A taste of Italy in England: Pasta chain Francesca® opens five new restaurants

Sept. 3, 2015 - PRLog -- Francesca® will soon be opening a restaurant in Birmingham’s brand new shopping centre, Grand Central. People on the move will also be able to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine on the food courts of four motorway service stations: Beaconsfield (M40 J2), Cambridge (A14 – M11), Baldock (A1M J10) and Peterborough (A1M J17).

Whether it’s a little corner of Italy in the heart of Birmingham or just off the motorway, members of the public will be able to sample high-quality, fast casual dining at Francesca® (eat-in or take away), with a choice of up to 18 freshly prepared sauces and three varieties of durum wheat pasta, as well as an assortment of salads, antipasti, lasagne, cannelloni, panini, desserts, real Italian coffees and wine.

Founded in 1998 with over 50 restaurants in France and abroad, Francesca® provides healthy and balanced meals that live up to Italian cuisine’s excellent reputation. Francesca®’s company model proudly reflects the traditions upheld by high-quality Italian food and its respect for consumers and suppliers.

Francesca Albanese, co-founder of the Francesca® franchise, makes it her priority to source top-quality ingredients straight from Italy, which she then transforms into 18 deliciously fresh, homemade pasta sauces. All pasta dishes are free of preservatives or artificial flavours, and are based on traditional recipes and cooking techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation in Francesca Albanese’s family.

Francesca Albanese is fond of flavours promoted by the cucina contemporanea Italiana. Restaurants only use Pomi d’Oro tomatoes from the Naples region (southern Italy), extra virgin olive oil from the Puglie region (southern Italy) and GMO-free products. All dishes are served with authentic parmesan cheese imported from Parma (northern Italy).

Whether eating in or taking away, Francesca®’s menu offers each customer a diverse range of good, authentic Italian cuisine. The menu includes antipasti, salads, mains, desserts and coffee — all at affordable prices. Francesca® restaurants also offer seasonal menus and regularly add new dishes.

Restaurants offer a full and varied range of meals throughout the day. The delicatessen area also allows customers to take home the flavours of Francesca®’s cooking.  Restaurant interiors combine chic décor with a friendly ambience, balancing the simplicity of Italian life with the sophistication of Italian culture.

The restaurant chain is currently in the process of expanding into the United Kingdom, and is opening restaurants at the following locations:

1. Beaconsfield services (24 September 2015)

2. Grand Central Birmingham shopping centre (30 September 2015)

3. Cambridge services (22 October 2015)

4. Baldock services (21 November 2015)

5. Peterborough services (19 December 2015)

The Francesca® brand is offering one free meal to any journalist who wishes to know more about its restaurants, the company and its franchise. Journalists wishing to benefit from this special offer and discover the Francesca® concept are invited to contact Business France – The French Trade Commission in London (details below).

About Francesca

In 1997, Francesca Arbogast-Albanese and Bertrand Arbogast decided to share their love of Italian cuisine by founding Francesca®, a traditional Italian restaurant, in Strasbourg (eastern France).

In 2004, the company chose to offer takeaway dishes to its customers, which is where the fast casual restaurant idea originated. At the beginning of 2015, there were 50 restaurants across France, Switzerland, Canada and UK. From September 2015, people will not only be able to enjoy authentic Italian cuisine at Francesca®’s flagship restaurant in Baker Street, London, but also in Beaconsfield, Baldock, Cambridge and Peterborough. Birmingham Grand Central will be their first UK restaurant located in a shopping centre.

For further information, please visit: http://www.francescauk.com


For further information regarding this press release, please contact:

Fran Lambert, Communications Advisor

Business France – The French Trade Commission in London

SW1Y 4SP – UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 7024 3613

Email: fran.lambert@businessfrance.fr