Guangzhou is no stranger to Italian cuisine.
You can find an eclectic mix of antipasti, cured meats, pasta and – of course – pizza throughout the city. But although Guangzhou boasts a sizeable number of Italian eateries worthy of a visit, none have caught our eye quite like Da Francesco’s Italian restaurant on Xingsheng Lu.
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
We’ve developed an appreciation for the restaurant, as it has continually impressed patrons with bold and satisfying dishes that can very easily prompt a next-day visit with a hungry friend.
Serving up delectable and incredibly executed eats that offer an authentic taste of Italy in Guangzhou, we break down five reasons your next meal should be at Da Francesco’s.
1. Traditional Italian Food at Its Finest
Image via Da Francesco’s
Italian food is often praised for using a palette of flavors, and Da Francesco’s stays true to that notion – incorporating fresh, imported Italian ingredients in their wide array of dishes. From handmade tagliatelle to in-house chocolate mousse dessert, everything served is of a high quality that is tough to find elsewhere.
2. Pizza Perfection
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
While we’d be remiss in referring to Da Francesco’s as a ‘pizza’ restaurant, the Italian eatery does serve some of the finest pizza we’ve tried in Canton. Offering both oil- and tomato-based pizzas, these tasty pies are baked inside the restaurant’s centrally located pizza oven, filling the establishment with a fresh dough and rich cheese scent that simply makes your mouth water. The oil-based rolled francesco, topped with mozzarella, ricotta, ham and mushroom, as well as the truffle ham pizza, are well worth an order – or two.
3. Beef Galore
Image via Da Francesco’s
Pasta and pizza are great, but you’ll be hard pressed to find a better prepared steak than the wagyu and angus cuts served at this Italian restaurant. Wagyu simply takes steak to another level, with plenty of Da Francesco’s customers ordering the popular Japanese beef. With tender cuts like wagyu tenderloin, aged sirloin and angus rib-eye, you can’t go wrong with Da Francesco’s juicy steak dishes.
4. Quality Assurance
Image via Da Francesco’s
Da Francesco’s restaurateur, Yabe, learned what an authentic Italian restaurant is like after living in Tuscany’s capital city, Florence, for the better part of a decade. It was in Florence that he learned the secrets behind the foods he fell in love with, and was mentored by a dear friend who taught him much of what he knows today.
Having previously ran another Italian eatery called Romeo and Juliet in Zhongshan, Yabe and his family moved to Guangzhou where he’s started this new venture. As a way to stay true to the authentic eats he enjoyed so much in Florence, Yabe invites a chef from the Association of Chefs in Florence – an organization he is also a member of – to check on the restaurant to ensure the food quality, among other aspects, are up to a high standard.
5. Picture-Perfect Presentation
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
Simply put, each dish at Da Francesco’s receives high marks for quality, taste and – arguably most important in the ‘Insta’-generation – presentation. Da Francesco’s manages to present every meal in an aesthetically pleasing way that shows true culinary craftsmanship. But we advise against taking a thousand photos, lest the Italian mother inside your head yells ‘mangia!’ (eat!).
Image by Ryan Gandolfo/That’s
Da Francesco’s Italian fare runs the gamut, and we’re told by Yabe that handmade gelato can also be enjoyed at the eatery, with one of the key ingredients imported from an award-winning Italian milk powder producer. (Note: You’ll need to order a couple of days in advance for this creamy dessert.)
For more information about Da Francesco’s call 3889-4035.
Click here to see a listing for Da Francesco’s.
[Cover image via Da Fancesco’s]
