Franco's Italian Caffe sits on North Scottsdale Road in South Scottsdale, a small room built around authentic Italian Florentine cooking. Founder Franco Fazzuoli was born in Florence in 1942 into a family of Tuscan food and land, and worked his way up through dishwashing, cooking, and management jobs in Florence and later New York before opening a string of restaurants there, including Il Ponte Vecchio and Zinno. He moved to Arizona in 1987, where he met chef Steven Martin, and the two worked together building out what would become Franco's presence in Scottsdale.
The menu leans on classics like veal and prosciutto, with tiramisu and a made-to-order merenghata reserved for special occasions. The restaurant has built its reputation in part around its wine list, something it's been recognized for.
Regulars have kept returning for years, drawn by attentive service and a room that reads as genuinely Italian rather than staged for the part.
The menu leans on classics like veal and prosciutto, with tiramisu and a made-to-order merenghata reserved for special occasions. The restaurant has built its reputation in part around its wine list, something it's been recognized for.
Regulars have kept returning for years, drawn by attentive service and a room that reads as genuinely Italian rather than staged for the part.