Franco’s Italian Tavern Enters City-Wide Pizza Wars
By Tom Maicon at June 3, 2011 | 7:19 am | Print
Remember all those cheesy char pics (like the one to your right) when Varasano’s and Antica Pizza Napoletana opened their doors? Well, here we go again.
Only this time, it’s a very suburban destination near the heart of Crabapple at a new restaurant called Franco’s Italian Tavern (12020 Etris Rd, Roswell Tel: 678.869.5088).
The man behind the pies is owner Franco Negri, a former software heavy-hitter who has plenty of restaurant experience under his snug Italian belt. During a recent phone conversation Negri asked me whose pizza (between Varasano’s and Antica Pizza Napoletana) in the Atlanta area his most resembles. The answer to that question is really “no pizza,” but if I had to pin it to just one — I’d pick Varasano’s because Negri’s crust has that similar slight hint of sourdough and is perfectly crisp and chewy in all the right places. I am one of the few — and, I’m certain I will get sauce slung at me for saying so — who thinks Antica Pizza Napoletana’s crust is too doughy, even spongy with some bites.
Negri applies that esoteric char with a romantic wood-burning oven he had specially shipped from Florence, Italy. He breaks down the pizzas into two categories on the menu. The top section is for those seeking traditional style Italian pizzas and the second grouping is Grande cheese-covered NY-style pizzas, which are fired in that same rustic wood burning oven at the same temperature, and even painted with that same wonderful char.
Negri, if asked, will also stretch a medium dough ball into a large razor thin pie, consistent with that of a true Neapolitan-style. But he’s hesitant to call any pie he serves “Neapolitan” due to the strict ingredient profile one must abide.
So not to get too technical, I’d say his pizzas are a fantastic amalgamation of traditional Italian (from the boot) and good old-fashioned northeastern American.
No matter how you label these pies, they are tasty. And, that’s what really counts…isn’t it?
jimmy, 1 year ago
Looks great. Look forward to trying it.
I agree about Antico. Especially doughy and unpleasant after the pie has sat out a few minutes. The first slice is easily the best.
Crazyflutelady, 1 year ago
My husband, Secret Chef, and I are pretty much regulars there. The minions can get their kind of pizza and we can get ours. I especially covet the pizza with arugula and prosciutto. It filled the void created by the loss of the “authentica” pizza at Traditions when they closed. I’m glad to hear you liked it, too.
harry, 1 year ago
Pizza looks burnt to me, char is just another word for burnt
Penny, 1 year ago
Wow! Tried Franco’s last night for pizza. We were pleasantly surprised. We loved the crust and our server Shushi rocked!
artyc, 1 year ago
This was the best pizza I have had in Atlanta, and great service
Thomas hawkins, 1 year ago
The oven was way to hot and needed cleaned…or this Pie was reheated and the oven was way to hot and needed cleaned. I have flown pies at the boardwalk and was taught by italians from sicily. I used to be timed on how fast I could sauce and cheese a pepperoni pie and have it off the peel and in the brick bake oven.
neapolitan pizza was 22″ and took 60 seconds….
rico soave, 1 year ago
Super average and they could care less about their customers. Burned and bland and they could care less.
Bev, 9 months ago
Great pizza, pasta and wine!!! Love this place and will be back soon!