About Francesca's

When Chef Scott Harris opened the doors to Mia Francesca on North Clark Street in 1992, he created a trend in the Chicago restaurant scene that has become a benchmark for urban dining. Mia Francesca, touted an immediate success by the press and patrons alike, was one of the first restaurants to encourage the lively art of dining with a contemporary, casually sophisticated trattoria ambiance. Featuring simple, rustic cooking, friendly service and fair prices, Mia Francesca won accolades from Chicago Magazine as "Critics' Choice – Rookie of the Year."

For Harris, Mia Francesca represented both a start and a finish. A veteran of many well-known Chicago restaurant kitchens including; The 95th, Ambria, Cucina Cucina, Harry's Café, Sole Mio, Trattoria L'Angelo di Roma, and Petthany's in St. Croix, Mia Francesca was the culmination of his years of experience and the desire to provide Chicagoans with a new style of dining. To open Mia Francesca, Harris partnered with Michael Noone and Terry Alexander, restaurant entrepreneurs in their own right, whose subsequent successes include Streetside, Mod, and Sonotheque.

"Mia Francesca was a departure from what was happening in the Chicago dining scene. We were purposely informal, but we didn't compromise the quality of the food. We took away the pretentiousness of the restaurant scene and offered an exciting dining experience at a good price," Harris says.

Harris has expanded his vision to include additional restaurants throughout the Chicagoland area, each time partnering with astute restaurant professionals and often including each chef as a partner. This managerial philosophy of building working partnerships, not just obtaining financial backers, has had a direct influence on the success of his restaurants. "We have really created a Family of Restaurants. Everyone has a vested interest in the restaurant's success," Harris notes.

La Sorella di Francesca (Naperville), Francesca's North (Northbrook), Francesca's on Taylor (Little Italy), Francesca's by the River (St. Charles), Francesca's Amici (Elmhurst), Francesca's Campagna (West Dundee), Francesca's Bryn Mawr (Edgewater), Francesca's Tavola (Arlington Heights), Francesca's Fiore (Forest Park), Francesca's Intimo (Lake Forest), Francesca's Vicinato (Palos Park), Francesca’s Fortunato (Frankfort), Francesca's Passaggio (South Naperville), Francesca's Forno (Wicker Park) and Francesca's Famiglia (Barrington) all retain the energy of Mia Francesca, yet each stands distinctly as an individual location. "With each restaurant, I wanted to keep the same philosophy – simple, rustic cooking and flavors, great service and good prices," Harris says. "The basics are in each restaurant, just as the basics are always in the food we serve. Every time a guest walks in the door, I want them to have the same great experience. Consistency in food and service is the essence of my business."

The energy of a contemporary Italian trattoria pervades each Francesca's location. Sleek lines are softened by warm woods; the well-lit dining rooms reflect the animation of the diners; striking photographs of rural Italian life by Paul Elledge line the walls to create a comfortable, decidedly urban setting. Harris also makes sure the design of each restaurant reflects its neighborhood location. Mia Francesca harks back to its origin as a candy store; Francesca's on Taylor recalls the flavor of an Italian neighborhood restaurant; Francesca's Amici and Francesca's Campagna have the welcoming feel of small town dining spots.

According to Harris, "Each Francesca's Restaurant stands on its own. The excitement of bringing a new restaurant to life is one of my greatest challenges and thrills. Our success is based on our ability to continually recognize what our customers want, and provide that winning formula. And, as always, consistently provide a remarkable dining experience."