Fresco Italian Cafe

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Address:
1513 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105

Neighborhood:
Downtown

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Cuisine:
Italian

Price: $31 to $50

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Fresco Italian Cafe Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.frescoitaliancafe.com/
Phone: (801) 486-1300
Hours of Operation: Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 9:30pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm
Payment Options: AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: Italian
Executive Chef: Mikel Trapp
Dress Code: Business Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Fireplace, Full Bar, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Patio/Outdoor Dining
Private Party Facilities: Please call for details.
Private Party Contact: Cherie Bartleson (801) 486-1300 x11

Getting there

Public Transit: UTA Bus Number 52
Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: undefined

A word from Fresco Italian Cafe

Chef Logen Crew takes pride in creating innovative Italian food using fresh, seasonal, and local produce. We feature fresh house-made pastas, along with a nightly risotto that should not be missed. Join us on the candle lit patio, tucked back behind The King's English Bookstore, or dine with us… inside in our intimate, cottage-like dining room. Browse the books at the bookstore before dinner, or have a glass of wine and wait in our garden where we grow and use some of our own produce. We do not take reservations for our patio, but we do our best to accommodate all requests. Due to the intimate size of our restaurant, parties of 5 or more should call the restaurant in order to make a reservation. We look forward to you dining with us!Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerItalian
Diners' Choice WinnerNeighborhood Gem
Diners' Choice WinnerOutdoor Dining

Fresco Italian Cafe - Best Restaurants in Downtown Salt Lake City

Diner Reviews

" Professional in both food quality and service. Charming atmosphere, although would be a bit claustrophobic (and noisy) if full. Perhaps a reason to time one's visits to when one can comfortably sit out on the small but sheltered patio."
Dined on 7/7/2014
"Charming small restaurant with very good food. A must experience."
Dined on 7/8/2014
"This restaurant used to be so tasty. I had the worst piece of meat I have had in 30 years of dining, it was tough and chewy with no flavor. I asked for it medium rare and got a hockey puck! Truly a real disappointment! All 4 of us had poor meals."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"This is one of our favorite spots in SLC so we took some business clients there. The menu and service were awesome. But surprisingly, the food execution was below par of what we've had over the years. The cheese plate was a bit boring (Pago's is better) and most dishes were a bit under cooked even for us who love al dente - carrot appetizer and pastas. The artichoke tortelli was swimming in butter/oil and a bit heavy. The fava bean agnoletti and lamb/sausage ragu past were both OK, but nothing I would repeat. It was Tuesday, so maybe the regular chef was out? The desserts were nice but again, nothing memorable. Ambiance and service were so good - sure wish meal had matched!"
Dined on 7/1/2014
"After moving away from SLC, my wife & I went back to Fresco on a recent visit. The memories we had of a quaint, tucked-away restaurant with amazing food did not disappoint. We ate inside for old time's sake, and because of the summer weather sort of wish we would have opted for outside. That said, it was still great. The one piece of feedback I would give for something that may have been nicer was how the inside was decorated. Not that it needs big changes, but a change of curtains and a few frames on the walls would add some nicer touches to the overall ambience. None of that got in the way of a great walk down memory lane, and a spectacular dining experience."
Dined on 6/30/2014
"The food was great and the outside atmosphere was really good too. We definitely recommend the restaurant!"
Dined on 6/28/2014
"Fresco is good - but it isn't the top notch place it used to be. The food was fine, but not to the level you would expect for a high-end restaurant. My salad was fine, but quality was replaced by quantity. I had a pasta dish that was ok, but again, I got twice as much food as I needed, and it wasn't to the level I'd expect."
Dined on 6/26/2014
"What would have been a lovely evening go very good food, a well mixed cocktail and enjoyable company topped off by excellent service was greatly detracted by the most uncomfortable chairs on the planet! There has Got to be a better way to achieve patio seating! The only other complaint was not the Restirante's fault; why do people insist on bringing young and completely unruly children to an establishment like this for dinner? Between the two kids running around all through the dining area and their mothers chasing but not chastising them the night was nearly ruined!"
Dined on 6/19/2014
"Fresco brought us delicious food in a relaxed, home-like dining room. Seasoning was subtle and refined. Service was efficient, friendly, and attentive without intrusion. We'll come back."
Dined on 6/15/2014
"You'll find a delicious meal at Fresco Italian Cafe with patio charm and terrific service on the side. The server was knowledgeable about the wine and the food and made a good recommendation for the chicken. The patio is small but I didn't notice a lot of noise. Nice. I certainly look forward to going back and trying it again."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"We love Fresco but this last visit was sub par. The food was fair and the portions smaller than normal. The help was decent but they were busy and not very aware not attentive. A bit if a disappointment this time."
Dined on 6/13/2014
"This is a hidden little place that has become one of my personal favorites. Love the location, food, ambiance, everything about it is great. Things can be made to order, which I love since I'm a vegetarian. I'd recommend to anyone!"
Dined on 6/13/2014
"Fresco 's chef is a wizard with flavors/mixing to make the most extraordinarily flavorful,truly DELICIOUS meal ! Sometimes I found the presentation to be a bit so-so,but the flavor cannot be disputed - it is the best in town ! Service was bit chilly, unwelcoming - either the help is overburdened or just a bit snobby....didn't ruin the evening,but I noticed it."
Dined on 6/10/2014
"Fresco Italian Cafe has always been a favorite of our family for celebrations and those perfect romantic moments. I knew this would be the perfect location for my sister and brother in law to celebrate their anniversary on a Monday night and booked them a table. Service is everything in the restaurant business. Their waitress was so unbelievably rude they were stunned. Fortunately my sister has a positive attitude, took a deep breath and laughed off the attitude of their waitress. I sincerely hope this does not happen to others on their special evenings!"
Dined on 6/9/2014
"The waitress was dreadful. When we asked for something, she wouldn't bring it. Extremely unattentive. She brought the dessert menus, but never asked if we wanted anything, just showed up with the checks."
Dined on 6/5/2014
"I love this place. My Mother would bring me here for lunch when I was a student at the "U" 24 years ago. Don't get back to SLC very often, but when I do I always make it a point to dine here."
Dined on 6/5/2014
"Wonderful evening outdoors, great service, delicious food. Fresco is great as usual!"
Dined on 6/7/2014
"How wonderful it is to find a restaurant with superb food AND to be able to converse easily with one's dining companions! We dined outside on a balmy SLC evening, and really enjoyed everything we tried on this interesting Italian menu. The patio is a small intimate area hidden away from the street - an oasis from the hustle and bustle of city life. Thank you."
Dined on 6/6/2014
"You MUST ask to be seated outside! Took my girlfriend on a nice date and had dinner here! We absolutely loved it!! The atmosphere was stunning and the food was absolutely amazing!! Would recommend to anyone! I will definitely be returning again! "
Dined on 5/27/2014
"WoW! It was nice to sit, talk and enjoy a great dinner! Staff was not pushy with anything, very patient to let us enjoy every detail of the dinner."
Dined on 5/23/2014
"Great ambience. The deck is a perfect place for an intimate outdoor setting. Great neighborhood spot!"
Dined on 5/22/2014
"Located in a converted house, Fresco Italian Cafe is fabulous. Seating is not crowded, so conversations are private. We started with a bottle of Vietti Tre Vigne (Italian) wine. The Arugula and Caesar salads were excellent. The Risotto special was perfect as was the Ricotta Cavatelli and the Market fish which was snapper. Service was excellent; attentive but not overbearing. Prices are moderate. Fresco Italian is a neighborhood gem located fairly close to the U of Utah campus. Try it for pre-show meals when going to the Pioneer Theater, other campus events or when visiting Salt Lake City."
Dined on 5/15/2014
"It was a very nice cute place. It was too coll to sit outside but I bet that would also be a wonderful experience. "
Dined on 5/10/2014
"Nice romantic little place. Good food. They were out of the first two bottles if wine I selected. Had to go with a third choice. Other than that everything was fine"
Dined on 5/8/2014
"Absolutely fabulous dinner with friends celebrating a bday. The cocktails we're also delish !!!"
Dined on 5/4/2014
"Saturday night in early spring, we wanted a special meal to celebrate change of season. Fresco Italian Cafe fit the bill. The balmy evening air made the patio _the_ place to dine. The two appetizers, local trout pate on toast points with in-house creme fraiche and salumi and formaggio platter were excellent with an opening glass of Prosecco. We shared a carciafio tortelli pasta, followed by an Arugula salad. Secundi Piatti was a grilled pork chop. We brought a 2005 Renato Ratti Barolo that our server decanted when we arrived. It opened beautifully and was a fitting wine with both the pasta and second plate. Can't say enough good comments about the service. We will definitely return, again and again."
Dined on 5/3/2014
"We have been dining here since they opened. Summer is the perfect time to visit and eat on the patio. The food was delicious and the service was great."
Dined on 5/2/2014
"A real neighborhood gem! The food was delicious, service was a little slow but everyone was attentive."
Dined on 4/26/2014
"When we first moved to SLC over a decade ago, Fresco was a favorite for Italian dining. Having lived and travelled widely in Italy, we recognize the real thing. However, the recent revisit was a disappointment. The food was salty and over-prepared, the service attentive to the point of being intrusive, and the ambiance anything be intimate. The antipasto was boring and skimpy, a few slices of cardboard-textured, flavorless salami, unremarkable cheese bits, and run of the mill olives. We tried both a pasta (il primo) and an entre (il secondo). Neither were very interesting, particularly tasty, or fine Italian cuisine. We left thinking that we would have done better at the Olive Garden, or better still, at home."
Dined on 4/19/2014
"My husband is Italian and an excellent cook. It was his birthday and we went to Fresco's to celebrate. We ordered two different dishes of risotto. Unfortunately, both sauces were thick and overly rich, completely lacking the subtle flavors of authentic Italian food and the risotto was gummy. We were very disappointed. "
Dined on 4/19/2014
"Lovely atmosphere, relaxed --service attentive. Chicken dish delicious and creative. Pasta was a bit gummy, but sauce fine. Wine list was broad for a restaurant in Mormon territory, but need additions at bottom prices. All in all a delight."
Dined on 4/16/2014
"It may be an unassuming location in the middle of suburbia but the food is world class. The waitstaff is friendly and knowledgeable. The dishes were bursting with perfect flavor combinations and were of a proper portion (not the typical American oversize portion). 5 stars. A wonderfully surprising find!"
Dined on 4/14/2014
"Entrees took over 1hour and 20 minutes - for PASTA! We have never waited that long for an entree... ever. We had to ask for our entrees to go so we didnt miss a concert that we were going to that night. The waiter was very insulting telling us-- this is a very slow restaurant. We told him we were going to miss a concert and then we watched him as he took his sweet time chatting to another customer while holding our togo boxes! The waiter also had to come to our table at some point and ask what we ordered because he forgot to write it down - what? The kitchen didnt even have our order - no wonder we waited forever! The bill was over $100 for 2 glasses of wine, 2 salads and 2 pasta dishes. Not worth the money or the wait."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"One of Salt Lake's best, a great menu, constantly changing...creative, incredible flavors and always very well executed. Fresco never disappoints."
Dined on 4/12/2014
"It's easy to forget about this restaurant because it's tucked away and doesn't make a big show of advertising, but it's always wonderful. It always has something new without leaving the general feeling and quality of the food behind, and I would recommend it to anyone. The wine has become very pricey, but I guess that's a general trend. It's very small and intimate and especially nice now that outdoors eating is approaching."
Dined on 4/10/2014
"I've been going to this place for years and will continue to do so. The food, wine, service, location and overall atmosphere are great. We always like to hit the bookstore that is connected to the restaurant afterwards."
Dined on 3/27/2014
"Our dinner and service was excellent. We tried the broccoli soup, baby artichokes and beet appetizers. They all were very good. I enjoyed the sweet potato ravioli that was topped with brussell sprouts and currants. it was an unusual combination but yummy. Our table also enjoyed the special salmon and the bucatini with meatball. It was a very nice evening."
Dined on 4/4/2014
"My husband and I went here on a Friday night Food, drinks, and service were really good-no complaints. My only complaint was there was a crying baby close by and the restaurant is quite small and tight."
Dined on 3/28/2014
"This is a very intimate restaurant with tables close together. We were by the wait station/kitchen so the staff was constantly walking by our table to get to other tables. I did not like that as I felt that our dinner was constantly interrupted. But the food was outstanding. My husband had the 3 course special associated with the Natural History Museum's display on chocolate. He enjoyed every course. I had the baby kale salad and sweet potato ravioli. Both were excellent. My dessert of citrus polenta tart was just ok. Service was a little slow and not very attentive- it took a while for our waitress to take our order."
Dined on 3/20/2014
"Food and service were great. The chicken entree was fantastic. I'd imagine the ambience steps up a notch in the summer when things green up and the patio is opened. Definitely recommend."
Dined on 3/15/2014

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