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Fresco Da Franco, Montclair, NJ

Fresco Da Franco

4.4 (1510)
$31 to $50
Italian
15 Church St, Montclair, NJ 07042

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Great for outdoor dining
With over a decade in business, Fresco Da Franco is renowned for its warm and inviting ambiance, coupled with the unmistakable aromas of homemade Italian cuisine. As you step through our doors, you'll be greeted by friendly staff and an atmosphere that exudes both elegance and comfort. Whether you're looking to enjoy a romantic dinner, celebrate a special occasion, or simply unwind with friends and family, our restaurant and bar provides the perfect setting.
Our menu showcases the rich culinary heritage of Italy, with a focus on traditional recipes passed down through generations. To compliment your meal, our Bar Franco has an extensive bespoke Italian drink list carefully crafted by world renowned Italian mixologist Luca Cinalli. Our mixologists hail directly from Italy and bring you an unforgettable bespoke experience of a lifetime.

We look forward in welcoming you and creating lasting memories of exceptional dining and warm hospitality.

Cin Cin

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Giuseppina Porporino
  • Private party facilities
    For any occasion, we will create an event as special as the occasion. For large groups, there is the option to rent out the entire restaurant to have the complete private dining experience.Please email kelly@bar-franco.com
  • Neighborhood
    Montclair
  • Cross street
    Between Bloomfield Ave and Park St.
  • Parking details
    South Fullerton Parking Deck or Crescent Parking Deck
  • Entertainment
    Friday and Saturday Night after 9 p.m. we raise the music to the sounds of Studio 54! Dancing is permitted at your own will!
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Socialista Lounge

    Multiple dates available
    Montclair’s Premier Late-Night Experience. Starts Every Friday and Saturday at 11PM to 2AM - Live DJ and Bottle Service. Why travel to the city when Montclair’s most sophisticated lounge is right here? Socialista Lounge is where elegance and energy collide, offering an exclusive nightlife experience every Friday and Saturday. After indulging in Montclair’s vibrant dining scene, the night continues at Socialista Lounge, where beautiful people gather, the music sets the mood, and the atmosphere is nothing short of electric. The after-party begins at 11 PM, bringing you a chic and upscale ambiance unlike anything else in the area. Located through Bar Franco at 5 Church Street, Montclair, NJ, Socialista Lounge is your destination for a night of class, style, and unforgettable memories. For reservations, please email reservations@bar-franco.com . (347) 560-0321 Moe - VIP Host

What 1,510 people are saying

Fresco Da Franco reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Essex

    Hot spot

  • Essex

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Fresco Da Franco offers a "beautiful restaurant" experience with "great service" and "superb food." Known for accommodating vegetarians with "unique vegetarian options," the restaurant provides an inviting atmosphere. Despite occasional slow service, guests appreciate the "exceptional food" and "lovely ambience." It's a "great dining experience" in Montclair, highly recommended for its "amazing food" and attentive staff.
1,510 Reviews
  1. KRYSTLE VIP

    New York City49 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The menu carries a variety of amazing selections, however, I wish the restaurant had more gluten-free pasta options (I suggest egg-less rigatoni, penne, etc), especially for vegan/vegetarians. I am a vegetarian/pescatarian who does not consume eggs and I was advised that all types of pastas at this restaurant are made with eggs. The ambiance is lovely and I like that it transitions to a night club afterwards!

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  2. Thomas

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful restaurant. Great service. Superb food. Extremely warm and inviting environment. Would highly recommend it. 

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  3. Robert

    New York City1 review

    4.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    I’m one of those snobby Italians who find it very hard to find amazing Italian food that I can’t make myself. Add in I’m a vegetarian and many times I’m disappointed with the menu and the actual vegetarian choices on it; some restaurants even give me attitude or visually become annoyed when I ask if they can make things vegetarian. This place not only had unique vegetarian options, but our server smiled when I asked if the choices were in fact vegetarian. It was clear I was not the first one there to ask this question and it was also clear that they are trying their best to cater to my kind. The rice balls were amazing and so were the stuffed zucchini flowers. I then had the zucchini flower risotto for my main meal. At first, I was a little disappointed because I assumed there would be pieces of zucchini flour in the risotto but instead it was risotto with cooked zucchini and one of the stuffed zucchinis that I had just had for appetizer on top. I chopped it up within, mixed it all around, and it was quite delectable. It just wasn’t what I was expecting. My husband ended up getting the shrimp in the spicy vodka sauce and ate every last bite. He said it wasn’t TOO spicy. He never eats every last bite! To finish off, we had the special vanilla bean ice cream with the balsamic reduction. It was to die for. Now the seating is very tight and if you’re in a two seater on one side with the booth, you’re basically sitting 2 feet from the people on your left and right. If you’re a bit larger, it’s almost impossible to stand up and fit through the little area to get out of the area. It was also quite loud because of the high volume of people in such close quarters. We did have to wait a while for our server to get us our ice cream which seemed ironic since you don’t really have to cook it. We made sure to give our card when she brought the bill. This was 5:45 on a Saturday. I’m not sure what it’s like at other times. Overall, we left very happy, and you will too.

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  4. Tim VIP

    New York City84 reviews

    1.0

    Dined on May 14, 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 3
    Everything was very slow and haphazard. It took us forever to simply get a wine order in. Understaffed — uncomfortably so. The timing of the food was a mess, and the quality of the food didn’t make up for the headaches or the wait. One of the worst dining experiences I’ve had. Utter disappointment.

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  5. ISHELL

    New Jersey1 review

    5.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    great spot i love it there always. highly reccomend

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  6. samantha

    New York City4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My partner and I had an amazing meal. He ordered the rigatoni and I have the flounder, I would have given it 5⭐️ , but it was breaded. Tatiana was our server and she was amazingly attentive. Thank you

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  7. joseph

    Dallas - Fort Worth3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 2, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Loved our date night dinner here. Great service, food and atmosphere. We sat outdoors and it was very nice; had a west village vibe.

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  8. Kevin Eva

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on April 18, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This was the first time my wife & I dined here,and I can see everything was great from the food to the service.We went there for are 37th wedding anniversary,and will be back .Thank you for a very enjoyable evening.

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  9. Sheila VIP

    New York City4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had the pear carpaccio and it was awesome. The pesto with the prosciutto and pear was the perfect matching. BRAVO TO THE CHEF!!

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  10. James

    New York City45 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on April 11, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    First and likely last time visiting. We chose this restaurant because the OpenTable app listed a menu that included a veal chop, and it was only a 3-minute walk from the Wellmont Theater. However, when we arrived, we were handed a completely different menu—no veal chop at all. Disappointing, but we decided to stay. My date ordered a dinner salad with grilled chicken, only to be told they only had breaded chicken available. I asked if they could substitute a plain chicken breast, and they said all the chicken was pre-breaded. I then asked if they could wash off the breadcrumbs before cooking, and they told us the kitchen was too busy to accommodate the request. There were other minor issues as well—for example, the staff repeatedly pushed alcoholic drinks on us even after I said we don’t drink. They also brought over a bottle of water we never ordered. Overall, the experience felt inflexible and inattentive. We won’t be returning. .

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FAQs

Fresco Da Franco offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (973) 337-5100.

Fresco Da Franco is rated 4.4 stars by 1510 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. New Jersey
  4. Essex
  5. Montclair

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Fresco Da Franco

15 Church St, Montclair, NJ 07042

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Between Bloomfield Ave and Park St.
  • Neighborhood
    Montclair
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Contemporary Italian
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    South Fullerton Parking Deck or Crescent Parking Deck
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Giuseppina Porporino
  • Entertainment
    Friday and Saturday Night after 9 p.m. we raise the music to the sounds of Studio 54! Dancing is permitted at your own will!
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Dancing, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Private party facilities
    For any occasion, we will create an event as special as the occasion. For large groups, there is the option to rent out the entire restaurant to have the complete private dining experience.Please email kelly@bar-franco.com
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