When do Osteria Francescana reservations open?
When do Osteria Francescana reservations open? A whole month at a time, on a date the restaurant publishes, at 10am Italy time. I'd be on its reservation page at that minute, which is 1am in California and 4am in New York on every release date through June 2027. On November 2, 2026, May 2027 opened. June 2027 opens Tuesday, December 1, 2026.
Osteria Francescana is Massimo Bottura's restaurant at Via Stella 22 in the center of Modena, the city next to Bologna on the train line to Milan. Its FAQ says tables are booked only on its own website; when a date is full, you join the waiting list there.
When does each month open?
| Tables for | Open on, at 10am Italy time | In California |
|---|---|---|
| April 2027 | Thursday, October 1, 2026 | Already open |
| May 2027 | Monday, November 2, 2026 | Opened today |
| June 2027 | Tuesday, December 1, 2026 | 1am, December 1 |
| July 2027 | Monday, January 4, 2027 | 1am, January 4 |
| August 2027 | Monday, February 1, 2027 | 1am, February 1 |
| September 2027 | Monday, March 1, 2027 | 1am, March 1 |
| October 2027 | Thursday, April 1, 2027 | 1am, April 1 |
| November 2027 | Monday, May 3, 2027 | 1am, May 3 |
| December 2027 and January 2028 | Tuesday, June 1, 2027 | 1am, June 1 |
The California time holds all year because Italy and the US change their clocks within two weeks of each other and every release date falls outside that gap. New York is always 4am.
What are the booking rules?
| Rule | What the restaurant says |
|---|---|
| Where to book | Only on its website; waiting list when full |
| Party size | 2 to 10 guests; solo diners are sent to Francescana at Maria Luigia |
| Card hold | 300 euros a person, placed four days before; no charge |
| Cancellation | Free up to 96 hours before; 300 euros a person after that, or for a no-show |
| Tasting menu | 350 euros; wine pairing 240 euros; the whole table takes it |
| À la carte | Available at lunch and dinner; parties of five or more take the tasting menu |
| Children | From age 12 |
| Dress | No dress code; smart casual |
| Length | About three hours |
| Allergies | Tell them one week before |
| Third-party bookings | Only with the main guest's own name, phone and email |
What if Osteria Francescana is full?
Join the waiting list for your exact date, then look at Francescana at Maria Luigia. The free cancellation runs to 96 hours before, so tables come back in the last week. The reservation page offers a second restaurant, Francescana at Maria Luigia, at Stradello Bonaghino 56 in San Damaso outside Modena, with what the restaurant calls its classic menu. It is the one that takes a solo diner.
Have a card ready at 10am Italy time on the release date and know your two fallback dates in the same month, since the whole month opens at once.
Where does it fit in a trip?
Stay in Bologna and take the train. The center of Modena is a limited traffic zone, and the FAQ warns that driving into it brings a fine. Lunch is the easier booking to plan a day around: Modena from Bologna has the market, the balsamic visit and the trains, and two days in Bologna has the base. For another table with a fixed release date, DiverXO in Madrid opens one date a day, 90 days ahead.