"Bottura's casual Modena bistro: Tortellante tortellini and a €65 tasting menu under €100 with wine — book it for a relaxed first date."
A former auto workshop on Strada Vignolese, a short walk east of Modena's centre, holds Massimo Bottura's second restaurant. Franceschetta 58 is the relaxed counterpart to Osteria Francescana, three times ranked the world's best restaurant, and it is run day to day by chef Francesco Vincenzi. The tasting menus are €48 and €65; the Emilia Burger is €17; the tortellini in brodo are folded by hand at Il Tortellante. You eat Bottura's pedigree at bistro prices, in a room with the garage doors still in place. For most travellers it is the smartest table in the city.
The Kitchen
Francesco Vincenzi runs the kitchen, cooking Bottura's idea of Emilia-Romagna told through a modern, unfussy lens. The format is a bistro: a short à la carte and two tasting menus, the €48 five-course Tradition in Evolution and the €65 seven-course I ❤ Modena. The cooking starts from the region's roots and lifts them — 36-month aged pancetta with the sweetness of Campanina apple mostarda, a velvety zuppa inglese, the kind of dishes that read traditional until you taste how precisely they are made.
The signature, and the reason to book, is the tortellini in brodo. They are made by the patient hands of Il Tortellante, a Modena workshop where young people on the autism spectrum learn to fold fresh pasta — a project Bottura's foundation backs, and a plate that tastes of more than its broth. The Emilia Burger, at €17, is the casual icon. The wine list gives a full page to Lambrusco, the region's sparkling red, which keeps pairings honest and affordable. A full dinner with wine lands well under €100 a head — extraordinary for cooking with this lineage. The Michelin Guide lists it; for the three-star original a few streets away, see Osteria Francescana.
The Room
The bones of the old garage are still here: roller doors, an open feel, a deliberately un-precious dining room that wears its workshop past on its sleeve. Sound is lively, a proper bistro buzz rather than a hush; lighting is warm and low at dinner; tables are close enough to feel social without losing privacy. There is no dress code beyond smart-casual — Modenesi dress tidily, so lean put-together rather than scruffy. The room is mid-sized and books up; lunch is calmer than dinner. Service is warm and well-informed, especially on the wine.
Best for a First Date
Book this room for a first date for three reasons. First, the bistro setting takes the pressure off — nobody feels they have to whisper or perform, which is exactly what a first date needs. Second, the price is clear and easy, so picking up the bill is no drama. Third, the food gives you something to talk about: the Tortellante tortellini come with a story worth telling, and a shared plate early on breaks the ice better than any small talk. Take a chilled Lambrusco, order the €65 menu to share the kitchen's range, and let the room's buzz do the rest.
Not for
Not for anyone expecting the Osteria Francescana experience at a discount. This is a bistro — lively, casual, no three-star theatre or tableside spectacle. If you want the formal tasting-menu ritual, book the original next door instead.
Frequently Asked
Is Franceschetta 58 worth it?
Yes — it is the best-value way into Massimo Bottura's Modena. Franceschetta 58 is his casual bistro, run by chef Francesco Vincenzi, where Emilia-Romagna tradition gets a light modern turn at €48 to €65 for a tasting menu. It is not Osteria Francescana and does not pretend to be; it is the relaxed, affordable cousin, and on its own terms it is one of the most enjoyable tables in the city.
How hard is it to book Franceschetta 58?
Easier than Osteria Francescana, but still worth planning. Reservations open about 60 days ahead and weekend tables fill quickly, especially during Modena's food-tourism season and motor events. Book by phone or email; lunch is easier to land than dinner. If Franceschetta is full, it is the natural fallback for anyone who missed an Osteria Francescana table.
What is the dress code at Franceschetta 58?
Smart-casual; this is a bistro, not a temple. The room is a converted auto workshop with a relaxed feel, so there is no jacket requirement and no need to dress up beyond what you would wear to a good neighbourhood trattoria. Modenesi tend to look put-together at dinner, so lean tidy rather than scruffy, but comfort is the right call here.
What is the average meal price at Franceschetta 58?
The tasting menus run €48 for the five-course Tradition in Evolution and €65 for the seven-course I ❤ Modena, before wine. À la carte is an option too — the Emilia Burger is €17 — and a Lambrusco-led wine list keeps pairings affordable. A full dinner with wine lands well under €100 per person, exceptional for cooking with this pedigree behind it.
Is Franceschetta 58 good for a first date?
Yes — it is one of Modena's better first-date rooms. The bistro setting is relaxed enough to take the pressure off, the price is clear and unintimidating, and the food gives you plenty to talk about without demanding silent reverence. Order the tortellini in brodo to share early, take a Lambrusco, and see our first-date picks if you want to walk to a drink afterwards.
What should I order at Franceschetta 58?
The tortellini in brodo, made by hand at Il Tortellante, are the must-order and carry a real story; the 36-month aged pancetta with Campanina apple mostarda is the starter to chase, and the zuppa inglese is the dessert. If you want the casual icon, the Emilia Burger by Bottura is €17. The €65 I ❤ Modena menu is the best single way to taste the kitchen's range.