Menu Franco’s Lounge

A man of many parties.

Franco cooks better than any Italian chef, entertains with his unusual and vividly-reported experiences, and sings romantics songs. Living in Alexandria for the last 25 years, this kind of show man receives his costumers always like honorable guests. 

Franco Abbruzzetti is the owner and executive chef of Trattoria da Franco. He is a man of many parts, adventuresome and creative. He is a very charming and charismatic kind of showman. In fact, the fascinating history of his life will soon become a book (to be translated in at least five languages).

A native of Rome, Italy, Franco is one of eight siblings, cared for by his widowed father and his Uncle Luigi. Raised during World War II, he lived many fascinating and heroic parts of his life in Italy and France during that period. Many times he can be persuaded to relate them over a glass of wine. "I use to pretend to be Julius Cesar with my friends in the Roman Forum that was in my neighborhood" he tells friends and costumers at Trattoria da Franco, his "only wife nowadays," as he says.

Divorced from an English wife for the last 20 years, somehow he still keeps all his big family around him in Alexandria. His youngest son, Massimiliano (Max) is one of the chefs at the Trattoria, as well as an award-winning poet and writer.
Coming from an aristocratic, yet persecuted roman family, Francesco, his baptismal name, started cooking as a kid in Rome with his grand father that use to run a small and elegant restaurant, Il Comparone, in Trastevere, on the banks of the river, Tiber, in the center of Rome, Italy. Later on he was sent by his Papa to France joining his sister and attended the Parisian Restaurant and cooking school of the Hotel Du Lac, Geneve, Switzerland. Over there, he also worked for his Uncle Oresti`s restaurant. Known as Francois de Gascout, Francesco, Franco or even Frank (a nickname for each country he lived in) spent around five years in Paris.

After that, he moved up to England were he started teaching Italian But it was a short period, until he fell in love and married a beautiful young blonde girl, one of his students. The wife gave him four kids. Besides Max, the youngest one, they had Marcelo, Paulo and Catherine." In England, Franco spent 18 years as a chef to some of Britain's most prominent personages, including Her Royal Majesty and Prince Philip. They use to go to the Talk of the Towns were Franco was the chef. He also met Sir Winston Churchill and Harold Wilson while he was working in Wellington Club. In this august company, Franco made his culinary name.
Conscious of his talent, restless and ambitious, Franco was attracted by the lure of America; he proved himself to be strong and eventually moved his many talents to the Washington D.C. area. The private Georgetown Pisces Club was the recipient of Franco's service and later he developed the popular Tiberio Restaurant, on busy K. St., in Washington. He moved to the more tranquil atmosphere of Old Town Alexandria when he joined Terrazza, then a popular restaurant on King Street.

In 1985 Franco branched out on his own again and opened the Trattoria da Franco, nowadays, the traditional and one of the best restaurants in all area. With its authentic Roman cuisine, traditional Italian décor and, of course, Franco's ebullient personality and style, it became a favorite for natives and visitors alike were from the very beginning.
A crowning touch of his many accomplishments, Franco was awarded last decade the prestigious Medal for excellence by the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina (Academy of Italian Cuisine), one of the highest honors into the culinary field, for his excellence in culinary achievement and authentic, traditional style.
If you are unlucky at this point to have never meet this man, or try his food while hearing his songs into a lovely romantic atmosphere of Trattoria da Franco, please, don't waste any more time. Make your reservation right now. But if you already know, we are sure that you don't need even to be reminded about Franco and his Trattoria in Old Town. You always will be back.

So, just call  703-548-9338  . He and all his great staff will be waiting to provide you the best.

Buon Appetito!

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 There are 10 differents kinds of pizza on the menu. All of them cooked
in the very best, classic Italian way.

Every other Fryday, Betsy Riddle Ruderfer performs at Trattoria da Franco. Click Special, enjoy a taste and book up your Reservations. 

Trattoria da Franco

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