By Gus Saltonstall
A longtime Upper West Side pizzeria appears to have permanently closed.
Francesco’s Pizza, located at 186 Columbus Avenue, between West 68th and 69th streets, has been closed, with its front metal grate down, for at least the past two days. Its phone line is continuously busy, and the restaurant is not accepting online food orders.
“It is with great sadness that I report the closure of the longtime UWS Italian staple,” local David Blinder wrote in an email to West Side Rag about Francesco’s Pizza. “It was like my second kitchen.”
The Rag visited Francesco’s on Thursday to try to confirm the closure, and not only found the shuttered facade, but an even more telling sight when we slowly opened the unlocked front door.
The inside of the pizzeria has been completely gutted.
There was one construction worker inside the storefront when the Rag visited, who said “yes,” when we asked if the pizzeria was permanently closed.
WSR is working on getting a contact for the owner of Francesco’s Pizza to fully confirm the closure is permanent. There is nothing on Fracesco’s Pizza’s website that indicates the pizzeria is closed.
Francesco’s has served customers at the Upper West Side location since 1999.
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