Osteria Francescana

We tried the Traditional Menu with wine pairing. The meal was perfect from start to finish. The food was so innovative and Massimo’s staff was warm and professional We wished we could have met him, hopefully next time Congratulations Massimo. You are No 1 !

I would say it was a «5» for creativity and a «5» for 75% of the dishes (and a «4» for 25% of the dishes). But, I think with tasting menus it is hard for all dishes to be a 5 because everyone has different preferences. We went with the tasting menu that combines the traditional and new menu — supposedly the best of both. We were really happy with this. Also, we went on a Sat for lunch, and that was really nice because it made for a really nice, easy day trip to Modena (I highly recommend the market but do not recommend the Ferrari museum). We loved the second half of the tasting menu. I could honestly eat an entire bowl of the lasagna. It was SO good. The chef was there and he came out to greet everyone, which I thought was really nice. The service was excellent. And I really appreciated that it had a hint of casualness, or comfort. That is, it wasn’t as stuffy as some other restaurants like this. There were some people wearing coats and some people wearing jeans. I really like that.
There was definitely a lot of whimsy and creativity. For example, there was this awesome piggy dish that had a little pig cut out representing the chef’s life and influences… a flavor for every place he has lived. It was really delicious, really beautiful, and really cool.

Absolute food perfection. The best meal I’ve ever had in my life. It was a bit out of the way to to get Osteria Franchescana from our path through Italy, but boy was it ever worth it.
We did the Tradition in Evolution tasting menu with the associated wine pairing. 9 Courses of traditional Italian ingredients and recipes with a new twist that is the trademark of Chef Bottura (Watch the first episode of «Chef’s Table» on Netflix to really get a sense of what he’s about).
The service was impeccable and the food was to die for. This is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant that perennially hovers around the number 1 spot on the World’s Top 50 restaurant rankings. So if my plebeian explanation of my experience there doesn’t do it justice, those facts alone should set your expectations in the right place.
The restaurant itself is very plainly decorated with mild colors so that the food and wine color palettes really pop when they set them on the table. I got the sense that everything was really deliberately done to enhance the interaction that each of your senses had with the food and drink.
My favorite dishes included the Crunchy Part of the Lasagna, the Spin Painted Veal, and the Five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano. The explanation that accompanied each dish helped to illuminate the thought process and the creativity that went into taking Grandma’s classic Italian recipes and elevating them into the form in which they serve them to you at Osteria Franchescana (ie– «The crunchy corners of the lasagna in the pan were always everyone’s favorite growing up, so we made a dish that tries to capture this flavor and texture»).
The wine pairing is very well done as well. The sommelier did an excellent job of picking a flavor profile that highlights and accentuates the flavors of each dish.
Probably my favorite part of the day was when Massimo Bottura came out and talked to each of the 12 tables in the restaurant. I was fan-​girling extremely hard. We told him we were from Seattle and he said that the PNW was one of his favorite places in the world (he may have simply been pandering to us, but I don’t care, I was soaking it in. It felt genuine, so that’s close enough!). He was very nice and personable and is well-​versed in many different topics. If the food they serve doesn’t convince you of Chef Bottura’s passion, talking with him for a few minutes definitely will.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend visiting Osteria Franchescana if you have the opportunity. It’s one of the best things you can do with a trip to Italy. Obviously, it’s spendy, but compared to other top 5 restaurants around the world, it’s quite a bargain. I can guarantee that you won’t leave feeling like you overspent.

I was delighted with the experience I don’t have words to describe my gosh that foie grass, the aged parmigiana I can go on and on, Service top ! So pleased !

Absolutely amazing. Every single dish we had was superb, which is something I could not say about the (very few) other multi-​Michelin-​starred /​World’s Top 50 restaurants that I’ve been to.
Highlights:
«Caesar salad in Emilia-​Romagna», which was a small head of a lettuce (?), with 22 different ingredients hidden within its leaves. Every bite you take, you analyze the flavors and textures. The pairing that came with this dish was also very interesting — it was a gin-​based cocktail with a lot of fresh herbs in the glass to give you a lot of aroma to add to the complexity of this seemingly-​simple dish.
«5 ages of parmesan cheese» — 5 different ages of parmesan cheese, formed into 5 different styles (a foam, a chip, a tofu-​like thing, etc). We just went to a parmesan cheese factory earlier that day and learned about the process, and did a tasting to see how the aging affects flavors. It was interesting to take that context and then try this dish out. Besides, parmesans always delicious!
And my favorite…
«The crunchy part of the lasagna» — fried, wonton-​like lasagna sheet, with a mouth-​wateringly delicious ragu and a bechamel (I think I heard our server tell us that there’s bone marrow in the bechamel??). You take the lasagna by hand, tear off a piece like a chip, and dip it into the sauce. Oh man, that sauce… I’m going to remember that first bite for the rest of my life!
Every dish was beautifully presented, like artwork. Wine pairings were on-​point. Service was superb. My only regret was that we did not get to meet Chef Massimo… perhaps this means that I’ll need to make a return trip to this restaurant sometime in the future to complete that goal!

This meal was really the highlight of our 3 week anniversary trip through Europe. We were able to make reservations through our hotel smoothly with great follow up from the restaurant. They knew we were bringing our 1 yo daughter and were accommodating. We arrived to see Chef Bottura on the small street chatting with another man. He did not know if we were guests or not but had a big smile on his face for our daughter and excitedly said Ciao Ciao Ciao! It was such a wonderful surprise to see him. He picked up our daughter and was so sincere and friendly. We had not even begun our meal and we were already charmed. When we went into the restaurant, we were shown into a room with 3 tables which was perfect. We were put in a corner table with tons of room my daughter. The staff did not bat an eyelash when she smeared food on the pristine table cloth or made sounds. They were professional and friendly and made us feel super welcome. The meal was as I said unforgettable. We had watched Chef’s Table and were already super excited to see some of the items on the tasting menu. We decided on the mixed tasting of traditional and experimental and each course wowed us and we were eager for the next. Chef is extremely creative and and visual stimulating with every course but he does not sacrifice on taste and flavor. We were truly blown away and cannot wait to return!

BEST MEAL OF MY ENTIRE LIFE.
With each course, Massimo brings you on a whirlwind experience through delicate flavors, unique ingredients and presentations, and plentiful offerings with his beautiful masterpieces; it is truly art. We tried the Sensations menu (and they even crafted a vegetarian option for my fiancée on the spot). I recommend getting the wine/​cocktail pairing– it is not just wine, but also includes well-​thought out cocktails which truly «pair» with even the most ignorant of food lovers. FYI, we were backpacking and able to dine with jeans and a button down, but I did feel a little self conscious (just me, not their fault!)
I dream of going back here one day.

Bottom Line — If a budget isn’t an issue, I do recommend Osteria Francescana for the experience. The food is definitely a change from grandmom Italian cooking, but in a good way. You will need to ring the doorbell to enter, and have 3 to 4 hours for the experience.
There were three choices for how to have the meal: (1) a la carte from the menu; (2) Sensations tasting menu; or (3) Tradition in Evolution tasting menu. My friend and I decided to do the Tradition in Evolution tasting menu, with an added a la carte duck breast main dish inserted.
The plates we had were all previously reviewed. The only dishes that I vividly remember were the 5 temperatures of cheese, tagliatelle with ragu, and the coronation of foie gras. We briefly discussed ordering both of the tasting menus, but decided that might have been too much food. In hindsight, I slightly regret this. Though, it may have pushed our lunch into the dinner hours.
I give it 4 starts only because I wasn’t blown away with what I expected a 3-​star Michelin restaurant is in my mind. But maybe my expectations are too high?! Anyways, I think I may have had an amazing meal had we ordered the Sensations tasting menu, or just ordered from the a la carte menu.
With the two traditional chef’s tasting menu, one wine pairing and the addition of a duck breast dish, our lunch came to € 510 for the two of us.
Service was impeccable. The restaurant was very comfortable, and our 4 hour meal went by quickly. I would definitely come back and plan to get the more interesting dishes.

My favorite restaurant, outside of the USA — perhaps worldwide.
I planned a layover in Milan just to go to Modena, to have lunch at Osteria Francescana. This is the only place where I’ve had the beverage pairing and experienced how each and every wine /​beer choice, when chosen appropriately, truly enhances the enjoyment of meal to another level. Chef Massimo was on his book tour at the time in Australia.
The service was great and the food is exceptional (5 ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, an Eel Swimming Up the Po River, «magnum» of foie gras), everyone can tell you that. We left with a souvenir bottle of aged balsamic. On my next trip I’m hoping to spend a lot of time in Modena — experience the fast cars and enjoy the culinary delights.
See you again Osteria Francescana!

Top 5 meals in my life. Very personal service and crazy/​creative dishes. The tasting menu is a must as the menu is too rich to go a la carte

Unbelievable food adventure.
Rob a bank, sell the kids, mortgage the house.
Do whatever it takes to experience this if you are able and inclined. Learn Italian to have the best interaction with the staff though.
The Maestro was not there the day we were. But his creativity and intention most certainly was!

I FINALLY got around to writing a review for OSTERIA FRANCESCANA!!!
First of all I need to start this review by saying that I met CHEF MASSIMO BOTTURA!!! AHH! Honestly, I knew of Osteria Francescana & Chef Massimo Bottura but I wasn’t familiar with how he looked. My friends and I set aside a day to take a train from Florence to Modena just to eat at Francescana. We arrived 2 hrs early for our lunch reservation and navigated to the restaurant first just to know for sure where it was! We were so happy when we found the place and started taking selfies in front of Francescana’s sign and was just having fun when this guy drives up in his car and takes out a box of ingredients and greets us with a friendly smile and tries to make conversation. I didn’t clearly hear his name and thought he was the manager of Francescana and just told him we would be back for our lunch reservation… we said our parting and walked off to explore Modena before our lunch… AND THEN my friend goes… «That was Chef Massimo!!!» Me and my other friend yelled at our friend for not acknowledging him earlier and pretty much pestered her until lunch… DAMN we could have gotten a SELFIE with CHEF MASSIMO! Anyways, luckily he came out in the middle of lunch to greet his guests and he shook our hand once more and had a small chat with us about the food, etc… Then he promised to come after lunch to take a picture with us which HE KEPT! And I have to say he is the most friendly person ever! Very personable, very likable, very human! We all LOVED him!!!
Ok enough about drooling over Chef Massimo…
Osteria Francescana is situated in Modena, Italy… It is situated on a small street called Via Stella (hey that’s me! LOL) and it’s a pretty small restaurant. I think it has two rooms to seat their guests. We were in a room with 5 tables. I loved the simplicity of the design of the restaurant and the one dotted paintings in different colors surrounding the room. According to our server it represented the ingredients used in Chef Massimo’s dishes… or something like that. I loved that the design of the restaurant was thought out and had a personal touch to it by the chef.
Of course the service was impeccable… I mean it is a 3 michelin star restaurant and named #3 in the world by S. Pellegrino’s Worlds Best Restaurant list. But what I enjoyed was how every dish was perfectly timed to come out in a timely fashion… not too fast but definitely not to slow… One thing I hate about coursed meals is that sometimes they take forever to bring out the dishes… it seriously makes me like the food less when the timing is inefficient. But Francescana was perfect!
So my friends and I opted to do a combination of their 12 course tasting between their traditional & creative 12 course meals… suggested by our server… and it was PERFECT! :)
I won’t go into the food too much because honestly I don’t recall the names of the dishes… but all I can say is that I LOVED IT!!!
My favorite was Chef Massimo’s famous THE CRISPY PART OF THE LASAGNA… so good… Loved the meat & sauces on the bottom of the bowl with the crispy italian flag on top… SO GOOD!!!
Also LOVED the VEAL! It’s not flamed grilled but slowly cooked… So tender and juicy… NOM NOM… and I loved the different sauces spread across the plate represented by the color of Italy.
And of course we cannot forget the 5 AGES OF PARMINGIANO REGGIANO… simply divine… how can someone come up with the idea to make 5 different types of cheese in different texture and presented it so beautifully in one dish!!! Beyond impressed!!!
And of course the OOPS I DROPPED A LEMON TART! SO GOOD! Just SO GOOD!!!
There were a few dishes initially which I didn’t care much for… but overall it was a magnificent meal… One thing I love about Chef Massimo is that he manages to make some new and inventive while still preserving the essence of Italy… Definitely loved my experience and would wanna go back!!!
My friends and I opted not to do the wine pairing since it was lunch and super HOT… we didn’t want to be dehydrated and drunk while trying to navigate our way back to Florence… Wish we could have done dinner with the wine pairing and take a taxi back or something… More the reason to go back!!! :)
PS. I came back home and watched Chef’s Table with Massimo Bottura on Netflix and it made me love Chef Massimo & his food even more! I love him as a chef and as a person! I love his wife and his whole staff. Love the overall family environment within the kitchen… And I am 99% sure that this is not staged for the cameras or the film… During my meal at Francescana I personally saw Chef Massimo interact with his guests (us included) and his staff… & he is definitely down to earth and real!
PPS. I LOVE his sneakers with his chef uniform… LOL :) ok I need to stop!!! If you have a chance to go or you’re thinking about going… JUST GO!!! :)

Great dishes, special mention to the Lasagna, the crab, and «torta di riso» dessert (wonderful).
4,5stars because the place is a quite «atmosphere cold», and to my mind, should be more warm/​welcomable.
It was like we were in a museum or in a Library, no sound, no cheerful atmosphere.
This is pityful on this particular side.
Pretty good ration quality/​price considering #3 ranked position in the 50 world best restaurant.
Ciao Chef!

If you have the opportunity to go, GO!
But, if you’re vegetarian, maybe not so much. My wife is; I’m not. But we got the Tradition in Evolution tasting menu because the server said that it translated better to a vegetarian version than Sensations. While I loved my dishes, the wife was not as enamored. Having tasted some of her dishes, I’d have to agree. Hence the 4 stars. But, if you have no such limitations, I wholeheartedly recommend a visit if you get the opportunity.

As I have said many times before, I am a very lucky woman. My husband knows that the way to my heart is not through fancy bags, or jewelry… but food. While we were in Italy, he made a point of getting a reservation here. How can we pass up the opportunity to eat at the 3^rd best restaurant in the world? We arrived at the very understated door with the small metallic sign and rang the bell (the door stays locked). Once we entered we were greeted by no less than 5 people! One to take our bag, one to take our coats, one to talk to us and one to take us to our table… it was a bit overwhelming! We were seated in a very modern, clean and (again) understated dining room. We immediately noticed that there were only 3 tables in the room, so it felt very personal. We did the traditions tasting menu and my husband did the wine pairing (I would be time travelling if I had 8 glasses of wine during lunch). The food was nothing short of spectacular. It is exactly what you would expect from a 3-​Michelin star restaurant. The food was imaginative, delicious, interesting and more than anything just really REALLY good. Every single detail was taken into account and you could tell that there was a tremendous amount of thought behind each dish. The progression was beautiful and was complimented perfectly by the wine. What can I say? It was basically perfect. My only complaint is that I felt the service was a little more stiff than what I am used to, but it is a fine dining establishment and I do not think that is a negative really. Overall, if you have the opportunity (and the cash) to go here, do not waste a second thought on doing it. It is absolutely the best dining experience I have ever had. Ever. Absolutely amazing! This really is a gem in the city of Modena!

I hesitate to write this review because I’m afraid the place will become overrun with tourists, but it’s probably inevitable. If you happen to find yourself in northern Italy, do yourself a favor and visit this gem of a restaurant. It will become one of your wonderful memories of glorious Italian food. The bread and wine is superlative, as you would expect. We especially enjoyed The Five Ages of Parmigiano, but I think it would be a good choice to go for the tasting menu because eating any of the food here is an experience you will never forget.

We made it a point to stop at Osteria Francescana for lunch on our way from Venice to Florence — how could we pass up eating at the 3^rd best restaurant in the world? Best decision we made during our trip.
We both got the Traditions Tasting menu with Wine Pairing.
Every dish that came out was incredibly unique and had some sort of tie to a nearby region of Italy. It’s clear that a ridiculous amount of thought and technique went into the creation of this menu.
Highlights of the meal for us:
I’m still dreaming about the Sous Vide cooked Veal, rolled in Charred Apple with beet/​horseradish/​greens sauces. I’ve never had a meat dish quite like it. Medium rare from edge to edge. Perfect.
We were both amazed by how much of a difference the wine pairing made. Each drink completely transformed the way we experienced the dish, and vice versa. We definitely recommend getting the wine pairing if you visit.
A must-​do if you’re in Italy!

When making plans to travel to Italy, is it worth it to realize that a highly rated restaurant (at the time, third in the world) as seen on Masterchef is only a few hours away from your planned locations so you decide to take those few hours to travel to Modena for one night and on the way your partner completely sprains his back by lifting a very heavy, wine bottle-​laden suitcase then is forced to stand up for over an hour on a late-​running, tightly packed train that goes through many long delays on the track? My partner says yes. (And he should know, as it happened to him!)
We’ve tried a few other top-​rated restaurants, and there’s always a high level of expectation involved when going. I think when something is so highly-​rated, one really expects perfection, and most restaurants just haven’t completely held up to that expectation. Luckily, Osteria Francescana blew my expectations out of the water. At the time of this review, they gave me the second best meal of my life.
The venue is small and really friendly. And the service is impeccable. (And Italy is often a place to not have amazing service.) Be aware that ringing the doorbell is a must to enter, as you could be waiting outside for quite awhile as the door was kept locked when we arrived.
We had the option for a la carte, the Classics tasting menu or the Sensations tasting menu. We opted for the Sensations menu, which is a surprise mix of experimental dishes from the kitchen, with wine pairings. The food was absolutely amazing. Most of the dishes were packed with flavor and the wine pairings were perfectly done. Even my least favorite dish wasn’t terrible, just not fantastic. Some of the stand out dishes that I had were «Frogs in a Pond», a green tomato risotto, an aromatic middle-​eastern venison dish and the bread and butter that was much more than just bread and butter. There were several types of bread as well (A sourdough that got replaced with grissini, white rolls and a savory croissant). I also had the best cappuccino on my trip and the desserts and candies at the end were superb.
I seriously can’t fault this place. Chef Massimo also came out a total of FOUR times to greet us and talk to us about the food and introduce courses. It’s such a nice surprise to see that in a restaurant. If you go anywhere near Modena in Italy, you should make sure to come here and try the food, because it was absolutely amazing. I’m already trying to figure out how we can get back here again and try the Classics menu!

So i shoud’ve done this review when I got back form Italy last October but kept putting it off so that I could write a 5 star worthy review of the 3^rd best restaurant in the world. Problem is I’m not even sure how to describe my experience at Osteria Francescana.
I’ve eaten at more than my fair share of Michelin 3 stars in the US and have to say this was just so different and unique. Every course was an adventure and I loved that every dish had a local connection to it – be it with a local ingredient from Emeglia-​Romana or the way it was plated to reminisce of a local feeling.
This was one of the best and most memorable dining experiences of my life and I feel so incredibly fortunate to have been able to dine here.
We were also in awe that Chef Mossimo came out of the kitchen to personally greet and welcome every single guest. He was so increidlby friendly and kind. It made it all the more special and he was so gracious when we told him we planned part of our trip to Italy just to be able to dine here.
If you EVER have the opportunity to dine here, just go. Don’t question the distance or the $ as it is worth every bit of effort it takes to get here. Amazing experience, and one I will still be talking about when I’m an old lady.
.

Michelin Stars #30−32
When planning our Europe trip, I knew we’d have to have at least one over the top experience. But since the top spots in Barcelona required months of advance planning to get in, I decided a 3 star in Italy would have to suffice.
What drew me to Osteria Francescana was their website, (
). I am a sucker for clean minimal design and beautiful food. All the pics and videos further enticed me so I send an email and got my reservation in about a month in advance. They asked if it was a special occasion, which it kind of was, so my wife ended up with a very nice slice of birthday cake in a flavor profile that I picked.
Once we arrived and got settled, the staff took very good care of us. No one was hovering and all the plate changes and wine pours were stealthy and non-​intrusive. Ordering was easy, at any place like this always get the top tier tasting. Here it was called «Sensations, expressions of our experimental kitchen.» At 180 euros, how could you not get it?
We started off with some very nice and warm homemade breads;
The amuse was probably the only dish we didn’t like and it was a scary start! The crushed ice was supposed to taste like Italy. But the mix of almond flavor, capers, coffee, and bergamot (orange-​ish) was just off putting for us;
Next something odd happened; they took away our bread, and gave back a basket with a different set of breads. I’ve never had a bread change before. But again, it was all very good;
And now the fun began. «Razor clams and their friends,» a great name for a great dish. The sweetness of the razor clams shown through the mix of other seafood delights and the sauces. Truly a great dish;
Up next was a beautifully cooked piece of salt cod with an amazingly light tomato broth. The fish was the ultimate in flakey and buttery;
Then came a three bite plate of pasta that I wished would never end. Simmered in a burnt calamari broth and mixed with oysters and topped with caviar, this looked and tasted like a masterpiece of flavors;
The next dish «Soft and crunchy Branzino,» was amazing and the fact that they took the skin off to fry it and then put it back was awesome. The rabbit sauce was excellent as well;
Next was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten; not an oyster. Named «Tribute to Normandy,» the salted lamb that was cooked in an emulsion of oyster water, served with caviar, seaweed, herbs, and iced apple granite, was a stroke of genius. I’ve never had a playful dish like this that worked so well. It really looked like an oyster and had the texture of an oyster but tasted like magic;
«Think Green» was the veggie dish of the night and packed more vibrant green into a plate than I’ve ever seen before. Chlorophyll rich it was and yet was still tasty;
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