Franco’s Italian Bistro Menu (Update 2025)
Introducing Franco’s Italian Bistro, a charming pasta shop in Catonsville, MD. Known for their fresh pasta and generous portions, this bistro offers a variety of Italian specialties. From the Cream of Crab Soup to the Scallop Pasta Verde, each dish is crafted with care and expertise. Customers rave about the friendly service and cozy atmosphere, making it a go-to spot for many locals. The brick oven pizzas are a must-try, with unique toppings like prosciutto and arugula. The seafood risotto and shrimp and crab pomodoro are also standout dishes that highlight the quality ingredients used here. Whether you're craving classic Italian flavors or looking for a new favorite, Franco’s Italian Bistro is sure to impress with its delicious offerings.
Specials - Soup
Cream of Crab Soup Special
Eggplant Rollatini Angelini Special
Baked eggplant stuffed with spinach, whipped ricotta, top with pomodoro, mozzarella, shaved parm.
Seared Scallops Special
Creamy polenta, crispy pancetta, basil pesto oil.
Specials - Appetizers
Specials - Entrees
Seafood Risotto Special
Shrimp, scallops, muscles, codfish, calamari in a shellfish broth over risotto.
Scallop Pasta Verde Special
Grilled scallops over house made spinach fettuccine in a light sherry cream sauce with roasted red peppers and mushrooms.
Broiled Codfish & Scallops Special
With a lemon butter sauce over grilled asparagus.
Garlic Bread
Calamari Fritti
Lightly seasoned fried squid.
Salami Furmaggi
Assortment of Italian cured meats & cheeses.
Roasted Vegetables
House roasted red peppers, mushrooms, asparagus in olive oil grated cheese & garlic.
Mozzarella Caprese
Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, extra virgin olive oil, basil.
Arancini
Sicilian rice balls stuffed with ground beef, cheese, peas & tomato sauce.
Shrimp Gianni
Shrimp sauteed with pancetta in a light sherry cream sauce over a risotto cake.
Cold Seafood Salad
Chilled shrimp, chopped clams, mussels, calamari marinated in extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic, parsley.
Mozzarella Airrosti
Fresh mozzarella, house roasted red peppers, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Meatballs
House made blend of pork, veal & beef, romano cheese, garlic & spices.
Sausage & Peppers
House made Italian fennel sausage with roasted bell peppers in marsala wine.
Steamed Clams
Little neck clams steamed in white wine, butter & garlic.
Steamed Mussels
Mussels steamed in white wine, butter & garlic.
Dinner - Anti Pasti
Dinner - Insalate
Antonio Bookie
Romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, red onion topped with shrimp, salami, mozzarella with house dressing.
Rughetta
Baby arugula, tomatoes, shaved parmigiano with a olive oil lemon vinaigrette.
Grilled Hearts of Romaine Caesar
Topped with shaved parmigiano, roasted red peppers, caesar dressing.
House Salad
Romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, red onion, with house dressing or balsamic vinaigrette.
Pasta Fagioli
Crab Soup
Dinner - Zuppe
Dinner - Franco's Pasta
Pasta w/ Pomodoro
Pasta w/ Bolognese
Pasta w/ Alfredo
Pasta w/ Vodka
Pasta w/ Pesto
Pasta w/ Butter
Momma's Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with house made ricotta, romano cheese, sausage & spinach in a pomodoro sauce.
Cheese Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with house made ricotta & romano cheese in a pomodoro sauce.
Meat Ball Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with a blend of beef, pork, veal, romano cheese & spices in a pomodoro sauce.
Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Spinach pasta pillow stuffed with wild mushrooms & ricotta in a marsala, sage, mushroom sauce.
Gnocchi
Italian ricotta dumplings in a tomato cream sauce.
Dinner - House Made Pasta
Dinner - Pasta and Risotto Specials
Crab Sauce & Bucatini
Blue crabs infused in marinara sauce topped with lump crab.
Linguine Clam Sauce
Little neck clams, chopped clams, garlic, parsley, olive oil, butter, white wine.
Pappardelle Bolognese
Tomato ragu with a blend of beef, pork, veal & spices with a touch of cream.
Egg Plant Parm
Served with linguini.
Gnocchi & Veal Sauce
Tender veal cubes slowly braised in pomodoro sauce & red wine.
Rigatoni Vodka
Vodka tomato cream sauce with grated romano & basil.
Orecchiette Fennel
Sliced house made fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shaved parm.
Risotto Primavera
Arborio rice cooked in chicken broth with basil pesto, asparagus, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, light cream, finished with extra virgin olive oil.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Shrimp sauteed with chili flakes, white wine, pomodoro sauce over linguini.
Calamari Granchio
Calamari simmered in extra virgin olive oil & white wine, finished in a blue crab infused marinara sauce over linguini.
Shrimp Scampi
Shrimp sauteed in butter, garlic, white wine, lemon & herbs over linguini.
Shrimp & Crab Crema di Pomodoro
Shrimp & crab sauteed in a blue crab infused marinara, cream & grated romano cheese over linguini.
Frutti di Mare
Shrimp, calamari, clams & mussels in a blue crab infused marinara sauce over linguini.
Dinner - Seafood
Dinner - Chicken, Veal & Beef
Chicken Piccata
Boneless breast sauteed in white wine, lemon & capers with a side of roasted vegetables.
Chicken Arancini
Boneless breast stuffed with spinach, prosciutto di parma & mozzarella, topped with a mushroom orange cream sauce with a side of roasted vegetables.
Chicken Franco
Breaded chicken breast fried golden brown topped with tomatoes, whipped ricotta, prosciutto di parma, mozzarella in a tomato mushroom marsala sauce with linguini.
Beef Braciole
Angus beef sirloin stuffed with egg, prosciutto di parma, romano cheese, slowly braised in tomato sauce & red wine with a side of orecchiette.
Veal Marsala
Tender veal scaloppini sauteed in a mushroom marsala sauce with a side of roasted vegetables.
Veal Saltimbocca
Tender veal scaloppini topped with prosciutto de parma melted mozzarella & sage in a marsala sauce over fresh spinach.
Veal Cacciatore
Tender veal cubes slowly braised in tomato sauce & red wine with bell peppers, mushrooms over pappardelle.
Veal Bryne
Bread veal madallions lightly fried with a sauce of prosciutto, mushrooms, marsala, lemon over linguini.
Chicken Parm
With linguini.
Veal Parm
With linguini.
Granchio (Crab) Pizza
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, crab meat, shaved pecorino romano, hint of old bay.
Shrimp Scampi Pizza
Garlic lemon cream, mozzarella, shrimp, shaved pecorino romano, hint of old bay.
Meatball Pizza
House made meatballs, tomato sauce, whipped ricotta, mozzarella, basil.
Sausage & Pepper Pizza
Tomato marsala sauce, house made fennel sausage, green peppers, house roasted peppers, mozzarella.
Pizza Margherita
Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil, shaved pecorino romano.
Salsiccia (Sausage) e Funghi Pizza
Mozzarella, mushrooms, house made Italian sausage, tomato sauce.
Locavore (Vegetable) Pizza
Extra virgin olive oil, grilled asparagus, roasted red peppers, broccoli rabe, garlic, fresh mozzarella, shaved pecorino romano.
Prosciutto e Arugula Pizza
Extra virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, arugula, shaved pecorino romano.
Funghi Pizza (Mushroom)
Tomato sauce, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, basil, arugula, shaved pecorino romano.
Pesto Pizza
Pesto, cherry tomatoes, whipped ricotta, fresh mozzarella.
Pizza Verde
Pesto, house roasted red peppers, asparagus, fresh mozzarella, shaved pecorino romano.
Quattro Formaggi Pizza
Extra virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella, whipped ricotta, feta, shaved pecorino romano.
Meat Lovers Pizza
House made Italian sausage, prosciutto di parma, soppressata, pancetta.
Shrimp Fra Diavolo Pizza
Tomato sauce, red chili flakes, shrimp, fresh mozzarella, basil.
Classic Cheese Pizza
Tomato sauce, mozzarella, shaved pecorino romano.
Classic Pepperoni Pizza
Tomato sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella.
Dinner - Brick Oven Pizza
Dinner - Contorni
Risotto
House Roasted Red Peppers
Broccoli Rabe
Rapini in olive oil & garlic.
Spinach Romano
Cream & grated romano.
Spinach, Oil & Garlic
Grilled Asparagus
Grated romano, garlic & oil.
Sauteed Mushrooms
Lunch Garlic Bread
Lunch French Fries
Lunch Calamari Fritto
Lightly seasoned fried squid.
Lunch Formaggio Fritto
Fried mozzarella sticks.
Lunch Cold Seafood Salad
Chilled shrimp, chopped clams, mussels, calamari, marinated in extra virgin olive oil, lemon, garlic & parsley.
Lunch Arancini
Sicilian rice balls stuffed with ground beef, cheese, peas & tomato sauce.
Lunch Mozzarella Arrosti
Fresh mozzarella, house roasted red peppers, basil and extra virgin olive oil.
Lunch Meatballs
House made blend of pork, veal & beef, romano cheese, garlic & spices.
Lunch - Anti Pasti
Lunch - Insalate
Lunch Antonio Bookie
Romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, red onion topped with shrimp, salami, mozzarella & house dressing.
Lunch Grilled Hearts of Romaine Caesar Salad
Topped with shaved parmigiano, roasted red peppers, caesar dressing.
Lunch Greek Salad
Lunch Mozzarella Caprese Salad
Fresh mozzarella, sliced tomato, extra virgin olive oil, basil.
Lunch Rughetta Salad
Baby Arugula, tomatoes, shaved parmigiano with a olive oil lemon vinaigrette.
Lunch House Salad
Romaine, iceberg, tomatoes, olives, pepperoncini, red onion with house dressing or balsamic vinaigrette.
Lunch Pasta Fagioli
Lunch Crab Soup
Lunch - Zuppe
Lunch - Franco's Pasta
Lunch Pasta w/ Pomodoro
Lunch Pasta w/ Bolognese
Lunch Pasta w/ Meatballs
Lunch Pasta w/ Alfredo
Lunch Pasta w/ Vodka
Lunch Pasta w/ Pesto
Lunch Pasta w/ Butter
Lunch Momma's Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with house made ricotta, romano cheese, sausage & spinach in a pomodoro sauce.
Lunch Cheese Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with house made ricotta, romano cheese in a pomodoro sauce.
Lunch Meat Ball Ravioli
Pasta pillows stuffed with a blend of beef, pork, veal, romano cheese & spices in a pomodoro sauce.
Lunch Wild Mushroom Ravioli
Spinach pasta pillow stuffed with wild mushrooms & ricotta in a marsala mushroom sauce.
Lunch Gnocchi
Italian ricotta dumplings in a tomato cream sauce.
Lunch - House Made Pasta
Lunch - Chicken & Veal
Lunch Chicken Piccata
Boneless breast sauteed in white wine, lemon & capers with a side of roasted vegetables.
Lunch Chicken Marsala
Chicken breast sauteed with mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce with a side of roasted vegetables.
Lunch Chicken Arancini
Boneless breast stuffed with spinach, prosciutto di parma & mozzarella, topped with a mushroom orange cream sauce with a side of roasted vegetables.
Lunch Chicken Parm
Boneless breast, lightly breaded, topped with mozzarella & tomato sauce. Served with linguini.
Lunch Veal Parm
Lightly breaded veal cutlet topped with mozzarella & tomato sauce with linguine.