Fiocchi di pera al mascarpone
A creation by chef Franco that has become a favorite among diners, always available as the ideal dish to awaken the senses at any time of day
What visitors voted
2 votes so far
The average appears from the third vote left at the plaque: with fewer it would be one person's opinion writ large on a public page, and that would not be honest.
Dining · Toa Baja
Roman trattoria in Toa Baja with handmade fresh pasta and ingredients imported from Italy since 2009
Eccellenza Italianacertificata 2026–2027ID 7879
Read on
The place
La Cucina Italiana di Franco e Gemma is an authentic trattoria in Levittown, Toa Baja, run by Franco Barbarossa, a chef and gastronome from Rome, and his wife Gemma, a pastry chef. Having arrived in Puerto Rico from Rome in 1993, they opened a shop selling imported Italian ingredients in 2009, followed by the trattoria in 2014, where they personally prepare fresh pasta and sauces according to traditional recipes. Among the specialties, the fiocchi di pera al mascarpone stand out, a creation by the chef that has become a classic. The project also includes La Placita and a cooking school.
From Rome to Levittown
Franco Barbarossa, a chef and gastronome from Rome, and his wife Gemma, a pastry chef, brought the cuisine of Italy's capital to Puerto Rico in 1993.
Why you can trust it
La Cucina Italiana di Franco e Gemma is a member of the Eccellenze Italiane network. The mark is registered in Italy and abroad: every certified business has a unique identifier, which can be checked at any time.
Images
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In the kitchen
Services and features
A creation by chef Franco that has become a favorite among diners, always available as the ideal dish to awaken the senses at any time of day
Prepared in the Roman tradition with handmade fresh pasta, following the capital's age-old recipes
A starter that combines crusty bread with the fresh flavors of mozzarella and tomato, one of the options among the entrées
A sauce prepared following age-old traditions, paired with fresh pasta handmade every day
The figures
What visitors say
«Best Italian cuisine I've visited in years. It easily beats some of the most famous in the UK, USA, and Brazil. Everything is genuine, but unfortunately far from this cozy place where everyone treats you like a house gue»
«Excelente servicio, Gemma siempre muy atenta a todas las mesas, franco salió para ver si la comida era de nuestro gusto, todo estaba muy delicioso, la carne estaba perfecta, la carbonara maravillosa.»
«This is the best Italian restaurant in PR. The owners are from Italy. I love the pear and mascarpone fiocchi and bolognese!»
«It is the most legit Italian restaurant in Puerto Rico. The ambiance is like going to a nonna's house, a no-frills type of place.»
Reviews appear in the language each guest wrote them in.
In the making · The method
Ingredients come directly from Italy through La Placita, guaranteeing the authenticity of the trattoria's dishes and allowing the faithful reproduction of the flavors of Roman culinary tradition.
Franco and Gemma personally prepare the pasta every day, working the dough according to traditional techniques handed down from generation to generation in Roman kitchens.
The dishes follow authentic Italian culinary preparations, respecting the timing and methods of the original recipes to guarantee genuine flavors rooted in age-old traditions.
