The enduring craze for Neapolitan pizza shows no sign of slowing – and as the competition heats up, so too does the overall quality. Located between Politechnika Metro and Pl. Konstytucji, Franco is the latest to shake the city’s bedsheets and offer something memorable… but could this really be the best pizzeria yet?

The Look

Bolero aluminum chairs and tables – a staple of eateries around Italy – linger outside covered by a Lamborghini red awning completed by an on-trend logo. Looking professional, it’s an aesthetic that demonstrates that this restaurant really means business.

Once inside, the sheer depth of this cavernous space is enhanced yet further by a wall of mirrors positioned at the end. Elsewhere, the white and light interior is lent a hit of color thanks to overhead flowerpot lamps designed by Scandi design god Verner Panton.

But the devil is in the detail, and it’s the little things that make the biggest impression. Dotted with Italian trinkets, and featuring plates adorned with messages, our favorite feature is a neon sign that buzzes with the words ‘aperitivo or vodka’. Well why not both, you find yourself thinking. Enjoy these to the max by sitting at the marble counter that runs against the window – it’s the ideal perch to engage in the noble pursuit of people watching.

The Pie

This Insider, who hails from the city so nice that they named it twice (that’s New York, should you not know), has an almost Tony Soprano attitude towards anyone making pizza outside of the five-boroughs of NYC. And my biggest beef with Naples-style pizza is the floppy center which necessitates eating with utensils – each time I see people do that, it reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine’s boss, Mr. Pitt, eats a Snickers bar with a knife and fork. Fuhgeddaboudit!

Franco, on the other hand, tugs my heart strings thanks to a pie that has micro-layers of crispiness and a charred kiss courtesy of a pizzaiolo that chooses to raise the pizza peel to the top of the oven before removing the pie.

Star Dish

When visiting a new pizza joint, the best barometer of its quality is the standard margherita – but even so, when I saw the word puttanesca on the menu it was impossible to ignore this and just stick to the basics. I would be lying if I said this pizza changed my life, but it did change my spirit that afternoon. A euphoric pleasure, find the pizza puttanesca composed of salty anchovies and a volcanic sauce with blasts of olives and capers. Magical in quality, it’s just about my favorite thing to eat this summer in Warsaw.

Insider Secret

Don’t want to leave the dog locked up at home? Then bring it along – four-legged pals are absolutely welcome.

FRANCO WARSAW

Ludwika Waryńskiego 28,

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