Francesco's Italian Ristorante & Pizzeria looks like just another local Italian spot from the outside, but it's a surprising work of Italian art inside. Francesco LoPiccolo, owner of the popular Lorenzo's in Fountain Hill, last year transformed the former Pantry Diner building on Susquehanna Street into a beautifully designed restaurant that takes the traditional pizzeria to a more upscale level. It has a large menu with all the basics — pizza, stromboli, spaghetti — but also several dozen veal, chicken and seafood dishes and daily specials with more sophistication. Still, the spot is warm and friendly.
Setting and decor: Francesco's packs a lot of Italian flavor into its small space. There's a typical ordering counter, with the pizza oven behind it, but the counter is a beautiful creation of stone and marble. To one side is a seating area with tables; the other side booths, with seating for about 60.
