here are anything but ordinary. My recent meal was fantastic. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the carbonara featured real chunks of Italian guanciale, not the usual processed ham. The burrata appetizer was a revelation - flown in fresh and bursting with flavor. Overall, whether it be dine-in or take-out, DiFranco's is a must-try for anyone seeking authentic Italian cuisine made with love and the finest ingredients. Highly recommended! read more

Bob J.

14 years ago

Wasn't going to post a review because most other five stars covered my many visits and opinions, but will after reading Mr. mango angry dudes review. Anyone that crabs about the prices of an organic store that supports local farms just doesn't get the concept. Go somewhere else if a cheap meal is all you care about. Second, I personally love the fact that they only have two small tables and one big table here. You can tell it makes some people squeamish, but for those that don't have insecurities, embrace the fact that we are a community and might have to sit next to people in breweries, etc. to enjoy small good things this place is on the right track. Try the pasta they make in store and breaded chicken. Bring back the mini cake things and more types of gelato! read more

Emilio E.

13 years ago

The agnolotti in alfredo sauce was delicate and exquisite--the noodle itself was the lightest pasta I have ever tasted. My friend had the penne with vodka sauce--very good, not as good as my dish. Bellinis were overpriced and not authentic which was a disappointment. The meatball had good flavor but still not as good as Mama used to make. The blood orange granita was perfect, right out of Sicily--a very fresh finish to a most enjoyable meal. The place was small but on a Sunday afternoon not crowded; I don't think I would venture out to this restaurant on a Friday night. Ryan, the owner, gave us tastings of the wine so we could decide which one we liked the best and was extremely welcoming. I'd definitely return. Bit pricey. read more

Makayla F.

13 years ago

This cute little restaurant/Italian deli is run by Ryan, its delightful owner. He prepares Italian subs, salads, and pasta to order, using organic local ingredients as much as possible. Nothing fancy about the place (orders are placed at the counter but brought to your table), but there is a community table and several smaller tables, including a few outside. He does a lot of carryout business as well. The food is excellent, and there is also a deli counter and a few shelves for Italian meats, handmade pastas, cheeses, and desserts. The daily specials consist of a sandwich or pasta plus a small salad, and are a bargain. read more

Nancy R.

9 years ago

I live just a few blocks away and was happy to try this spot out. Very friendly, welcoming staff and nice selection. We especially liked the burrata appetizer, but I was disappointed in my eggplant parmesan sandwich as the eggplant was not breaded -- nice quality and tasty flavor, but not what I was expecting/looking for. So perhaps simply calling it an eggplant sandwich would have been more accurate and satisfying. My husband had the chicken parmesan sandwich, which was good. Will return to try a few other items, particularly the appealing fresh pasta! read more

Cody G.

3 years ago

I recently enjoyed another Date Night dinner special at this restaurant, and once again, the food was exceptional, particularly the sauces. Everyone in my party thoroughly enjoyed their dishes. I opted for the spaghetti and chicken parmesan, both of which were truly memorable. Another member of my family ordered the shells with pesto and found them to be exquisite. The Date Night social includes a quality wine, fresh salad, dessert, and cannoli, all at a reasonable price. Needless to say, I'll definitely be returning for another delightful experience. read more

Kristen B.

10 years ago

Stopped in when a client cancelled a lunch so I had some time to browse the area. DiFranco's is awesome! I really enjoyed the panini caprese - that beings said my guilty pleasure is cheese :p Something I wasn't used to were the portions, but they don't display the food in an offensive manner - though smaller than I would have expected, the flavors that come forth from such a small package are incredible! Next time I'd like to try the lasagna or penne - I could definitely see this spot becoming a spot I frequent a few times a month when I deserve it! read more

Christoper V.

Elite 22

3 years ago

Several times dining there and the food always surprise me every time we dined there. They have so many lots of options. The fresh salad has great flavor. So creamy as well. My wife like this restaurant. She loves the pasta. The server was friendly and attentive. The portions were generous. The quality was one of the best too. Cocktails and wines were cool, has a pleasant flavor. Perfect combination with food. Nice ambiance inside and I like the setting of the restaurant. read more

Melanie D.

13 years ago

I was stunned by the quality of food at this little restaurant. Open and inviting, it was such a treat to watch the owner of the restaurant cook our meals. The fresh-made Italian soda was surprisingly good, the penne with prosciutto vodka sauce was worth raving about, and the chicken cutlet was absolutely divine. With all natural and noticeably fresh ingredients and a simple but clever menu, there isn't one thing I would change about difranco's. read more

Carter D.

13 years ago

Abong G.

11 years ago

Really good Italian. I had the prosciutto and soppressata sandwich, and my bf had the chicken parm sandwich. 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. Bring your appetite. read more

Ambrose A.

2 years ago

It was a nice place dining there. It was so cool and absolutely fantastic place. We were greeted warmly and seated promptly. The food was so decent and well-prepared. Serving was quite reasonable. The pasta was so good and very delicious. The pasta was the best and well-cooked. They have fresh salad and so tasty. The menu offers great food. The service was very good and we were checked on regularly. read more

Chad W.

Elite 15

100

158

1 year ago

DiFranco's charms with its cozy, deli-meets-Italian vibe. Their fresh-made pastas, subs, and seasonal specials consistently hit the mark, showcasing simple, honest flavors with local ingredients. The Caesar salad, chicken parm, and pizza logs all earn praise from regulars. Service is casual but friendly, and the space feels intimate--great for a relaxed, tasty meal without fuss. read more

Jeffrey C.

4 months ago

Hate to leave a bad review, but the portions were so small I felt the need to. Skimpy on any meat that you order as an add-on to your pasta as well. "Buy one meal get one free" deals are not what they seem... you just receive the size of one meal split into two portions. The food was good, but equivalent to other independently owned Italian restaurants in Denver. read more

Kimberly F.

13 years ago

Difranco's uses fresh, local ingredients, and you can taste the difference! I don't remember when I last had such a wonderful salad and the tomatoes were sweet enough to be dessert. The butternut squash ravioli was truly outstanding and the chicken parmesan sandwich was perfectly cooked. People who work here are friendly and service-oriented. Truly a find. read more

Kim C.

14 years ago

I mean, seriously... this food is spectacular. Whatever you guys do to create these amazing dishes - please, keep on keeping on. This is truly my number one recommendation for foods of all cuisines. If you love food, and love experiencing explosions of taste in each bite, look no further than diFranco's. A-mazing! Nice job, Ryan! read more

Ricky L.

13 years ago

Bought a Travelzoo voucher and went for lunch. Had the Sopresetta and Prosciutto sandwich. Phenomenal sandwich and great bread. Also had chips and dip for dessert which is broken cannoli pieces that are dipped in the Ricotta mixture. One of the best cannoli dishes I've ever had. Can't wait to go back!! read more

Michelle D.

13 years ago

DiFranco's was recommended to me by a colleague and it was GREAT. Fresh past, great salad and soup options. If you are looking for gluten free options, they have that too! I love small organic, healthy deli's like this. Check it out for some authentic Italian yumminess. read more

Emilio H.

5 years ago

Pretty good choices, not much to complain about. Big up for me is the staff, they served well and treated us well. I'm only here because of a big event (a wedding) from my friend so this was a night choice. Filled me up well. Recipes are good, and meals are fresh. read more

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Difranco’s - italian - Updated November 2026

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4.2

(531 reviews)

Perhaps it was the Nug's game at Ball but things were hopping around this area...and it felt good…read more Never the less 6 of us came here for a great meal...and everything was really really good: Service, Ambiance, Food, and Drink. Set in a lovely building with tons of vibe, seating was comfortable and great for large and small parties. The open kitchen, the long bar were all fun to view. Heads up it does get loud and noisy...so not the most romantic place for convo. side note....the place turned twice whilst I was there....crowded...than quiet and than crazy busy again....a very good sign. Service was fantastic from our amazing waitress who was so friendly so efficient and on point, to the Som who was incredible approachable....( fantastic wine list with amazingly affordable wines). Plates were refreshed as well was silverware, water was replenished.....Great Great service! Food is wonderful and everything we ordered was good or great: Their homemade Focaccia is a must, the Frito misto is light and crispy, Great Carrots, Delish La Scala salad with pickled items that lent a wonderful contrast . Lobster Diavola was good not great but flavors were very nice. Pizzas have a lovely char, texture and bake. I will comeback again and again...as it was such a happy place and everything was on point. We ate a lot and per person with two bottles of excellent wine and tip was $100...that is a great value imho for so much! Go and have fune!

Okay so I've been here before and it's been fantastic, but last night experience sadly earned a 3…read more We came in for a friends birthday. We ordered the focaccia to start - which was fantastic! It was light, fluffy, salty, and the whipped cheese with honey on the dish *chefs kiss* All 3 of my friends were between the pesto and another dish. The waitress really talked up the pesto. So all 3 ended up getting the pesto. I had the mushroom steak. I was thoroughly impressed with mine. The steak was cooked perfectly, the sauce was fantastic, overall delicious. All 3 of my friends were disappointed in the pesto. It was lack luster, underwhelming and the noodles felt like they were gummy or not cooked properly. It wasn't an al dente issue, it was something different. For dessert we had the pumpkin cheesecake and the olive oil cake. The olive oil cake was perhaps a highlight of the evening. The pumpkin cheesecake was eh. Service was fine, but seemed very slow. We sat up top so we weren't in the cool basement. Overall I enjoyed my meal but I know my friends didn't love theirs. Especially for the hefty price tag.

Benzina

4.3

(184 reviews)

•$$$

When we found that Benzina was closed on Mondays we changed our dinner plans to Tuesday and I'm…read morevery glad we did. Tuesday also happens to be gnocchi night so I decided to try the boscaiola. I've heard gnocchi described as light, fluffy, pillowy but had never experienced it for myself until this meal. WOW. Super delicate little dumplings with a rich and flavorful sauce. My only critique would be that it was a tad salty overall but regardless, I was very pleased. If anyone from Benzina is reading this, it would also be great to have the option to pay up for added protein. For dessert I had the panna cotta with saba and again - gorgeous. Incredibly smooth and creamy. The saba, a concentrated grape syrup, had a sort of figgy earthiness with a little bit of tartness that paired so well with the milky custard. I haven't yet been to Italy but I feel like this meal gave me a sneak preview of what to expect. My friend said her pizza (the crushed meatball) was quite possibly the best she'd had in Denver, so it seems maybe you can't go wrong with any dish from this unsuspecting retro little gas-station-turned-restaurant. We dined outside which was very comfortable besides being a tad warm before the sun went down. Some fans or misters for the patio wouldn't go amiss. Benzina is casual enough for a relaxed meal but delicious enough for a celebratory gathering. I hope this spot manages to stick around for the long haul.

We had a wonderful dinner at Benzina. It was a Thursday night, and the place was packed, so I…read moredefinitely recommend making a reservation. We were seated at one of the tables outside, which was perfect for the weather. Indoors looked super cute, but it was definitely on the noisy side with so many people in a small space. We ordered a Margherita pizza and some fried mozzarella. My husband ordered the Italian burger (Thursday night is burger night). The food took quite a while to come out, but that is understandable since they were really busy with both dine in and takeout orders. The pizza was so good, neapolitan perfection. The crust in particular was delicious. Our server was really friendly and checked on us multiple times to update us on the order and refill our Coke Zeros. I will absolutely be back the next time I am in town!

Gusto

4.2

(96 reviews)

•$$

Stopped in for a super quick lunch between appts. Have been for dinner in the past, and it was…read moreAMAZING! Lunch was too. Service was super friendly. Shoutout to Rainy. We split the prosciutto pizza roll sandwich (added salami and pepperoni) with an arugula salad. The sandwich itself had arugula so the salad was perfect to add a bit more. It was amazing. Go here!!!

So I guess Gusto and Cholon recently merged together at Sloans Lake. While the concept is good, the…read moreexecution is not. We made reservations for 6:15 on a Friday night and when we walked in it was about 30% full. The hostess walked us around the corner and tried to seat us literally right next to the bathrooms where you can see into the bathrooms while you eat. She was like "how's this table?" And my husband was like "uhhh do you have any booths available away from the bathrooms?" She responded with "well, we have a lot of reservations coming in, let me go check" I looked at her and said "well ARE your reservations!" She ended up coming back and seating us by the windows where "Cholon" used to be, which was fine by us. The booths near us and the window seats next to us continued to stay empty until we left around 7:30. I was in a bad mood from them trying to seat us IN THE BATHROOM, but decided to move on and order some of my Cholon favorites. I look at the menu and I'm shocked with the prices because I know the size of the portions. AND they didn't have Kaya Toast! That is the thing I always order at Cholon! So we order the waygu beef satay ($18) to start and it wasn't good at all. The beef was tough and chewy. The sauce was weird. We didn't finish it. For our entrees I ordered the Olathe corn agnolotti dish that was good, but wasn't worth $28. My husband ordered the super Tuscan pizza which he liked but I found super oily. We were waffling on whether to get dessert because everything had been pretty meh. We decided to get the palisade peach cannoli tart to-go (I didn't want to sit in that place any longer). We got home and when I tell you this dessert was bad... IT WAS BAD. There was literally not a hint of sweetness. The peaches weren't ripe. The cheese they used wasn't sweetened AND I think it had like a basil balsamic glaze on it or something because this was the most savory "dessert" I had ever had. We each took and bite and threw that $15 monstrosity into the garbage. Whoever okayed that to be on the menu should be fired. I was honestly upset we spent $150 for dinner and another $80 for a babysitter for such a disappointing dinner. Side story: I was talking to my friend who lives in Sloans Lake about how bad our dinner at Gusto was. And she said "that place sucks! They sat us RIGHT NEXT TO THE BATHROOMS, and the whole place was empty!" When I told her the same thing happened to us she continued on to say they had made reservations and the hostess said, "all the other tables are reserved." And my friend said "we have reservations!" But alas, they didn't move her and she ate by the bathrooms.

Trattoria Stella

4.0

(593 reviews)

•$$

The Cherry Tomato

3.8

(518 reviews)

•$$

Such a fun neighborhood place, featuring Italian options in a cozy environment at good prices…read more Tucked away on a street corner in a vibrant part of Park Hill, The Cherry Tomato works so well. This is one of my favorite places in Denver. Grateful to Elena and Matt for all their assistance and excellent custoner service. Enjoyed my Seared Salmon dish, loved sampling others, and the salads were great. This is a terrific place to bring family and friends.

THE CHARM IS GONE --bring Danny back to train the current horrible waitstaff…read more We've been loyal customers for 20 years, but last night we experienced terrible service, even though the restaurant was somewhat empty for a Friday. After our food arrived, we couldn't get our waiter's attention. When he finally rushed over, he just handed us the check without asking if we wanted dessert or anything else. We tried to order an extra meal to take home, but he claimed it would take 30 minutes because they were "a very busy restaurant." I called BS as there were plenty of empty tables, but he clearly didn't care. It makes no sense for staff to rush customers out and actively discourage them from spending more money. While the food is still good, this place is definitely not the same anymore.

Proto's Pizzeria Napoletana

4.0

(492 reviews)

•$$

I have been coming here since I was a kid and it's always been a favorite! It's so perfect, the…read morefood is so delicious. The service is always welcoming and the vibe is just so amazing. Proto's is an all time favorite for me and my family.

Bad pizza, bad service. Just bad. Staff was way more interested in a basketball game, the salad…read morelanded with the pizza, even though I could see the salad sitting on the counter for 12 minutes. Why not just give us the salad? Why make us wait for the pizza to be done, and then give us a pizza and a salad at once on a tiny table? It seemed like everyone who worked here was 16 and couldn't care less. just not a good experience and the food was really barely mediocre

Pita Central

4.9

(99 reviews)

We stopped in before a Nuggets game and were really glad we did. I Tried the gyro pork pita for the…read morefirst time ever having gyro pork after one of the owner's recommended as it was something he grew up eating back in Greece. It was really delicious. The house made Tzatziki was the best I've ever had. The pita was great too, the owner indicating it too being imported from Greece. I really liked being able to pick your own toppings because it allows you to make your pita very full with veggies. I thought it was really cool to see a father and son open a restaurant and it be something they're passionated about. The upstairs seating area is really a gem. Clean, spacious and the views of Platte and Downtown are pretty great. Will be back soon, probably tomorrow to grab a pita before the Rockies game.

I think I learned more about Greek food in the 10 minutes I was chatting with the manager of this…read moreplace when I was there then in all my other visits to Greek restaurants. For example, what I thought, the delineation between a Gyro and a Souvlaki was is apparently not correct. I also thought their prices were very reasonable, considering how much people are charging for a single Gyro these days. I thought I got good value for my money. I might customize it a little more next time so that it's closer to my liking on the vegetable elements or the amount of tzatziki sauce on it. Nice place, to grab a quick affordable piece of Greek culinary cuisine.

Bruno's Italian Bistro

4.3

(259 reviews)

•$$

Wow, one of the most excellent Italian places my boyfriend and I have come across. That's not to…read moremention that my boyfriend is a chef that loves to create pastas and myself with an Italian mama, so I do not say this lightly. Every time we've gone, we have ordered something different and they haven't missed a single time. The owner is warm and sweet as well as his family of staff. The ambiance is cozy and intimate. We are now regulars :,) pictured: burrata pesto rigatoni and veal gnocchi.

Bruno's is a really cute family owned restaurant in Denver. The place feels warm and welcoming. I…read moredo like that the menu is somewhat small because it shows they aren't trying to do too much. The fettuccine Alfredo was delicious. I like that there was enough sauce. It does come with a lot of food. The bread is also really good. Service is friendly. All in all, it's a great spot if you want a quick pasta dish.

Chef Zorba's Cuisine

4.0

(407 reviews)

•$$

I have been coming to Zorbas for over 40 years. They are warm, welcoming and the lemon chicken soup…read moreis the best!

We had a great meal, I had the spanakopita and my husband who's gluten-free had a beautiful kebab…read moreand rice. The atmosphere was great. The pictures on the wall made me know that I was eating in a great establishment. Our waitress was great, but a waiter who was filling a utensil container with utensils wrapped in a napkin, accidentally dropped one on the floor, I watched to see what he would do and he actually picked it up and took it back to the kitchen. To me that reflects the quality of service and that their employees are well trained. I highly recommend this place.

Cucina Colore

3.8

(568 reviews)

•$$

We had an amazing time at Cucina Colore! We had phenomenal service from Michael as he kept…read morerefilling our drinks, took our food allergies seriously and was very cordial. The ambiance was great as it was a fun crowd and environment. I had the chicken salad sandwich which was super yummy! I will be back for sure!

Last night was my first dining experience. Found this lovely gem on Yelp. Had a late night dinner…read morewith my friend that left us very happy. The wood oven pizza experience was a 10 out of 10. Everything is freshly made and taste very well. The service was friendly and quick. The ambiance was a dark setting perfect for a dinner date. Clean, swanky little Italian restaurant. Overall we were extremely happy with the food, service and ambiance.

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