Tony and his partner Claudia Oswin are the brains behind the new eatery, which specialises in neo-Neopolitan pizzas – a modern spin on the traditional style of pizza making in Naples, Italy, that involves bases made from a high-hydration almost ciabatta-like dough. It goes through a long fermentation process before being hand-stretched, topped with ingredients, and placed in a high-heat woodfired oven for all of 90 seconds. The result is a slightly thicker pizza crust that comes out blistered, bubbling and slightly charred. Unlike the thin and super-crispy bases you might be used to, you’ll have to tackle Francie’s slices a little differently – the base will fold over, so be prepared to embrace it (lovingly) with two hands. If you’re a pizza fiend, you’ll appreciate that hot tip.
The topping combinations are unique and will change with the seasons. We’re coming to the end of kale and Brussels sprout season, so now’s the time to try pizzas like the Kale Me Maybe with Tuscan kale, roasted chilli, buttered mushroom, garlic and aged cheddar. We’re suckers for jazzy dish names, so pizzas like Pears Brosnan (pear, gorgonzola, speck, thyme and fior di latte) and Fennel Countdown (housemade fennel sausage, red onion, parmigiano reggiano, tomato and garlic crumb) are pretty hard to pass up. For a starter or belly-warming side, there’s dishes like woodfired pork and veal meatballs with housemade ciabatta, and steamed mussels with tomato, garlic and basil. Our plant-based friends can throw their hands in the air because Francie’s also has an entire vegan menu. Start with vegan meatballs with tomato sugo, before getting stuck into the Dollop Parton with fresh sliced garlic, basil, housemade vegan sausage and cashew ricotta dollops.
Whilst pizza under the moonlight is a dream, you can also experience the Francie’s goodness by day. Lunchtime brings a condensed menu of pizzas, salads and house-baked ciabatta sandwiches jammed with meats and cheeses (hellooo soppressata sambo), as well as vegan fillings. Now, we all know that pizza’s best accompaniment is wine, so you’ll be delighted to learn that just as much effort has gone into the cellar list. You’ll find six of Francie’s own brand of wine, which has been created exclusively for the restaurant, as well as two bottle-only offerings from Tony’s family winery Whistling Buoy. There’s Birra Moretti on tap, and for those staying dry, there’s a daily selection of housemade iced tea and lemonades, with fancy flavours like ginger and caramelised lemon. The venue’s 40 seats are spread across its homely interior and intricately lit exterior, so whether you’re keeping it cosy by the pizza oven or prefer dining under the stars, you’ll feel right at home at Francie’s.
Time for pizza, meatballs and all of the wine? Head to our Stumble Guide for Francie’s location and opening hours.
