Fresco Italian Cafe

I’m so, so sad to report that this restaurant has served its last meal… This has been a staple for date night for us for many years and even after we moved away we found a way to return on vacations. Just ate here on March 31, 2016 and upon entering the restaurant there was a little sign saying their last day would be that coming Saturday April 2, 2016. Our server said they didn’t get much notice which is a major bummer for them. This place was so unique in setting and food and presentation. Like I said– I’m just sad that this institution is closed…

We had dinner there Lat night. Once we found it, at first glance from outside we thought it was closed, and entered we found the small restaurant packed already by 6:45. My husband is still raving over the tomato pesto bisque soup and salad. He also loved the veal Bolognese. Special fish was trumpet and done beautifully. Very fresh herbs and veggies. Great chef.

My #1 favorite restaurant in Salt Lake. The patio is lovely in the spring and summer, and the inside is intimate and cozy in the winter. This is a great place to get incredible food without the formal environment of a restaurant like Valter’s. Every dish I’ve had here has been exceptional. This is one restaurant where the constantly changing, seasonal menu is a delight rather than a disappointment. The steaks I’ve had here are so beautiful. They also have a nice wine list. And the service! All of the servers/​hostesses/​hosts are very experienced, kind, and knowledgeable. I cannot say enough good things about this place!

I have to say that the food in this place is truly out of this world. I have enjoyed many romantic dates here as it is tiny and quaint.
My husband and I don’t get nights out very often and we saved our pennies to come here last night. Also spent a lot of time planning our babysitter, buying new clothes, etc. just so we could come to fresco.
About 10 minutes in, a family with two children was sat next to us. The smaller child was coughing like he had croup. It was constant throughout the entire dinner. The place is so tiny, and there wasn’t a customer in the whole place who wasn’t absolutely disgusted and appalled.
Is it wrong that I feel like I was completely jipped on my night? I sat down to a $ 60 a plate Valentine’s Day dinner, and had to deal with that the entire meal. Absolutely turned off by the staff who was too afraid to do anything. I have tiny babies at home who don’t deserve to be sick because people don’t have the sense to keep theirs home.

My wife and I came here a while back. I will say that this restaurant was a little snug/​cozy. However, the ambience was perfect! The food was exquisite and the portion sizes were ideal. Too many restaurants compensate for mediocre food with large portions. This restaurant satiates its patrons with exquisite flavor and ambience rather than gluttony. A little on the expensive side but worth the trip.

Went here for a birthday family dinner and overall had a good time!
Atmosphere — the place is a cute old house sorta structure turned restaurant! Sit outside, the patio is adorable.
Service — our waiter was so nice. The food is very slow but it’s that sort of place. I love that the waiters let you eat and aren’t breathing down your neck but still are super on top of drinks, etc. I also appreciated him making detailed recommendations.
The menu /​selection — the menu here is the biggest buzz kill for me. It’s very very limited … Like one chicken dish, one fish, etc. I stared at it for a long time and wasn’t really feeling any of the options and that’s never a great way to go about ordering your meal. I was so uninspired by the meals I actually went through the Unilocal gallery, and I saw some dishes that looked awesome but none were on the menu? So I’m thinking they change their menu often. It is posted by the entry so in the future I will read it before deciding to dine here, and I don’t think I’d bring a group larger than 3. The chances of someone not wanting any choices is too high … I prefer to bring groups to places with a bigger variety.
The food — the food was good! It wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had but it was very good. We got the recommended appetizer which was some sort of tarte. It was awesome (comes with only 2 tartes so FYI if you have a bigger table). The soup of the day (tomato pepper) and the salads (Caesar and spiced pear) were good! I ordered the Gnocchi which was pretty good … It had a nice lemon parsley flavor as described. Our table also ordered the seafood linguine which seemed to be enjoyed — one guy was unimpressed with the selection of seafood in it (I think it only had shrimp and scallops) but still thought it was tasty and one of the guys LOVED it. Someone at the table also ordered the fish dish which they enjoyed but would have been my biggest nightmare — it comes whole … Like with skin and a tail and the face. I just can’t do it. She asked for no tail and face but still, that skin … Not my style. Everyone did say it was delicious though so if that’s your jam, I suggest it.
Overall — the prices are too steep for somewhere I would frequent, I wouldn’t say it’s a bad value though because the food quality is good and you’re paying for a certain atmosphere as well. I will probably come back some time for a romantic date or special occasion but only upon reading the posted menu first and if the weather is nice enough to sit outside. There are other Italian restaurants in the area I think I prefer and will probably dine at more often.

Great service, great food. Overly crowded and noisy for my Tuesday evening dinner. Space is tight. Took a looooong while for the food to come. Pricy.

My experience at Fresco last night was altogether inviting and elegant in ambiance; the service was incredible, with a knowledgable, polite and unpretentious staff; and the food was out of this world. I am still thinking about the Heirloom Caprese Tart and Wagyu Beef!
The patio was just as lovely as the dining room was charming; and I am anticipating my next visit already! I don’t have a single complaint, I only wish I would not have been too full for dessert – Next time!

My fave restaurant in Salt Lake! Food to die for… ambiance galor… LOVE this place. Menu changes frequently; super fresh ingredients.

Really great restaurant with a lovely patio. We made a reservation for 5:45 and were able to get a table outside. We found out those tables are first come, first serve so make an earlier reservation if you want to be outside.
We tried the Meyer lemon and parsley gnocchi and the seafood linguine. They were both excellent. We also had an almond cake for dessert that was delicious.

What the hell happened? This place used to be so lovely and now? Pffft. I had a dish with scallops on it. There were, literally, three scallops and they were the size of a quarter. Spouse had a pasta dish that tasted as if library paste was one of the ingredients. And the prices were simply ridiculous. I am sad that this place has gone downhill. The atmosphere and neighborhood feel is so lovely but the food just doesn’t match.

The atmosphere is one of the best in the valley, a little gem tucked away in the 15^th & 15^th area. Appetizers were great, but all three of the main courses were too heavy on olive oil and garlic. Cannelloni was VERY bland. Risotto was the most flavorful dish. Dessert menu however was nothing to write home about.

This is one of the best restaurants I’ve ever experienced. From having lived in Italy for ten years, it is the most authentically northern Italian cuisine that I had since I’ve been back.
The restaurant itself is hard to find because it is in a converted house in the Sugar House neighborhood, which is one of Salt Lake City’s oldest and quaintest. The home setting makes it an intimate experience and lends itself to romantic dining even though there were two tables of kids when we were there.
The seared polenta came highly recommended but we went with the soup special, and the Beet & Chevre Gratin, which was beets, fried basil, charred fava beans, and balsamic reduction. It was unbelievable.
Our main dishes were the risotto, which was the special and served with prawn, and the Meyer Lemon & Parsley Gnocci. This gnocci was the best I have ever had. The people at the table next to us asked us what we had ordered and they had the same reaction when they got their gnocci. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
For dessert we went with the Tiramisu (fantastic) and the Mascarpone Cheescake, which I would order again and again and again. It is make with a cherry sauce (Gelee) and bourbon plumped cherries and a gingersnap cookie. perfect!
There are four other small restaurants right on the same corner as this little gemstone and so we have decided to designate this as an area of continued interest. However, it will be quite a while before we’re able to walk past Fresco without veering in to dine there.

Action packed. Gnocchi is the best. Hard to find, but it’s worth it in the end. Great service and atmosphere as well

If you haven’t tried the risotto at Fresco, exit Unilocal immediately and atone your sins!

It’s not often that you find neighborhood joint that is always on point. I love that I can walk to and from here (when the weather is good). Also, I appreciate that’s is tucked away from the main corridor on 15^th East, so you get the serenity of a shaded patio and privacy of a cozy dining room.
Fresco and I go way back — I had my first meal here at least ten years ago. That first time, my mother brought me here and since then I’ve kept it my little secret. Usually dining here when my mother comes to Utah for a visit, for special occasions with my man friend (yes, I’ve only ever brought one here), and most recently for dinner with my partner’s parents.
Their menu changes like the weather in Utah so don’t get too infatuated with a single item. Some of my favorite staples are the polenta appetizer (usually served with some mélange of wild mushrooms), the soup du jour, fresh stuffed pasta that is made in-​house, and market fish. You’ll never the same thing twice, they present their dishes beautifully, it’s always fresh, and delicious.
Just, please, don’t bring your loud, obnoxious groups or rowdy children. I’d like to keep this little gem a secret between you and me.

Okay so here is my two cents. We went there on a romantic night out. We reserved a table for two but if you go you need to be more specific and order your table outside in the summer. We ended up inside (almost the only ones) which was okay I guess.
Truth to be told the food was OK. but WAY TOO pricy.
I ordered the veal pasta but there was so little veal in my plate you needed to hunt for it. you could barely feel it. The menu needed to mention with veal essence or a tiny hint of veal. My husband ordered another pasta dish which turned out to be a very pricy meat ball pasta :). All and all it was OK. Not too impressed. Not bad to try it once I suppose.
Cheers,

Since I can’t do half stars I’ll just tell you, 3.5 stars. At times it can be a solid four stars but I’m not sure maybe a new chef…
The menu changes up due to seasonal and locally used food so the focus on that and freshness is enjoyed.
But other than the variation of how the meals have been prepared, I like this place for a nice romantic dinner. The service has always been impeccable, the staff friendly and attentive, great deserts and it’s very small. So there is not much indoor seating. Which in most cases is nice until you get a loud group which in a small area destroys the quaint experience.

Very cozy and romantic feel to the place, great place for a date. They have a good selection of gluten free dishes. The staff is more than happy to help you with the menu if you have any questions. Certain nights it might be very pack so I do suggest you to make reservations for dinner. Arrive little early to your reservation so you can have a drink and browse around in their waiting room which is a bookstore.
I eat a lot (literally I’m eating something every 3 hours) and I never finish their entrees. I don’t know whether it’s because I always over order (the food is really good) or their portions are just huge. Either way it’s a place you definitely need to try if you’re in SLC.

Fresco will always have a little piece of my heart. I don’t go very often but I always enjoy it when I do. It’s a great spot for special occasions, especially of the romantic nature but I’ve been there with girlfriends and family so don’t let the romantic talk deter you. My favorite time to go is when the weather is warm because I love to take advantage of their quaint patio. It’s really lovely with twinkling lights.
It’s perfectly situated in the 15^th and 15^th area. I wish I lived in the neighborhood because I can picture myself browsing the shelves at The King’s English Bookshop and then wandering over to Fresco for a beautiful summer dinner with someone. In this scenario, the person is a significant other and we’re drinking champagne with arms entwined. You know, that silly thing people do on their wedding day even though it’s really awkward and everyone is staring. Ridiculous but tell me you’re not picture that for yourself too.
I guess I should talk about the food. Let’s just get this out of the way: it’s not cheap. And if you’re used to American sizes, you might be disappointed in the size. If food isn’t your thing, you might feel cheated, but me? I love food. I would rather spend money on food than clothes. So while the portions aren’t huge, the flavor is there and it’s worth it to me. It’s not like it’s insanely expensive and you’re paying a pretty penny for 10 courses that are a bite size each. I usually leave comfortably full.
The last time I went, I had their sweet potato and chestnut ravioli and it was incredible. I’m a fool for ravioli and I’ve been on a weird sweet potato kick but this dish took it to a whole different level. It was creamy, sweet, and nutty. The Brussels sprouts and black currants added another notch and the only downside was the fact that it’s inappropriate to lick the dish clean.
We got a couple of desserts that weren’t really memorable but I have had good dessert there so perhaps it’s hit or miss.
Keep Fresco in mind the next time you want to treat someone to a nice dinner with great ambiance.