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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Oh wow that was fast, I was just there last week and it was pretty full!
I heard that there was an incident about two months ago where a customer found a dead rat inside their pizza box when delivered. That caused a huge uproar that was the beginning of the end.
I just read an interesting book about urban legends. That’s a classic, much discussed in the book. Always “I heard,” with the restaurant in question changed depending on where the tale is being told.
Sure you did.
If that’s true don’t you think someone did it on purpose? It’s not like you don’t see a rat, living or dead, when you are putting a pizza in the box. So maybe it was a message fie the customer? Along the lines of “Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes”
Was that topping ordered??
Wish you all the best, David. Will miss you.
One of their delivery guys nearly plowed right into me once as he was on his bike, zipping around the corner of 68th and Columbus at full speed on the sidewalk. Their food was mediocre at best so no great loss, really. Bring on another nail salon or expensive dress shop.
au contraire, in the nieghborhood they served the last affordable, traditional breakfast of eggs, potaotes, meat and toast for just over 10 bucks. it was great, neither worse nor better than Utioia’s which rings in at around 20 bucks.
a couple of months ago the offering disappeared when the opening time changed to 11am.
Then u should like the all day egg breakfast at fairway Cafe under $10
The guys that worked there were really sweet and always remembered my husband’s and my order even if it had been months (eggplant pizza or cheese calzone with extra sauce). Really nice owner/employees. I hope they find a good new spot to work :-/ let us know if you hear.
Someone retires. The lease runs out . You don’t know.
Does anyone know about 2788 Bagels, the new incarnation of Absolute Bagels on Broadway? I walked past and it looked as though there is a full renovation going on inside. A new business or renovating the bagel shop?
Expanding into what used to be Effi’s hair salon. The expansion may be mostly to serve delivaristas, so folks buying their own bagels face shorter lines.
Man I’m sad to see this. Francesco’s was such a comforting shop to sit down with a slice. Their olive oil crust was unparalleled.
What a loss. Their entrees and side pastas were generous enough for more than one meal, savory and satisfying red sauce dishes.
Heartbreaking! Best pizza on UWS and absolutely nicest people. My go to since they opened! And I took every visitor there to show them an authentic NYC “pie” So sad! Thank you for all the years! I wish all employees and owner the best. Gracias por todo y suerte en el futuro!
Lots of good memories from there but, admittedly, with all the other pizza slice options in the neighborhood, I can’t remember the last time I went there or if their slice stood out vs being convenient to the movie theater but admittedly I don’t see many movies anymore either. Im kind of surprised they survived this long given how much has changed. Maybe the lease was finally up. I tend to go to New York pizza these days when I get a craving. Francescas did have that old school vibe back in the day.
One of my three favorite slices on the UWS. Bummer. Also, over two decades ago, and for quite some time, I used to bump into the Fanning family (Dakota, Elle and their parents) here; it was their favorite pizza. First met Dakota when she was 6 or 7. Was already an amazing young lady. Elle was still in a stroller.
VERY sad to see this shop go, if, in fact, it is a permanent closure. Can WSR do some more research into this and let us know? Thanks.
Try Sal Minellas Pizzeria!! To die for.
Very, very sad. For us, there was no other casual Italian place – the very definition of a neighborhood staple. Their eggplant parm hero was unsurpassed, and really, everything was good. I hope the employees have a soft landing.
My heart has been broken more than once by the closure of favorite night spots, so I’m immune to the sutprises. Every favorite place has someone who captures your heart. Twenty/thirty years later I think, whatever happened to so and so, my favorite pizza guy? Then I meet him on the subway thirty years later and we’re old. Then we just move on. But I’ve said too much.
I would not be surprised if ABC moving away has affected them. It was well known they were big patrons on a daily basis.
Judging from the photos on their wall?
Likely correct.
La Traviata Pizza
101 W 68th St, New York, NY 10023
Yes indeed! Better crust than Francescos
Been a fan of La Traviata since the 1990s when a woman ran in and handed the guy some money and thanked him for feeding her son for free and letting him use the phone when he got stranded after school.
I’m so so upset, my family ordered from Francesco’s nearly every single week. Does anyone know how to get in touch with the owners to share our love for the 25+ years they were there?
It’s true! I’m her mom
What a loss! We were weekly regulars for grilled vegetables or salad&pasta. Great guys working there, especially Jerry who was teaching us Spanish. Hope they find new jobs quickly.
BTW-Did you know that Jerome Kern once lived in that building?
There is plenty of better pizza nearby. No loss.
End of an era. A neighborhood favorite with good pies and a great staff.
It saddens me terribly
I cannot believe this
This is my go to Restaurant for everything. I love to eat.
We are so saddened! We moved to our apartment on West 71st the same year they opened! We loved Francesco’s and our then two year old would not tolerate sitting at any other restaurant! My sister and I would bring our toddlers there along with our Mom (Yiayia) and the staff were always wonderful to all of us! Especially Adrian who remembered our whole family, even 25 years later! We had many gatherings at Francesco’s. You will all be missed!
This is a real tragedy, that does not bode well for the rest of the neighborhood’s eatery’s. It reminds me of when the Caprice Cafe and the Elite disappeared overnight. In the case of the Caprice, their demise was due to rent gouging. (The landlord hit them with a monthly increase that equaled their entire profit margin in their BEST month.) This may have been a factor in the case of Francisco’s, although I am guessing that the end of the ABC television faculties in our neighborhood as a steady customer may also have been a factor. Sadly, time and the cost of living marches ever up and onward.
PS: The manager and the entire staff at Francisco’s were wonderful !
I’m so sorry to hear about their closure. I loved their pizza.