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Franco's Italian Restaurant

3.6 (157 reviews)
ModerateItalian
Closed • 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

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FRANCO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Dogs allowed
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Franco's Italian Restaurant

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Medium cheese pizza
Patrice W.

Atmosphere is nice Greeted upon entry and was told to sit any where Our waitress was excellent This pizza place is one of my son's favorite we usually go once a month after school to grab something to eat and talk

So delicious

We usually frequent Oceanview and were told about the "original location". Cannot tell you how much better the "original" location was in food quality and taste, Atmosphere, and friendliness! Even the cooks were eager to great and welcome you!

Chuck T.

Old-school neighborhood Italian eatery that honestly feels like stepping back into the 1980s. On a summer Friday night, I had a fine experience, first time trying Franco's. Decor is decidedly dated, with ancient plastic tablecloths and tables/chairs/booths that are past their prime. But what counts are food and service, and both were exceptional. I had Angel Hair pasta with sausage and a house salad. Fresh bread was brought out, hot with oil. There was a piano player tickling the keys in the corner of the restaurant and the perfect volume; kitsch but cute. Pricey overall ($32), but a solid B performance for Franco's.

Lasagna
Ashley K.

Hands down the best and most authentic Italian food in the 757. My dad first took me here about 10-15 years ago and I fell in love. I've eaten cannoli's at so many restaurants throughout the years and nothing compares to the chocolate chip cannoli here. The meatballs are 100% beef and I think the biggest secret is how they are so moist! Everything is fresh and incredible and I continue to come here over and over again.

cannoli

By FAR! the best italian food and most authentic in the 757 area. I have been going here for about 15 years and it has always been the same! The waitresses are knowledgeable of all the menu items. On the weekends, there is someone who is at the restaurant and plays the piano during dinner service, how wonderful is that! Couldn't have had a better ambiance than this! We ordered the chicken marsala, and the franco trio. WONDERFUL veal! everything was an A+. Included is a delicious homemade cannoli to end the night, please take a chance and go here!!! Wonderful place!

Lasagne

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1 month ago

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7 months ago

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9 months ago

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Unfortunately, the Philly steak & provolone cheese was not as delicious as in the past. The sub roll was not fresh and there was less meat.

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

This place is great. Never had a bad meal. The staff is friendly and efficient. We go to Franco's often.

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

Excellent Italian cuisine, service, ambience. Also, delighted with piano player on beautiful baby grand.

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2 years ago

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5 years ago

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10 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

There Marsala chicken is sooo amazing. I'm about to order it again. They are so worth the money.

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3 years ago

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14 years ago

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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Luce - This delightful dessert is served warm

Luce

4.5(588 reviews)
5.0 mi
•$$$

Amazing food and cozy vibe- a must-visit downtown spot! We…read morewere at Luce on Friday and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The space is intimate and cozy with side-by-side counter seating right in front of the open kitchen -- perfect for watching the chefs at work and adds to the whole experience. We started with the ensalata di Luce and it was fresh and flavorful, a great balance to the rich mains. The pollo con strati was perfectly cooked and the lobster gnocchi was phenomenal -- rich, indulgent, and definitely worth ordering a side of sourdough bread for dipping in the sauce! To finish, the cheesecake with berries was a delightful end to the meal -- creamy and just sweet enough without being heavy. Service was attentive without being intrusive and the ambiance complemented the food beautifully. This place is small and fills up fast, so reservations are a very good idea, but snagging a seat at the counter made our night feel special and lively. Overall -- truly one of the best Italian meals in Norfolk if you're looking for great food, a cozy atmosphere, and a memorable dinner. Always my fave & we will definitely be back!

This was kind of a meh dining experience. I called the restaurant to make a reservation for 3…read morepeople on a Tuesday evening. I was told that there was no availability for the evening and I should try to walk in for bar seats. Upon arrival, the bar was not busy so we took three seats and noticed that the table behind us never got sat the entire time we were there. To me, this is a pretentious restaurant that falls below the bar in every way. Second time dining here and would not return because service from Branice C. was a C- in her caring that she was even at work, to the upcharges for extra marinara sauce to go with the greasy overbreaded calamari appetizer. The oil saturated flavor was almost nauseating. Please change the oil in your fryer! Prices were not excessive but the upcharge for using a credit card was. Who really walks around with $300 cash in pocket to pay for dinner without a credit card fee. JUST ADD IT IN YOUR MENU PRICES!!!! The Boar Ragu was truly not boar but probably run of the mill ground beef and the four tiny slices of steak on the Caesar salad was a joke. There are so many other lovely restaurants along this block that this is a skip right past for the future.

Photos
Luce - Bar

Bar

Luce - Prosciutto pinsa

Prosciutto pinsa

Luce - Wine and view from bar top side table

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Wine and view from bar top side table

Fellini's - Spotted dessert on the way out!

Fellini's

3.5(262 reviews)
4.1 mi
•$$

We were looking for a restaurant with great food and a great atmosphere to grab dinner with some…read morefriends before making our way to the theatre Saturday night. Although it's been years since we've been back to Fellini's, we chose Fellini's to introduce to them since there's variety for most everyone's appetite. Service was good. The food was better. My husband and I enjoyed sharing a Greek Salad to which we added marinated grilled chicken. Our friends enjoyed their Fettuccine Alfredo with added chicken, and a Fresh Tomato gourmet pizza.

We walked in and smelled such a delicious smell of fire roasting pizza, garlic, pasta sauce...?…read morewhatever it was, our appetite level was greatly increased! We read the sign to seat ourselves and found a tucked away booth away from the chill of the outdoors. Our server was sweet. My husband asked about the Cesar salad consistency , oily or creamy....she said creamy but it was oily. Anyway, tho it wasn't what he preferred, he said it was still good. Our server wasn't too attentive. I would have liked a second glass on wine when dinner arrived. I ordered the marinated chicken breast with added pesto and provolone cheese, very tender, juicy and it had a great pesto flavor! However, the Greek potatoes, as my side dish of choice, was disappointing. The potatoes were over cooked, over seasoned and over oiled. My other choice of a side was steamed broccoli and it was very fresh, hot and (beautifully green ) served with roasted whole garlic cloves. My husband ordered the ziti Fellini ( with smoked tomatoes, chicken, mushrooms in a cream sauce). He enjoyed it. The place looks like a well loved neighborhood charm. I felt as if a lot of regulars were there.

Photos
Fellini's
Fellini's - Over dressed side Ceasar

Over dressed side Ceasar

Fellini's - Picture hanging in our booth area

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Picture hanging in our booth area

Varia - Fresh bread with olive oil and butter

Varia

3.9(319 reviews)
5.1 mi
•$$

We had tickets to a show nearby and we were a little pressed for time but the staff was able to…read moreaccommodate us very well. We started out with the Cesar Salad and an order of the Meatballs as an appetizer. They were kind enough to split the salad for us and without having to ask, always a nice touch. The Cesar Salad was delicious, the ingredients were fresh and the croutons were clearly made in house. The meatballs were flavorful and tender. They were served with a dollop of whipped Ricotta and a generous amount of marinara, the basil sprig was also a welcome addition. Everything worked well together and we enjoyed the dish. We also split the Rigatoni Bolognese and again they split the order for us. It was served piped hot and it was delicious. The service was excellent and we were able to get in and most importantly, out in plenty of time to catch our show...

We came in for dinner one weeknight and the hotel was really busy, as there was a conference being…read morehosted, but this restaurant was steady, but not busy. The décor is really interesting, as it has a secret dining room behind a bookcase and all of it is beautifully assembled. Menu is decent, with many typical Italian favorites. Starting with their arancini, it was decent. The temperature was warm, but not as hot as it should've been considering we expected it to be freshly fried, plated, and served. The jam under it was a little too sweet as well, but the texture and flavors were decent. Next up was their Cesar salad. This was my starter salad and it was quite substantial. The lettuce was great - very fresh and crunchy! The dressing was excellent, clearly made in-house and it was so very tasty. The combo of both was excellent! Lastly, I chose their chicken marsala for my entrée. It was plated quite nicely, looking very tasty. The chicken was breaded and appeared lightly fried, as the batter flaked off. The sauce was a little too sweet compared to my liking... I realized that marsala wine is sweet, but this might have been reduced or sweetened a little too much. The greens were inedible - they were way too vinegary. I took one bite and choked trying to swallow it down. Their crispy smashed potatoes were very nicely done. Overall, this entrée was just 'ok' but nothing special, which I found disappointing, as I could have ordered a pasta instead. Service for our dinner was nice and friendly. Prices are on the high end for the quality of the food preparation, which is also disappointing. So, over the past couple of months I've been to Norfolk twice and last time ate at Saltine downstairs in this Hilton and this time ate upstairs at Varia and both menus are amazing, service was adequate, and execution was lackluster - This tells me their food program is poorly managed. I left out the review of my dinner guest's pizzas... They eat got a pizza and each was completely over-cooked!!! I like char'd crust on brickoven pizza, what I saw (and what they explained) wasn't a simple char, it consisted of hard, over-cooked cheese and toppings and frankly if I got either of those pizzas, I would've sent it back. Given the absolute beauty of these eateries and amazing menus, they need to work on the management component and they'll have truly amazing joints, but not until then.

Photos
Varia - Cool dining room behind this bookcase!!

Cool dining room behind this bookcase!!

Varia - Rigatoni Bolognese

Rigatoni Bolognese

Varia - Cool dining room behind this bookcase!!

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Cool dining room behind this bookcase!!

Waters Edge Wineries - Greek flatbread with added chicken -$25

Waters Edge Wineries

4.3(138 reviews)
4.4 mi
•$$

We arrived just after 4pm, only dinners in, had our choice of seating in the elegantly modern,…read morenautical atmosphere. It was very clean and inviting. The music playlist was from my mid 1980's HS years...loved that Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable of the menu, checked on items that she wasn't sure of, regarding our spice/allergy levels. The Brussel sprouts appetizer was phenomenal! We opted to have the feta on the side, due to one of our preferences, they were totally accommodating. I had a tasting of the white wines, wonderful broad spectrum of palate pleasing flavors and textures. There is a large private room for reserving. The gift shop has an array of gifts from, of course, their wines, but also candles, wine accessories, and canned/bottled sangrias and much more. Great monthly events are scheduled at the Waters Edge, too!!

This place is really nice!…read more My neighbors and I made a spontaneous visit after work on a Friday in the Fall thinking there was going to be live music. AMBIANCE: It was pretty dead on a Friday in October, I think there was 5 tables. I guess it was nice that I could hear my friends talk. SERVICE: Server was okay, not especially friendly but did her job well. FOOD/DRINKS: I had the california cab. We wanted to have the slushy but I think that was only a Summer thing. I ordered the crab cakes and although they were yummy, they were a bit overpriced for the quantity and size. Will I return? I think only for drinks and appetizers but not for dinner.

Photos
Waters Edge Wineries - Main dining room bar

Main dining room bar

Waters Edge Wineries - Flatbread

Flatbread

Waters Edge Wineries - Waters Edge Winery

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Waters Edge Winery

Franco's Italian Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

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