I have been here three times. This time instead of dining in, I got it to go. I also decided to try a meatball after reading the reviews. The pizza was fantastic! Everyone who had a slice said so (and we eat a lot of pizza which makes us experts.) The surprise for us was the meatball. I just got one so we could sample it. It was delicious, as well as the sauce that it was in. So much so that next time we may order 6 or so and make a meal out of it. Or we may try one of there meatball menu items. This part of Castle Shannon reminds me of Mr Rogers' Neighborhood. Mr McFeely could walk in at any time. Its part of the charm of the place! I am looking forward to my next visit.
(5)
Zack R.
Nothing spectacular, but nothing terrible either. Just average. The middle of the pizza was pretty greasy and not cooked completely through. The crust was good and crispy. The sauce and cheese are flavorful. They use ground pepperoni which is pretty unique. Like I said, you won't be completely disappointed, but at the same time you won't be wowed. It's just ok. Probably nothing I'd go out my way to order again.
(3)
J. E.
Franco's is a decent establishment and it is clear that they take extreme pride in their craft although their product misses the mark a little bit. The inside is very small and if you dine in you will leave smelling like pizza for the rest of the day. The prices are a bit more than they should be, clocking in at $14 for a regular large sixteen inch cheese pizza. They do use really high quality ingredients but it still a bit much for a pie from a little shop like this. The store is very small and it decorated poorly in the standard dirty pizza shop style. The menu is printed on a piece of paper from Kinko's. They use regular pizza boxes and then stamp their logo on them really small on the box, which is pretty funny and kind of ghetto. I get the impression that no one that runs Franco's really knows what they are doing on the business end. I was happy to see that they use a conventional brick oven as opposed to a conveyor oven. Unfortunately, they make their pizza on screens so the dough doesn't get the direct heat that it needs to get fully crispy and cooked. When the owner is making the pies he takes his time and makes them pretty well. The one time I came in and there was another guy making pizza and it was noticeably worse than usual and most of the sauce had drooped into the middle because he didn't account for it by putting the majority of the sauce on the outside so it can drift into place naturally while cooking. The dough: The dough is pretty flavorless. It has a somewhat typical Pittsburgh taste, a bit on the sweet side and lacking any real signs of fermentation. The dough is fairly moist, a bit too moist to be using with screens. Because of the screens the pizzas don't full cook to where they should be and even though the bottoms of the pies are cooked and done the dough right under the sauce is still a bit raw and doughy. After each pie comes out of the oven they brush the crust with oil and hit it with some herbs not unlike Domino's. Some people probably have little mini-orgasms over the herb crust but I would much rather have a crust that taste like good crispy crust. The dough is definitely the weakest link of the pie. The cheese: They use Grande cheese (aka the best). I think it is 100% grande but I can't be totally sure. The sauce: Franco's uses Stanislaus tomatoes which are among the best tomatoes you can buy. The sauce is pretty good but could use work. The flavor is very herby with a decent bit of garlic. The sauce is borderline bitter at times but not exactly in a bad way. It has a bit of spice that I think would be nice if they toned down the herbs. The consistency is in the middle of the road, not too chunky and not too watery. I do think they use the old fashioned stingy pizza shop recipe of using crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and than water so save money. This is probably part of the reason they are overcompensating on the herbs also. They are using herbs and garlic to disguise the fact that the sauce is probably at least 20% water. It still isn't a bad sauce by any means and is still better than most in the area. Like many Pittsburgh pizza shops they tend to go heavy on the cheese and skimpy on the sauce which I dislike. Also sometimes it seems as though the sauce isn't distributed well across the pizza and you end up with one of those bulls eye dart board looking pies where there are big portions without sauce and big portions with all of the sauce. This place makes a really excellent marinara sauce for their pastas as well, although there are some things on the menu where they say they are giving you marinara sauce (for example Breadsticks with Marinara) and what they actually give you is just cold pizza sauce (which is terrible for breadsticks). Overall its still a pretty solid pie. If they were to ditch the screens and make pizza the old fashioned way it would do them wonders. Less cheese and more sauce would be nice also. This place is definitely worth checking out and I imagine people than aren't as picky as I am would love it.
(3)
DJ J.
Friendly greeting when we entered. Was talking with the owner, Dan. If you check out the website you will learn how it received it's name. He had a pizza shop in the Burgettstown area and decided to open up in this location. Ordered a pepperoni pizza. He explained that he grinds his pepperoni and named the type (which I forgot), so don't expect to have the little slices on your pizza. The crust is thinner and a nice flavor, I think it has some garlic sauce on it before the pizza sauce. The pizza is good. The sauce is not to sweet like some other local places.
(3)
Jenn T.
Oh, my dear Franco's, why must you be alllll the way in Castle Shannon? You know we Yinzers don't like to cross bridges and go through tunnels! But for you, Franco's? For you, I will both cross a bridge AND go through a tunnel. For your perfectly-seasoned pizza crust and giant juicy meatballs, I will even sit in traffic on West Liberty Avenue AND Route 51. It is that serious. This is the cutest pizza shop. Incredible service, and workers/owners who truly care about the business. They put their hearts into this shop and it shows. The pizza is delicious. The crust is just the tiniest bit salty, and pleasantly garlicky, and the sauce is so well-balanced. I'm picky about my red sauces, but Franco's hits it out of the park with balance. Not too sweet, not too salty, not sour in the least. It's everything a pizza sauce wants to be. The meatballs are also noteworthy. They're meaty, gigantic, and juicy as can be. And unlike that dish your Baba made for you your entire childhood that you just couldn't replicate at home, Franco's masters the old family meatball recipe as if Granny herself is hard at work in the kitchen six days a week. They do takeout and delivery, but I recommend going in and sitting down at one of the tables to enjoy your meal. You'll get to chat with the staff, hear their stories, and feel like one of the family. So cross the bridge. Take the tunnel. Embrace your road rage at that intersection-that-might-actually-be-a-portal-to-Hell on 51. Do whatever it takes to get to Franco's and get yourself a meatball.
(5)
Thomas D.
The pizza is awesome and the meatballs are better! First time there and would recommend to those in the south hills.
(5)
Paula M.
I just ate the most wonderful gnocchi I've had in years! Even though they were made with potatoes, they were light and so delicious. The sauce was scrumptious and light. The meatball I ordered to go with the gnocchi was authentic - made with beef, pork and veal! It's a BYOB and with just a few tables to eat inside. My friend got the Blue Pig pizza- it was a delightful surprise - the crust was crispy, not chewy - and had a wonderful flavor! the toppings were very savory and included pine nuts and spinach. Don't overlook this modest family run eatery in Castle Shannon - either to order take out, delivery or eat-in. A bargain with authentic Italian food - I'm planning on coming back to experience more of their menu.
(5)
Ken L.
We went for a walk from our Castle Shannon apartment looking for dinner. We happened accross Franco's. It was our first visit there. The owner 's mother took our order and chatted with us about our impressions of the area, having moved from Jersey City. The owner entertained out 6 year old with his pizza making skills. We ordered a medium pie, half plain for the boy and half with meatballs. It was amazing, by far the best pizza we have found in these parts. Momma brought us a meatball to try to honor our first visit. My italian wife may have slipped and said that Mama's meatballs are as good as her Nana's.
(5)
Daniel T.
Favorite place to eat, here at least 3xs a week. Blue pig is amazing. Gnocchi is awesome and meatballs are a must order!
(5)
Dee K.
Amazing B.Y.O.B. with warm and friendly staff and incredibly good food. The fresh ingredients used make all the dishes delectable. You can taste the quality in the food. Had a pizza and hoagie. Sauce Delicious and not overpowering, on a fresh hand tossed homemade dough bursting with flavor. The hoagie was made on a fresh baked bun(Super soft), big on size and outstanding on flavor, packed with fresh meats, cheese and vegetables. The staff was very helpful and made us feel right at home. They are closed on Mondays and have a gnocchi special on Sundays, but get there early, as they are homemade and once they sell out they are gone. Do Not hesitate to give this place a try, you will not be disappointed. Fresh pasts, pizza, sandwiches and even homemade soups.
(5)
Nick N.
Make some dough. Im from out of town. Pizza sucks where I live. I'm always on the hunt for the next best pie. We were camped out in our RV across the street for a hockey tournament when a nice lady brought 2 pizzas over. "We didn't order any.....". "I know but its slow and thought you boys might want some pizzas". HELL YEA. free pizza, no mater how bad is 3 star material at least. Marketing genius. The pizza was A+ so we went across the street (12 pak under arm cause its BYOB) and killed 2 more larges plus left a fat tip for the nice folks. This is my kind of joint. Doesn't look like much from the outside but is a hidden gem. Why the pizza is the shizz: crisp brick oven style crust that actually has flavor. You will not leave pizza bones on your plate. The secret : these guys use cold filtered water and make fresh dough every day. The ground pepperoni was a nice touch . Bottom line: do your part to help get this country out of its recession. Spend your hard earned cash at a mom and pop shop like this.
(5)
Julie Z.
I tried Franco's for the first time recently and, no doubt, will be a customer for a long time to come. The pizza was awesome...but I feel like that has already been established in most of the reviews I have read. That being said, I would like to put a spotlight on the HOAGIES. One word: Unbelievable! The weight of a whole hoagie, alone, is unbelievable. I ordered The Godfather which was described as a mobster of a hoagie. What the menu failed to mention was that The Godfather weighs 7lbs. and you may put your back out trying to lift it to your mouth (small exaggeration on my part...but not that far off). Every bite was loaded with meatball, sausage, onion, peppers and bread. Delicious, delicious, delicious, delicious. Some people may complain about the prices at Franco's, but you get what you pay for. And what I got was an amazing meal, made with quality ingredients, prepared by the friendliest staff I have ever encountered at a pizza shop. I'm already looking forward to my next visit...when I will try the Drunken Pig with a side of Don Capo :-)))))
(5)
Caitlin C.
New favorite pizza place!!! So delicious and the people that work there are so sweet and grateful for loyal customers. Great homemade wine too!
(5)
Sm E.
This is my new favorite pizza joint. Super friendly staff, fast delivery, excellent prices, and the best pizza I've ever had. I don't know what magic they put in the crust, but instead of being the usual cardboard delivery system for the veggies that most places have, it's flavorful and delicious. This is the only pizza I order anymore. Once, I ordered before their driver was on duty, so one of the other employees delivered rather than telling me I'd have to pick up. How cool is that? In short: great pizza, good prices, nice people.
(5)
John M.
Very disappointed with their pizza. I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza for take out. $9.99 plus $1.49 for the pepperoni only to find out when I got it home that it had no pepperoni on it. The crust was sooooo SOGGY it tasted like it was soaked in water. I called the next day and spoke to the manager. She told me they use ground pepperoni (NEVER HEARD OF GROUND PEPPERONI ON PIZZA). I told her it had NO FLAVOR and perhaps they should advise customers of the GROUND Pepperoni when ordering and also show that it is ground on their menu. She was not at all apologetic about the terrible pizza I recieved. She did however offer me a free pizza but I declined. Why suffer again. This is the THIRD pizza joint at this location in the last 10 months and if they keep making pizza like this, They'll be gone soon too.
(1)
Adam H.
Pizza was some of the best I have had. The sauce really made the difference on this one. I've recommended it to numerous others by word of mouth but bottom line - try this place out. Ask for the owners if you aren't sure what to get on the pizza, they will make you a special pie to die for!
(5)
Dan G.
We've been to Franco's twice and the pizza is definitely the best in the area. A thin crust pizza with a balanced sauce (not too sweet, but not too zesty, either), our pizzas with extra cheese were fantastic and we're looking forward to ordering a pie again. The meatballs, though, are Franco's secret weapon. They are the most delicious meatballs that my wife and I have ever tasted! $2 a meatball? They'd be a -bargain- at $5 a meatball! They're that amazing. Dan and Maria, the shop owners, are perfectly delightful and, based on the other customers in the shop, it already seems like the meeting place for local friends.
(5)
Luke B.
I looked everywhere online to find a menu and couldn't locate anything so I called to order. The girl on the phone told me that they have no pizza and topping deals and they don't have wings. So I ordered a large 2 topping pizza for pickup, went to pick it up and the girl rings it up and the total was 21.37. Are you kidding me I can get an xtra large three topping at pitzarella for 14.99. The price is outrageous and the toppings were scarce. I never leave reviews but I thought this one was exceptionally disappointing. I won't be going back and if you do ask for the price cause I was stone cold shocked.
(1)
Aaron A.
Three words summarize our experience at Franco's: Best. Pizza. EVER. That's a bold statement, I know; believe EVERY word. Danny & family have something incredibly special going on here, and you owe it to yourself to get your catoosh out to Castle Shannon to partake in the passion, hospitality, & culinary perfection that only a TRUE Italian pizzeria can deliver. I've been all over this green Earth and I've never had pizza like this. I'd put Danny's work up against anyone's, including those I've sampled in the mother country, Italy. Crust? Flaky, light, perfectly textured, and delicious. Danny's technique for doughraising should be patented. Sauce? Perfectly portioned and balanced; marked by notes of both sweetness and spice. Cheese? Ooey-gooey melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Toppings? Highest quality; the hand-ground pepperoni reduces greasiness but adds flavor to each slice. Together, these ingredients and techniques work in concert to finish in a symphony of flavor; in short, the perfect pie. To top it all off, Danny, his mamma Elvira, and staff couldn't have been more hospitable; they made us feel like we were "famiglia". We'll be coming back as many times as they will have us! Please. Go to Franco's. Make the trip. Bear the traffic. Burn the extra gas. You'll be glad you did. ***UPDATE*** We visited Franco's again a couple of weeks ago - everything I said above is CONFIRMED. Danny, Nonna, & staff treated us like royalty...like FAMILY. This WILL be our go-to place for Italian cuisine in western PA until the apocalypse or Danny runs out of ingredients, whichever comes first. I'll say it again: Best. Pizza. EVER.
(5)
Kristen H.
We ordered a large plain cheese pizza there the other night and it was just....okay. Not good, but not bad bc how badly can you eff up cheese, tomato sauce, and pizza dough? Our delivery was 45 minutes and it took them 50 min, but we live really close to this place and i dont know why it took so long, but the pizza was lukewarm when it arrived. however, this is one of the few pizza places that deliver to us (we live behind Caste Village), so we might try them again. it wasn't horrible, adn it wasn't terribly expensive. It was just very, very, meh. Compared to our other option, Dominos, they were okay.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Phil G.
I have been here three times. This time instead of dining in, I got it to go. I also decided to try a meatball after reading the reviews. The pizza was fantastic! Everyone who had a slice said so (and we eat a lot of pizza which makes us experts.) The surprise for us was the meatball. I just got one so we could sample it. It was delicious, as well as the sauce that it was in. So much so that next time we may order 6 or so and make a meal out of it. Or we may try one of there meatball menu items. This part of Castle Shannon reminds me of Mr Rogers' Neighborhood. Mr McFeely could walk in at any time. Its part of the charm of the place! I am looking forward to my next visit.
(5)Zack R.
Nothing spectacular, but nothing terrible either. Just average. The middle of the pizza was pretty greasy and not cooked completely through. The crust was good and crispy. The sauce and cheese are flavorful. They use ground pepperoni which is pretty unique. Like I said, you won't be completely disappointed, but at the same time you won't be wowed. It's just ok. Probably nothing I'd go out my way to order again.
(3)J. E.
Franco's is a decent establishment and it is clear that they take extreme pride in their craft although their product misses the mark a little bit. The inside is very small and if you dine in you will leave smelling like pizza for the rest of the day. The prices are a bit more than they should be, clocking in at $14 for a regular large sixteen inch cheese pizza. They do use really high quality ingredients but it still a bit much for a pie from a little shop like this. The store is very small and it decorated poorly in the standard dirty pizza shop style. The menu is printed on a piece of paper from Kinko's. They use regular pizza boxes and then stamp their logo on them really small on the box, which is pretty funny and kind of ghetto. I get the impression that no one that runs Franco's really knows what they are doing on the business end. I was happy to see that they use a conventional brick oven as opposed to a conveyor oven. Unfortunately, they make their pizza on screens so the dough doesn't get the direct heat that it needs to get fully crispy and cooked. When the owner is making the pies he takes his time and makes them pretty well. The one time I came in and there was another guy making pizza and it was noticeably worse than usual and most of the sauce had drooped into the middle because he didn't account for it by putting the majority of the sauce on the outside so it can drift into place naturally while cooking. The dough: The dough is pretty flavorless. It has a somewhat typical Pittsburgh taste, a bit on the sweet side and lacking any real signs of fermentation. The dough is fairly moist, a bit too moist to be using with screens. Because of the screens the pizzas don't full cook to where they should be and even though the bottoms of the pies are cooked and done the dough right under the sauce is still a bit raw and doughy. After each pie comes out of the oven they brush the crust with oil and hit it with some herbs not unlike Domino's. Some people probably have little mini-orgasms over the herb crust but I would much rather have a crust that taste like good crispy crust. The dough is definitely the weakest link of the pie. The cheese: They use Grande cheese (aka the best). I think it is 100% grande but I can't be totally sure. The sauce: Franco's uses Stanislaus tomatoes which are among the best tomatoes you can buy. The sauce is pretty good but could use work. The flavor is very herby with a decent bit of garlic. The sauce is borderline bitter at times but not exactly in a bad way. It has a bit of spice that I think would be nice if they toned down the herbs. The consistency is in the middle of the road, not too chunky and not too watery. I do think they use the old fashioned stingy pizza shop recipe of using crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and than water so save money. This is probably part of the reason they are overcompensating on the herbs also. They are using herbs and garlic to disguise the fact that the sauce is probably at least 20% water. It still isn't a bad sauce by any means and is still better than most in the area. Like many Pittsburgh pizza shops they tend to go heavy on the cheese and skimpy on the sauce which I dislike. Also sometimes it seems as though the sauce isn't distributed well across the pizza and you end up with one of those bulls eye dart board looking pies where there are big portions without sauce and big portions with all of the sauce. This place makes a really excellent marinara sauce for their pastas as well, although there are some things on the menu where they say they are giving you marinara sauce (for example Breadsticks with Marinara) and what they actually give you is just cold pizza sauce (which is terrible for breadsticks). Overall its still a pretty solid pie. If they were to ditch the screens and make pizza the old fashioned way it would do them wonders. Less cheese and more sauce would be nice also. This place is definitely worth checking out and I imagine people than aren't as picky as I am would love it.
(3)DJ J.
Friendly greeting when we entered. Was talking with the owner, Dan. If you check out the website you will learn how it received it's name. He had a pizza shop in the Burgettstown area and decided to open up in this location. Ordered a pepperoni pizza. He explained that he grinds his pepperoni and named the type (which I forgot), so don't expect to have the little slices on your pizza. The crust is thinner and a nice flavor, I think it has some garlic sauce on it before the pizza sauce. The pizza is good. The sauce is not to sweet like some other local places.
(3)Jenn T.
Oh, my dear Franco's, why must you be alllll the way in Castle Shannon? You know we Yinzers don't like to cross bridges and go through tunnels! But for you, Franco's? For you, I will both cross a bridge AND go through a tunnel. For your perfectly-seasoned pizza crust and giant juicy meatballs, I will even sit in traffic on West Liberty Avenue AND Route 51. It is that serious. This is the cutest pizza shop. Incredible service, and workers/owners who truly care about the business. They put their hearts into this shop and it shows. The pizza is delicious. The crust is just the tiniest bit salty, and pleasantly garlicky, and the sauce is so well-balanced. I'm picky about my red sauces, but Franco's hits it out of the park with balance. Not too sweet, not too salty, not sour in the least. It's everything a pizza sauce wants to be. The meatballs are also noteworthy. They're meaty, gigantic, and juicy as can be. And unlike that dish your Baba made for you your entire childhood that you just couldn't replicate at home, Franco's masters the old family meatball recipe as if Granny herself is hard at work in the kitchen six days a week. They do takeout and delivery, but I recommend going in and sitting down at one of the tables to enjoy your meal. You'll get to chat with the staff, hear their stories, and feel like one of the family. So cross the bridge. Take the tunnel. Embrace your road rage at that intersection-that-might-actually-be-a-portal-to-Hell on 51. Do whatever it takes to get to Franco's and get yourself a meatball.
(5)Thomas D.
The pizza is awesome and the meatballs are better! First time there and would recommend to those in the south hills.
(5)Paula M.
I just ate the most wonderful gnocchi I've had in years! Even though they were made with potatoes, they were light and so delicious. The sauce was scrumptious and light. The meatball I ordered to go with the gnocchi was authentic - made with beef, pork and veal! It's a BYOB and with just a few tables to eat inside. My friend got the Blue Pig pizza- it was a delightful surprise - the crust was crispy, not chewy - and had a wonderful flavor! the toppings were very savory and included pine nuts and spinach. Don't overlook this modest family run eatery in Castle Shannon - either to order take out, delivery or eat-in. A bargain with authentic Italian food - I'm planning on coming back to experience more of their menu.
(5)Ken L.
We went for a walk from our Castle Shannon apartment looking for dinner. We happened accross Franco's. It was our first visit there. The owner 's mother took our order and chatted with us about our impressions of the area, having moved from Jersey City. The owner entertained out 6 year old with his pizza making skills. We ordered a medium pie, half plain for the boy and half with meatballs. It was amazing, by far the best pizza we have found in these parts. Momma brought us a meatball to try to honor our first visit. My italian wife may have slipped and said that Mama's meatballs are as good as her Nana's.
(5)Daniel T.
Favorite place to eat, here at least 3xs a week. Blue pig is amazing. Gnocchi is awesome and meatballs are a must order!
(5)Dee K.
Amazing B.Y.O.B. with warm and friendly staff and incredibly good food. The fresh ingredients used make all the dishes delectable. You can taste the quality in the food. Had a pizza and hoagie. Sauce Delicious and not overpowering, on a fresh hand tossed homemade dough bursting with flavor. The hoagie was made on a fresh baked bun(Super soft), big on size and outstanding on flavor, packed with fresh meats, cheese and vegetables. The staff was very helpful and made us feel right at home. They are closed on Mondays and have a gnocchi special on Sundays, but get there early, as they are homemade and once they sell out they are gone. Do Not hesitate to give this place a try, you will not be disappointed. Fresh pasts, pizza, sandwiches and even homemade soups.
(5)Nick N.
Make some dough. Im from out of town. Pizza sucks where I live. I'm always on the hunt for the next best pie. We were camped out in our RV across the street for a hockey tournament when a nice lady brought 2 pizzas over. "We didn't order any.....". "I know but its slow and thought you boys might want some pizzas". HELL YEA. free pizza, no mater how bad is 3 star material at least. Marketing genius. The pizza was A+ so we went across the street (12 pak under arm cause its BYOB) and killed 2 more larges plus left a fat tip for the nice folks. This is my kind of joint. Doesn't look like much from the outside but is a hidden gem. Why the pizza is the shizz: crisp brick oven style crust that actually has flavor. You will not leave pizza bones on your plate. The secret : these guys use cold filtered water and make fresh dough every day. The ground pepperoni was a nice touch . Bottom line: do your part to help get this country out of its recession. Spend your hard earned cash at a mom and pop shop like this.
(5)Julie Z.
I tried Franco's for the first time recently and, no doubt, will be a customer for a long time to come. The pizza was awesome...but I feel like that has already been established in most of the reviews I have read. That being said, I would like to put a spotlight on the HOAGIES. One word: Unbelievable! The weight of a whole hoagie, alone, is unbelievable. I ordered The Godfather which was described as a mobster of a hoagie. What the menu failed to mention was that The Godfather weighs 7lbs. and you may put your back out trying to lift it to your mouth (small exaggeration on my part...but not that far off). Every bite was loaded with meatball, sausage, onion, peppers and bread. Delicious, delicious, delicious, delicious. Some people may complain about the prices at Franco's, but you get what you pay for. And what I got was an amazing meal, made with quality ingredients, prepared by the friendliest staff I have ever encountered at a pizza shop. I'm already looking forward to my next visit...when I will try the Drunken Pig with a side of Don Capo :-)))))
(5)Caitlin C.
New favorite pizza place!!! So delicious and the people that work there are so sweet and grateful for loyal customers. Great homemade wine too!
(5)Sm E.
This is my new favorite pizza joint. Super friendly staff, fast delivery, excellent prices, and the best pizza I've ever had. I don't know what magic they put in the crust, but instead of being the usual cardboard delivery system for the veggies that most places have, it's flavorful and delicious. This is the only pizza I order anymore. Once, I ordered before their driver was on duty, so one of the other employees delivered rather than telling me I'd have to pick up. How cool is that? In short: great pizza, good prices, nice people.
(5)John M.
Very disappointed with their pizza. I ordered a medium pepperoni pizza for take out. $9.99 plus $1.49 for the pepperoni only to find out when I got it home that it had no pepperoni on it. The crust was sooooo SOGGY it tasted like it was soaked in water. I called the next day and spoke to the manager. She told me they use ground pepperoni (NEVER HEARD OF GROUND PEPPERONI ON PIZZA). I told her it had NO FLAVOR and perhaps they should advise customers of the GROUND Pepperoni when ordering and also show that it is ground on their menu. She was not at all apologetic about the terrible pizza I recieved. She did however offer me a free pizza but I declined. Why suffer again. This is the THIRD pizza joint at this location in the last 10 months and if they keep making pizza like this, They'll be gone soon too.
(1)Adam H.
Pizza was some of the best I have had. The sauce really made the difference on this one. I've recommended it to numerous others by word of mouth but bottom line - try this place out. Ask for the owners if you aren't sure what to get on the pizza, they will make you a special pie to die for!
(5)Dan G.
We've been to Franco's twice and the pizza is definitely the best in the area. A thin crust pizza with a balanced sauce (not too sweet, but not too zesty, either), our pizzas with extra cheese were fantastic and we're looking forward to ordering a pie again. The meatballs, though, are Franco's secret weapon. They are the most delicious meatballs that my wife and I have ever tasted! $2 a meatball? They'd be a -bargain- at $5 a meatball! They're that amazing. Dan and Maria, the shop owners, are perfectly delightful and, based on the other customers in the shop, it already seems like the meeting place for local friends.
(5)Luke B.
I looked everywhere online to find a menu and couldn't locate anything so I called to order. The girl on the phone told me that they have no pizza and topping deals and they don't have wings. So I ordered a large 2 topping pizza for pickup, went to pick it up and the girl rings it up and the total was 21.37. Are you kidding me I can get an xtra large three topping at pitzarella for 14.99. The price is outrageous and the toppings were scarce. I never leave reviews but I thought this one was exceptionally disappointing. I won't be going back and if you do ask for the price cause I was stone cold shocked.
(1)Aaron A.
Three words summarize our experience at Franco's: Best. Pizza. EVER. That's a bold statement, I know; believe EVERY word. Danny & family have something incredibly special going on here, and you owe it to yourself to get your catoosh out to Castle Shannon to partake in the passion, hospitality, & culinary perfection that only a TRUE Italian pizzeria can deliver. I've been all over this green Earth and I've never had pizza like this. I'd put Danny's work up against anyone's, including those I've sampled in the mother country, Italy. Crust? Flaky, light, perfectly textured, and delicious. Danny's technique for doughraising should be patented. Sauce? Perfectly portioned and balanced; marked by notes of both sweetness and spice. Cheese? Ooey-gooey melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Toppings? Highest quality; the hand-ground pepperoni reduces greasiness but adds flavor to each slice. Together, these ingredients and techniques work in concert to finish in a symphony of flavor; in short, the perfect pie. To top it all off, Danny, his mamma Elvira, and staff couldn't have been more hospitable; they made us feel like we were "famiglia". We'll be coming back as many times as they will have us! Please. Go to Franco's. Make the trip. Bear the traffic. Burn the extra gas. You'll be glad you did. ***UPDATE*** We visited Franco's again a couple of weeks ago - everything I said above is CONFIRMED. Danny, Nonna, & staff treated us like royalty...like FAMILY. This WILL be our go-to place for Italian cuisine in western PA until the apocalypse or Danny runs out of ingredients, whichever comes first. I'll say it again: Best. Pizza. EVER.
(5)Kristen H.
We ordered a large plain cheese pizza there the other night and it was just....okay. Not good, but not bad bc how badly can you eff up cheese, tomato sauce, and pizza dough? Our delivery was 45 minutes and it took them 50 min, but we live really close to this place and i dont know why it took so long, but the pizza was lukewarm when it arrived. however, this is one of the few pizza places that deliver to us (we live behind Caste Village), so we might try them again. it wasn't horrible, adn it wasn't terribly expensive. It was just very, very, meh. Compared to our other option, Dominos, they were okay.
(3)